“Imaginary Landscapes” from 1989 is a rare and captivating documentary that delves into the innovative creative process of legendary musician and producer Brian Eno. This late 80s gem offers an intimate look at Eno’s artistic philosophy and his groundbreaking approach to music and sound design. Through insightful interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, viewers gain an understanding of how Eno’s visionary techniques have shaped the landscape of modern music. For fans and aspiring artists alike, this documentary provides a unique opportunity to explore the mind of one of the most influential figures in contemporary music.
Behind-The-Scenes Footage Of Tom Petty, Lenny Kravitz, Elvis Costello, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger Recording for The Simpsons’ “How I Spent My Strummer Vacation”
A rare behind-the-scenes footage of “The Simpsons” captures rock legends Tom Petty, Lenny Kravitz, Elvis Costello, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger recording their voices for the 2002 episode “How I Spent My Strummer Vacation.” The video offers a fascinating glimpse into the collaborative process, showcasing the musicians’ enthusiasm and humor as they bring their animated counterparts to life. Fans of both “The Simpsons” and rock music will be thrilled to see these iconic stars stepping into the recording booth, adding their unique flair to the beloved series. This episode remains a standout, not only for its hilarious storyline but also for its extraordinary guest appearances.
My Next Read: “Electronic Dance Music: From Deviant Subculture to Culture Industry” by Christopher T. Conner and David R. Dickens
Electronic Dance Music: From Deviant Subculture to Culture Industry explores the subculture’s emergence as a deviant subculture. This text analyzes how industry professionals, fans, and public officials helped usher in a new age of EDM, arguing that while the defining features of the subculture made it attractive, they also laid the foundations for outsiders to commodify the movement as a culture industry. Conner and Dickens explore the concept of “commodified resistance” as the mechanism by which the movement’s politically dissident features were removed and its place as a multi-billion-dollar industry made possible. Ultimately, this text advocates the continued utility of the culture industry thesis through an empirical analysis of the EDM subculture.
You HAVE To See This – Michael Winslow does ‘Whole Lotta Love’ by Led Zeppelin
Michael Winslow, the legendary vocal artist and comedian known for his extraordinary ability to produce sound effects using only his voice, delivers an astounding rendition of Led Zeppelin’s iconic song “Whole Lotta Love.” With his unparalleled vocal talent, Winslow mimics the electric guitar riffs, bass lines, and even the powerful vocals of Robert Plant, capturing the essence of the classic rock anthem. His performance is a mesmerizing blend of musical mastery and comedic genius, showcasing his unique talent in an unforgettable way. Whether you’re a Led Zeppelin fan or just someone who appreciates incredible vocal skills, this is a must-see performance that will leave you in awe.
Photo Gallery: Halestorm with I Prevail, Hollywood Undead and Fit For A King at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage
All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.
Video-Centric Advertising Strategies To Engage Audiences and Have Great Results
By Mitch Rice
Different ad platforms provide unique opportunities for marketers looking to reach their target audience. It’s not just a fashion trend but an effective tool that can engage the audience and convert views into sales. However, to succeed, marketers need to master several strategies.
The importance of a creative approach
Video-centric advertising is not only about its visual aspect but also about the way it presents content. A video ad that does not leave a response from the viewer can be considered a bad investment. Therefore, the key to success lies in creativity.
A creative approach to video advertising means creating unique, memorable content that evokes an emotional response from the viewer. It can be humor, an unexpected twist, an emotional story, or even a visual masterpiece, all made more effective with the added security and seamless access to global content provided by iProVPN.Recommendations from Ben Jones
Ben Jones, the international director of Creative Works at Google, believes that success in video advertising lies in the ability to reject the usual stereotypes. Instead of following the usual templates, Ben Jones recommends:
- Watch trends. Study popular video content to understand what’s trending right now.
- Experiment with formats. Don’t be afraid to use new video or animation formats.
- Interact with the audience. Create content that motivates viewers to interact with your brand.
Don’t forget about the tools that will help you to effectively create videos. For example, Simpleshow can help you create explainer videos in several hours.
How can DSP for programmatic advertising boost your video-centric ad campaign?
Video-centric advertising combined with DSP for programmatic advertising offers a potent cocktail of engagement and precision. By leveraging DSP, advertisers can efficiently target audiences based on various parameters, ensuring that video content reaches the right eye at the right time. The synergy of thoughtful video-centric ad strategy and DSP amplifies the impact of video ads, enhancing brand awareness and fostering deeper connections with consumers.
Through real-time bidding and advanced algorithms, DSPs optimize ad placements across multiple channels and devices, maximizing reach and conversion rates. This fusion of video-centric content and DSP technology not only streamlines the advertising process but also enhances ROI by delivering personalized, compelling messages to the audiences.
