Victoria's Secret is happier. Although Mr. Dylan may not be well known to the 18-year-olds watching MTV, his appearance in a TV commercial is so surprising it was virtually certain to generate plenty of desirable buzz.
"I really like the juxtaposition of it," says Mr. Razek. "He's so iconic, and so arresting." In addition to benefiting from the commercial, Victoria's Secret is selling a compact disc of the musician's love songs at its stores.
Mr. Dylan had allowed a different version of "Love Sick" to be used in a similar Victoria's ad in 2003 — without his image. Apple Computer used a version of Mr. Dylan's "Forever Young" in 2000.
This marks Mr. Dylan's first-ever appearance for an outside marketer, according to Columbia Records. A new album of archival Dylan material was released in March.
Mr. Dylan is rarely played on mainstream radio, and he is said to be eager to freshen his fan base.
The outrage that baby boomers once exhibited when their counterculture heroes "sold out" has largely dissipated.
Witness Microsoft's use of the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" in 1995 to promote Windows 95. Ads sell music, and vice versa.
"The opportunity to have your music played on the radio is slim to none for some of the greatest artists.
MTV is the same," notes Orin Snyder, a partner at law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips who says he has represented Mr. Dylan in various matters.
"Artists are really yearning for new avenues of communication with their audience."
These days, watching TV during a commercial break is akin to punching the buttons on a car radio.
Artists including the Ramones, the Clash, Led Zeppelin and the Who have held forth for marketers ranging from General Motors to AT&T Wireless Services.
But Mr. Dylan's actual presence in an ad is more striking than most. "When I think in terms of Bob Dylan, I'm not seeing a pin-up personality," says Tom Julian, a trend analyst with Publicis Groupe's Fallon Worldwide.
"You are getting an image of Bob Dylan tied with supermodels. The feeling is, 'Huh, what does that mean?' "
The laconic Mr. Dylan wasn't available to comment, and his manager, Jeff Rosen, referred inquiries to Columbia Records.
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
headline: "Bob Dylan in Women's Underwear! Ad" Shock, horror, etc.
2 - Douglas Mays
I saw that commercial for the first time last night. At first I was wondering if it was real or not.
I wonder how much coin was attached to it...
3 - Natalie Davis
The price was higher than mere coin. Others may poke fun, but for me, this is yet another sad, sad development in an increasingly broken, seemingly hopeless world.
4 - Al Barger
Yes, the Jew Dylan took Victoria's thirty pieces of silver...
No, wait- maybe I've been just a little TOO involved with that Mel Gibson movie.
Sorry. I couldn't help myself.
5 - Douglas
Al,
Oh yeah, that movie by Mel Gibstein making all that money.
6 - J-DOG
Its Alright Ma, I'm only greedy, or is it needy?
Nothing is sacred anymore, me being a 25 year old, HUGE fan of Dylan and his music, I feel torn about all of this. Like when Rage Against the Machine played on the MTV music awards (the biggest "machine").
I know I like his music, even his new stuff is brilliant, but now I feel a little sick everytime I hear his songs.
What the f--- was he thinking?!?
7 - Natalie Davis
Ka-CHING!
8 - js
truth of the matter is that bob dylan has generally tried to not let the general expectations of the audience govern his actions....this is akin to the reaction to his first electric concert and the vehement negative response from the fans in the auditorium at the time. If there is an overwhelming feeling that the fans would think of him as a sellout for participating in a victoria secret commercial like this then I think he probably feels all the better about it. If you think about it, really, the shocking juxtaposition of his iconic nature with the trite material image of the lingerie giant is very andy warhol-like in it's satire
9 - sheri
Bob Dylan, rockin' with the angels in their itty bitty panties. Eat your heart out!!
Nevermind me, I'm on a roll .
10 - js
touche' sheri...I'm sure bob's had enough social commentary and songs protesting injustice....time for a little fun...
11 - Law Journal Review
Bob Dylan sued over "Dignity"
See Link below
http://www.geocities.com/Proposal112000/James_Damiano.html
12 - Bob A. Booey
I wrote a lot about this on that ridiculous Madonna posting. Look there.
That is all.
13 - Douglas Mays
I am watching A&E Biography about Bob Dylan right now. Though it may seem a bit odd himm being in a Victoria's Secret ad, but he knows what he is doing. He is actually being the Dylan we know him as.
He always had to suffer with the 'sell out' accusations. Like when he went from acoustic to electric. Anyway, very intetesting piece on A&E. Catch it on the reruns.
peaceloveguidance
14 - James
Hey,
Could someone cap the commmerical, both Bob's and Adriana's parts/sections and e-mail them to me?:)
Thank you:)
15 - Clive Melton
“Dylan Sells Out!”
Bob Dylan has sold out! What, again? Let me see; how many times is that now? Well there was that time he went electric. Then he started to play Country and Western music. That won him a lot of new fans in the C&W fraternity. Of course he got God. And that “Endless Tour” was nothing but a money making machine to pay off his ex-wives. Oh, yeah; then there were The Times They Are A-Changing and the underwear ads. And finally we have the "“Oh my God, he’s finally made into the twenty first century”- ipod advert! (Please, correct me if I’ve missed something out.)
Well what did you expect? Dylan has the needs of a man like any other. He needs to pay his rent and have a bit of enjoyment on the side. If you don’t know this, what HAVE you been listening to for the last 45 years? You might like to think he’s the messiah but he’s not. He’s an artist who’s been showing us the inside of his head and his heart with a consistently greater degree of skill, even brilliance, than any other singer/songwriter of the last 50 years. And for this, I for one am eternally grateful. So shut up, stop your whinging and be happy that the poetry of this man is liable to find the ears of new listeners. By the way, Bob Dylan is not answerable to anyone other than Bob Dylan, and I’m not even sure about that.
16 - Grace MOrga
I don't understand why everyone is so upset about the commercial. I've bee a huge Dylan fan since I was born and when I saw the commercial i was cracking up. It's funny, he's said he'd never "sell out" unless it was for an underwear commercial, and he did it. He's in a commercial with some of the most beautiful women in the world and they are in their undies. why would any man turn down the offer?