When it comes to musicians, never ever make assumptions. Just because they are in a pop band, don’t assume that they won’t have ethics. And just because they are highly ethical, that they won’t get involved with brands. As the old saying goes, assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups!

Music is sensitive territory…

“There seems to me to be a great loss of integrity as far as I can see. But what the fuck do I know?” Lemmy from Motorhead

And just because some artists are prepared to work with brands…

“There is no such thing as selling out anymore, because there’s no opposite of selling out. If you have your song on a car commercial, it’s because your band needs to eat. It doesn’t mean what it used to mean. John Mayer

…doesn’t mean they’ll work with anyone.

“I was asked to endorse a hair spray, and it was the most soul-destroying thing. Record companies are trying to take all the money off the bands these days, so it forces you into selling yourself to those evil massive corporations”. Lily Allen

So why do brands get this sort of reaction from artists? The brand (or as likely their agency) made incorrect assumptions about the artist, which possibly went along the line of…

• She already had a fashion line ‘Lily Loves’ with New Look, and was therefore up for brand partnerships
• She’s a stylish girl, so she won’t have a problem endorsing a hair spray

Before you start making all sorts of assumptions you need to ask a very simple question of the artist ‘where do you draw the line‘? Lily, like all artists, know that not all brands are “evil massive corporations”. But when they act insensitively or inappropriately, which is sadly too often the case. it’s no surprise they get such bad rep from the artist they wanted to work with.

And remember just because some artists were once anti-brand, it doesn’t mean that they stay anti-brand forever. Like everyone, they have the right to change their mind:

“The Gap wanted us to be in a commercial and we said ‘No’ and everyone said, ‘Why not?’” he moaned. “People’s opinions about selling out seem to have changed over the years.” Jack White, The White Stripes in 2001

‘Jack White confirmed recently that he had accepted the offer from Coca-Cola to write a song specifically for a global campaign to be launched this summer, entitled ‘What Goes Around’.’ Jack White, The White Stripes in 2005

citizensound says:

Few brands ever seem to ask the artist up-front what their needs are, and where they personally draw the line - a simple concept that is key to both our philosophy and practise.