Brand Aid: Coldplay's language barrier

In the advertising world, connecting two unrelated things can sometimes create a unique, memorable and impactful message. Naturally, you’ll want these concepts to have some relevance to your product or service for your communication to truly be a smart idea.

Which is why I’m left scratching my head at Coldplay’s new album cover. According to a Rolling Stone interview with lead singer Chris Martin, the title of band’s latest release is inspired by Frida Kahlo’s painting of watermelons called “Viva la vida.” The cover art is appropriated from a patriotic French painting known as “La Liberté guidant le peuple.”

So what do a famous French revolution painting, a well-known Mexican painting title and a British band have in common? Beats me. The album is not about living life as a painter. Not about the French Revolutionary war. Nor about living in Mexico. What’s even more disconcerting is how folks who don’t know the origins this album cover may see these two national treasures as being just some spare artwork and catchphrase.

This is not to say I’m opposed to using iconic paintings to express a point of view. I really enjoyed the Crash Test Dummies’ interpretation of the Bacchus and Ariadne painting on their God Shuffled His Feet album (which I highly recommend). It’s just when you combine two classic ideas to create a third concept that has nothing to do with you, maybe you should rethink the message you’re trying to make. — Karl, Copywriter