Litigation

I often chuckle at advertisers who pick inappropriate background music in their advertising. A few years ago a Jaguar ad featured a Jag cruising through London to the tune of London Calling by The Clash, a song about nuclear war. Then a friend of mine working for an ad agency promoting drugs for a pharmaceutical company asked me for my opinion about an ad for a new drug featuring a smiling couple dancing. The friend was horrified when I told her that the background music was the classic rebel song "We're Not Gonna Take It (Never Did  And Never Will)" from the Tommy Album by The Who.

In an avant garde move to Web 2.0, Kentucky's Don McNay has posted video mashups on You Tube to promote qualified settlement funds and services he provides to tort victims and attorneys.  The videos were apparently part of a presentation to a group of trial attorneys in New Orleans. One such video curiously includes the grunge classic song by Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit " as background. Is this a disturbing oversight or subliminal suggestion?

Let's take a moment to look at these rather troubling lyrics...
.
"Load up on guns
Bring your friends
Its fun to lose
And to pretend
She's overboard
Myself assured
I know I know
A dirty word

Hello (x 16)

With the lights out its less dangerous
Here we are now
Entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now
Entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yea

I'm worse at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end

Hello (x 16)

With the lights out its less dangerous
Here we are now
Entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now
Entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yea

And I forget
Just what it takes
And yet I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard
Its hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind

Hello (x 16)

With the lights out its less dangerous
Here we are now
Entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now
Entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yea

-Nirvana, from the album Nevermind, 1991, Geffen Records. Lyrics by Cobain, Grohl, Novoselic

Listen to McNay Video

Now Listen to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana

A mosquito?  A blood-sucking insect?  I know what you?re thinking  - ?But John, ?Smells Like Teen Spirit??  This smells more like factoring company advertising and solicitation practices?, and you might be right.  ?I?m worse at what I do best, And for this gift I feel blessed? could be the mantra for several factoring companies.

But like I always say – hey, if ?Smells Like Teen Spirit? is good enough for DDP's (Diamond Dallas Page) entrance music in the World Championship Wrestling arena, it?s good enough for Don McNay!

I guess Don couldn?t locate THIS video: