Here it is…The television commercial for American Idol Season 8, featuring David Cook.
The ad begins with David about to take the stage, it rewinds through current images of his life, until David is in bed dreaming about his Idol journey. Images of Idol moments lead back to David on stage, performing his single “Light On.”
Pretty cool.
It’s the first time Fox has used a former Idol to promote a new season.
The commercial should also serve to promote the album and single too. Smart!
Bonus: Jolene uploaded the Fox LA behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoot to You Tube. It’s also posted after the jump.
Video after the JUMP…
Behind the Scenes:
I think Heroes could work for a boot song.
People really would be so sore over the winning moment last season that they’d refuse to watch again just based on that? It is what it is…
Jocelyn said:
“I never considered Taylor’s problems more than a mild case of asperger’s, which is something I suspect is even present in a more recent finalist.”
I have a 17 year old son who is aspbergers (extremely high functioning now- so much that most people have no idea). I assume you know that Aspbergers is a form of autism that is diagnosed from very early severe communication problems. My son is brilliant but socially a bit awkward. He is also the most deep thinking person and most hardworking, determined person I have ever met. Interesting thought. . . . . . .
Could a person with Aspbergers, even a mild case, do all that is required from these idols during tour, etc.? Not sure. . . . They are all different with a different spectrum of issues. Many people get to adulthood and have never been officially diagnosed and function very well as adults.
I never watched AI before this season, so I am not familiar with Taylor. I haven’t met David A, but from what people say and from what I have seen from watching him on the internet, he is way too warm and connects way too well in person, especially in one-on-one situations to be considered Aspbergers. Although how he interviews varies on the situation, he has done many fine interviews, but seems to have some challenges when under pressure in some. That is probably a different issue.
That’s a cool comercial. I’m pretty sure that will boost Cook’s album and LO :d time will tell if he will be a superstar like Carrie but good to see TPTB is backing the winner this time.
David Archuleta has Aspbergers? I haven’t heard of that one. If yes then more props to him, must be a challenge to go through the competition and then the tour and recording process having Aspbergers and just one vocal chord functioning.
As for season 8, I’m not going to follow it closely, and I’m certainly not going to be invested heavily. Heck this year is more than enough lol but I think I’m stuck to this blog lol so will be following MJ’s recaps and reading the comments. I want to see who the public will hate and go gaga over haha, which contestants EW will embrace and which they dis, and if LA times will write one of those “thee end of the dark age” articles so on.. but this time I am the outsider and having all the fun lol at those stuck in the bubble. So yes bring on season 8!
It certainly will.
That commercial is made of win. 
I’m always the last to post, but just wanted to add my love of the ad to the rest of y’all’s! It is all kinds of awesome! And thanks again, MJ!
I am usually the last to post.LOL. I also find the commercial to be cool.
I was thinking the same thing. I just can’t imagine getting hooked on any other contestant as I did Jason Castro. All that voting for all those hours probably won’t happen, but I will definitely watch the show.
Smartcookie, I also think Heroes or Daily Anthem could work for the show.
I am really loving Heroes right now, and just began to fall in love with Daily Anthem. I hear something new every time I listen to the cd. Okay enough gushing.
E- I don’t think David has Aspbergers. I was replying to Jocelyn’s e-mail from the earlier page. I was saying that I doubt he does.
E, No David doesn’t have aspbergers. Someone was just speculating about it. I’m so glad I’m not in the public eye like this because I wouldn’t be able to handle speculations like that and the rumors that start because of it…so hurtful.
It’s weird to see these AI commercials start up because so much is still happening around this season’s contestants.
Until someone on this board shows us their medical degrees and Archie allows them to release his medical records (because they must have examined him in person) it is reckless at the least to discuss his or anyone else’s medical status.
I saw Cook’s commercial this weekend and it is really good. The ending is visually stunning. I actually like the commercial more than the LO video. A nice show of support to Cook from AI. Well done.
But Jocelyn never named the person she thought had Aspbergers. I don’t know why anyone would jump to the conclusion she meant Archie? I certainly didn’t until it became a topic of discussion when people started defending him.
Archie does not have Aspergers. I remember a really nasty turn at his TWoP thread where people were saying something along those lines. And not in a nice “wow, look at what he’s accomplished” kinda way but in a “that kids a freak, he must be retarted” kinda way. (disclaimer: not a fan of the r word, just using it to get across the tone in that thread). One of the low points in idol fandom, for sure. That’s why people were assuming she meant him.
I regret mentioning that now but it was in context of something clinically wrong with Taylor. Members of my family have this and I tend to see it in others as a familiar social indiosyncracy that happens to run in my family, especially reacting by flinching at another person’s touch, etc.- and I don’t think it is anything to be ashamed of or that it is a social taboo. Far from it. If you read my post carefully, I didn’t feel that any medical condition hampered Taylor in any way and I don’t think it should. I mentioned that I think it’s a common enough condition that may be seen in more recent contestants but it’s not an impedence to their success. I never mentioned Archie. Enough said.
