Slain DJ Jam Master Jay to Star in Dr Pepper Ad
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Published · reached Usenet January 17, 2003
Slain DJ Jam Master Jay to Star in Dr Pepper Ad Fri Jan 17, 4:40 PM ET
The murdered hip-hop DJ Jam Master Jay was known for his trademark shell-toe Adidas sneakers, but in death he will serve as a pitchman for Dr Pepper soda, with a new commercial scheduled to debut this weekend.
Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc., part of London-based food and drinks company Cadbury Schweppes Plc, created the spot -- in which LL Cool J pays tribute to the Jam Master Jay and the other members of the pioneering hip-hop group Run-DMC -- before the DJ's October 2002 shooting death.
The surviving Run-DMC members, Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, appear in the ad with Jam Master Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell. The ad closes with a message in memory of Mizell that was added later.
Run-DMC was perhaps the first rap group to sign a marketing deal. After the group wrote the song "My Adidas" in honor of their preferred footwear, Joseph Simmons' brother Russell, founder of Def Jam Records, approached the shoe company and convinced its executives to sponsor the group's 1987 tour, at a time when rap was seen as a passing fad at best.
Dr. Pepper/Seven Up marketing chief John Clarke said he wasn't concerned that the new soft drink ad might be seen as a crass way to cash in on Mizell's murder.
"Not only did Dr Pepper feel that it was appropriate, so did Run and DMC, so did Terri, Jam Master Jay's wife, so everybody seems to be extremely comfortable with the spot," Clarke said.
Although soda companies have long used musician endorsers in commercials, 2003 is primed for a host of ads that are virtually indistinguishable from music videos. Coca-Cola Co., for example, has an upcoming ad that features the singer Mya and the rapper Common, while PepsiCo Inc. has a commercial on the way featuring its newly signed endorser Beyonce Knowles.
The Coca-Cola ad, which sports the brand's new tagline "Real," pokes fun at celebrity endorsements by showing Common, a rapper know for his socially conscious lyrics, storming out of a meeting where an executive proposes creating a Common action figure.
Clarke said the campaign from Plano, Texas-based Dr Pepper, part of a series that shows musicians paying homage to their musical heroes, stands out from its competitors.
"We can't prevent Coke or Pepsi from using music in their ads, but what's different is the quality of the group and how the artists are being used," he said.
Other ads in the series, created by advertising agency Young & Rubicam, include a tribute by music artist Anastacia to '80s pop princess Cyndi Lauper, and one in which Spanish pop star Paulina Rubio pays tribute to "The Queen of Salsa," Celia Cruz.
Young and Rubicam is part of WPP Group Plc, the world's largest advertising firm.