The Postal Service is supposedly unhappy with Apple and the directing duo that created both the group’s music video for their song “Such Great Heights” and Apple’s new Intel televison advertisement:
It has recently come to our attention that Apple Computers’ new television commercial for the Intel chip features a shot-for-shot recreation of our video for ‘Such Great Heights’ made by the same filmmakers responsible for the original. We did not approve this commercialization and are extremely disappointed with both parties that this was executed without our consultation or consent. -Ben Gibbard, The Postal Service
http://www.postalservicemusic.net/
[Apple’s new Intel ad looks similar to The Postal Service’s music video because both were both made by the directing duo of Josh Melnick and Xander Charity, whose working name is Josh & Xander. See related article linked below.]
Yeah, right, Gibbard is “extremely disappointed” while he’s loving life drowning in free publicity. The fact is, Apple’s Intel ad is by far the best thing that ever happened to The Postal Service. More people have heard of The Postal Service and at least one of their songs since this story broke a few days ago than all the people that ever heard them – or heard of them – before the debut of Apple’s Intel ad.
The “extremely disappointed” comment by Gibbard is most probably a smart ploy designed to generate another spate of articles, including this one, and a few more days of free publicity for The Postal Service. The usual next step is for somebody’s lawyer to send out a press release stating that their client is “considering a lawsuit” against somebody else over this “controversy.” That “story” will run in all of the usual places and likely here, too. Nothing will ever go to court and then the whole thing will die out, but by then many more people will know “The Postal Service” for making music and videos instead of mistaking them for letter carriers. Mission accomplished.
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Related articles:
Apple offers The Postal Service’s ‘Such Great Heights’ music video via iTunes Music Store – January 19, 2006
Meet the directing duo behind both Apple’s ‘Intel’ ad and The Postal Service’s music video – January 17, 2006
Apple’s ‘Intel’ ad strikingly similar to ‘Such Great Heights’ music video – January 17, 2006
MDN, suck it.
I smell an iPod+iTunes make-up ad coming on.
awww poor little emo rockers.
The Postal Service has nothing to cry about. If I recall correctly, they are already in hot water the the real United States Postal Service over the use of the name “Postal Service.
Ugh. why am I wasting my time…. *shakes my head in shame*
I’m uncertain why the Postal Service wouldn’t be more upset with the directors. I’m assuming that the directors retained artistic rights over the video development, otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to replicate it for another client. That said, if the directors retained they rights they can sell them to anyone they want to.
It’s obvious the directors new that they were producing a similar product for Apple, but its not obvious that Apple knew they were getting a similar product. I watch a slew of videos, and still hadn’t seen Such Great Heights, until it was featured on iTMS. They may have known, they may not have, but if they did know, and they went seeking rights, and the director had them to give, then why would they seek the artist permission. You seek permission from the IP owner.
“the Postal Service”
this group of musical superstar wannabes are obviously on the cutting edge of originality judging from their name, and must have good claim to
complain about plagerism, perhaps they are due royalties, after they pay off the postal service, so it goes, maybe they will hire some lawyers for their
pain & suffering
The Postal Service is probably nothing more than a bunch of Windoze apologists…
Go cry me a river…..
Postal going postal.!
i thought that the US Postal service was pissed. turns out there’s a “band” called the postal service…er…i guess.
losers!
If it was the other way around – they copy Apple´s ad – MDN would be screaming to the heavens: “Ban them from iTunes!!!”
Apple does itself no service for copying others work….how can they criticize Microsoft if Apple does it when it sees the opportunity to do so.
U R all hypocrites.
Dickheads
Nearly every band has adapted a name from somewhere. Are you saying that they should begin naming themselves like cars or part numbers?
Copying a style that is so recent is NOT cool. If apple saw the director’s previous work they should have said “anything but the same as what you did for so and so. Chiat Day has screwed up before and not even the pope is infallible. This bit that Apple’s shit don’t stink syndrome is a sheer sign of the immaturity of the posters MDN included. GROW UP DH’s
Alex D enjoying the Mac experience since 1984
Get rid of TBWA/Chiat/Day and all this nonsense will disappear in an instant !
the creators of the ad did wrong here. Apple’s not expected to catch them at it!
wot a boring song zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Both the comments on this post and MDN’s Take are what all you guys accuse others of being, stupid. If you were all to pull your heads out of your asses far enough to see that there is more in this world than just you and your apple computer, you would see that the ‘Postal Service’ has every right to be upset, just like you were upset when windows stole your favorite operating system. I don’t understand why so many posts on this site take such an aggressive stance on so many topics. Why is there so much hatred? Why can’t we all just get along?
Well, Apple had it coming, and it’s the second mistake they made with an ad. Remember the eminem video vs. the ipod ad? Same deal.
This is bad publicity and of course Apple is WRONG here. Unless it’s a giant conspiracy to drum up publicity through controversy. In that case I give up and stop caring.
I am an Apple die-hard fan, but it is clear that that ad is a total lift from the Postal Service video. Nobody wants to be ripped off, not even “emerging” bands. (Too bad both Death Cab and Postal Service have terrific followings.)
It is amazing how you guys go to bat for Apple when someone creates a direct ripoff of one of their products, but if Apple rips off someone’s work, you act like it is no big thing.
nice one, tango.
The Postal Service is a fucked up, flash in the pan band that should be happy as hell for the free publicity. If they were so concerned about their “art” they would never have licensed their song for use in a COMMERCIAL!!! I have no respect for bands that cliam to be “artists” and whore themselves out to Madison Avenue.
The Postal Service can go to hell.
Sorry, I don’t see what the big deal is. The Intel ad shows a “clean room” wafer lab. So does their video. The costumes look similar. Otherwise, it’s a different video. It’s not shot-for-shot. I don’t know how you could do a clean room wafer lab ad without looking a bit like their video. OK, the slow-motion thing helps make it seem more similar. But really, this doesn’t seem as “non-obviously copying” as the iTunes Eminem ad did with all the grungy orange background stuff and hip-hop silhouette imagery.
MDN word: ground, as in let’s bury this discussion in the ground and move on
The Postal Service is already ” Postal” anyway! They keep raising the price of postage stamps.
yeah.. they obviously posted this ‘complaint’ to keep the publicity rolling..
look you twats.. you didn’t direct anything in the video..
the guys who DID.. communicated with Apple..
so why the fuss?
cuz you want someone to hear about you.
There’s no way Steve would’ve approved this unless they thought it was going to be beneficial for the band. Kinda strange if that were the case. My thought is that Apple didn’t know they were getting something so similar, and did NOT deliberately copy anybody. Their hired directors did. At the end of the day, it’s free advertising.
I suppose they’ll have to ask the question “is anybody else using this concept?” with every ad.
I had NEVER heard of this band and their lame music until Apple’s intel ad. Get a life.
So what I am hearing most people in here say is: if Apple rips you off, then you should thank Apple for the publicity.
Mac users are the best.
WOW, totally lost respect for MDN right there.
I don’t think Gibbard is out there looking for as much money as he can get. As a Death Cab For Cutie fan and a Postal Service fan, I think these guys seem more like artists concerned with making good music and ideas, not for seeking all the money they could get. Uh, yeah, I’d be angry if someone ripped of something from one of my music videos without even telling me beforehand they were going to do it.
Try not to insult EVERYBODY who critiques Apple. Apple screwed up… If you’re going to copy something, give them a heads up. They didn’t.
Let’s put it this way:
1) Ad looks like Postal Service… Stop bitching Gibbard and enjoy your free press. Go Apple!
2) Creative Zen looks like Apple… AH!HHHHHHHHH!HH! Go Apple!
See a common theme?