iPods and Men's Suits

The most effective advertisements strike us with that elusive 'something' that feels alarmingly familiar, albeit, in an abstract way where we aren't sure what dots connect where but we just know that we dig it. Recent iPod adverts appeal to this immediate feeling of inspiration and entertainment that a single image can conjure.

Recently, in the online journal of former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, the musician pointed out that the latest iPod advertisement looks very similar to something we've seen before, as in, it looks just like images from artist, Robert Longo's series, Men in the Cities.

In the images above you see that the black silhouette flailing about, moved by the music, dancing against a pastel découpage "arty" backdrop is indeed quite similar to a Robert Longo image but just 'revamped,' edited, and updated for the aesthetic tastes of contemporary hipsters who, appreciate the 80s vibe of the skinny tie and short pants and fashion-wise, wish to channel the likes of Pete Doherty. This is exactly where the advertising team behind iPod have really struck gold - the campaign hits three of the major pillars of street cred - fashion, music, and art. In adapting an original Brooklyn artist's image to a more contemporary silhouette (tighter fitting shoulders in the jacket, shorter jacket length, studded belt), we find a current menswear style message in the ad too... et voila! You have a marketing campaign guaranteed to do exactly what it was meant to - entice the youngsters with what's cool in fashion and in music. A perfect marriage in lifestyle - brought together inconspicuously, by art.