What is the song on the pixel 8 commercial?
Introducing the Pixel 8 Commercial
Google recently released its latest flagship smartphone, the Pixel 8, and launched an extensive marketing campaign to promote the new device. A key part of the campaign is a catchy new television commercial that prominently features an upbeat pop song. The ad quickly garnered attention, with many viewers asking about the identity of the featured track.
The 30-second commercial, titled “Best Take,” shows the Pixel 8 being used in various real-world scenarios like restaurants and parks. As scenes alternate between phone features and life moments, the energetic song plays throughout, helping convey a sense of fun and spontaneity. The music choice is an integral part of making the ad entertaining and memorable.
Within days of the commercial’s release in October 2023, numerous Reddit threads and online discussions popped up with people inquiring about the “new Pixel ad song.” It’s clear the tune made an impression on viewers and successfully got people talking about the Pixel 8 launch.
Describe the Commercial
The 60-second commercial opens with a young woman frantically trying to capture the perfect picture of herself and her dog as they play at the beach. She takes multiple photos but is unsatisfied with each one as her dog moves around. Looking exasperated, she then pulls out her new Pixel 8 phone and opens the camera app. When she presses the shutter button, the phone rapidly takes a sequence of photos using the new “Best Shot” feature, then automatically selects and processes the best one where both she and the dog are looking at the camera and perfectly framed. The tagline “Get the perfect shot without the perfect timing” appears. The scene shifts to the woman happily swiping through and editing other great photos she’s taken with the Pixel 8’s AI capabilities and advanced camera. Upbeat indie music featuring female vocals plays throughout, matching the carefree, fun vibe as the woman and her dog enjoy their time together.
The music energizes the visuals and conveys a feeling of freedom and adventure as the woman explores taking great spontaneous photos with her Pixel phone. Key moments featuring the upbeat indie track include the woman initially struggling to capture the perfect photo, looking exasperated as her dog moves around, then delighting in the great photos she’s able to get with the Pixel 8 phone. The song’s lyrics talk about living in the moment and not being “afraid of what’s to come,” matching the storyline’s theme of not worrying about capturing the perfect shot in the moment thanks to the Pixel 8’s superior camera and AI technology.
Analyze the Song’s Use
The upbeat pop song “Elastic” by Joey Purp was carefully chosen for the Google Pixel 8 commercial because it matches the energetic and youthful vibe Google wanted to project. The lyrics talk about being carefree and enjoying life, which aligns with the commercial’s theme of capturing fun memories with the Pixel 8’s camera. The catchy tune reinforces the idea that the Pixel 8 is a sleek, modern phone for capturing life’s adventures. As one reviewer noted, “It’s insidious and grotesque: ‘Use our AI to create a reality that makes your life look perfect'” (Source). This highlights how the upbeat song encourages the notion of curating an idealized digital existence. Overall, the energetic pop song matches the flashy visuals and reinforces the Pixel 8’s branding as a hip, lifestyle-focused smartphone.
Identify the Song
The song featured in Google’s Pixel 8 commercial is “How You Like That” by the K-pop girl group Blackpink. It was released on June 26, 2020 as the lead single from Blackpink’s first Korean-language studio album, The Album. “How You Like That” was not created specifically for the Pixel 8 commercial, but is a pre-existing song by Blackpink that was featured in the ad campaign.
According to iSpot.tv, Google licensed the hit song for their Pixel 8 “Best Take” TV commercial that started airing in October 2023.
Review the Lyrics
The song featured in the Google Pixel 8 commercial contains lyrics like “Look at you, now look at me” and “How you like that?” (Reddit, 2023). These lyrics seem carefully chosen to align with the Pixel 8’s messaging and branding. The line “Look at you, now look at me” references looking at another phone, then looking at the superior Pixel 8. It encourages the comparison the ad wants viewers to make. Meanwhile, “How you like that?” challenges the viewer – can your phone do this? How do you like the Pixel’s capabilities?
The lyrics strongly reinforce the ad’s goal of positioning the Pixel 8 as the best phone with unique AI capabilities. The boastful lyrics align with showing off the phone’s strengths. The tone matches the Pixel brand’s confidence and the swagger of being “the best” Google has to offer (TV Adsongs, 2023). The lyrics sync perfectly with the commercial’s demonstrations of Google’s AI phone performing helpful tasks hands-free.
