Lady Gaga & Beyonnce’s “[Telephone][1]” was a global maximum. It captured a moment in time that we will never get back. This argument will carry over several entries, but I want to start at the most granular, the product placements in the video. After watching it several times, I’ve identified seven clear product placements; one where the logo is clear enough to be readable while on screen. In order, they are Virgin Mobile, [Diet Coke][2], [Beats][3], [Plenty of Fish][4], Polaroid1, Wonder Bread, and Miracle Whip. Every brand in the video would never be as popular or as influential as they were in that moment.2
[Virgin Mobile, Diet Coke, Beats, Plenty of Fish, Polaroid, Wonder Bread, Miracle Whip]
What has happened to Polaroid is a travesty. The auction was an act of cultural destruction. I know, I did bid on a piece, but once it was fixed, nothing was to be gained by not participating. (And it was a color Ansel Adams. COLOR!) The Impossible Project is doing God’s own work. ↩
I’ll be dealing with the two biggest brands featured in the video, namely Gaga & Bey, in a future entry here. ↩