Eminem’s Lipton Brisk Super Bowl Commercial

[SlipperyMooseCakes]

^ Yes it does mean he's a sell-out.

Selling out = doing something you wouldn't normally do, if not for the money, or something in which the ultimate aim is the money, no passion, endorsing for cash.

If the money is the main incentive, it's selling-out. As it's a compromise for $$$

You're going to try and frame it and deny it, because it's Em. But as one of the longest, biggest fans of his, I can't deny logic. His music is still integral, but he's not.

Endorsing ice tea for millions, is selling-out. Ice tea has nothing to do with him, it's random, he did it for an easy pay day. Doesn't get much clearer, that is selling-out.

"Selling out" refers to the perception that someone is compromising their integrity, morality, or principles in exchange for money or "success".

1.) He did not compromise his integrity. The commercial was extremely consistent with the not only traditional Eminem theme, but it was a long the lines of a Slim Shady feel. It wasn't just him in some Mac commercial or something that he looked out of place in, it was very much like Crank Yankers or something a long the lines of that. It is fine if he expands his boundaries as long as he stays true to himself, which he did in both commercials. If he gets paid for it, fine.

2.) His morality was not compromised. Again, there was cursing, hot women, rapping, yelling. It wasn't PG or family oriented.

3.) Principles. He makes fun of himself in the very same commercial at topic that he is usually against doing commercials or endorsements. It might be against the grain for Em but people endorse things all the time. He did not lose his identity, he only endorsed a product. You can do that without "selling out"

He did a commercial, he kept the Slim Shady theme, he got paid, the fans loved it. He didn't aim for a new audience, he didn't lose his image, he was just Eminem in a commercial that he got paid for. It's not a big deal. And no it isn't just because it is Eminem, there are people that sell out when the endorse things and there are people that don't. Eminem is certainly capable of doing so but he did not do it in this commercial.

[mcZu]

Word is he got paid 1 millie for that ad (or in total for both..), just saying...

[EminemBase]

@eminembase - i think you hit the nail on the head with the loosening up part. He doesn't take himself so seriously anymore, which is a good thing. He's less of a prick nowadays, which was something we all liked in him, but for a 38 year old man its probably a good thing he is more chilled out. It also means he doesn't worry too much about makin a quick buck as long as he puts his own stamp on it.

He never took himself seriously. The only people who thought he did were people who didn't get his music, he was always his biggest punchline, from day one.

"I'm still the same lame asshole with a different name"

What's important is him not taking himself seriously in his art. But as a public figure, half the reason he's still around and so huge and respected, is for that very reason. Because he said no no no no no, to endless crap thrown his way.

That's why people like 50 are fucking jokes now. Because he loses grip of the music and then tries anything - endorses perfume, does reality TV shows. All of these things are tacky, cheap, and their only aim is money and profile, it's embarrassing.

Eminem was always better than that. Don't call it selling-out then, call it what you like. But by endorsing ice tea for a chunk of change, he's lowered himself to everybody else's standards.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

If he does too much more, then I would say that he's selling out. But after two great commercials? Nah, not yet. I have a feeling that he wanted to be a part of the Superbowl, he likes football. During any other time, I wouldn't see the point

[EminemBase]

^ Yes it does mean he's a sell-out.

Selling out = doing something you wouldn't normally do, if not for the money, or something in which the ultimate aim is the money, no passion, endorsing for cash.

If the money is the main incentive, it's selling-out. As it's a compromise for $$$

You're going to try and frame it and deny it, because it's Em. But as one of the longest, biggest fans of his, I can't deny logic. His music is still integral, but he's not.

Endorsing ice tea for millions, is selling-out. Ice tea has nothing to do with him, it's random, he did it for an easy pay day. Doesn't get much clearer, that is selling-out.

"Selling out" refers to the perception that someone is compromising their integrity, morality, or principles in exchange for money or "success".

1.) He did not compromise his integrity. The commercial was extremely consistent with the not only traditional Eminem theme, but it was a long the lines of a Slim Shady feel. It wasn't just him in some Mac commercial or something that he looked out of place in, it was very much like Crank Yankers or something a long the lines of that. It is fine if he expands his boundaries as long as he stays true to himself, which he did in both commercials. If he gets paid for it, fine.

2.) His morality was not compromised. Again, there was cursing, hot women, rapping, yelling. It wasn't PG or family oriented.

