Comments on: Farm Aid

By: ian

ian — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:14:39 +0000

updated:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/47635-labels-seek-apology-from-irolling-stonei-for-camel-ad

“Today, an open letter to Rolling Stone signed by Kill Rock Stars, Touch and Go, Skin Graft, Lovepump United, Lucky Madison, the defunct 5RC, Audio Dregs, and Fryk Beat, was sent out by Kill Rock Stars’ Maggie Vail. It begins, “We, the undersigned independent record labels wish to share our indignation regarding Rolling Stone’s November 15th pull out editorial, which featured the names of our artists in conjunction with an ad for Camel cigarettes.”"

By: Anne Elizabeth Moore

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:08:32 +0000

Ooooh. . . intriguing. Plus, I guess, if they've found a more effective way to put their products in the twitchy little fingers of smokers. . . (not that I was never one myself.)

But does RJ Reynolds advertise enough that this'll impact the print industry?

By: ian

ian — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:08:29 +0000

someone just sent me this:

"R.J. Reynolds: Print ads to end in 2008

The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. next year will stop advertising its brands in newspapers and consumer magazine titles. The company has weathered recent criticism over a Camel No. 9 campaign in fashion magazines and a four-page ad spread wrapped around editorial content in Rolling Stone. An R.J. Reynolds spokeswoman said the company's marketing decision was not tied to the Rolling Stone flap, but indicated the company may have been at least partially motivated by the reaction to its Camel No. 9 ads. One anti-smoking group called the decision "more a strategy to deflect criticism than a real change in marketing." The Washington Post/Associated Press (11/27)

By: Anne Elizabeth Moore

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:34:48 +0000

This asterisk was meant to convey that she was going to stay anonymous until I confirm it’s ok to “out” her here.

By: Anne Elizabeth Moore

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:33:45 +0000

Hey, I got back some info from one of the bands that did the Farm promotion I caught, and here’s what she had to say*: “basically [we] were looking for an easy place to do a pre-wedding show/party, and that weekend was the only time we could do it. we asked a few places including the darkroom because they ask us to play shows a fair amount and we’ve had a decent time playing there in the past (only on their thurs night music nights). they said that night would work out well, so we just booked it - later to find out that they’d guarantee each band $300. [our band] was just about to put out an album on vinyl and we kind of just accepted the cash since we had only like $600 in our band bank. they didn’t actually tell us it was for camel until after it was all set up and it was too late (and i didn’t have time or prioritize it with a wedding a week later) to see about doing it somewhere else without the retarded sponsor. that’s pretty much the gist of it.”