Summary
TheAmerican Expresscommercial song from August 2023 is a complete banger and one that will be stuck in viewers' heads long after the 30-second ad ends.Credit card companies pay big bucks for their commercials, and it makes sense considering how many different banks there are, vying for consumers' attention, trying to make sure the merits of their cards are recognized over those of their competitors. Banking and money can be a dry subject, so to spice it up, these companies invest a lot of money in catchy ads with cool spokespeople.
In the past, American Express leaned oncelebrity cameos in their commercialsto elucidate the value and bonuses of their range of cards. As part of their “My life. My card.“and “Are you a cardmember?” brand campaigns, the likes of Martin Scorsese, Tina Fey, Tiger Woods, Beyoncé, and more appeared to talk about the cards. The old “Don’t leave home without it” campaign from the 1970s and the “The Adventures of Seinfeld & Superman” series from the 1990s were some other marketing moves. Recently, American Express has taken a more pop music-focused approach.
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The American Express Sports Commercial Song Is “Best Friend” By Sofi Tukker
The Commercial Has No Spoken Words
The 2023 American Express ad, “Sports are Always in Season”, is shot in a combination of flipbook photograph style and traditional recording. The commercial followsa mother and daughter as they take the subway to see the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclay Center, using the mother’s Platinum American Express card for entry, snacks, and swag. Mom and daughter travel to multiple games, eventually ending at the U.S. Open, enjoying the time spent together, which, as the commercial implies, was made possible by American Express.
Playing over the commercial is “Best Friend feat. NERVO, The Knocks & Alisa Ueno” by Sofi Tukker, sometimes stylized as SOFI TUKKER.
Playing over the commercial is “Best Friend feat. NERVO, The Knocks & Alisa Ueno” by Sofi Tukker, sometimes stylized as SOFI TUKKER. It’sa hip song, perfect for a subway sequence set in the ever-cool Brooklyn borough of New York City, and the loud horns that pump up and down through the song have a “sports anthem” feel. The lyrics are even more pertinent with lines like, “Every time you call on me, I drop what I do/ You are my best friend and we’ve got some s**t to shoot” (“we’ve got some things to do” in the commercial).
SOFI TUKKER is an electronic duo consisting of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, and their 2018 debut albumTreehousewas nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album.
The mother and the daughter are the best friends in the commercialand the song works to make it feel like they have plenty to do together. They don’t want to worry about paying for things; they just want to be together and make their memories. Let American Express worry about the whole payment complication. These two have things to do, like watch the Nets, who have some basketballs to shoot.
“Best Friend” Has Been Used In Other Commercials, Film, TV & Video Games
SOFI TUKKER’s Song Has Been Used In Television, Movies, And Video Games
“Best Friend” has dug its way into enough marketers' ears that it’s been used in several other projects since it was released in September 2017. Commercials for Apple iPhone X andFriendsUltra Marathons in Comedy Central India have used the song. It’s also appeared on the soundtracks for the video gameFIFA 18, and TV shows likeSanta Clarita Diet,Good Behavior,Extraordinary,Love, Victor,Alone Together,Love Island, andBatwoman.
In movies, “Best Friend” has been featured inOcean’s 8,The Sleepover, andAll My Life. “Best Friend” is the opening and closing theme, and bumper music to the MLB Network showMLB Central. The song is a jaunty and fun, but critically, inoffensive piece of music that can reliably instill a little happy energy where needed, like the sweet and memorableAmerican Expresscommercial.
Ocean’s 8
