One of my lifelong dreams has been to turn on top 40 radio and hear some pop tartlet subtly dropping product placements for my fake sweatshop products into their newest hot single. So you can imagine how excited I was when I read this email yesterday from Mr. Kluger, wherein he offered me an oppertunity I just couldn’t pass up.
from Adam Kluger
to me
date Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 1:17 PM
subject RE: Product Placement oppertunity
Hi,
I’m writing because we feel you may be a good company to participate in a brand integration campaign within the actual lyrics of one of the worlds most famous recording artists upcoming song/album.
Lyrics play an important part in the use of music as marketing, Just as a catchy tune could assail your senses, a good “jingle” or cute lyrics could become a part of society for quite some time, imagine your brand name being a part of that.
This is the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to make your product a house-hold name. The artists demographic is typically 16-35 and once we get a chance to speak further, i’m sure you’ll be glad we contacted you. (emphasis mine)
Get back to me at (949) 379-2008.
Best Regards,
Adam
And my reply:
Dear Mr. Kluger,
Thank you very much for contacting Double Happiness Jeans. Let’s cut right to the chase. We are extremely interested in having our product promoted by some of the worlds most famous recording artists. No question about it. We’re sold.
One question though: Can we choose the artist? Of course, my first choice would be the Jonas Brothers. Their Disney-fresh style just screams “Virtual Sweatshop Jeans” to me. I could also settle for Avril if necessary. It’s the youth that I’m after, if you get me. Heavy on the “16″. Light on the “35″, if you know what I mean.
On a personal note, I’d like to say that I simply don’t understand all of the fuss about product placement. I say: if you can deliver me a catchy tune while simultaneously informing me about a new hot Axe body spray fragrance, well you have just saved me precious time! Words are words, whether they are about axe body spray or “hitting me one more time”.
Hey, let’s get this deal done. My brand is ready for top 40 radio. I want to be a part of society via my brand of virtual sweatshop jeans. I want to be a house-hold name! And I believe that you are the guy who is going to make that happen. Let’s put some pen to paper and make marketing history.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jeff Crouse
Director of Operations,
Double Happiness Jeans
http://www.doublehappinessjeans.com
Editors note: Through a separate email Adam Kluger claims that, while this email is signed by him, it was sent by a sales rep through the use of automated software, not him personally.
Read more about this post on Wired’s Listening Post blog
UPDATE: A representative from Adam Kluger Public Relations in New York City (http://www.adamklugerpr.com/) contacted wired.com to say that there should also be no confusion over the fact that their New York City based PR Firm, founded by a former television producer (CNN, FOX), also coincidentally named Adam Kluger, is not involved in this issue in any way and should not be confused with the Adam Kluger quoted above in this article.
32 Comments
HA HA HA HA! Awesome.
Forward this Klugar on to me… I so badly want to be known for my collaboration with that pop prodigy MIMS!
Either a spammer/con-artist is using the name of Adam Kluger PR or Adam Kluger PR are really bad at marketing themselves.
what a bunch of morons.
in some sense you could congratulate them for being so smart as, if their reel suggests, they’ve duped a whole generation of kids into buying the brand. in another sense, they’ve devalued the brands involved – turned them from high-end, respectable craftsmen and artists into peddlers of conformity, poor production value, and smut. and in another sense, they’re nothing more than hacks, buying cheap software to spam a bazillion people in the hopes that someone new will buy into the allure of short-term sales and quality by association.
shame on everyone involved.
This is just a way to get companies to pay for product placement. Although the email seems to be written a tad “off”, I would actually think it’d be a great idea to help establish a brand…Beats TV.
I know this company, I read about them in the hollywood reporter. They’re legit and i think that what they’re doing is lending a helping hand towards the destruction of art. Product placement has gone way too far, it’s one thing to incorporate a product in a movie scene or a music video, but when it becomes part of the lyrics..that pushes creative boundaries. No doubt it makes companies tens of millions of dollars that they don’t need..it’s really a unique and proven way of marketing. However, i can’t see true legends like Paul Mccartney or Joey Ramone ever exploiting themselves like this.
