Hasta La Creative!

Who else but Jay-Z could wrangle the likes of Madonna, Jack White, Daft Punk. Kanye West, Chris Martin, Nicki Minaj and more to help him promote a product? The all-star musical summit you see above serves as a quick yet somewhat tense precursor to Hova’s new Tidal music streaming service, which the hip-hop mogul announced this week and is aimed at taking on Beats and Spotify among others. Described by Alicia Keys herself as “a platform owned by artists” that’s intended to “reestablish the value of music,” the hi-fi Tidal service offers two paid subscription options: $19.99 a month for high-fidelity audio, and $9.99 for standard quality audio. It can be streamed on the web and downloaded on iOS and Android devices.

Speaking to Billboard about his ambitious endeavor, which is ultimately focused on properly compensating artists, Jay-Z says, “We didn’t like the direction music was going and thought maybe we could get in and strike an honest blow and if, you know, the very least we did was make people wake up and try to improve the free vs. paid system, and promote fair trade, then it would be a win for us anyway.” He continues, “People are not respecting the music, and [are] devaluing it and devaluing what it really means,” Jay Z added. “People really feel like music is free, but will pay $6 for water. You can drink water free out of the tap, and it’s good water. But they’re OK paying for it. It’s just the mind-set right now.”

As for the :30 Tidal promotion (we’re still trying to gather any sort of credits), the clip is already being met with controversy. Just a day after launching, Pitchfork reports that musician/producer The Haxan Cloak, who’s worked with the likes of Bjork, has accused Jay-Z and crew of ripping off two of his tracks for the spot. No word yet from Jay’s camp on the matter.

What happens when the self-importance of a major celebrity combines with the inherent ridiculousness of a cologne ad? For the answer, just watch agency KSB+P and production company Sibling Rivalry’s spot for Jay Z‘s new cologne — excuse me, fragrance for men — Gold Jay Z.

“This is Jay Z‘s signature fragrance, so we wanted to capture the power and style of the man but also the sensuality of the fragrance at the same time,” explains kbs+ co-CCO Izzy DeBellis, presumably with a straight face. “We needed to find the right balance of personality and product to make it all work, since it’s easy for anything associated with him to be dominated by the mere mention of Jay Z‘s name.”

Apparently it’s impossible to talk about a “fragrance” without sounding completely pompous. Entirely too self-serious SiblingRivalry creative director Joe Wright says, “The agency and client were as excited as we to produce something that is part art film, part brand launch. It gave us plenty of room to experiment.”

So what is this “art film” promoting Jay Z‘s new fragrance? Well, it’s basically gold paint being dumped on model Heidy De La Rosa, while she holds long poses, interspersed with shots of the blinged-out cologne bottle designed by Jacob The Jeweler. Not exactly experimental. Of course they didn’t just dump gold paint on the model: ”a specialty rig altered the lighting, which responded to the glittery liquid, and appears to morph in density and luminosity as it covers De La Rosa.” So there’s that. The 30-second spot was supposedly edited to “reflect the art of the music video,” but, to me at least, it just looks like another perfume ad. Credits after the jump. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Budweiser’s new campaign “Made for Music” launches in 85 countries today, featuring Jay-Z and Rihanna carefully dispersed amidst other artists including an ice sculptor and street art painter. Jay-Z’s ad is backed by his song PSA, while Rihanna’s features her newest single, “Right Now.” Both spots are directed by Mark Romanek (Never Let Me Go, Bee Season) and each closes with inspirational words from Bud: “It begins and ends with what you make.”

Made for Music was inspired by the Budweiser Made in America Festival which debuted in Philly last year and Jay-Z headlined. This year, Beyonce and Nine Inch Nails will take the marquee billing over Labor Day Weekend.

