There's a new entry on the ongoing list of egregious
misuse of famous songs as TV ad soundtracks. The Etta James classic, At Last,
now describes the joy at finding not a soul mate but a Hoover Platinum
Collection vacuum cleaner. The campaign, dubbed Clean Freaks Rejoice, marks a
return to TV for the marketer, with ads from The Martin Agency. The spots
include images of neatniks looking longingly at the Hoover. Is that funny?
Would it help if this poignant jazz standard hadn't been remade recently? Beyonce sang it in Cadillac Records, a period
flick about a legendary R&B label. Since then, despite James' criticism, the pop queen proceeded to
beat the song into the ground with a litany of high profile appearances. President Obama's inaugural parties?
Check. The Oscars? Check. It's as overexposed as she is. And now it's shilling
household dust busters. Is it as bad as Iggy Pop's heroin addiction ditty, Lust
for Life, used as a theme for frolicking vacations on Royal Caribbean cruise
lines? No, but it's still just wrong.
—Posted by T.L. Stanley