3.) Principles. He makes fun of himself in the very same commercial at topic that he is usually against doing commercials or endorsements. It might be against the grain for Em but people endorse things all the time. He did not lose his identity, he only endorsed a product. You can do that without "selling out"

He did a commercial, he kept the Slim Shady theme, he got paid, the fans loved it. He didn't aim for a new audience, he didn't lose his image, he was just Eminem in a commercial that he got paid for. It's not a big deal. And no it isn't just because it is Eminem, there are people that sell out when the endorse things and there are people that don't. Eminem is certainly capable of doing so but he did not do it in this commercial.

You don't have to compromise all things at once for it to be selling-out firstly.

Secondly, there are degrees of selling-out and a definition is only a broad necessary truth to be applied to on a spectrum.

Now, Eminem - the rapper, the lyricist - Eminem, taking millions of dollars to endorse ice tea IS selling-out. It has NOTHING to do with what he does. Eminem is not a salesman, and the product is random, if what he's endorsing is random - that's compromise.

I didn't say he sold-out his principles in the execution. The execution was funny. But you can't use that to defend the MOTIVE. Like I say, if he did a song with Backstreet Boys and let's say the song turned out brilliant and he stayed in character and true to himself, would that be fine to you?

After the endless separation he's made from himself to them and that kind of music. Now, his separation to corporate America and that 'whole area' of money-making has been just as strong in a way, and the very fact he ignored all that, given what he stands for as an artist - and took a pocket full of dollars, which he doesn't need, to endorse a product randomly, is a compromise.

There was no need for it. ESPECIALLY at this point. He's said no so long, it was stupid.

[EminemBase]

If he does too much more, then I would say that he's selling out. But after two great commercials? Nah, not yet. I have a feeling that he wanted to be a part of the Superbowl, he likes football. During any other time, I wouldn't see the point

Lmao it's not how much he does man, or when.

It's the motive that defines if it's selling-out or not.

"Only one Britney Spears song... argh... okay, not a sell-out yet, anymore though and he is!". It's the fact the main motive was money and there was no need for it.

[ShadyVsEminem]

Speaking of Ricky Gervais who robbed his sense of humor? he hasnt been funny in about 6 years since Politics

[Alia]

Meh, not being a sellout is over rated. I don't give a fuck if he did it for the money. In fact, good for him. He's still the man that wrote some of the most emotionally cathartic songs I've ever heard.

[SlipperyMooseCakes]

This is no different then when he makes an appearance on SNL, Crank Yankers, Funny People. He wasn't directly selling his music, but he is selling himself. He needs to make appearances to stay relevant and to keep people interested in him. Some people do it with dumb publicity stunts, other people do it with endorsements.

Had the commercial just been Eminem taking a sip of the iced tea and saying "buy Lipton Iced Tea" I would be agreeing with you now. However, he didn't. I thought it was pretty creative way to bring both the world of Eminem and the business of Eminem together without fully losing the feel of either one.

It's a dumb commercial that he did but kept his identity. He got paid, stayed in the public eye and the fans enjoyed it. You're not going to agree with me, I'm not going to agree with you and that is fine. We both feel differently on what designates a sell out. All I can say is that if has been a great year for Em and for him as an artist whose ultimate goal is to sell records and keep his image, he just boosted both of those by doing this commercial. And he would have been a fool not to do so. Creativity + Commercial collaborated perfectly here.

[EminemBase]

Speaking of Ricky Gervais who robbed his sense of humor? he hasnt been funny in about 6 years since Politics

Fame was great. He fucked up with Science but it has a few good bits like the joke-telling at a party and the arab getting on the plane and that whole idea of rational / irrational fear etc.

But, yeah he pretty much fucked up with Science, got lazy and wasted that opportunity. That could of been really great. And the excuse for his laziness (by him) was that 'none of his shows were about X' which is not true...

If you watch Animals, Politics or Fame, they're all actually very on-topic. He may naturally deviate but the topic is threaded throughout and as an umbrella subject, explored very well. With Science he just couldn't be fucked to do that, so called it that for the sake of it, and did random material.

He fucked up with The Invention of Lying too. First half was hilarious, second half was really... embarrassingly bad because of the attempt at romance. Which is surprising given how well he did it in The Office and how well he gets it. Makes me think Merchant had a lot to do with it now.

He has been funny, just lazier.

But, he's doing Life's Too Short now, with Merchant - on BBC and HBO soon, so that should be good as he said it's "all funny" as in no drama, which is amazing as right before that got announced I was literally thinking a lot "man I wish Gervais would cut the melodrama out and just do the comedy, as best he can" and, it happened.

