Leave it to the Malang emo quartet Beeswax to make Hanung Bramantyo look like an amateur director, and still come up with a way to make bank. At least that’s how I felt after watching their latest music video, “Fix.”“Fix” is not a new song. An older version of the track was featured on their debut EP back in 2014. But the song has been recently rearranged and remastered with a punchier sound (or perhaps to emulate, um, American Football?). Whatever the case may be, this new version of “Fix” will be a part of their next album, coming out on the Malang record label Fallyears Records.The most remarkable part of this video isn't even the song. It's the ability of director, Bagas Yudhiswa, to include as much product placement as possible inside a pretty emo story about a young couple in love.In a mere four minutes and seven seconds all sorts of brands—an insurance company, two different beer brands, and even a national bank—made appearances on screen. However, unlike Hanung who hamfistedly crammed the wafer snack Chocolatos into his film Habibie & Ainun, a hagiography of Indonesia’s former president and his wife, Bagus only chose products that were actually relevant to the story. For example, Bintang Beer will always serve its purpose as a way to fuel a conversation between two lovebirds. And Heineken is in the picture just in case they get tired of Bintang (because what other brands do we have here?).But it was the shots of Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) that hit me the hardest. It doesn't matter if you're a "True Emo Kid," or not, or even whether we end up with our high school sweethearts. Sooner or later we all end up on our knees in front of a financial institution begging for a home loan.But wait, what about Prudential? What does an insurance company have to do with an emo love story? Well, we all know that emo kids have fragile hearts. I assume Beeswax is actually sending out a subliminal message that the only way for an emo band to make money—aside from releasing one iconic album, breaking up, and then reuniting 14 years later (we see you American Football)—is to insure the health of their “soul.” Because then, if your relationship falls apart, you will receive not only compensation from the insurance company, but also the inspiration to write more emo songs.It’s genius. I don’t think even Mike Kinsella thought of it. So all those inspiring emo kids out htere, watch Beeswax’ newest video “Fix" and take note.
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