Top 5 Odd Rock Star Endorsements
The thought of our favorite rock stars selling out has always been considered an unforgivable sin among purists. But the truth is, it's been going on for years, and these days, most commercial endorsements are met with a shrug. Going back to the time the Rolling Stones sang a jingle for Rice Krispies, it's simply a part of the game. But when the artists themselves actually appear in the ads, it takes the concept to a whole other bizarre level, as you'll see in our list of the Top 5 Odd Rock Star Endorsements.
- 5
John Lydon Knows What He Wants: Butter
Back when he was singing about anarchy and how much he hated the queen, who could have guessed that Johnny Rotten / John Lydon would some day try to sell you butter? The U.K. ads for Country Life Butter caused some head-scratching a couple of years ago when they first aired. The onetime Sex Pistol plays up not only the taste of the butter, but its Britishness too. Lydon goofily romps through the ad, but for good reason: The money he earned bankrolled his 2012 album 'This Is PiL' by his band Public Image Ltd.
- 4
Iggy Pop Lusts for Auto Insurance
Iggy Pop will go down in history as one of rock's wildest characters. His 1977 song 'Lust for Life,' has been used in more commercials than we could possibly count. But in this funny ad for Swiftcover Car Insurance, Iggy appears alongside a puppet double and turns into a salesman before our eyes. After years in the business as an underdog, who can blame the guy for cashing in?
- 3
School's In for Alice Cooper
At the height of popularity in the early '70s, Alice Cooper was loved, feared, hated ... you name it. He hasn't changed much over the years, but the public's perception of him has, which helps to explain his appearance in this commercial for Staples' Back to School campaign. That's Mr. Welcome to My Nightmare strolling the aisles for supplies as a Muzak version of 'School's Out' plays in the background.
- 2
The Prince of Darkness Can't Believe It's Not Butter
Before Ozzy Osbourne became a lovably clumsy reality-TV star, the idea of letting him anywhere near a kitchen was unthinkable. How things have changed. In this ad, Osbourne and a lookalike whip up a batch of fairy cakes. The recipe calls for butter, and they can't believe ... well, you know the rest. Let's just hope he isn't serving rat salad on the menu.
- 1
Bob Dylan Has a Secret
Bob Dylan's TV spot for Victoria's Secret turned more than a few heads back in 2004. Starting with a snippet from a 1965 press conference, in which a reporter asks a young Dylan what he'd sell out for, we learn that the singer-songwriter is a man of his word. "Ladies garments," he answers, before 1997's 'Love Sick' plays over a parade of underdressed women with random shots of '00s Dylan.
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