Which also happened with Em, before he came back I was just wishing he would do some pure psycho lyricism and then came Relapse, then I was really hoping Recovery would be punchline haven lmao and... this sounds ridiculous all the coincidence but that's literally true. I was chatting to another member about it and I can't believe that... it was such a specific thought and Recovery couldn't be more fucking punchline-orientated.

[EminemBase]

This is no different then when he makes an appearance on SNL, Crank Yankers, Funny People. He wasn't directly selling his music, but he is selling himself. He needs to make appearances to stay relevant and to keep people interested in him. Some people do it with dumb publicity stunts, other people do it with endorsements.

Had the commercial just been Eminem taking a sip of the iced tea and saying "buy Lipton Iced Tea" I would be agreeing with you now. However, he didn't. I thought it was pretty creative way to bring both the world of Eminem and the business of Eminem together without fully losing the feel of either one.

It's a dumb commercial that he did but kept his identity. He got paid, stayed in the public eye and the fans enjoyed it. You're not going to agree with me, I'm not going to agree with you and that is fine. We both feel differently on what designates a sell out. All I can say is that if has been a great year for Em and for him as an artist whose ultimate goal is to sell records and keep his image, he just boosted both of those by doing this commercial. And he would have been a fool not to do so. Creativity + Commercial collaborated perfectly here.

No it's very different from that. Those are again, ART. They're CREATION. Just because he did a commercial which allowed for that doesn't mean it's not selling-out. Doing those shows is an extension of his character for creation / comedy = art.

And, you keep saying the fans enjoyed it and it was funny etc. - At no point have I disputed that. You don't need to keep saying that, my argument isn't whether it's good or bad. Like I've said about five times, I liked the commercial too. That's not the point.

Here's what happened...
- Eminem endorsed ice tea, for millions of dollars.

Just because it didn't say EMINEM SAYS DRINK ICE TEA doesn't mean it's not an endorsement lmao. The fact he's put his face in association to it, is the endorsement. Now, you think the act of doing that - endorsing a product for money - is not selling-out. I think it is. But you're right, our views will not reconcile on this, clearly. So, so be it. We can leave it there.

[SlipperyMooseCakes]

Yes you see the main difference in our argument is that for me it is all about context, for you it is all about action.

It's fine that we disagree and we could go on and on but I'm glad we can have a mature debate about it. But let me just say that the term "sell-out" is very controversial and is defined different in a lot of people's minds. You don't need to respond to that directly, just food for thought.

[Emshady2]

Good commercial! Funny

[EminemBase]

Yes you see the main difference in our argument is that for me it is all about context, for you it is all about action.

It's fine that we disagree and we could go on and on but I'm glad we can have a mature debate about it. But let me just say that the term "sell-out" is very controversial and is defined different in a lot of people's minds. You don't need to respond to that directly, just food for thought.

Yes it's very much the motive man... for example...

A lot of people think doing a song with Rihanna is selling-out but to me that's not because the motive was quite obviously the fact she was a very public victim of domestic abuse and the song is about that, so it's an uncomfortable paradox. Like him performing with Elton in front of GLAAD.

Things like that, are artistically motivated.

But you can't seriously believe his main motive of a 30 second ice tea commercial, for millions of dollars, was the commercial itself. I can tell from your responses you're not dumb, so I don't believe you think that.

So, just because the commercial itself is funny, I don't think that justifies the act. Like I say, there's different degrees of selling-out. So, let's call it the low-end then. But it's still a compromise, randomly endorsing something for a pay-off.

Like I say, and this is a perfectly valid analogy - if he did a song with Backstreet Boys then, but the song turned out good and he remained true to himself, would you consider that not selling-out too? If he got paid off to do it. It's still taking money to associate himself with something he wouldn't otherwise, if NOT for the money...

[xxTrigger1989xx]

If he does too much more, then I would say that he's selling out. But after two great commercials? Nah, not yet. I have a feeling that he wanted to be a part of the Superbowl, he likes football. During any other time, I wouldn't see the point

Lmao it's not how much he does man, or when.

It's the motive that defines if it's selling-out or not.

"Only one Britney Spears song... argh... okay, not a sell-out yet, anymore though and he is!". It's the fact the main motive was money and there was no need for it.

Well, like I said, I just think he did those commercials for the Superbowl because he likes football. I honestly hope that's the reason...I think Interscope is the reason why he got paid that much money, though