Beatles song used to hawk disposable plastic diapers

[Deja Q]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/21/business/main3085323.shtml


"All You Need is Luvs"

Such sentiments represent something of a lost cause. A version of their song "Help!" was used in a car commercial in 1985, and the many appearances since then include the late John Lennon's son Julian's 2002 cover of "When I'm Sixty-Four" for insurer Allstate Corp. and current Target Corp. store commercials that use a version of "Hello Goodbye" — in the "Goodbuy" ads.

But the "All You Need..." campaign, launched this month for Procter & Gamble Co.'s Luvs diapers, struck a particularly sour note for some fans, who heated up online forums about it. Among the objections is that the idealistic song, popular in the counterculture "Summer of Love" era and among Vietnam War opponents, is being used at the time of another war, in Iraq, to evoke soiled diapers.

"For people who feel that political connection, it comes off as kind of a callous action," said Angela Natividad, coeditor of adrants.com, a marketing commentary site. "You've got the Beatles, which draws like, religious feelings, and you've got the war."

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. From protesting war to supporting earth destroying conveniences for lazy people

I can't imagine that Sir Paul had a hand in allowing this abomination. Must be one of the Beatles songs owned by someone else. I hope so, anyway.

I can't believe that Paul or Ringo would support the wholesale destruction of our planet and health hazards to our children to turn a quick buck.

[regnaD kciN]

2. The Beatles' songs were owned by Michael Jackson...

...although, with his financial troubles, I suspect they've been sold to some media conglomerate.

It's one of the ironies of music that McCartney has acquired the rights to hundreds of famous rock songs (including the works of Buddy Holly), but not his own songs with John Lennon. Early in their career, Brian Epstein (who was new to that end of the music business) foolishly got them to sign onto a deal that gave their publishing rights away for very little, not realizing that "publishing rights" didn't just mean sheet music, but everything, including royalties for every performance of the song. Since then, Paul has tried to repurchase the rights on a couple of occasions, but lost out, first to Sir Lew Grade, then to Jackson.

As it stands, neither of the surviving Beatles has any control over how their songs can be used. I think they can now block the use of their own recordings, but there's nothing to stop a company from buying the rights to the song and getting studio musicians to record a "sound-alike" version for the ad.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. I didn't realize that was the whole Beatles catalog - I had thought

Epstein screwed (accidentally) them out of only the first few albums' worth.

I do remember Michael Jackson buying the rights, and then selling them later, but I can't remember who got them. For some reason I'm thinking it was Sony.

But it's the whole Beatles catalog, eh? What a pisser. Paul could be a 5 billionaire by now.

[pitohui]

7. it is sony

and yes the beatles were poor money managers

[Archae]

4. I hope this campaign blows up in P & G's faces.

:grr:

[JVS]

5. Are Oasis songs used in commercials?

[JANdad]

6. Shitty band...meet shit receptacle...

:hide: