QUESTION 2: HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE COMBINATION OF YOUR MAIN PRODUCT AND ANCILLARY TASKS?

THE TASK

For our A2 Media coursework, we had to create a music video, along with two ancillary tasks; a Digipak and a Magazine Advert. For the music video we chose Sia’s song ‘Free the Animal’. The ancillary tasks would help create a brand and aid any potential marketing for the song release.

RESEARCH FOR DIGIPAK

Before beginning my digipak, I researched and analysed some other Digipaks from our chosen genre; Indie Pop. This gave me an idea as to what type of conventions digipaks had, what type of style and theme I would need to look at and how I could correlate this to my video. I found that often Digipaks used dark, low-key lighting and featured the artist throughout as a way for the audience to begin to recognise the band/artist. I also began to take note of some of the smaller details to be included in the Digipak such as the record label, song list etc.

INSPIRATION

When designing my Digipak, I was heavily influenced by the design of P!nk’s album ‘The Truth About Love’. The different styles of fonts, and grungy colour scheme was something I was keen to replicate, as well as the structuring of the song list and style of placement in terms of having the song list on one side of the back cover rather than down the middle. The way in which the artist was featured throughout the digipak was something I also liked, as a marketing technique it is important to create a memorable design. I also liked the CD design, of utilizing the opportunity to include information on the CD as well as the sleeves.

MY DESIGN

This was the final design for my Digipak. I conformed to the conventions of an Indie genre Digipak by having the main focus be on the artist, and by using low-key lighting and dark colours, as well as alternative clothing and makeup. In relation to my music video, I wanted to keep the colour palette very similar as to make a link between the video and my Digipak. Therefore I made sure to use dull lighting and dark colours for my Digipak, reflective of that in the music video. I also wanted to use a similar font that was featured in the music video, therefore the main font I used I tried to make it as similar as I could to the one in the music video to make a clear link and begin to create a style and theme for the brand.

FONT LINKS

RESEARCH FOR MAGAZINE ADVERT

Similar to the Digipak, before designing I researched into some Magazine Adverts that conformed to a similar genre of mine. This, again, gave me an idea as to what sort of information and design tended to be included in Indie Pop magazine adverts. Like the Digipaks, the Magazine advert’s I researched tended to focus on the artist more than anything, and made sure to include social media links for marketing and promotion. Magazine’s also featured the album cover somewhere on the advert so it was important to make a clear correlation in design between the two.

FINAL DESIGN FOR MAGAZINE ADVERT

This is my final design for my magazine advert. As according to the conventions of Indie Pop magazine adverts I made sure to use low-key lighting when taking the photo’s for the advert, as well as using alternative costume. I used a long body shot to fit with the frame of the image. I also included various social media links as a marketing technique as well as the record label and the album cover featuring in the corner, where you can see a direct link between the design of the two. When comparing my magazine advert to my music video it is clear there is a link. The lighting and colours used are very similar, and both have an explicit focus on the main artist over anything else. I also used a similar to font to what is featured in the music video.

OVERALL

In conclusion, I believe I created a clear link between the Digipak, Magazine Advert and Music video. In order to gain a wider viewing audience, it is important to create links between products and merchandise so that the audience can begin to understand the style/themes of an artist. I conformed to the conventions of the Indie Pop genre to ensure that there would be a link between the three.