The Postal Service Sends a Note To Apple
6:09 am, January 21st, 2006, lkahney
Uh oh. Looks like there may be trouble brewing in the spat between Apple and The Postal Service.
In “a note from Ben” on the The Postal Service’s website, singer Ben Gibbard chastises Apple for the shot-for shot remake of the band’s cleanroom music video.
It has recently come to our attention that Apple Computers’ new television commercial for the Intel chip features a shot-for-shot recreation of our video for ‘Such Great Heights’ made by the same filmmakers responsible for the original. We did not approve this commercialization and are extremely disappointed with both parties that this was executed without our consultation or consent.
- Ben Gibbard, The Postal Service
Posted by lkahney in Apple | Comment on this article
I guess the fact that it also resembles two other music videos and a commercial – all of which PREDATES TPS’s video means NOTHING to these people.
I guess the band feels they invented the chip fabrication plant, or invented having two people on screen at the same time (then cutting to a person on the right of the screen) because that’s the extent of the similarity.
Intel should send TPS a note reminding them of their Pentuim II advertisements from EIGHT YEARS AGO.
T.D. Shadow, on January 21st, 2006 at 8:39 am
It all comes down to this….Who Cares!
Ditch, on January 21st, 2006 at 10:10 am
Ironically, when I went to the iTunes Music Store yesterday, TPS’s video for “Such Great Heights” was featured at the top of the page.
Kevin, on January 21st, 2006 at 12:48 pm
If the postal service was so worried about indie cred and not selling out, why would they allow a cover of the song ’such great heights’ (by another SubPop band, Iron & Wine) to appear in an M&Ms commercial all the time?
mount, on January 22nd, 2006 at 5:22 am
Great way to get some publicity for The Postal Service – Aren’t The US Postal Service taking the Postal Service to court for stealing their name?
jon, on January 22nd, 2006 at 7:03 am
In any case, this whole mess could have been avoided if Apple’s ad agency were a bit more creative, rather than recycling old ideas.
As for the extent of similarieis, here is a video comparison:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5600934255578934893&q=postal+service
Berkana, on January 22nd, 2006 at 10:54 pm
This is much ado about nothing. OK, so the same ad firm was used. Ben can chastise as much as possible and it does not amount to a pinch of bee’s spit. Just press fluff.
Jim Hillhouse, on January 24th, 2006 at 1:11 am
Apple’s now featuring the music video at their iTunes music store, an olive branch perhaps.
Jeffery Kelly Simpson, on January 24th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
It seems everyone is overlooking the major point, it’s the fact that the commercial is recycled material that isn’t ’similar’ but an exact remake, similarities are tricky, but this is out-right, sure sure, Intel had the suited people running around and such, but that was Intel, Intel’s ad agency and wasn’t directly remade for TPS’s video, unlike the Apple ad. The fact that it’s not just the vague elements that are similar but the shot, angles, and details are the same.
Also, the vidoe on iTMS has the words on the suits and chips blurred out, which is just odd.
Now it’s not like the band claimed any particular ownership, but it was their video and they are under a record label which may own certain rights, the directors technically shouldn’t recycle work like this, if a designer produced a logo they can’t reuse it for another company since the don’t own the rights, it was work that was commissioned and that same rule applies here.
Also, for the commenter mentioning the use of a cover of this song by another band: was that cover done with permission? Ah, there’s the little detail you overlooked…
This is just bad business for TBWA/Chiat/Day, even if they somehow don’t step on any copyright and ownership toes it’s still suicide to be called out on copying work and recycling ideas as an ad agency, it definately won’t help gain more clients, and it places Apple, a company with strong ties to the design industry, in a bad light.
Mark, on January 25th, 2006 at 10:38 am
Why don’t we talk about something of more substance here, like ThinkSecrets nonsense op-ed piece that Apple MacIntels are not moving when evidence from analysts, among others, shows just the opposite–strongly. Is this a part of a campaign by TS to put the pinch on Apple? Or just shoddy editing? Now that’s something to get excited about.
Jim Hillhouse, on January 27th, 2006 at 10:42 pm
Directors who participate in the concept phase can retain the concept rights, so…the fact that they highered the same director is a logical step.
charlie wang, on January 28th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
Shot for shot ripoff. Unbelievable.
Dan, on February 8th, 2006 at 5:18 am