Dunkin' Donuts Runs On They Might Be Giants
TMBG has been consistently penning Munchkin-sized ditties for Dunkin' Donuts since 2006. The two most recent ads to feature the Giants -- "All Night Blowout" and "Moving" -- are again centered on large, milky iced-lattes that help you put a little caffeine in your soul during troubled, sleepy, etc. times. While these brief ditties may not have the hipster caché of Santogold, Julian, and Pharrell's epic Converse composition "My Drive Thru," they do have one much larger thing going for them: They are brief commercial jingles, not a jingle disguised as a new song.
"All Night Blowout"
"Moving"
If you want the complete They Might Be Donuts commercial chart, here goes.
Posted at 1:34 PM by brandon in Commercial Appeal, Video
Tags: They Might Be Giants
How a band can sell out so completely and still keep their integrity is beyond me. But They've done it.
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I don't get the accusation of selling out. TMBG have essentially been writing commercial ditties since the beginning. I'm glad they're getting paid what they have long deserved. It's not just that they retain their integrity... they lend a little to Dunkin Donuts.
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I love TMBG. :D
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Making $$$ doesn't automatically make you a sell-out, I don't think people will ever get this. Same as it ever was I guess.
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because, as the post says, the are not tired cliches like Santogold. TMBG retains integrity because the've been consistantly awesome for decades so the can DO a commercial because they don't EMBODY a commercial like Santogold or Pharrell.
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because, as the post says, the are not tired cliches like Santogold. TMBG retains integrity because the've been consistantly awesome for decades so the can DO a commercial because they don't EMBODY a commercial like Santogold or Pharrell.
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Fact: Today is John Linnell's 49th birthday.
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Neither Santogold nor TMBG are sell-outs. Commercials are the new radio. There's no shame in a licensing deal.
TMBG are the shiz.
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TMBG have been consistently farming out their talents over the last decade: incidental TV and film music, cartoons, kid's albums, etc. It's hard to make a living in the cult-following alt-rock biz. I think we should just be grateful that they've managed to keep afloat since 1985, something that few bands without household names can do.
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This is right up their alley, actually. They're so amazing, there's very little they can do that will reduce their reputation for awesomeness. And there's nothing wrong with having your music featured on a commercial. The more money they make, the more cool stuff they can afford to do. Same with Wilco. Same with most other bands.
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i was never happier to hear a band in a commercial before. SO awesome. we still sing Alarm Clock Catastrophe! :) plus, Dunkin Donuts rocks.
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Wonder if the Johns get free coffee at their local Brooklyn Dunkin Donuts shop...
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I think that an important distinction to make is that they are writing original silly little songs for these commercials, not taking a beloved song from their back catalog a la Rolling Stones, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum. Integrity intact.
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I think another reason people like the ads is because TMBG so perfectly lampoons so many little alt-genres (as they've always done). The "Moving" ad even seems to get little jabs in at the Anticon rappers. Awesome.
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So, okay, like the first comment above about TMBG "selling out" is like, so totally lame. I mean like dude, some people actually have to work for a living ya know? Wow, like next time you buy groceries - with your own money - I'm gonna like call you such a "sell out." I mean like get some stones already and panhandle like a real man. So, okay maybe that's harsh. Let me say it this way. "Sticking it to the man" works for you until you reach A) the emotional age of about 25; or B) when you have a wife and children and actually take life and your responsibilities seriously. So, like how old are you man? Emotionally 15 yet? Okay, you've lots of time. But later on, remember, if you ever end up working for a living - don't "sell out!"
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I so love TMBG. AND for the record, I'm with Mike. Seriously dude (scott), get a grip. If the music in the commercial sucked then sure fine say whatever you want, but it's frigg'n awesome. I'd like to see you "sell out" and make a brilliant song about reluctantly moving a friend and cleaning up after a party. Unless you don't know what that's like, with no friends and all, because obviously you would totally be a "sell out" if you actually went along with the rest of society and got friends and a job. heaven forbid.
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