This Is Why You Recognize The Song In Mercari's Super Bowl Commercial
It's almost that time of year where people gather around their TVs to watch new movie trailers and funny commercials in between live video footage of the biggest football game of the season. Ad agencies have put the final touches on their short clips meant to simultaneously entertain the folks less interested in the game and sell them on something — whether that's laundry detergent, beer, or a slick app.
While The Weeknd is set to perform at the halftime show, the commercials will also be doing their best to serenade the audience. Dolly Parton has re-recorded her hit "9 to 5" for Squarespace, while yogurt company Oikos' spot features an up-and-coming rapper. The e-commerce app, Mercari, is angling to please people as well with a familiar bop in their 15-second commercial.
The Mercari ad starts with a recently married couple realizing they've been given two hot air popcorn makers. They snap a picture of one, upload it to the Mercari app, and a trio of roommates buy it to elevate their game-viewing experience. A song plays in the background, saying goodbye to the air popper and then hello to it, as the voiceover explains the app's purpose for buying and selling used items.
This clip is a continuation of an ongoing ad campaign entitled, "Goodbye, Hello." Sound familiar? It's a title swap of the classic hit "Hello, Goodbye" by The Beatles.
It's a cover of The Beatles' single 'Hello, Goodbye'
If the song doesn't sound quite right, that's because the version in the Mercari ad is not the original, but a cover. According to the ad agency Rain the Growth, it was sung by the artist Boh Doran and arranged by Michael Dragovic (via Ultimate Classic Rock).
"Hello, Goodbye," written by Paul McCartney, was originally released as a single in 1967, but it was later added to The Beatles' album Magical Mystery Tour. The lyrics don't say much beyond a series of opposites: yes and no, stop and go, and — of course — hello and goodbye. Alistair Taylor, an aide to The Beatles, wrote in his book Yesterday (via The Beatles Bible) that the song came about when he asked Paul about his songwriting process.
In his biography Many Years From Now, Paul explains that the lyrics are about duality. He writes, "There are Geminian influences here I think: the twins. It's such a deep theme in the universe, duality." He advocates the positive side, the hellos to the goodbyes.
To Mercari, saying goodbye isn't negative in the slightest, however. Brand Marketing Director Walter Hangad said in a statement that their app is about connecting people. He added, "We chose 'Hello, Goodbye' from the Beatles for this campaign because it perfectly amplifies this concept, as well as the emotion behind it — one person says 'goodbye' to something they love so another can say 'hello' to a delightful new find."
The Mercari ad is set to air during the third quarter of the Super Bowl on February 7, so keep your ears peeled for the familiar tune.