Thursday, June 28, 2012

When Harry Met Shilling


Debbie Harry was interviewed recently at the Cannes International Ad Festival, where Blondie performed at the Grey Legends of Music seminar. (Read HERE.) I found it funny that while she said she didn't think it was "selling out" for artists to lend their songs to commercials ("I appreciate that they are making some dough"), she claimed she couldn't remember ever appearing in any advertisements herself, yet I can think of three off the top of my head. The reporter didn't say a thing -- way to research your article, Laura Petrecca of USA Today! -- so allow me to be of some help: 

Debbie's 1980 Murjani by Gloria Vanderbilt commercials were classic -- "When you know where you're going, you know what to wear" -- and the source of the "only real money" she ever made, according to Chris Stein. " Once commercials meant losing your status," Debbie told People magazine in 1981, discussing the Murjani campaign. "Today it's just the opposite. They're terrific advertisements for yourself. They capitalize on your identity." (Keep an eye out for John Lurie of the Lounge Lizards!)

 

This one featured the famous "Hot Pockets"! (How much you wanna bet young Anderson Cooper put Mom up to casting Deb?!)

 

In 1986 she inexplicably did an ad for Sara Lee, going on and on about how much she loved French bread. (I won't comment on that, but the "Rockbird" era photos say it all!)


And then there was this print ad for L.A. Eyeworks -- “A face is like a work of art. It deserves a great frame" --shot by Greg Gorman. The long-running campaign also featured Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, Frank Zappa, Johnny Rotten, David Hockney, John Waters, Mike Piazza, Joey Arias and many others.



Not to mention this cartoonish 1979 print ad for Ampex cassette tapes featuring Debbie and the Blondie boys:


UPDATE: With thanks to Toby, who reminds us of Debbie's 1987 ad for Hush Puppies(!):



UPDATE 2: With thanks to Ross, who sent me this Canada Dry ad from a Dutch/German(?) magazine!!!


1 comment:

tobyweiss.com said...

There is also the 1987 Hush Puppies print ads, wherein they mixed up celebrities tops and bottom in a 2-page spread. Debbie is wearing Sprouse camouflage.