Lady Gaga 'Telephone' Video - Amazeballs

 Lady Gaga, Telephone

Just watched Lady Gaga's new nine-minute video for Telephone (twice) from her site.  LOVEEEE!!

A few months ago I posted about Gaga's brilliant branding techniques, and how brands should take a page from her book.  After seeing her concert in London a few weeks ago, it was even more apparent how powerful the Gaga Monster is.  With her signature (claw) hand gesture, which she promotes as a signifier for Gaga fans worldwide, the monster cult strengthens.  Gaga continuously told (a few too many times, in my opinion) the audience that their connection with her is really their connection with each other.  By identifying herself as different (duh!) and an "outlier" she is hitting the long tail of pop worshippers, who are sick of looking up to the cookie cutter pop stars and dying for a newer version of Madonna.  Strong, sexy, surprising. 

She is different, yet the same as her fans.  Super glam yet street.  She can rock cigarette sunglasses while making out with boy-looking-girls on the playground.  Her talent is awesome.

Lady Gaga, Cigarette Sunglasses

The video has everything you'd expect from Gaga and more: wild headpieces/outfits, t&a, crotch grabbing, a super gay dance troupe, Beyonce (as Honey Bee), and loads of pop culture references. MTV has put together a pretty comprehensive list, so I won't duplicate, but def worth checking out. 

There's also a bit of product placement.  I grabbed two Polaroid promos (Gaga was named Creative Director for a specialty line of their products in January) as well as a Virgin Mobile cell phone, Wonderbread, and a quick hook for Plenty of Fish.  Does this add/take away anything?

I imagined Gaga's telephone would be more like some crazy space phone than a Virgin, but whatever pays the bills! Also don't really get the sandwich section (though I love it).

Lady Gaga, Telephone - PolaroidLady Gaga, Telephone - Polaroid

Lady Gaga, Telephone - Virgin Mobile

Lady Gaga, Let's Make a SandwichLady Gaga, Plenty of Fish

My favourite thing about the video is that she's telling a story. A story about her and Beyonce poisoning restaurant partons in a Kill Bill meets Pulp Fiction sequence.  The "to be continued" Thelma and Louise-style ending leaves her viewers right where they knew they'd be: (confused, and) wanting more.

Lady Gaga and Beyonce, Telephone

If you haven't seen it already (it came out today) watch Telephone below. 

All hail Lady Gaga, creative genius and marketing extraordinaire!