Up in Canada, there is a supermarket that goes by the name of Killarney Market. It is located in the extreme southeast corner of Vancouver, British Columbia. It was just a neighborhood supermarket when local-boy-made-good Canadian singer and Grammy award-winner Michael Bublé decided to use the market as the setting for the music video to his song “Haven’t Met You Yet” from his 2009 album Crazy Love.
Now Killarney Market may still look like a supermarket, but to many it is a Temple dedicated to the idea that in the midst of the ordinary — a supermarket shopping trip — lies the opportunity for the extraordinary.
The song is a jazzy ode to the redemptive power of love and, specifically, a paean to the notion that for each person there is an “intended one,” as the lyrics explain:
I Might Have To Wait
I’ll Never Give Up
I Guess It’s Half Timing
And The Other Half’s Luck
Wherever You Are
Whenever It’s Right
You Come Out Of Nowhere And Into My Life
The concept is similar to the Jewish concept of Bashert, a Yiddish word that means literally “destiny” but implies a soul mate or divinely preordained spouse.
Our attention to this music video and to Michael Bublé was stirred when we received a letter. One of the wonders of producing the Perishable Pundit is that we are constantly in contact with people from around the world, and one of our readers identified an Italian Blog called “La Mela di Newton” or “Newton’s Apple.” You can read the blog in its original Italian here or in English translation here.
Here was the note we received:
Hello Jim,
An Italian blogger spotted a bag of Sun World white seedless in the latest video of Michael Bublè.
Is this just a coincidence or a case of product placement?
I am a regular reader of the Pundit, a very interesting and stimulating site.
Kind regards from Italy
— Thomas Drahorad
Owner
Fruitecom srl
NCX DRAHORAD In English NCX DRAHORAD
Thomas Drahorad and the Italian blog are both interested in this scene from the music video:
Is this a brilliant bit of product placement or just serendipity? Well we asked Sun World and this is what we were told:
Thank you for you inquiry regarding the appearance of Sun World grapes in Michael Bublé’s new music video.
While this is not something that we facilitated, we are very excited to see Sun World grapes “starring” as one of Michael’s healthy purchases.
The video is for the single “Haven’t Met You Yet,” from Michael’s new album “Crazy Love,” which dropped on October 9.
The video was shot in Killarney Markets located in Vancouver, BC — the hometown of the Canadian crooner. Since we do not do much direct business with Canadian retailers, Sun World grapes probably got their lucky break through one of our broker clients.
According to digital spy.com’s showbiz column, “10 Things You Never Knew About…” Buble’s first album “It’s Time” went platinum in Italy. His grandparents were also from Italy and his grandfather was instrumental in Michael’s development as a singer. His grandfather paid for Michael’s singing lessons and offered his plumbing services in exchange for stage time for his grandson (Wikipedia). This might explain why your Italian readers were so quick to spot the placement.
— Natalie Erlendson
Marketing Assistant
Sun World International, LLC
Product placement is half business, half art. Some instances, as when Dole arranged for Curious George to wake up in the hold of a ship surrounded by Dole brand bananas, are legion.
Sometimes one just gets lucky. Perhaps the name, Sun World, with its connotations of a planet rejoicing in the sun just appealed to someone in a place to make things happen.
As the song lyrics say:
I Guess It’s Half Timing
And The Other Half’s Luck
The appeal of the video has not been limited by the fact that the woman Michael Bublé hadn’t met yet is his real life girlfriend, the Argentine beauty Luisana Lopilato. And Michael Bublé’s is also known to some for his acting, having appeared in Totally Blonde and Duets as well as two episodes of the X-Files.
We confess the Pundit has a weakness for sappy love songs, but this song has an upbeat, hopeful air, which sort of makes you feel that if your ship hasn’t come in yet, it is just a matter of time. And since you never know when or where your destiny awaits, you might as well get some food shopping done, and while you’re waiting, well, enjoy some nice Sun World grapes!
The music video has a little twist at the end, so if you want to watch, watch the whole thing:
