MTV Idol in France was promoted with a print campaign in 2006 featuring the scientifically proven successes of Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Jean Michel Jarre, AC/DC, Barry White. Statistical data on the sale of hemp, right hand gloves, production of neck braces in 1987, and the consumption of electricity, each point to the impact of rock music on consumer patterns.
Michael Jackson debuted his Moonwalk stage dance routine on March 25, 1983, performing Billie Jean on the live television special, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever.
Bob Marley and the Wailers broke up in 1974 but Marley continued to use the name for his recordings. In 1979 Marley was releasing “Survival”, an album focusing on Africa.
Barry White’s album, Dedicated, came out in 1983, but his disco hits for the bedroom were mostly released in the 1970s: “Never, Never Gonna Give You Up” (1973), “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe” (1974), “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” (1974), “What Am I Gonna Do with You” (1975), “Let the Music Play” (1976), “It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me” (1977), “Your Sweetness is My Weakness” (1978), and “Change” (1982).
Jean Michel Jarre’s album Oxygène, recorded in France in 1976, became a worldwide hit in 1977.
Australian band ACDC recorded their 1987 album Blow Up Your Video in France, bringing them a new wave of international popularity.
Credits
The MTV Idol Sucess campaign was developed at DDB, Paris, by creative directors Sylvain Thirache and Alexandre Hervé, art director Skrzypczak Sébastien and copywriter Kaczorowski Stéphane.
DDB’s colour version of this campaign (with Nirvana instead of ACDC and Tomatoes instead of Michael Jackson) won a Gold CLIO award in 2007, along with a Silver for Media Promotion, a Gold for “Barry White”, a Silver for “Bob Marley and the Wailers”.