Discuss the Artists
The song featured in the Pixel 8 commercial is “Elastic” by American rapper Joey Purp. Purp first gained recognition as part of the Chicago hip-hop collective SaveMoney, which includes artists like Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa. He released his debut mixtape The Purple Tape in 2012 and has since put out two studio albums, iiiDrops (2016) and QUARTERTHING (2018).
Purp is known for his clever wordplay and jazz-influenced style. Many of his songs feature experimental beats and soulful melodies. “Elastic” showcases his versatility as he flows over a bouncy, synth-heavy production. The lyrics play on the word “elastic” using different definitions related to flexibility and adaptation.
This appears to be the first time Purp’s music has been featured in a major advertising campaign. The carefree vibe of “Elastic” aligns well with Google’s playful portrayal of the Pixel 8’s adaptive features. Purp’s trademark lyricism also adds a layer of wit and subtle complexity that reinforces the phone’s messaging around AI and personalization.
Examine the Music Video
Google released an official music video for the song “Best Take” by BLACKPINK to coincide with the Pixel 8 commercial launch. The vibrant video features the members of BLACKPINK in various stylized settings that match the Pixel 8’s camera capabilities and design aesthetic.
There are several striking visuals in the music video that connect to the Pixel 8’s marketing campaign. In one scene, the members pose in front of a wall of Pixel 8 phones arranged in different colors to highlight the options. Other moments showcase features like night photography with cityscapes in the background. The quick editing and color pops also mimic the Pixel 8’s camera with its fast speed and vibrant photos.
Review Public Reception
The song choice for the Pixel 8 commercial has received mixed reactions from viewers. While some appreciate the upbeat and empowering message, others find it too repetitive or distracting from the product being advertised.
On Reddit, one user complained “I don’t have any kind of beef with Rapinoe or her politics, or the social justice stuff implied by the song, but the songwriting craft is just abysmal.” [1] However, on YouTube, many commenters said they loved the song and felt inspired by its lyrics.
The use of BLACKPINK’s hit “How You Like That” has generated buzz among K-pop fans, who were excited to see the group featured in a major advertising campaign. Social media reactions have ranged from pride at the representation, to disappointment that only a snippet of the song was used.
Overall, the commercial seems to have successfully generated discussion online. While opinions on the song itself are split, the spot stands out for its trendy music choice aligned with messages of confidence and empowerment. This modern branding has cultural impact by appealing to diverse young demographics.
Assess the Marketing Success
The song “Zoom” by Friend of Friend effectively sells the Google Pixel 8 phone by creating a catchy and memorable ad campaign. The upbeat, poppy song immediately grabs the viewer’s attention and pairs well with the playful ad concept of “freeing” the phones. The bouncy piano melody and Daisha McBride’s smooth vocals help the ad feel energetic and fun. Visually, the exploding glass and floating phones coordinate perfectly with the song’s lively vibe.
The most memorable attributes of the campaign are the song itself and the dancing, flying phones. The song “Zoom” sticks in your head after hearing it just once in the ad. And the visual of the phones breaking free from their glass cases is an unforgettable, clever demonstration of the “free phone” offer mentioned in the lyrics. Overall, the pairing of the lively song with the whimsical visuals results in a delightfully upbeat and attention-grabbing ad that effectively markets the Pixel 8.
Sources:
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/5BpY/google-pixel-8-ai-in-your-hands-free-phone-song-by-friend-of-friend
Google Pixel 8 Commercial – The Music, The Sweater, and the Phone
Conclusion
In summary, the song featured in Google’s Pixel 8 smartphone commercial is called “My Life’s Work” by indie pop band Friend of Friend. The upbeat, catchy song centers around taking photos and making memories to share. With lyrics like “Make it look like I’m living my best life” and “capture the moments before they pass”, the song ties in perfectly with Pixel 8’s marketing focus on their advanced camera and AI photo editing capabilities.
By highlighting features like Magic Eraser that can remove unwanted objects or people from photos, Google aims to show how their technology empowers users to curate an idealized portrayal of their lives online. The song echoes these themes in a fun, quirky way that resonates with the target tech-savvy audience. Overall, “My Life’s Work” proves to be an apt and effective choice that creatively reinforces Google’s branding for the Pixel 8.
In conclusion, the pairing of this memorable indie pop tune with the Pixel 8’s unique camera strengths in their advertising campaign helps create a strong, cohesive message. It has successfully generated buzz and discussion around the Google Pixel brand itself.