I read that now Adam Kluger is threatening a lawsuit over the posting of this email. Amazing that he doesn’t realize how this threat will negatively impact his and his organization’s reputation, he must be a poor marketer if he has so little understanding of how the internet has changed the playing field.
@stanley – actually as I understand it, though it doesn’t make much sense to me, he’s threatening a lawsuit not over the email, but the comments. Blog comments are covered by section 230 protections. The email itself is covered by the 1st amendment. Horay for rights. If you’re ever in this position, the Electronic Frontier Foundation is a great resource.
You should have taken this all the way and gotten the brand into the song…
Everyone has known that this sort of thing has gone on for decades. The only thing new is that there is documented proof for those outside the industry to see.
Adam Kluger, you are a moron if you think you can sue me for writing this sentence. I am writing it to intentionally hurt your business because I don’t think “brand dropping” in music should be encouraged. Are you going to sue me too?
Hahaha! I just read the “Wired” magazine article about this case. If Kluger’s lawyers told him he has a snowball’s chance of winning this case, he should read the fine print… something tells me his lawyers are going to profit soundly whether he wins or loses the case!
Thanks to his hot temper and idle threats, what would have been a minor embarrassment in a small blog has turned into public humiliation for Kluger in Wired magazine, not to mention much wider awareness of his “secret” business.
Dozens of prior cases have established that a blog owner is not responsible for the content of the comments. Not to mention that informal readers’ comments are not “journalism” anyway, and are more akin to spoken words than written articles and so are held to a lower standard. And even in the comments here, there are statements of opinions, but nobody has made a false statement of fact and claimed it as truth. So you’re triply safe.
I for one am glad Jeff has shared this with us. We need more information on the “Secret World of Ads!”, as I’m sure far more goes on than even you guys have been able to find.
Why not publish a directory of the firms, listing their clients? Then we’ll really be able to boycott them.
If this has is/or has been done, please excuse my ignorance.
rb
Jeff, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Just read this on Wired and I believe this is a worthless scam, only furthering the fact that EVERYONE IS SELLING OUT. But please, please, PLEASE fix your spelling of “oppertunity”…Opp”O”rtunity. From a grammar nazi to an anti-ad-advocate.
@Nichole, it was misspelled when it was sent to us. Maybe by accident, or maybe to get past spam filters. We don’t know.
If he does file (which would be the most bone-headed move ever) I know a great (and cheap) lawyer who can handle the necessary paperwork on your end. Got me out of a similar scrape (in level of frivolity, at least) not too long ago.
Here are your rights:
When the email was sent to you, it became your property. He has no claim on it.
Libel laws say you can call people all the nasty names you want, because nasty names don’t constitute specific claims about a person (so even if you were responsible for your commenters, you’d still be safe).
Example: Adam Kluger is a supperating asshole.
Voila!
wow. this is brilliant. the funniest part is when Kluger threatens to sue you (as qouted in the Wired article). “this was written with the intent to hurt our business . . .” did I miss something or did Kluger write this himself? all you’ve done is publish his words. is Mr. Kluger going to sue himself? he should. for being a douche-bag. it has to be false to be libel, douche-bag! you should hope he does sue you. that would be hilarious for everyone.
Seems to me like the ANTI-Advertising agency is doing a tad bit of advertising themselves. To my knowledge KA is a big agency, big names, big artists..seems AAA and Wired.com are trying to get in the same spotlight they have sword to “hate”.
“Moron” might not be the best word to describe Mr. Klugar.
In the days predating political correctness, there was a hierarchy of mental deficiency that placed “moron” at the top, “imbecile” in the middle, and “idiot” at the bottom. A variation on moron is when Bugs Bunny would say, “What a maroon!”
I’d suggest that Mr. Klugar is not a moron. He’s an idiot. He may have “Klu” in his name but no clue in his head. We’ll always know when art has been perverted with ads.
Congratulations for exposing the morons! I particularly like the bit where the chief moron, Adam Kluger complaints that his name is now associated with the word Spammer.