An example of a successful creative video-centric advertising strategy
Burger King`s advertising campaign caused a wide response by showing a not-at-all-appetizing burger that spoils within 34 days. This frank approach was used to emphasize the absence of preservatives in Burger King products. The campaign has been a successful rebranding tactic for the company which is slowly gaining traction in the fast-food burger sector.
ABCD principle: the key to an effective video-centric advertising strategy
Creating an ad that stands out among the many other videos requires following certain principles. One of these principles is ABCD, which helps marketers create content that engages viewers and encourages them to take action.
A (Attract): grab attention right away
The first few seconds of an ad are critical. If you fail to grab the viewer’s attention immediately, they may skip your video. Getting attention with a massive discount code can also help to get the initial attention.
Example: Mountain Dew’s “As Good As The Original”. This video ad immediately grabs attention with its bright colors and dynamic music.
B (Brand): integrate the brand in a simple and natural way
Viewers should be able to easily identify your brand in the ad, but it shouldn’t look intrusive.
Example: Coca-Cola’s “Open Like Never Before”. The Coca-Cola logo and their style are present in the ad, but they are integrated naturally.
C (Connect): interaction with the viewer’s emotions
The ad should evoke an emotional response from the viewer, whether it’s joy, laughter, sadness, or nostalgia. Including conference photography that can deepen the emotional connection by showing real-time engagement and reactions.
Example: Google’s “Loretta”. This ad evokes deep emotions by telling a story about old age and memories.
D (Direct): clear call to action (CTA)
After watching the ad, the viewer should know what is expected of them. It could be buying a product, browsing a website, or subscribing to a channel.
Example: Spotify’s “Music for Every Mood”. The call to action at the end of the ad clearly indicates that viewers should download the Spotify app.
By following the ABCD principle, marketers can create effective and emotionally engaging video-centric ad strategies.
Personalization and hyperlocal approach
Personalization in a video-centric advertising strategy means creating videos that resonate with your target audience’s individual interests, preferences, and needs.
Spotify’s Wrapped Campaign uses user data to create personalized videos that summarize their music preferences throughout the year.
Hyperlocal advertising focuses on creating ads that reflect consumers’ local characteristics, culture, or needs in a particular region.
Coca-Cola is known for its innovative advertising campaigns, including the hyperlocal advertising developed by McCann Worldgroup India. This ad differs from the traditional Coca-Cola commercials we are used to seeing. It is filled with local Indian colors and flavors and shows the journey of a young woman living in a small town. Everything in the ad, from the colors to the settings, has an authentic Indian character.
This ad is part of Coca-Cola’s strategy to focus on a hyperlocal approach, tailoring its advertising campaigns to local markets to increase their resonance with local consumers.
Chaka Khan Launches First Fragrance, Chaka by Chaka Khan Exclusively with HSN
HSN, a leader in livestream shopping and video storytelling, today announced the highly anticipated launch of Chaka Khan’s debut fragrance, Chaka by Chaka Khan. As the latest woman to be inducted into the coveted Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Chaka Khan is a 10-time Grammy Award–winning global superstar that has served as an inspiration for generations of singers, songwriters, recording artists, storytellers and musicians. The fragrance will debut on HSN.com via an exclusive, worldwide launch.
Building upon Chaka’s legacy of female empowerment, this new scent is a bottled homage to longevity and creative spirit. Chaka by Chaka Khan is a unique composition of sensual violet and ylang ylang, infused with bergamot and pink pepper. A hint of musk blossom, woodsy patchouli, vanilla, warm cinnamon and sandalwood add earthy layers. Its construction is that of a fragrance made as a tribute to 50 years of music, memories and magic.
“Long-serving as a strategic business partner to celebrities and their fragrances, HSN welcomes Chaka Khan and her debut fragrance Chaka by Chaka Khan – a true reflection of her mark as a pop culture maverick. Chaka’s vision has been brought to life from the carefully crafted notes to the iconic microphone bottle design,” said Bridget Love, GMM & VP Beauty, Fashion & Jewelry, HSN. “HSN continues to maintain its pioneering role within the realm of live video commerce, seamlessly integrating respected celebrities such as Chaka Khan.”
As a leader in the live video commerce space, HSN incorporates entertainment, personalities and industry experts to provide an entirely unique shopping experience for their customers by offering real-time engagement opportunities along with exclusive products.
“This fragrance is more than just a scent – it’s a journey of music, passion and soul. Every note is lovingly made, inspired by the songs and memories we’ve shared,” says Chaka. “As you wear it, it’s my wish to uplift your spirit, empowering you to shine, whether you’re sharing a quiet time or out on the town. We’re all rockstars. Here’s to celebrating the power within each of us. With all my love, Chaka.”
The Chaka by Chaka Khan fragrance will launch exclusively on HSN.com on Tuesday, November 14. Chaka Khan will appear LIVE from the HSN studios on Tuesday, November 14 at 11 p.m. EST and Wednesday, November 15 at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. EST as she shares stories of her life, career and the inspiration behind her first fragrance. The fragrance will be available in multiple configurations ranging in price from $35.00 to $90.00.
