Virgin Pulse at Target dancing British guards

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I have just seen this new commerica on comedy centrall from Virgin for thier new line of MP3 players called Virgin pulse.

It shows this group of the british royal gaurds that where dancing around to some rock song that was playing in the background.

Can someone tell me what is the name of that song.
 
This commercial is stated as being for Target stores. With their new "Now arriving at Target" theme. Nevertheless the virgin pulse is the product they're promoting. I am not sure if there are multiple commercials for the same thing. but Ill keep a look out
 
i just watched the ad and can't make out what the heck the singer is saying to save my life...

in the past, however, target has been known to use original compositions for their ads -- and could be the same in this case. i'm not sure though... it sounds like it should be a real song!

a reader has contacted target in the past, maybe he's got a contact there that he can ask about the ad again?? (but, like i said, i think the response was always "we had the song made special for the ad...")
 
Hey, I was wondering the same thing! I've seen this Target/Virgin Pulse ad a few times, and every time I hear it, I think, "Dang! I need that song!!!" If there's anyone who can find out, please, please, PLEASE share the info. I've been searching like crazy and can find nothing!

Any help is appreciated... THANKS.
 
His voice sounds like Iggy Pop, whose song "Lust for Life" is use for one of those cruise commercials. But all I can offer is speculation.
 
Oh and it's definently not Lust for Life, I love that song though.
 
Omg. I'm going to cry, I was still looking and I got the forum update and got my hopes all up someone found it. Damn it. Why the hell does no one know!!!! I really don't think that it was made just for Target because it sounds like old Brit punk (think Sex Pistols). Is that just me? W/E. Back to the search. I must have the song.

Mia
 
ok, no luck with Virgin Pulse, but at least they were courteous...no luck with Target yet.

"Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for contacting Virgin Pulse. Target does advertising for Virgin Pulse on the commercial you are referring about. So unfortunately, we do not have the information regarding the song or the artist."

So now all we can do is hope that Target isnt all high and mighty with the info.


oh and to daedalus79, the only way that i know that you can record tv to your comp it through a tv card (ie. wintv or others). since you need that to accept AV or coaxial inputs to your comp. most cards come with the option of recording to avi or mpeg. tv cards can be expensive though. im sure there has to be another way, but im not wise to it

keep ya posted.
 
honestly, as much airtime as this ad seems to be getting lately, i don't know if we'll have to worry about spreading the music around for people to hear.

one option, that'd be nice, is to slow down the song some way and try to decipher what the hell the lyrics are.

and, i'm not expecting to hear back from target anytime soon... i'm sure hundreds + of people have emailed them asking the same questions about the ad too (three people from this forum alone, that i know of!).
 
Actually I take that back....misread the article so I have found NO reference to Kings of Leon doing the song for that commercial.
 
I don't think it's part of Kings of Leon's published records. Their music is very rough-and-tumble Southern rock. The music in the commercial is crisp neu-punk with a touch of East Coast or British influence.

I think we got the singer, though, so maybe this is Caleb Followill working with someone else? Or maybe it's Kings of Leon doing a cover specially for Target? Or maybe it just sounds like him.
 
Originally posted by usernameguy@Oct 5 2003, 03:40 PM
I don't think it's part of Kings of Leon's published records. Their music is very rough-and-tumble Southern rock. The music in the commercial is crisp neu-punk with a touch of East Coast or British influence.

I think we got the singer, though, so maybe this is Caleb Followill working with someone else? Or maybe it's Kings of Leon doing a cover specially for Target? Or maybe it just sounds like him.
i tend to agree... i heard every song off their album (minus the hidden track), either in full or sizable sample, and it didn't match to the song in the ad. and, i've exhausted every resource i have for finding out ANY info and coming up with nothing.

i really want to believe they're linked to each other somehow... i'm getting tired of not having an answer on this one.
 
Like I said earlier, keep in mind that Target has probably gotten a ton of emails about this subject alone on top of their ordinary stuff... so don't hold out for a timely response. It could happen, but I'm not holding my breath.

And, I still have to wonder if it's not a real song -- no one recognizes and is presumably making an educated guess/connection on who the artist even is.

Target will respond in some form or fashion, whether it's the answer we want or not.

We just all have to be patient. :unsure:
 
Taken from another board.

Just spoke with a rep from Target advertising department. Turns out that song on the Virgin Pulse commercial was made especially for the commercial and isn't available for sale. Darn! I love that clip. Maybe they'll see how many people want it and release it on a "Best of Target" CD.
 
Following is the text of an e-mail reply I received from Target Stores online Customer Service after I e-mailed them... it's basically your standard blah-blah, but at least it says "I need to do further research." So, I'll hope for some sort of personal reply and not an auto-generated kiss-off... I'll post any reply I get. Everyone, keep hunting! Don't give up; we'll find this dang song!!!

