Gaga Is Aligining Her Brand To Finance & Real Estate Business, Thoughts?

[Petie Estie 5,707]

this headline is a reach girl lmao

[LGAte 820]

I honestly wish someone at the Mayhem Spotify Press Conference would have had the balls to ask her to her face why she has yet to speak about the genocide. My hope is that someone puts her on the spot in the near future. I absolutely adore the ground she walks on but Gaga....you aren't going to survive if you keep ignoring the reason you got here. Eventually that tank of fan loyalty runs out... I think she thinks that she can find this way to balance the capitalism with the art but that is a fundamental misunderstanding about what is happening in the commercial world right now and many celebrities (especially later in their career) get caught up in this and it costs them their artistic edge. Remind us why we know you are good and forward-thinking, queen.

Not to bring up Madonna but I will say Madonna was succesful at remaining cutting edge well into her late 40s because she never succumbed to this corporate muck.

I pray that she wins big at the Grammys, even though Mayhem is not my favorite album, she deserves this win, and instead of saying some generic stuff, she actually speaks up like she did last year about trans people. Say something about ICE and say something about Palestine. It's time. It's kind of not very Gaga of her and although the Mayhem era has been great there has been one MAJOR thing missing from this era that she has avoided: actual pushing boundaries/the edge and controversy. This has been her least controversial and innovative era and I get she was trying to execute her signature style, but she needs to remember a core part of her lore is being someone who speaks the eff up. 

[nATAH 57,035]

3 hours ago, Ziggy said:

I will say it’s massively different than the headphones and stuff bc early on she made it a point of these things being part of the brand Gaga. She was very hyper attentive to that.

again, though, using Mr Rogers’ song is more the issue for people, I think. It’s saying “the world is a little tricky rn how about a song :)” which feels a little tone deaf for someone who called out the president himself over gays in the military. It’s less the specific company and more that in lieu of anything meaningful (which she doesn’t have to do but has assumed such a title by her own desire), she makes a vague gesture with a song anyone can read anything into for a check from a random company lol

to be clear, I’m not bothered atp by her not speaking up bc that’s who I think she is now but for the reasons above I get why some might be

so it's the same situation; a brand deal that reflects what she believes in by using a mr rogers song about kindness (which cost fans nothing to listen to, unlike the expensive Beats)

[PornoDanceFight 2,053]

The hyperbolic meltdowns in the multiple threads about this topic and its related topics are truly wild. I'm not sure why fans are surprised that American pop star Lady Gaga is a capitalist. She comes from wealth, her parents bankrolled her LES "underground" phase, and she's always taken brand deals in her career. Some of these reactions make it seem like she's now a slumlord and actively conspiring with Kristi Noem, the DHS, and ICE. We don't have to like any of her brand deals, and we can criticize them all we want; however, the vitriol over her covering Mr. Rogers for a housing and finance app is...wild, to put it as nicely as I can.   She was a contract hire for Redfin and Rocketmoney to sing a song that is difficult to get a license to that speaks to her brand and the brand that Redfin/Rocketmoney are developing. That's it. She's not taking Big Oil money, she's not running a mink farm, she's not fracking (at least that we're aware of).

Furthermore: the amount of anger and frustration about her silence of what's happening in America (which I personally don't think she needs to comment on, but she probably will, especially when she tours in St. Paul in a few months) could and should be directed at the very people enacting these policies. Yes, we can focus on two things at the same time, and both things are true. We can be disappointed in her silence! I'm just very confused and disheartened to see so many turn their backs to her/her artistry over this brand deal and the imagined, projected indifference she might have towards ICE (which as we should know: she probably doesn't feel that way!). 

