Lodging a complaint

roxics

roxics

Veteran
I am really getting tired of all this ukulele super happy infantile music that seems to be everywhere the last few years. From car commercials to insurance commercials to web videos about various things. I think it's time to move on.

Here is an example. Although it's a bad example because in this case it fits with the little kids. Most of the time it doesn't fit. It's just there to portray this overly happy, carefree emotional atmosphere. But it's starting to drive me crazy because I hear it everywhere.

 
Things trend, then they fade away.

Remember the 80s when star wipes, cube spins, and other crappy transitions fit for cheap public access were all the rage? And synth was in, along with electronic drums.

Or the 90s when it was Dissolve City and cuts were rarely used? Bubblegum pop and hip-hop ruled, with a little grunge mixed in.

Nowadays, ukulele is a hot item. And it also seems that slow-mo on a 3-axis gimbal, with some drone footage mixed in, is all people want to do.

This, too, shall pass.
 
Alex H. said:
Things trend, then they fade away.

Remember the 80s when star wipes, cube spins, and other crappy transitions fit for cheap public access were all the rage? And synth was in, along with electronic drums.

Or the 90s when it was Dissolve City and cuts were rarely used? Bubblegum pop and hip-hop ruled, with a little grunge mixed in.

Nowadays, ukulele is a hot item. And it also seems that slow-mo on a 3-axis gimbal, with some drone footage mixed in, is all people want to do.

This, too, shall pass.
Click to expand...

Is that a ukulele in your avatar... or just a midget guitar?
 
I didn't think we'd ever get out of the era where Apple was using "quirky" songs like "New Soul" in their commercials and everybody had to copy it.
 
Yeah I think it's just too much of one thing. I don't hate the instrument itself, it's just that style of music that is really wearing on me. Maybe we need to start telling clients "do you really want to be like everyone else or do you want this video to stand out?"
 
roxics said:
Maybe we need to start telling clients "do you really want to be like everyone else or do you want this video to stand out?"
Click to expand...

Most times the answer is 'Yes we want to be like everyone else' and usually the initial ideas they bring are based on some company/brand they want to be. Its frustrating but I find adventurous clients few and far between. Executives see trends and want to jump right on. I just had a client request that I change the music tracks I had to variations of ukelele happy, snappy tunes. I disagree but I'm not going to argue and in the end the client is very very happy so who am I fight it.
 
I don't think roxics hates the ukelele per se. I mean, come on, who can hate Kamakawiwo'ole's rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"?

I took this thread as a diatribe against taking a technique or style, perfectly legitimate when it was first used, and using it to death.

I blame this on convictionless creation. "Well, I don't like this stuff, but the other guy used it and got a lot of customers, so I guess that's what the people want."

It happened when Louisa May Alcott wrote gothic romances instead of something closer to home with Little Women.
It happened when there were several bland space adventures after the first Star Wars.
It happens every time you or your client makes a product for "them" instead of for yourself.

It happens when a camera manufacturer loads up a camera with endless gimmicks that just get in the way of a serious photographer. The Ikonoskop men made it for themselves. Jim Jannard made the Red One for himself. Cheapie point-and-shoots were made for "those other people."

We all have to make a living, but you don't have to adopt a condescending attitude toward your customer or pander to every last tasteless idiot. Make something different. Make opinionated product, something that someone will get and someone else will be like "What?". The people who get it will love you. And if it's the client telling you to do it, it's okay to push back once, maybe twice. Having been on both sides, I respect when my service provider pushes back and suggests something they think is better --- I guess as long as they aren't too stubborn and will relent if I insist. Otherwise I will go to someone else probably. But I'm not going to drop them just because they politely suggest something that they truly think is better.
 
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Yeah I don't hate the instrument. It just seems it's used a lot in this style of music (whatever it's called). It's this style that's wearing on me.
I've also had to make certain suggestions to clients where I feel they might be going too generic. I do it politely of course. If they still insist, fair enough, it's their dime. My goal is to please the client. But honestly I've never had a client suggest a certain style of music to me. I usually put something in that I feel fits the project. Sometimes they come back and want something different, but they don't usually know what until they hear it. Typically by the second try they're happy.

I'm kind of curious how this trend came about. Something tells me someone with a psychology background in a marketing department came up with this. "Carefree, happy child-like music will make people feel non-defensive and remind them of childhood somewhere deep inside. If we put it over a car insurance commercial it will feel less complicated and less abrasive. Like car insurance is all sunshine and rainbows."

That would not surprise me. It's also kinda genius. But annoying now.
 
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