Ben Gibbard Totally Bummed Out about Apple Ripping Off Postal Service Video
As you may have heard already, the new Apple commercial talking about the inclusion of Intel chips is almost a shot-for-shot reproduction of The Postal Service video for “Such Great Heights.” It was shot by the same directors, but that is absolutely no excuse. I thought these kinds of negative press publicity stunts were only reserved for Tom Cruise and Lindsay Lohan.
The Gibbard himself is not pleased at all. See the note he posted on the offical Postal Service site:
01/19/06
A Note from Ben
It has recently come to our attention that Apple Computers’ new television commercial for the Intel chip features a shot-for-shot recreation of our video for ‘Such Great Heights’ made by the same filmmakers responsible for the original. We did not approve this commercialization and are extremely disappointed with both parties that this was executed without our consultation or consent. -Ben Gibbard, The Postal Service
Watch the side-by-side video and be amazed at the brazen duplication. Oh, and BTW, Apple is now heavily rotating in ads for the downloading of the Postal Service video–probably in an effort to make nice. But of course they have to do something jacked up, so they are serving up a censored version of the video. Everytime it’s supposed to say “Skyworks” the name is blurred out.
1. forget it all | 9:03 am on January 23rd, 2006
let’s just point out that BOTH VIDEOS ripped off Chris Cunningham, who made an homage to STANLEY KUBRICK.
Thinking you’re original is soooo unoriginal.
2. Anonymous | 2:48 pm on January 23rd, 2006
When I saw that Apple commercial I kept expecting to hear Such Greath Heights and I was very disappointed when it wasn’t played. I thought it was the exact same video.
3. whatcha | 6:52 pm on January 23rd, 2006
So the same people made both videos? The same director?
4. Anonymous | 7:34 pm on January 23rd, 2006
It’s more of a re-hash than a rip-off. Get with it people!
5. peter | 12:08 am on January 24th, 2006
i was actually surprised that i remembered the “such great heights” video enough to actually think the two looked the same… glad i’m not the only one/crazy
6. nagin | 7:07 am on January 24th, 2006
*yawn*
7. Anonymous | 1:42 pm on January 25th, 2006
wow if it’s the same director that sucks for the band!
isn’t that unethical?
8. adam | 5:21 pm on January 25th, 2006
apple is kind of lame for ripping off the postal service video, but how do you think interpol feels about being blatantly ripped off by the editors. i’m not trying to be a jerk, but after a quick listen a few days ago i thought i was hearing some previously unheard interpol material. the similarities are slightly more than derivative.
9. The Modern Age » Can Someone Stop Jimmy Fallon? | 10:54 pm on February 26th, 2006
[...] Maybe it was that same directing team that ripped off the Postal Service video because when I saw the Pepsi bit I immediately thought of the “How They Get There” short directed by Spike Jonze–which is far more funnier and creative. [...]
10. Adam | 3:05 pm on March 11th, 2006
Who cares? The Iron and Wine version of “Such Great Heights” is better.
11. DR | 9:47 pm on September 9th, 2006
Yeah but Ben Gibbard makes more money than all of yall so that makes his opinion more important and him a better human being than just about everyone. Plus yall are abunch of faggots