How Talking Heads fa-fa-fa-fa’d all over NYC to celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary

Talking Heads celebrated their 50th anniversary by launching a cryptic street marketing push in the Bowery, featuring stickers, posters, T-shirts, and billboards with the phrase "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa." The campaign was created by De-Yan and Warner Music to celebrate the band's iconic song "Psycho Killer" and its new music video directed by Mike Mills and starring Saoirse Ronan. The goal was to capture a sense of wonder, fun, and curiosity among younger people who may not be familiar with the band. The campaign's lo-fi approach was a deliberate choice to create a sense of nostalgia and novelty. The campaign included bootleg T-shirts, neon signs, local radio takeovers, and aerial banners, all featuring the "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa" phrase. The approach was seen as refreshing in an era of algorithm-driven marketing. The campaign's creators aimed to create a sense of authenticity and organic feel, which is often lost in modern marketing. The campaign's focus on experiences and limitations was seen as a way to create meaningful attention and a sense of nostalgia.