Jocelin thanks for the retraction of sorts. You said recent finalist so that means only Cook, Archie, Jordin or Blake. They are the only finalists after Taylor’s season. But I do appreciate that you have explained yourself more thoroughly.
Aspbergers syndrome and the Idols? Not the topic of this thead. :). Let’s get back to discussing the commercial…
ETA: No you didn’t. There’s a ton of miscommunication in the last couple of posts. Best to stick to the topic, at this point.
Huh? I thought finalists meant everyone who made it to the AI finals - meaning the whole top 12.
Unlike the Semi-finalists, which would include the top 24.
Did I get that wrong?
I was thinking in terms of top 12 finalists, and I do not retract my opinion on the topic. I still feel that even a mild clinical condition has no bearing on a contestant’s success.
Sorry. I’m moving on.
Does anyone know when or on what stations this commercial will be aired? Is it only on Fox?
I agree, incredibly smart.
I believe that it is only on Fox. Not sure how long it is supposed to run.
One nice side benefit of this commercial is that its tiny peek at David Cook’s journey has inspired me to hie myself over to youtube and rewind the whole freakin’ journey, one performance and results show at a time… So it took me all afternoon and it’s been pretty fun and impressive and made me sad, too, because it’s all over and we can’t be in the moment with all those lovely moments ever again. But good heavens, what a season this was!
smartcookie, I did the exact same thing last night! I went to the full episodes on Daily Motion, though. Didn’t know YT had result shows and I wanted to see each peformance in it’s context. Didn’t have time for more than half the season, but it was very moving and great fun. It truly was an awesome season and a wild ride. Too bad that when it was happening I was too stressed about possible eliminations to enjoy it all as much as I can now in retrospect. Guess that’s part of the deal.
Hee hee, I was tempted to do the same. I’ve never watched the results too much on YT, but do enjoy the performances for sure. I only got to watch three, but wanted to watch more…instead had other plans. Oh well, maybe I’ll watch a few more tonight.
Oh, I know! How about “Lie” as a good-bye song? Ha ha! j/k! (lame, sorry).
I loved the commercial. I think A.I. was very smart to focus on David Cook’s journey and a “rock star” theme putting them in sync with a hotter image.
In general, I think there is nothing hotter than a rock star. Though I have a diverse interest in music, rock is just fun and if I buy tickets to a concert–it would be a rock concert and the other stuff, that’s what I an iPod for.
TV ratings and viewership (A.I.) was not what it used to be and has declined year after year. David Cook gave that show a shot in the arm. I only watched A.I. this season at first because there wasn’t anything on but repeats due to the writers’ strike. David Cook hooked me, he stood out and that was the only reason I continued to watch A.I. at all. If he had been eliminated, I would have not stuck with it as I felt that though there were many good contestants, they were pretty much the same old stuff.
I see this as sending a message to those viewers who stopped watching A.I. awhile back enticing them to watch again.
Too funny we’re all doing the same thing! The whole results episodes are not on YT, but there are clips of David finding out he’s safe (or the whole Archie sit-down thing in the case of Top 7) over there. I was too nervous at the time, too, so this was a cool way to look back and see his Results Show Wardrobe if nothing else. One bad thing is that David seems so worn down and less sparkly by the end, although you can see the makeover in action week by week and relive the beauty of “Always Be My Baby” week, which knocked me off my pins completely. THAT was a “moment” for the AI history books. But by rock week and Neil Diamond week, the poor thing seems exhausted and a little frazzled and much too serious. I think losing Michael Johns may’ve been really hard on his psyche! That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it. I also think maybe he was wondering what the heck he was still doing there with Michael Johns and Carly and Brooke already departed (he seems to have liked them a lot) and maybe that ground him down a little, too. Now he’s got Neal and Andy and the boiz to hang with, plus probably Mom and Dad and his brothers and Kimberly Caldwell at least some of the time, plus the new-album euphoria, so maybe he’s not feeling quite so used up and worn out. Fingers crossed!
But that is one thing I’m kind of surprised they included in the video — the darker mood of the “one moment amid the madness to lie down” part of it. It makes the rock star lifestyle look a little frazzled around the edges.
Actually, that’s a good point. I know a couple of families who were fans of Bo and then Daughtry who were so disgusted after Daughtry went home relatively early that they quit watching AI altogether after that. Letting those people know that the rocker won this year and has had continued success might help bring some of those viewers back.
Not lame, funny.
That’s probably just more “rock cred.”
It’s my favorite part of the ad - him lying on the bed, thinking.
Interesting thread, re: Taylor analysis 2 years after his win. As a big fan of AI and Taylor, I tend to agree with the theory he made waves on Season 5 and lost the producer’s respect. However, he definately had a genre on the show as well as after (old-school soul), but it happens to be a niche market and passe to many. Hope to see him do well in his niche, and continue to feel the joy he so obviously gleans from performing.
AI commercial is great - I’m back in after a blah S6 and hooked on the Davids of S7! Looking forward to S8.