CROSS MEDIA CASE STUDY

Background Information Catfish and the Bottlemen are a British rock band from Llandudno in Wales who

where founded by leader singer Ryan ‘Van’ McCann in 2007, who was only 14 at the time. The band first consisted of Van McCann (Vocals/Guitar), Benji Blakeway (Bass), Bob Hall (Drums) and Billy Bibly (Lead Guitar) who was replaced by Johnny ‘Bondy’ Bond in 2014.

They promoted themselves for years by playing in car parks after other artists gigs such as Kasabain and putting CDs on peoples car windows.

In 2010 the band released their first every EP called ‘Poetry and the Fuel’ and then their second EP ‘The Beautiful Decay’ to which they toured supporting bands such as little comets.

Background Information In 2013 the band signed to ‘Communion Records’ in 2013 and released their first 3 singles

‘Homesick’, ‘Rango’, and ‘Pacifier’ in that year. In 2014 the band then co-signed to ‘Island Records’ and released another single ‘Kathleen’ which peaked at number 11 in the UK Top Charts and was Number 1 in MTVs hottest tracks in April 2014. All the singles where premiered on Radio 1 as ‘Zane Lowes Hottest Record in the World’.

On September 15th 2015 the band released their debut studio album called ‘The Balcony’ which reached number 10 in the UK Top Album Chart and was certified Gold in the UK on January the 9th 2015.

In December of 2014 the band the BBC introducing award at the first BBC Music Awards and performed the single ‘Kathleen’.

In 2015 the band did two world tours which led to travel to countries such as America, Australia, Japan, UK and Europe. Both UK and America tours sold out which included two nights at London’s Brixton Academy which sold out in just under 10 minutes. The band also played at festivals such as Reading + Leeds, T in the Park, Radio 1 Big weekend, Latitude, Bonnoroo and main stage at Glastonbury.

Website

Black background aligns with the bands image and style

Layout is basic while the homepage is dominated by image of the band and promotion of debut album.

Typography is simple and in capital s which matches the band logo.

Image of the band dominates the page suggesting the record label are pushing for a motif

Link to social media sites – Younger target audience

Link to album on iTunes and to sign up to mailing list

All the other pages are social media friendly as they also keep to the simple layout and the monochrome style. Pages such as ‘lyrics’ and ‘store’ create the sense that the band prioritise their fans by giving them hand written lyric prints to read as well as selling household merchandise such as mugs, bracelets and hoodies on the store. This also is a good way at targeting the bands demographic as this exclusive feel to the website will create loyalty. The website does not target males or females which also suggests that their audience is young and interactive as well as being passionate music lovers. The website is consistent when portraying the bands image as it also provides a gallery which includes images from recent shows, which would give the audience a idea of their performance and persuade them to buy tickets to see them live.

Album Artwork

There are no images of the band on the front cover suggesting that their brand is not based on their own personal appearance. However, the monochrome style is carried out simplistically implying that the band are simple and straight to the point.

In the album you also get a booklet containing handwritten lyric pages from Van himself. This gives the album some exclusiveness as its almost a reward for loyal fans by buying the album.

Album Promotion

Web-based promotion of the album is shown through-out the bands social media website through links, videos and pictures, it also runs consistent with album artwork which educates the fans about the image of the band. Also the tour date poster gives the same approach by using the same typography of the album and the same monochrome style. In addition to this Van was also on the front cover of the NME magazine. This is huge promotion of the album and the band itself as millions of young teenagers and music lovers read this which broadens the bands target demographic, ultimately increasing album sales.

Music Video - Pacifier Pacifier is the second single to be released of the album and the music video

was directed by John Bliss. It shows the band competing in an underground football match to which 2 ‘dodgy’ looking men are betting on.

Released October 2014

There are lots of wide close ups of each individual band member during the video which enforces the bands image and motif onto the viewers. Also the setting is dark and run down which also aligns with the idea that they are a working peoples band who came from nothing themselves giving the video a more communal feel. We are shown shots of the band members also drinking and smoking during the break, implying that they are normal people who are just having a game of football.

The lighting is dark and only electrical light is shown to be giving the setting a glow giving it a sinister atmosphere.

There is also no lip syncing in this video as the focus is on the performance of the players in the football match – this is very unusual for a Rock Indie Band as there is sometimes a live performance or lyric syncing through-out .In addition to this there is no lyric and visual relations what so ever during the video so it odes not follow ‘Godwin's Music Video Theory’.