The Fratellis “Flathead” iPod Commercial (2007)

Unveiled alongside the iPhone

Two iPod + iTunes commercials set to "Flathead" by The Fratellis were first shown during Steve Jobs's keynote at Macworld San Francisco on 9 January 2007, the same presentation at which the iPhone was announced. Apple posted both spots online that day. One was live-action and the other animated. iLounge found them more colourful and more "illustrated" than earlier iPod ads, and the German Apple news site ifun.de noted that the figures were drawn in noticeably friendlier colours than in previous spots.

A Glasgow band reaches America

The Fratellis formed in Glasgow in 2005. Their debut album, Costello Music, was released in the UK on 11 September 2006 and reached number two on the UK Albums Chart; in 2007 the band won the BRIT Award for Best British Breakthrough Act. The American release followed on 13 March 2007, and the album peaked at number 48 on the Billboard 200. Writing for NPR in early March 2007, KEXP host John Richards observed that anyone watching television in recent months had probably heard "Flathead" in the iTunes commercial many times over.

From advert to single

Following the commercial, "Flathead" was issued as a download-only single through iTunes. It entered the UK Singles Chart in March 2007 and peaked at number 67, and it reached number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100. The ads belonged to the later, more colourful phase of the silhouette campaign that TBWA\Chiat\Day had developed for Apple.

Browse more iPod advertising

Browse iPod Advertising to see additional iPod advertising entries, including commercials associated with different songs and artists.