Somehow this individual (whose surname ironically means “cleverer” in German) fails to understand that paying someone to send unsolicited emails with your name on them is the very heart of Spamming!
As for the threat of lawsuit, well, that’s beneath contemptible. Sue him for what, hurting your precious feelings?
I love your reply.
If a new band has to sell soft drinks in its lyrics in order to “make it”, they better think seriously about giving up music.
I love the idea that this Kluger thinks an unsolicited email should be considered somehow “privileged” and shouldn’t be exposed for what it is.
I totally disagree with those that are trashing advertising in the music industry.Don’t you understand that the music business is in fact ” A business” just like any other business? There are millions out there that have a passion for music but do you think the record companies make those deals with all those that have this passion.. NOT.. they look to find the artist that can bring them the big bucks. They look to market this artist in any way possible so as to bring in the profits. This is the same thing with marketing… and advertising. In order to get your name out there what better way then to advertise. If they can slip the name of the advertiser in the song or the video and it will help in profits for both companies .. then cheers to both of them. I am not sure who has written all these blogs but seems that most of you need a bit of an education in the real world. Kluger agency is simply running a business that I wish I had thought of doing!
@Sam – so should business be allowed to do whatever they want in the pursuit of profit? And why do newspapers and magazines need to differentiate their ads from the content and not music? Why does television have clearly differentiated commercials? And when television programs use product placement, the sponsors are listed in the credits? And why do you think music should be exempt from these rules?
Years ago there was so much heat in the advertising field when it came to commercials. Now hence… we begin in the music industry. What I don’t think many of you understand is that they are not asking the writer, who by the way is is paid to write for the artist,to write a song based on the advertisers name. They are merely trying to incorporate the advertisers name into the song. End result is profitable for all.
Advertising is not a way of selling out as many of you put it.It is a business. So kluger agency… you are taking much heat from many who really don’t know much about business. I don’t know much about your agency but I compliment you on your advertising efforts and your creative hold on the industry.
Sam, Great points.I happen to agree with all that you have said. Seems like you have been around for awhile and know much about business. I think it is a great way to advertise. It’s a win win situation. I would like to contact this Paul kluger. Maybe he can help us with some of our advertising ventures.
Steve, In answer to your question.. generally newspapers and magazines print factual information. Product placement may distort the newspaper article. Lyrics are almost always creative. Product placement should not change the meaning behind the song.
@Sam & Bob – it’s amazing how much you agree on this topic. But the similarity doesn’t end there. Did you know you both happen to have the same 64.12.117.5 IP address? Oh gosh, look, you’ve been banned from Wikipedia as a vandal well!
Did you ever think we work for the same company? Now who has been had.
Hahaha- this is fantastic stuff! Sam Wright = Bob Cohen = SHILL.
lovin’ it. Just so you kids know, there IS a difference between “the music business” and ACTUAL “music”
NOW who has been had?
Adam Kluger is a third-rate PR guy. Our company interviewed them to represent us and it took five minutes to see that they were literally rank amateurs. The executive who called Wired in defense of Mr. Kluger is probably a most unpleasant brunette beyotch by the name of Kristina, who is Adam’s resident pit bull. She apparently trusts no one and has a serious anger problem to boot. I’m reasonably certain my friend got a couple of blowjobs from her though.
Nate, Adam Kluger PR and Adam Kluger from The Kluger Agency are two different people. One is in New York and is a public relations firm and one is in California and is an advertising agency that represents record labels and big brands. See above.
Someone should remove this article..I was in vegas recently and stopped in on the music conference, Kluger agency practically had a shrine built to honor them by Sony. Why bash the company that’s letting us continue to download free music and get away with it. It’s this advertising that’s getting the artists paid, therefore allowing us to keep hearing new music. I think the writer of this article should be thrown into a hole and have rocks thrown at him. Maybe this website will write something to argue cable TV or Cell phones…
15 Trackbacks
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[...] The guy who apparently sent the email is threatening to sue the recipients who posted it to their blog — though it’s entirely unclear what they’d be suing over, other than that someone called them out [...]
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product placement and brand dropping…
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