Daft Punk “Technologic” iPod Commercial (2005)

The "Pop-Lock" spot

Apple's "Pop-Lock" commercial arrived in mid-May 2005. MacRumors reported on 14 May that it had aired on ESPN's SportsCenter and on Saturday Night Live, and Apple posted the 30-second spot online that weekend. It continues the silhouette campaign, with black figures dancing to "Technologic" with their iPods. The title refers to popping and locking, a street-dance style in which dancers tense their muscles quickly and lock their joints. It came a week after "Rollerskating", a spot set to Gorillaz's "Feel Good Inc."

The song

"Technologic" is from Human After All, Daft Punk's third studio album, released by Virgin on 14 March 2005 and produced in about six weeks. Over the beat, an electronically transposed voice chants a stream of technological commands. The commercial was on air a month before the track's release as the album's second single on 14 June 2005; it went on to top the UK Dance chart and reach No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart. The duo directed the video themselves, with a robot built by Tony Gardner and his team at Alterian.

The duo

Daft Punk were Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, who formed the duo in Paris in 1993, became leading names in French house and were known for appearing as robots. Human After All drew mixed reviews at first but was reassessed after the Alive 2006/2007 tour. The pair announced their split on 22 February 2021, after 28 years.

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