SiriusXM Inks New Multi-Year Agreement with SmartLess Media, Including Powerhouse Flagship Podcast, “SmartLess”
Today, SiriusXM announced a new, multi-year agreement with SmartLess Media and its founders, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, that will bring certain exclusive advertising and distribution rights, content, events, and more for their iconic flagship podcast “SmartLess” and select shows from the SmartLess Media slate to the audio entertainment company and its industry-leading SiriusXM Podcast Network. The deal will commence late in the summer.
As part of the new agreement, SiriusXM gains access to extensive exclusive content for its subscribers, consisting of early access to new episodes of “SmartLess” and SmartLess Media podcasts “Just Jack & Will,” “Bad Dates,” and “Owned,” as well as the opportunity to be in the live audience for special tapings, and more. Additionally, the majority of the “SmartLess” library will be available exclusively to SiriusXM, making it the only destination for fans to access the podcast’s complete catalog.
The award-winning “SmartLess” podcast was launched in July 2020 and is consistently among the top 5 most listened-to podcasts monthly. Guests have included President Joe Biden, Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Greta Gerwig, Idris Elba, Pedro Pascal, Selena Gomez, and many more. “SmartLess” is produced by Michael Grant Terry, Bennett Barbakow, and Rob Amjärv.
SiriusXM Media, the company’s advertising division, gains exclusive global ad sales rights to the “SmartLess” podcast hosted by Arnett, Bateman, and Hayes, as well as select SmartLess Media shows “Just Jack & Will,” “Bad Dates,” and “Owned.” The SiriusXM Podcast Network reaches 1 in 2 podcast listeners in the US each month, and with the addition of these SmartLess Media podcasts, it will be easier than ever for advertisers to tap into the power of podcasting at scale with ease, courtesy of SiriusXM Media.
“At SiriusXM, we are proud to be home to the stars, and with Jason, Sean, and Will joining us, that statement has never been more true. Over the past several years, we have doubled down on our commitment to podcasting, and with the addition of “SmartLess,” we are strengthening our leadership position in podcasting,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. “This groundbreaking new collaboration showcases our power to drive growth for an established podcast while bringing unique value back to our subscribers through exclusive content and events. I’m looking forward to new “SmartLess” listeners discovering this one-of-a-kind trio’s inimitable style on SiriusXM, and for current fans to see what magic happens when we team up together.”
SmartLess Media joins the unparalleled lineup of podcasts and media companies represented exclusively by SiriusXM Media, including: “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” and the complete Team Coco roster, Ashley Flowers’ audiochuck featuring “Crime Junkie,” Crooked Media and its hit “Pod Save America,” and many more, in addition to the company’s own award-winning shows such as “Office Ladies” and “How Did This Get Made?”.
Podcasts play a central role in the new SiriusXM app, which features transcription, playback speed adjustment, key moment markers, auto downloads, and an expanded library, with more to come in future releases. With discovery at the heart of the listening experience, SiriusXM offers a new platform for “SmartLess” to engage and connect with fans.
Molly Ringwald’s Picks For Classic Movies
Molly Ringwald shares her love of the literary qualities of Eric Rohmer’s cinema, recalls the thrill of watching Bruno Dumont’s LA VIE DE JÉSUS, and selects films by auteurs she has worked with, including Jean-Luc Godard and John Cassavetes.
My Next Read: “Record Cultures The Transformation of the U.S. Recording Industry” By Kyle Barnett
Record Cultures tells the story of how early U.S. commercial recording companies captured American musical culture in a key period in both music and media history. Amid dramatic technological and cultural changes of the 1920s and 1930s, small recording companies in the United States began to explore the genres that would later be known as jazz, blues, and country. Smaller record labels, many based in rural or out of the way Midwestern and Southern towns, were willing to take risks on the country’s regional vernacular music as a way to compete with more established recording labels. Recording companies’ relationship with radio grew closer as both industries were on the rise, propelled by new technologies. Radio, which had become immensely popular, began broadcasting more recorded music in place of live performances, and this created profitable symbiosis. With the advent of the talkies, the film industry completed the media trifecta. The novelty of recorded sound was replacing film accompanists, and the popularity of movie musicals solidified film’s connections with the radio and recording industries. By the early 1930s, the recording industry had gone from being part of the largely autonomous phonograph industry to being major media industry of its own, albeit deeply tied to—and, in some cases, owned by—the radio and film industries. The triangular relationships between these media industries marked the first major entertainment and media conglomerates in U.S. history.
Through an interdisciplinary and intermedial approach to recording industry history, Record Cultures creates new connections between different strands of media research. It will be of interest to scholars of popular music, media studies, sound studies, American culture, and the history of film, television, and radio.
Kyle Barnett is Associate Professor of Media Studies in the Department of Communication at Bellarmine University.
