Ryan Tedder on OneRepublic’s ‘Connection’ With Jeep, Playing Corporate Gigs & Why He Related to Anthony Bourdain

“Five years ago, I couldn’t have done this,” says OneRepublic leader Ryan Tedder, minutes after coming offstage at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ June 27 presentation in Los Angeles.

“This” is talking up OneRepublic’s participation in FCA’s Summer of Jeep campaign. But, as Tedder explains, the last several years have seen the erosion of any remaining stigma for acts aligning with brands. In fact, as he notes, the reverse is true: Tying in with a strong brand is now seen as a sign of status.

Not to mention the exposure. FCA’s campaign, which sources say includes a $70 million media buy, launched Monday (July 2) on television and introduces OneRepublic’s new song “Connection” via three different spots. The tune is also available on all digital service providers.

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Why Musicians Are Working With Brands to Promote Their Music to the Masses

“My perfect commercial is when it doesn’t smell too commercial,” says Olivier François, FCA’s Paris-born chief marketing officer. “It’s almost more of a product placement – and more entertaining – than a commercial.”

The FCA crew gathered the members of OneRepublic to the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles to shoot a commercial for Jeep. Facing a crowd of genuine fans hired as extras, the pop-rock quintet were filmed performing two new songs, including “Connection,” which is being released this week from Interscope.

“The hardest thing to do in the world is to let people know you exist – or that you have a song that exists,” says Tedder, who has grown weary of the time and travel required to promote a new album. “This is a huge campaign. This song will have as much exposure as you can have for a song in 2018.”

OneRepublic plans to keep their “edge” by opening stadium shows for Zac Brown Band

It’s been a while since OneRepublic opened for another act, but starting this Saturday, June 30, they’ll do the honors for superstar country act Zac Brown Band at stadiums in Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, D.C., New York, Minneapolis and Seattle.  OneRepublic doesn’t have a new album to promote but they do have several good reasons for stepping into the opening slot.

“Zac Brown Band offered us a few opening dates in these venues and we thought, ‘Why not? They’re gonna be amazing crowds…let’s do it!'” OneRepublic guitarist Zach Filkins tells ABC Radio.

OneRepublic in “Summer of Jeep” campaign (photos)

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Ryan’s interview with Beats 1

OneRepublic makes a “Connection” with Jeep for new ad campaign

OneRepublic’s new single “Connection” is about to get a whole lot of exposure, in a series of new commercials for Jeep, Ad Age reports.

Last month, the band did a special show at the Greek Theatre in L.A. during which they performed “Connection.” Footage from that performance is being featured in the ads, which also promote Apple’s CarPlay technology. The first one, which premieres on TV July 2, is called “Sold Out,” and it shows a group of fans who can’t get into the OneRepublic concert settling for playing “Connection” in their Jeep via CarPlay as they watch the show from high in the hills overlooking the show.