(E-mail from Target:)
"Thank you for your e-mail regarding the advertisement of our Virgin Pulse
electronics .

We are always looking for ways to make the Target shopping experience
better for every guest. At Target we appreciate the valued time our guests
take to share their comments. To fully address your special needs, I need
to do some further research. I will e-mail you again as soon as I have the
necessary information to respond to your issue. I thank you for your
patience and apologize for the delay and any inconvenience.

We value you as our guest and thank you for shopping at Target."

Sincerely,

Janine O
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com
 
I found out who the ad agency was that created it (Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners) and emailed them. I don't know whether they can (or will?) disclose any details. I'll let you all know if I hear back.
 
Here is the text of the ADWEEK article about KB+P. Aparently the music comes from "an original rock score", but maybe someone can still get a copy of the music from Target, but I don't know how much luck we'll have with them since they won't even return calls from the ADWEEK magazine people.

_____________________________

KB+P Supports Virgin's Target Debut
October 01, 2003
By Deanna Zammit

NEW YORK A rollicking TV spot touting Virgin consumer electronics' arrival at Target launched this week from Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners, one of the first since the shop stopped producing the retailer's value campaign several months ago.

In the 30-second commercial, a squad of rigid Buckingham Palace guards marches into a cobblestone courtyard. Rather than beginning a series of starched marching drills, the guards, each wearing a Virgin MP3 player, break into synchronized dance, bending, pivoting and jumping to an original rock score. The music's heavy guitars and pounding drums mimic the kind of Brit-rock beat you might expect from The Clash. At the spot's end, two guards confirm their appointment for "same time tomorrow" before dispersing. Finally, the guards are shown from above, hand springing into the Target logo.

The spot is the only one promoting Virgin's products at Target and is airing on broadcast television. KB+P produced 16 ads for the store last year, most of them related to the value theme. Those ads featured consumers using a lot of the products they had purchased at Target in ways not intended by the manufacturer. The campaign was tagged, "Prices so low, you don't have to hold back."

A new flight of value ads from Peterson Milla Hooks in Minneapolis features a pit bull with the Target bull's-eye encircling his right eye and the tagline, "See. Spot. Save." Four ads from that shop began airing two weeks ago and a second flight is now in post production, an agency rep said.

Representatives from KB+P in New York referred queries to the client, which did not return calls. Target spent nearly $520 million on ads last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR, and nearly $220 million from January to June of this year. Competitor Walmart spent nearly $400 million on ads last year and about $190 million in the first six months of 2003, per TNS Media Intelligence/CMR.
 
Yes, thanks, Toan25, for posting that article! That's the most information I've seen on the commercial itself.

Michelle,
thanks for your comments following my posting of the e-mail address of Public Relations for the ad agency;

"i don't suggest bombarding them with emails -- if anything, that might put them off... "

I didn't mean to imply that people should do anything more than a simple e-mail inquiry, and figured if the agency had enough people asking about the song, they could probably find the answer. I certainly don't recommend ticking anyone off. "Bombard" was a poor choice of words...

Anyway, everyone keep on it. Thanks!
L ;-)
 
Great post, Toan25! Thanks for sharing the info...

So, now we can all blame this ad agency for producing the original music that Target always says they can't disclose. :p

And, LMW -- not a prob, I understood what you were implying. Just didn't want people to get the impression that we were starting an email campaign against the agency! ;)
 
ACTUAL LYRICS TO THE FIRST LINE OF THE SONG: STRAIGHT FROM THE AD GUY!

o.k., I thought I was done posting on this subject, but I had two more e-mail replies; one from the ad agency guy again and one from Virgin Pulse. The ad guy, Jeremy, is so cool... here is the text of his e-mail:

Thanks again Lisa for your positive comments! I know how irritating it can be when you love a randomly overheard piece of music and can't figure out where to get it (thank god for the iTunes store). We've also passed on to Target the idea of blowing the song into a full track for one of Target's Red Room CDs or some other such use; fingers crossed something will come of it.

By the way, I noticed someone on the AdTunes message board posted the first line of the lyrics; it's hard to hear the exact lyric, but the first line is actually "My good friend has an army or whatever." I hope that helps clear up another mystery.

Take care-
--
Jeremy Kuhn
kirshenbaum bond + partners. new york.

Next, I had this e-mail from Virgin Pulse; pretty funny comment; I love it!

Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for contacting Virgin Pulse.

The Virgin Pulse Beat was written expressly for the launch of our new product line and the pleasure of seeing the Buckingham Palace Guards dance. Stay tuned for what's next from Virgin Pulse and in the mean time: check us out at Target.

Cool, huh?
I don't know about you all, but I do find great pleasure in seeing the Buckingham Palace Guards dance!

So, let us hope and pray that Target puts the song on a CD so that we can all buy it and be happy. Signing off for the last time on this subject... (I think!)
Lisa ;-)
 
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