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We Got The Beat - For Cardiac Supplements!

Savvy marketers have used 80s songs in commercials for awhile now, trying to appeal to Generation X by raiding our old cassette collections. I think it's cute, validating even. Banks and insurance companies now think I'm worthy of their products! I spent a dozen years working at VH1, so I appreciate the power of nostalgia. 

Fidelity Investments has been my clear favorite, lifting "Saved By Zero" from The Fixx; "More Than This" by Roxy Music, and "If You Leave" from OMD—forever tied to Molly Ringwald and "Pretty In Pink," no matter what commercial it lands in.

Last year I LOL'd when Geico featured "new homeowners" who were thrilled with their house's character, crown molding, and walk-in closets. But they had a rat problem. Flash to the 80s metal band RATT performing their first big hit "Round and Round" in the attic, bathroom and then the kitchen to the annoyance of the residents. For fun, here's my autographed photo from RATT lead singer Stephen Pearcy after a VH1 Classic taping: 
But we started slipping into the danger zone several months ago when Paula Abdul (There she is in my blog again!) promoted Voltaren arthritis gel by dancing to her hit "Forever Your Girl" with her younger self. Creative editing, yes, but it just made me feel old. 
But now this selling of my childhood has gone too far. Last week, I heard the pounding drums of The Go-Gos' "We Got The Beat" on MSNBC while fixing dinner. Children of the 80s know the iconic song opens the equally classic film "Fast Times At Ridgemont High." 

So I was confused, then horrified to see middle-aged actors dancing awkwardly while a voiceover heralded the arrival of Vascepa, a prescription medication to reduce the risks of a heart attack or stroke. After a little digging, I found that it gets worse. It's an "omega-3 fatty acid, a fat found in fish oil." Why do we even need a prescription for that? 

But don't get mad, get even, right? So I want to come up with the next campaign combining an 80s hit with a product targeting a more mature demo. Something like:

* Walk Like An Egyptian canes

* The Careless Whisper hearing aids

* The Don't You (Forget About Me) memory enhancers

I wonder how they'll use "WAP" 30 years from now? 





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Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 4, 2021 at 6:16 AM

    Thank gawd E-harmony never soiled Bowie by using "Modern Love" in its commercials.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Brett HenneMarch 4, 2021 at 9:01 AM

    Ha! That's a good one!

    ReplyDelete

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