At the same time...I am happy that GGD is developing an emerging class consciousness which makes me slightly hopeful for our future where we eradicate billionaires and the celebrity class.  But until then, stop the drama, start the music  

[Ziggy 14,050]

36 minutes ago, nATAH said:

so it's the same situation; a brand deal that reflects what she believes in by using a mr rogers song about kindness (which cost fans nothing to listen to, unlike the expensive Beats)

Again, no it’s not the same lol it’s all down the marketing. the beats situation was pure marketing. You wanted to buy them bc Gaga had them, wore them in videos, etc. Classic celebrity endorsement, really. But in no way was she making a political statement of any kind soft or otherwise with those headphones. It was almost akin to expensive merch only she actually wore it. But its existence didn’t stand for something besides being part of the brand universe or posture to.

this commercial very obviously is gesturing towards vaguely political meaning. Its intention during a mass event is to pull at the heartstrings and let people read whatever politics they want into it basically. Especially these days when the concept of neighbor is itself highly political, this song choice was not merely coincidental. It was a calculated choice for the purpose I stated above. And coming in the context of a moment where others are expressing more specific and explicit urgency and action, this action is very much a statement whereas the beats situation is just what it is, if that makes sense.

basically beats were about being part of the Gaga lore which while expensive is mostly harmless, while the redfin ad is about making anyone feel validated in their feeling of togetherness. Noteworthy given that she’s done commercials for the King foundation, for example, that were hyper specific.
 

but ill reiterate that idc much I’m just saying from a branding and marketing pov these are quite different and any other professional worth their salt would tell you the same 

[nATAH 57,035]

1 minute ago, Ziggy said:

Again, no it’s not the same lol it’s all down the marketing. the beats situation was pure marketing. You wanted to buy them bc Gaga had them, wore them in videos, etc. Classic celebrity endorsement, really. But in no way was she making a political statement of any kind soft or otherwise with those headphones. It was almost akin to expensive merch only she actually wore it. But its existence didn’t stand for something besides being part of the brand universe or posture to.

this commercial very obviously is gesturing towards vaguely political meaning. Its intention during a mass event is to pull at the heartstrings and let people read whatever politics they want into it basically. Especially these days when the concept of neighbor is itself highly political, this song choice was not merely coincidental. It was a calculated choice for the purpose I stated above. And coming in the context of a moment where others are expressing more specific and explicit urgency and action, this action is very much a statement whereas the beats situation is just what it is, if that makes sense.

basically beats were about being part of the Gaga lore which while expensive is mostly harmless, while the redfin ad is about making anyone feel validated in their feeling of togetherness. Noteworthy given that she’s done commercials for the King foundation, for example, that were hyper specific.
 

but ill reiterate that idc much I’m just saying from a branding and marketing pov these are quite different and any other professional worth their salt would tell you the same 

the beats 2.0 were BTW themed so yeah, there was political messaging in those + she also did the MAC partnership that was politically charged so this type of deal isn't some "new" gaga thing

i understand the difference between the two, i just don't understand the problem with a brand endorsement NOW when she's been a capitalist since day 1?

why was this thread started to complain that she's done yet another brand deal? what's with people saying "she's full on capitalist now" when she's very plainly been one since the start? the Beats earphones being a solid example of a "must-buy for gaga fans!!" plus a scattering of commercials throughout her career?

[Ziggy 14,050]

2 hours ago, nATAH said:

the beats 2.0 were BTW themed so yeah, there was political messaging in those + she also did the MAC partnership that was politically charged so this type of deal isn't some "new" gaga thing

i understand the difference between the two, i just don't understand the problem with a brand endorsement NOW when she's been a capitalist since day 1?

why was this thread started to complain that she's done yet another brand deal? what's with people saying "she's full on capitalist now" when she's very plainly been one since the start? the Beats earphones being a solid example of a "must-buy for gaga fans!!" plus a scattering of commercials throughout her career?

I guess those had deeper connection to the Gaga lore and so while still capitalist it didn’t feel so thinly veiled as now? Like I guess you could feasibly say headphones-music-Gaga

its a harder link between her and real estate apps 

[popkulture 639]

All celebrities do this. It's inevitable. No need to "cancel" her over this one ad. These corporate partnerships, for better or for worse, help fund massive artistic projects. 

We should direct our energy towards her (and her team)'s silence on what's happening in Minnesota. For gods sake... Katy Perry herself posted something. It's disappointing that Gaga's team is turning a blind eye on this. 

This is a moment of a lifetime, unfortunately.

[LilyLark 10,213]

I saw a tweet that said the problem with the US is people treat celebrities like politicians, and politicians like celebrities. That we need to accept that celebrities are here to primarily entertain, and if they don't fit your every parameter of a good person...you need to chill...because you should be applying those parameters to politicians and journalists. 

