Dell laptop association, I reject

The distribution of songs via commercials worked for Moby and, more recently, for Feist, too. I believe that these were successful unions because Moby is musical wallpaper that does not require discerning visual accompaniment and the iPod Nano is a complementary product for any recording artist be associated with.

However, for the most part, I find that commercial associations ruin songs. I will never again listen to Basement Jaxx's "Where's your head at?" with any enjoyment thanks to the stupid TV commercial that paired the song with overly active chip munchers on a beach. It just goes to show how corrosive a bad commercial can be since I had the Basement Jaxx album before I ever saw the ad, and yet, it completely changed my relationship with the song thereafter.

I try not to remember but I can still picture:

• large American cars when I hear "The Look of Love" by Diana Krall
• hair colouring when I hear to Chantal Kreviazuk
• playing Rock Band when I listen to Neko Case (though this is not necessarily a bad thing)

The newest Dell laptop commercial features "I Love You, Ono" by Stereo Total. As I watch hipsters dance in and out of a building with their new laptops, I am glad that the song has already been immunized by my previous exposure to it on Eve Gravel's website. If this song is going to be associated with any product, I would prefer that it be an independent Canadian designer whose clothes I love than gimmicky, lifestyle technology.

Ideally, songs should have their own identity, untainted by any product association. However, the successful claiming of "I Love You, Ono" by Eve Gravel over Dell in my consciousness makes me think that this is the way to combat bad commercial unions. Do a preemptive strike by holding up that sweater your grandma knit for you and have it dance to the music as you listen to whatever song has a high probability of being ruined by a marketing campaign in the future.

Feel free to list suggested object and song immunizations or rant about commercial song unions that ruined your musical experience forever.