Authenticity revisited

I'm involved in a discussion over on the Marketing Mag forums. The case centers around an Australian band called The Presets and them involving themselves in a promotion in BMW where a track of theirs gets remixed. The association of brands is obscure at best, but what I don't get is The Presets not owning up to it in the first place. In a recent interview on Triple J (Australia's larges independent radio station), there was no mention of the remix, or of BMW. This says to me The Presets are embarrassed and Triple J, having supported them from day dot even more so.

In a futile effort to display some semblance of independence, both parties have succeeded in completely dodging an issue. If a band/person/organisation/brand/product/whatever is going to make a move like this, they at least need to have the guts to own it. Triple J love their indie darlings so aren't going to call them on it (that's called selling out, but apparently only when a big corporation is involved), and The Presets - who could justify it as easy as "It paid for our next European tour" - just look shady.

Bad moves all around. This post has more. In particular:

You need to stand for what you stand for. Every. Second. Of. The. Day.

Amen.