“‘I hate U2,’ said my 17-year-old son during a commercial between innings while we were watching the baseball playoffs last week. That’s bad news for Apple Computer, which has signed up the aging rockers for a big promotion of its popular iPod music player. Apple already is running an iPod commercial that features U2 front man Bono singing the Irish band’s latest single, ‘Vertigo.’ And Apple plans a promotion involving iPod and its music-download service, iTunes, around the band’s upcoming album, ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.’ A word of advice to Apple: Hip is the most relative of relative terms, and U2 may be well past it,” John Soat writes for InformationWeek.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: U2’s association with Apple, the iPod, and the iTunes Music Store won’t hurt and can only help Apple.
U2 is definitely not cool. i never heard of them but i saw the long haired guy on mtv a few times
I respect U2, but ‘cool’…. hardly.
“cool” is a relative term….
Remember…. once upon a time… “The Fonze” was considered “cool”…
(and for those who dont remember him…ask your parents)
So because this guy’s idiot son says he hates U2 (how about telling us what he likes?) means that this promotion is going to kill iPod sales? First off, let’s wait and see what the promotion is first before any of us makes a snap judgment. Second, whatever the promotion is, millions of people of all ages (many of them certainly lucky 17 year olds) have shown that the iPod is cool on it’s own, and the U2 iPod, if that’s the the promotion really is, is just one model that will be available. If you don’t dig U2, buy the white one or a Mini.
Who knows, maybe U2s affiliation with iPod will make them cool to those that don’t like them now.
No mater who you choose someone won’t like them. But what do I know? I’m a John Denver fan. I may not be grandpasteve, yet, but I’m old enough.
BTW – Groovy commercial!
Yeah I can see that aligning yourself with one of the greatest rock bands of all time might be a bad move…NOT! These guys are in the company of The Rolling Stones, people. Even if you don’t like them, you have to respect their career.
U2 is not cool. They’re a bunch of whiny ass self important dolts. Has beens. Apple could have done better. I mean seriously, who cares what BONO thinks? Cracks me up that some people think they’ve “sold out.” They sold out the minute they signed the first record deal!!!!!!
Now, if Beyonce was shakin that fine booty of hers with an iPod on her hip, I might just need to buy another one.
Or how about Le Tigre to reflect the cultural phenomenon that is iPod?
“Nanny Nanny Boo Boo!”
There are words of wisdom in the article that should not be underestimated. The goal of an advertising campaign for a product like the iPod is to get the widest possible appeal (particularly to a core segment like teens). U2 is not a hit band with the kids anymore (was in my day – remember Joshua Tree). Thereis always a risk of alienating a segments of your market when you link yourself with strong icons.
I do not think it will be a tragedy, but also does not do as much for Apple as it does for U2.
Gee. My 16yo son thinks that this U2 thing (if it happens) is a superb idea. His normal listening fare is hip hop and emo (no, I have no idea what I just said, but I know it’s not like U2).
So my 16yo trumps your 17yo.
Mike
There is NO subject more likely to bring out the bigotry, prejudices, and hatreds in people than music today. Not everyone is religious. Not everyone is even political. But EVERYONE has an firmly-held opinion about music, and eliciting it from them invariably brings out the WORST they have to offer. This puerile 17-year-old can’t name all 50 states, I’d wager, but he already knows what and who he HATES musically. His is the Kleenex Music generation; use/listen to it once and throw it away!
Yeah theonius, lets get artists who have absolutley no substance to their careers and will only last as long as their booty can stay “fine”
Aerosmith
The Stones
U2
The Grateful Dead
Not a single “nice booty” (IMHO), but great music that have resonated through the decades that have millions and millions of fans throughout the world. You wont see a 50 year old Beyonce or Britney on stage and selling alblums. Go watch your MTV2 and be the biotch of the RIAA and buy what they tell you.
I don’t think U2 is “cool” either, but as MDN properly noted, their association with Apple won’t hurt things one bit, they can only help. It might actually bring more 30+ year old consumers on board and they have far more money to spend on iPods than 17 year kids do anyway.
I’m no U2 fan, but thank God at least I’m not having to watch a Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera commercial ad for iPods every 5 minutes. Now that would definitely be VERY uncool…
as for java, more than 16 year old but ipods, U2 has a wider age appeal range than Puffy
“buy” not “but”
sorry … who is Puffy?
Never did like more than 2 or 3 cuts from all the U2 CD’s.
However, I think you will find that the Black Special Edition iPods will be sold with other featured artists also. It could be a value added feature for several different iPod venders.
I’m holding out for the Celine Dion iPod myself.
NOT.
Yeah and let’s see if everyone would be satisfied if Apple signs with some band like Linkin Park..
Buffy…
Good point….
But, have you had your coffee yet this morning ?
And…. are “The Dead” still around ?
To Daddysteve …. LOL !!
I was never a fan of U2. The only album I appreciated from them was “Rattle and Hum” and that album was a bunch of covers well done by U2.
I also read (or heard) one of U2’s band members is a huge Mac fan, so maybe this is why Apple and U2 teamed up to do an iPod promo.
U2 is cool to some, not to others. I suspect that U2 appeals to many over 30 (that were teens when U2 was undeniably cool). It may be a demographic that has low iPod ownership – they certainly are one with disposable income.
For the teenage crowd, I’m sure there are many bands that have a much higher hipness quotient, but it’s difficult to tell which of those bands will have the longevity or artisic success to justify an iPod.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of this kind of promotion, but it’s almost certain that it will be with acts with a band with a history of critical and commercial success. That excludes many of the ultrahip acts that may be end up having one successful CD.
U2’s only the largest rock group in the entire world right now. Album of the Year in their last album. I like Beyonce’s booty too, but come on – this IS a big deal for Apple.
U2 is way more cool than say, The Rolling Stones.
unless your son has cash to buy an ipod, i dont think apple cares
whatever band a company might use to promote a product is inevitable have some critics. nsync and mcdonalds? macy grey and sony? sucks, and sucks.
and while we are on the topic of sucking; the yankees suck big time
disclaimer: obviously the yankees are a good team with many future hall of famers, but as a red sox fan, the thought of the yankees and all their fortune causes a visceral reaction, that takes to form two word phrases suitable for chanting at sporting events. so please to not respond with a rational argument for why the yankees do not literally ‘suck,’ all good baseball fans know they do not
Rolling Stones were whores for MS, remember..
U2 is a serious band and is too political to be ‘cool’.. sorry..
Apple’s probably the coolest company going
yankees suck,,,
I was waiting for your reaction to last nights game..
Gotta tell you…. it looks as tho the “Curse of the Bambino” …. might be over !!
Congrats to you and all the residents of Bean Town… you deserve it !!