In the realm of marketing, and particularly in television commercials, popular music is now pervasive. This article examines how music provides a shortcut to branding through interviews with advertising and music industry workers and an analysis of popular and trade press coverage of the relationships forged between popular musicians and the cola giants. Coke and Pepsi have attempted to dodge debates about the merging of music and commerce by positioning themselves as having a genuine connection to music culture. The implications of corporations such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi being so deeply insinuated into music culture are considered.