Gaga is far from perfect, and has her flaws.

But no, I'm not going to get up in arms for her shilling for a real estate company for the Super Bowl. Anger at Big Pharma was legit, but y'all are really mad at a real estate company??? 

Some of y'all need to accept she's a capitalist and has "always" been a capitalist. I doubt she would have pro Palestine messages from fans continually at her concerts (they would be edited out) if she was truly a hardcore Zionist type like some allege, but I also suspect she's like a lot of yt women of her age who think a) Israel is doing bad things and committing a genocide and b) still thinks Israel should exist. 

Lastly, Gaga has NEVER claimed to be some universal humanitarian like Angelina. I love her, but some of you all think she should be talking about multiple issues that she probably doesn't even know that much about, and at the end of the day...I just don't think a freaking instagram post is going to do anything. 

But claiming she never speaks up is also BS.  She advocated against Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024. She has name-checked trans rights repeatedly in the last two years. During BLM, she donated money and talked about it several times. She's donated money repeatedly to mental health causes. 

Is she great on every issue? Nope. But to claim Gaga doesn't care about anything is also pretty f*cked up and denying her agency, and stuff she has actually done. 

Edited January 29 by LilyLark

[HotLikeMexico 6,579]

53 minutes ago, LilyLark said:

 y'all are really mad at a real estate company??? 

 

I mean Zillow and Redfin don’t have a great track record either. They are a part of the housing problem. How do you have a problem with big pharma, but some how a real estate company is okay? 

[HotLikeMexico 6,579]

7 hours ago, LGAte said:

I honestly wish someone at the Mayhem Spotify Press Conference would have had the balls to ask her to her face why she has yet to speak about the genocide. My hope is that someone puts her on the spot in the near future. I absolutely adore the ground she walks on but Gaga....you aren't going to survive if you keep ignoring the reason you got here. Eventually that tank of fan loyalty runs out... I think she thinks that she can find this way to balance the capitalism with the art but that is a fundamental misunderstanding about what is happening in the commercial world right now and many celebrities (especially later in their career) get caught up in this and it costs them their artistic edge. Remind us why we know you are good and forward-thinking, queen.

Not to bring up Madonna but I will say Madonna was succesful at remaining cutting edge well into her late 40s because she never succumbed to this corporate muck.

I pray that she wins big at the Grammys, even though Mayhem is not my favorite album, she deserves this win, and instead of saying some generic stuff, she actually speaks up like she did last year about trans people. Say something about ICE and say something about Palestine. It's time. It's kind of not very Gaga of her and although the Mayhem era has been great there has been one MAJOR thing missing from this era that she has avoided: actual pushing boundaries/the edge and controversy. This has been her least controversial and innovative era and I get she was trying to execute her signature style, but she needs to remember a core part of her lore is being someone who speaks the eff up. 

Honestly as much as I love her. I would’ve loved to see her sweating if someone at the Mayhem Press just straight up asked her.

 

I know people are saying oh she still does stuff. Sure she does, but we cannot sit her and lie to ourselves. Gaga has done less and less as time has gone on. She built an entire career on being that outspoken diva which is why a lot of us love her. Gaga is not the same person, that is a fact.

[JoeCool 1,009]

15 hours ago, hELXIG said:

What the f.uck Gaga?

How has she become such a capitalist when she was always a socially conscious rebel? I guess money corrupts ANYONE who gets it

Didn't when she perform Money Honey she used to say there was nothing more she hated in the world than money? 

[LilyLark 10,213]

2 hours ago, HotLikeMexico said:

I mean Zillow and Redfin don’t have a great track record either. They are a part of the housing problem. How do you have a problem with big pharma, but some how a real estate company is okay? 

 

In the US, we live in a capitalist country, and one of the few that doesn't have universal healthcare. Big Pharm takes advantage of that to upcharge medicine. Streaming services (despite being a monopoly), real estate companies, food chains, etc., generally do not. 

