Business 2.0 has included the U2 silhouette iPod ad campaign in its 2005 Smart List, the magazine’s “annual tip of the hat to the brightest minds in business and the miraculous feats they’ve accomplished.” The Apple-U2 creation was named the “Smartest ad campaign.”
“Thanks to a smart decision to cross-promote two well-known entertainment brands—a collaboration hatched by U2 lead singer Bono and Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who are longtime friends—each side contributed an edgy dose of cool to the advertising effort, which was produced by TBWA/Chiat/Day,” writes Thomas Mucha. “The pairing scored with music fans.
Following its exclusive release on Apple’s iTunes Music Store, U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb went on to top the iTunes sales charts for weeks after its late-November debut. Offline the album launched at the top of the U.S.
pop charts, selling almost twice as many copies as U2’s last U.S. release did during its first week.”
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