Beating the Drum for a ‘New Age’

Rod Stewart has been replaced by an electronic keyboard. And the Temptations have been zapped by a couple of electronic synthesizers.

For this we can thank Madison Avenue. In its penchant for change, the advertising world is already waving goodby to the 1960s music nostalgia boom and saying hello to a new breed of electronic and acoustic sounds, generally known as “New Age” music.

Unlike rock ‘n’ roll, however, it is tough to put a finger on what exactly New Age music is. Nor are its origins easily traced. Most experts, however, say it has Far Eastern roots and first gained popularity in the West a few years ago in esoteric spots like metaphysical book shops and health food stores. The music--which has no lyrics and is often developed from electronic keyboards--combines elements of jazz and classical music. Some critics have labeled it yuppie Muzak.

Baby boomers, however, have taken to it like squirrels to nuts. Radio stations that play New Age music exclusively have suddenly sprung up in virtually every major U.S. city. And now, Lincoln-Mercury--which spent millions airing ads with background music by pop artists like Rod Stewart and the Temptations--has gone New Age. The auto maker was among the first to relate its products to ‘60s tunes. Now, it ranks among the first to jump from 1960s nostalgia music to 1980s electronic music-without-words.

But Lincoln-Mercury is not alone. Two other upscale car makers, BMW and the Acura division of Honda, have used New Age music in recent television spots. Circuit City has begun to use some New Age-type music in several ads. And Hitachi America Ltd. has just sponsored a North American tour of a popular Japanese New Age music composer.

“Whether you’re a California raisin grower or the makers of Chevrolet, it seems that everyone got hooked on a ‘60s music thing,” said Sheldon Wardwell, advertising manager for Lincoln-Mercury. “We decided to do something different. And if everyone picks up on New Age music, I guess we’ll do something else.”

Well, everyone hasn’t picked up on it. But virtually any advertiser who has embraced New Age music has the same thing in mind: baby boomers. Witness Acura. With a starting price tag of $22,000 for its line of Legend nameplates, the Japanese auto maker is chasing after upscale buyers. “A lot of people turn their noses up at New Age music,” said Bob Ancona, associate creative director at Ketchum Advertising, the Los Angeles firm that handles Acura’s ads. “But my gut feeling is, New Age is the music that is happening right now.”

Critics of New Age music--and there are many--scoff at the ads. “The day I use New Age music in an ad,” said a senior creative director of one large Los Angeles ad firm, “will be the day that Ronald Reagan names Sean Penn to the Supreme Court.”

One music marketing expert--who admits he is no great fan of New Age music--still believes it can coax yuppies to buy goods. “The music is considered hip and sophisticated,” said David M. Rheins, editor of Marketing Through Music, a New York-based publication produced by Rolling Stone. “The same people who sit around eating sushi are the people who listen to New Age music.”

And that’s fine with Sam Sutherland.

Sutherland is vice president and general manager of Windham Hill Productions, a Palo Alto-based company regarded as one of the top New Age recording labels. His company is hearing from potential advertisers--and advertising agencies--like never before. In fact, Windham Hill is establishing a special division to license New Age music for use by advertisers. “But we don’t want to blanket the airwaves,” said Sutherland. “Our biggest fear is that the big recording companies will eventually try to make New Age music swallow rock ‘n’ roll whole. If that happens, it could die more quickly than disco.”

Saatchi to Help Toyota Start Drive to Luxury

An onslaught of Japanese luxury cars is almost upon us. And with it will come an onslaught of new advertising geared to a whole new market. Last week, Toyota named its ad firm--Saatchi & Saatchi DFS Compton--to handle advertising for the upscale Lexus line of luxury cars it plans to introduce in 1989. Saatchi will create a California-based division, Saatchi & Saatchi Group One, to handle the account. “Our selling job will be to convince the American people that Toyota can build a luxury car,” said Bob McCurry, senior vice president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.

Close on Toyota’s heels is Nissan, which also plans to introduce new luxury cars through its newly formed Infiniti division in 1989. But Nissan--which recently named Los Angeles-based Chiat/Day as its ad firm--says it does not intend to name an ad firm for Infiniti until next spring. And Bill Bruce, general manager of the Infiniti division, says that Chiat/Day has no guarantee of landing that account. “I wouldn’t say anyone has an edge right now,” said Bruce. “Strong West Coast ties will be important, but the company won’t have to be located here.”

PR Firms Learn How Not to Lie Down on Job

Some observers thought the name of the conference was itself a contradiction: Public Relations--Credibility in an Incredible World.

Nevertheless, 2,300 public relations executives ventured to Los Angeles last week to discuss credibility in their often-mocked trade. They were treated to a quick-hitting video that showed the lack of credibility in the real world--snippets of everything from Gary Hart bowing out of the presidential race to Minneapolis pitcher Joe Niekro getting caught with a fingernail file in his back pocket.

So, how does a publicist get credibility? “Truth is still the foundation,” said John W. Felton, president of the Public Relations Society of America. “We’re getting better. There are fewer and fewer publicists who will exaggerate about just how big the elephant was.”

Latino Stations to Air Trojan-Bruin Game

One of the West Coast’s biggest college football rivalries is about to be broadcast on the radio in Spanish. And it is already attracting some major advertisers. Saturday’s battle between the UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans will be aired over five Southern California Latino stations, including KWKW in Los Angeles. All are part of the Los Angeles-based Lotus Satellite Network. Among the advertisers are the Southern California Nissan Dealers, TDK Electronics Corp., and Pic ‘N’ Save. “This is no surprise,” said John Paley, president of Lotus. “We continue to see increased interest among Hispanics in American football--even at the college level.”

Downey Hospital Gives Freeway Travelers Heart

You might say that Manley (Mick) Woodbury has his heart in the right place.

To be specific, it’s a 16-foot-high latex heart “beating” atop a Santa Ana Freeway billboard near the Slauson Avenue exit in Downey. Actually, the $12,000 heart belongs to the recently opened Heart Center at Downey Community Hospital. But it is Woodbury, president of the Los Angeles ad firm Ripley-Woodbury Advertising, who thought of hoisting the inflated heart high on a highway billboard.

“You don’t think of Downey as one of the heart-care centers of the world,” explained Woodbury. But since the hospital invested $6 million in the center, it is trying to attract attention.

Although the size and shape of the billboard heart is anatomically correct, the colors of the heart and blood have been intentionally muted from red to pink. “We were concerned about dripping red blood” said Woodbury. The beating heart--which does not actually drip blood of any sort--is operated by a series of motors and fans that blow air in and out. “We just hope it doesn’t suffer cardiac arrest.”