Real estate companies on the other hand are just a normal part of capitalism all over the world, and not some unique evil like Big Pharma. I'd argue they aren't even evil, unless you think all capitalism is evil. Zillow's been accused of taking kickbacks from realtors, which has mostly been debunked, and of being a monopoly (which has not been substantiated). And frankly, if it is a monopoly....that's hardly on the same level as Big Pharma. 

So yeah, there's a massive difference to me between Big Pharma, Amazon (because Bezos new love for Trump), and a freaking real estate company. I'm a progressive, but I live in reality...capitalism is not going away in the US and companies are going to exist. 

That said, I simply don't hold celebs to that high of a standard. Ultimately, they are to provide entertainment and their music & art is their product. I look at journalists and politicians to talk about issues. Do I like when celebs speak out? Sure. I don't think they are some evil being if they don't, because I also don't think an IG post is going to do anything. We all know about Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, etc., and we should be looking at politicians and journalists instead of celebrities who often don't even know much. 

And again, Gaga "has" spoken out in the last two years a lot about trans rights. This sort of **** is why celebs don't speak out at all, because if they speak about gay rights, trans rights, abortion, etc., it then becomes why aren't they talking about this or that or this new subject. 

 

[meltedplastic 907]

Gaga cares about money more than she cares about us. Swallow that pill and get used to it. 
There is absolutely no ethical way to be a billionaire, which she is close to being. 
Shes an amazing artist, but I could never look up her as a way to navigate or affirm my own moral ethic. 
 

[HotLikeMexico 6,579]

18 minutes ago, LilyLark said:

 

In the US, we live in a capitalist country, and one of the few that doesn't have universal healthcare. Big Pharm takes advantage of that to upcharge medicine. Streaming services (despite being a monopoly), real estate companies, food chains, etc., generally do not. 

Real estate companies on the other hand are just a normal part of capitalism all over the world, and not some unique evil like Big Pharma. I'd argue they aren't even evil, unless you think all capitalism is evil. Zillow's been accused of taking kickbacks from realtors, which has mostly been debunked, and of being a monopoly (which has not been substantiated). And frankly, if it is a monopoly....that's hardly on the same level as Big Pharma. 

So yeah, there's a massive difference to me between Big Pharma, Amazon (because Bezos new love for Trump), and a freaking real estate company. I'm a progressive, but I live in reality...capitalism is not going away in the US and companies are going to exist. 

That said, I simply don't hold celebs to that high of a standard. Ultimately, they are to provide entertainment and their music & art is their product. I look at journalists and politicians to talk about issues. Do I like when celebs speak out? Sure. I don't think they are some evil being if they don't, because I also don't think an IG post is going to do anything. We all know about Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, etc., and we should be looking at politicians and journalists instead of celebrities who often don't even know much. 

And again, Gaga "has" spoken out in the last two years a lot about trans rights. This sort of **** is why celebs don't speak out at all, because if they speak about gay rights, trans rights, abortion, etc., it then becomes why aren't they talking about this or that or this new subject. 

 

Where are you hearing that these claims about Zillow have been debunked? I could not find anything. In fact there is so much about their myriad of issues and their monopoly on the real estate market. Many of these lawsuits are still on going. These companies are in fact a big evil and have done a lot of damage. We can’t sit here and act like there isn’t a problem when there in fact is.

Sure big pharma is a different beast, and your claim that they charge absurd prices is true. It’s gross how much they price gouge medicine. However, the notion that streaming, food chains, and real estate do not do this because they aren’t exactly “big pharma” is laughable. Groceries are at an all time high, prices of streaming services continue to go up, housing prices continue to sky rocket which prevents people from buying a house, all while rich people continue to buy property and rent it out at absurd prices and **** people over. 
 

I still stand by my opinions that this commercial she made was tone deaf. Sure celebrities aren’t obligated to speak up, however Gaga was always been a pioneer for fighting for injustices. She made a whole career off of being outspoken, fearless and brave.

Yes she made a small comment for trans people when she won an award. But to play devil’s advocate, would she have done that otherwise if it wasn’t for the award? I am not the only person here who has questioned that.

She has a song about immigration on Born This Way, yet she hasn’t made a peep about the situation going on with ICE. The same could be said for Palestine. We cannot sit here and act like as years have gone by, she’s become less and less vocal.