Jay and RiRi’s ads are mildly inspiring with their filmic, black-and-white “creative spirit.” After the Samsung deal, Jay-Z’s authenticity feels slightly compromised, but both he and Rihanna are still solid examples of hard-working performers. The scenes are nothing new–star reads in the car, star makes decisions with sweeping hand motions, star stands triumphant as the lights go down–so I wouldn’t mind a bit of original dialogue, but all in all these spots do the job. Time to turn up Magna Carta Holy Grail and channel HOV’s productivity.

Credits after the jump as well as clips from our interview last year with Translation CEO Steve Stoute on his agency’s relationship with “the king of beers.”

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

This three-minute Samsung spot played during halftime of the NBA Finals last night, and it ran before my YouTube videos this morning. It’s Jay-Z, playing with sweet beats, so of course I didn’t click “SKIP AD.” You better not either, because at 1:20 you’re going to bob your head emphatically as Jay and his team recreate the sound of the speakers blowing out. If you skip the ad, you’ll also miss Pharrell’s face, looking incredulous and smiley as he assists Jay’s genius. You’ll miss uber-producer Rick Rubin hanging out on the couch barefoot.

Just as we were getting worked up over Yeezus, HOV comes through with Magna Carta Holy Grail and perhaps the greatest (or at least highest-profile) marketing coup in Samsung’s history. On July 4, the first million Samsung Galaxy users to download a customized app will receive the album for free. Three days later, other drabby people–i.e. iPhone users–get access. It’s a tantalizing prospect, and one that depends on avoiding the lately inevitable leak. Or maybe not–if the app’s “personalized stories and inspiration” really consist of never-before-seen content, then it’s an asset even if (when) the music sweeps the Internet in advance.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Nissan is bringing Google Maps to the road, so if you live with a parent or spouse who gets lost regularly and refuses to ask for directions, this car may be a solid investment. Navigation systems aren’t new, but the Google Send-to-Car technology can be accessed and modified remotely. In the sixty-second spot above, you’ll notice Google’s signature blue rope pulling along the Nissan Juke n-tec (I guess nobody will be buying this automobile for the name…) through an unmarked city during the night. And if you’re worried that this promotion will take away the comfort of watching a loved one go crazy in the driver’s seat after realizing he/she is lost, fear not. There’s always the chance that the angry driver will question Google Maps and make up a new route. Then, you can get the popcorn ready.

TBWA\G1 Paris developed the spot and corresponding “Urban Thrill Rides” campaign that will pop across Europe starting this month. Take a second to pay attention to the music, which a rapped by a man who is half-Jay-Z, half-Will Smith, a perfect combination for a European audience. A little pitchy Jay-voice and  some Big Willy over-pronunciation makes everyone happy. Hopefully happy enough for you not to realize that a car is grinding on a median X-Games style. Keep the Google, but maybe next time, we can stop pretending that cars are like skateboards. Safety first.

Credits after the jump.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Après le clip de Niggas in Paris, voici le nouveau clip de Jay-Z et Kanye West extrait de leur album collaboratif Watch The Throne. Une réalisation de Romain Gavras, sur le titre « No Church in the Wild » filmant des scènes d’émeutes à Pragues. A découvrir en vidéo dans la suite de l’article.

Après le clip “Otis” de Jay-Z et Kanye West, voici le nouveau clip très attendu pour “Ni**as in Paris” extrait de leur album collaboratif Watch The Throne. Une superbe réalisation et une captation lors des dates de leur tournée à Los Angeles. A découvrir en vidéo dans la suite.

Previously on Fubiz

• Jay-Z & Kanye West – Otis
• Kanye West – Monster
• Kanye West – All Of The Lights

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Découverte du vidéo-clip pour le dernier morceau du nouvel album de Jay-Z. Un clip très efficace sur le titre “On To The Next One” avec Swizz Beatz et un sample du groupe Justice. Dirigé par Sam Brown, les images et la vidéo sont dans la suite de l’article.

Previously on Fubiz

• Nasa – Spacious Thoughts
• Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule (Justice Remix)
• Vancouver 2010 Campaign