iPod Nano commercial the Apple of singer Feist's eye

By Michael Paoletta

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The use of Canadian singer-songwriter Feist's song "1, 2, 3, 4" in an iPod Nano TV spot is generating major attention -- online and on the Billboard charts.

Since the ad debuted in mid-September, sales of "1, 2, 3, 4" and its parent Cherrytree/Interscope album, "The Reminder," have skyrocketed.

Earlier this month, the track was selling about 2,000 downloads per week, while the album was shifting 6,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. On the most recent charts, "1, 2, 3, 4" clears 73,000 downloads and reaches new peaks of No. 7 on Hot Digital Songs and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. "The Reminder" jumps from No. 36 to No. 28 on the Billboard 200, with sales of 19,000.

In total, "1, 2, 3, 4" and "The Reminder" have amassed sales of 181,000 and 235,000, respectively. (Feist's debut album, 2005's "Let It Die," has sold 147,000 copies.)

While the iPod Nano spot is introducing Feist to mainstream America, online chatter is paving the way to sales of the singer's music. Feist is not identified in the campaign -- created by TBWA/Media Arts Lab -- and this has led many consumers to the Web in search of the voice behind the song in the commercial.

According to Nielsen BuzzMetrics -- which monitored such search terms as "1234," "iPod," "Nano" and "campaign" -- Web discussion is increasing by triple-digit percentages weekly. In the days following the singer's August 27 appearance on "Late Show With David Letterman," where she performed "1, 2, 3, 4," online buzz increased 190 percent. On the heels of Labor Day weekend, discussion of the iPod Nano ad soared 402 percent. One week later, there was a 166 percent spike in discussion.

Feist is the latest in a string of Interscope acts to appear in iPod/Apple commercials, including the Fratellis, Wolfmother, Eminem and U2.

And while bloggers have fueled rumors of a "deal" between the companies, Interscope Geffen A&M president of marketing and sales Steve Berman denied any such thing. (Apple and TBWA/Media Arts Lab declined to comment.)

"We have a great working relationship with them," Berman said. "We are a company with much music that can be construed as left-of-center."

Reuters/Billboard