Monday, September 3, 2012

Will.i.am: the player

Nasa, Obama, Intel, Coca-Cola: why everyone wants a piece of will.i.am

Since the Dr Pepper commercial he has thrown himself into an array of commercial deals and partnerships, working with companies ranging from Coors to BlackBerry to Best Buy. These are rarely straight endorsement deals and increasingly he makes the first move, contacting a company with an idea for a concept or marketing plan. In 2011, the Peas played the Super Bowl half-time show, one of the biggest gigs of the year for any band, given the huge exposure offered by being part of the most-watched event on television. The Who had played the year before, but the sight of the ageing rockers jumping around the stage did not do much for younger audiences. So Will approached the NFL.