Most bands try to avoid looking like sellouts. But not the Mean Jeans. The Portland party punk band is actually trying to sell out, by writing jingles for brands that have not asked them to write jingles. And it's kind of working.

The Mean Jeans is Billy Jeans, Jeans Wilder and Junior Jeans (when asked for their non-band names, they responded, "Those are our names!") and they've been playing together for around a decade. Their jingle writing careers started more recently though, in the studio, said Billy Jeans over email Wednesday.

"We were enjoying Mountain Dew at our studio space and decided to write a tribute jingle," he said. "We posted the resulting track 'Mountain Dew (I Need It)' to all of our socials and encouraged our followers to contact the company about adopting the song as an official jingle."

Sample lyric: "I need it, I need it, I need it all the time. That delicious Mountain Dew."

"The results were hilarious," Billy Jeans continued. "People blew up Mountain Dew on all channels, linking them to the song, and we wound up getting contacted by a marketing manager."

A few days later, he said, the band received "more cases of Dew than we know what to do with and some choice Dew apparel to rock shamelessly."

The Mountain Dew success led them to try again, asking fans what brand they should write a tune for next. The answer they picked was Coors Light.

"It should probably be noted that almost all songs in the Mean Jeans catalog are about absurdly stupid subjects," Billy Jeans said, "and that we've addressed appreciation for Mountain Dew and Coors Light in several past songs and videos, so this all felt appropriate."

Sample lyric: "Coors Light is very tight. You're the light of my life, Coors Life. Sobriety is not for me. You're the light of my life, Coors Light."

"The goal here was not so much to strike it rich by penning the new official Coors Light jingle," wrote Billy Jeans, "but that if we like doing it anyway, why not write the jingle, ask our followers to harass the company about embracing it, and at least see what happens?"

The response from Coors Light was less enthusiastic than from Mountain Dew.

"Cheers to your tribute to Coors Light," the brand responded on in a message to the band. "We always appreciate such enthusiasm from our brand loyalists."

"However," continued the brand account, "some of the lyrical content of the song, coupled with your previous advocacy of irresponsible drinking habits ('4 Coors Meal') does not adhere to our core values. Because of this, we are unable to endorse your music and must ask that you make no claims of official association with our brand."

The Mean Jeans took the rejection in stride. "The Mean Jeans are totally unfit to represent a legitimate company in any capacity," Billy Jeans said, "and that the joke would be on them if a company chose to associate with us."

However, the band isn't deterred. On Monday, they asked their social media followers to help them pick a frozen pizza for the next jingle target.

"Totino's is in the lead with Digiorno and Red Baron neck and neck for 2nd," Billy Jeans said. "This time we'll be making a music video for it as well, upping the ante on Dew and Coors, in hopes that something visual will catch the attention of the frozen pizza fat cats."

The Mean Jeans don't know what will happen but at least it won't be boring.

"Maybe we'll land a lifetime supply?" wrote Billy Jeans. "Maybe the song will get featured in a commercial? Maybe we'll get sued? For us, it's all in the name of good fun."

DiGiorno, it appears, might already be onboard.

Where do we vote? 😀 — DiGiorno (@DiGiorno) December 6, 2017

Mean jeans OFFICIAL first Swipe-o-gram: which frozen pizza is the dopest? Swipe and double tap a like on your choice, we'll write a jingle for the winner! #jeansjingles @redbaronpizza @digiorno @totinos A post shared by Be Tight To Each Other (@themeanjeans) on Dec 3, 2017 at 4:07pm PST

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker