BRUNO MARSTASK: To carry out a cross media study, analyzing current music

videos, promotional advertisements and websites.

Bruno Mars; Early days!

Mars was born Peter Gene Hernadez on October 8 1965 in Hawaii.

Mars is one of six children and came from a music talented family who brought many genres of music t him such as reggae, hip hop and R&B.

His mother was a singer and a dancer by occupation and his father used his ability to do Richard Little music.

His uncle was as an Elvis impersonator and encourage Mars to use his ability of music on stage.

At four Mars, five days a week started to perform with his families band the love notes which kept with the Elvis Impersonation vibe.

Website; Bruno Mars

There is also a drop down menu bar which has all the links in which the viewer can expore that all correspond to Bruno Mars

More Links/Pages from the Website.

These are some of the links that cold be accessed via the tool bar and the website. Each link had the soul purpose of making Bruno Mars the main important person on the website and this is because they are not only selling his records but they are selling the image that he has. They do this through the magazine covers that he is on which helps to get him more publically recognized which in turn would make him more successful.

The music video is also trying to keep up with the same tone and approach that his current single “treasure” has and this is clear through the use of the red suit images that are all over the website. There is also the current music video that is online and this gives the impression that they want you to see the music video, know that he is the video and but t it. As the website is co-linked to itunes which sells the albums it also means that it easier fro the potential bvuyers to but it at the clink of a button.

Therfore, they use this a promotion of the album.There are also potential tour dates that are on the website and this is extra revenue that they make off of the artist and means that not only can they experience his voice on an album but, they caan see it lve. Which is a great platform to reach as many people in as many forms to get the most revenue back.

Album Cover This is Bruno Marr’s current album cover an this

is very new and has a classic feel about it and this is because it is very different to what some of his album covers as looked like in the past and this is as a result of the material being different. The actual meaning of the album is that it is something new and creative; it shows another dynamic side to his music. Unorthodox means contrary to the norm and this is very fitting to the actual image that is on the cover. This is because the chances of an ape using a jukebox is zero percent and the likely context of it happening is also very unlikely.

Graphological Feature- It is clear that the album cover is trying to advertise Bruno Mars as a very sophisticate artist yet an artist that also has a quirky feel or tone about the music that he creates. This is clear through the placing of the images and the font that are on the album cover. Overall, the album cover is quite simplistic and there is nothing that is off putting to the eye as, the cover has minimal features on it. There is a main image, a one colour background and his name accompanied by the album’s title. There is also shadowing around the main framing and this also positions the audience in the frame and makes the people looking at the cover look in the centre of the album cover.

More in depth analysis; Of the album cover

The back cover also works well with the front cover and it abides the conventional layout of an album cover. It has the single names, a barcode for purchasing purposes, copyright detailing and the record company’s name that financially back Mars. The back cover of the album also only has the one main background layered image meaning that focus is directed in one area. That area is the singles names. This simplistic layout and format means that you read mainly onto what is on the front cover. This also makes the message more clearly for the people who purchase the album. As I can see the album is trying to bring back a retro feel to music and this is clear through the jukebox.

Font and colours that are used on the album- The fonts that are used for “Bruno Mars” the name itself is rather sci-fi and has this technological feel about them. It seems very revolutionary and this is showcased through the curvature of the font that is very smooth as well as the cuts of what should have been the joining of the letters. The actual name of the album “unorthodox jukebox” juxtaposes thee feel of the other text as this is very messy and imprecise. It also looks like graffiti or messy handwriting that would be expected to be on walls of streets in “ghetto” areas.

The actual main body of text, the singles is very normal, it has no real boldness or wants to capture the audiences attention. This might have been intentional because it takes focus off that font and makes the other text on the front cover seem more important and new. The use of the red is the only thing that actually draws the audience into the frame. Red usually connotes anger, lust, love or a passion for something. The only real emotion that I can see that would fit in this context would her a passion for Bruno Mars' music.

Bruno Mars; Treasure.The Bruno mars new single treasure has a clear old vibe and this is clear through the retro feel of the camera and the neon light feel that is around the music. It has this certain atmosphere that makes it somewhat mystical through the lights that surround the character. I feel also that this benefits the character that is in the screen as it means that they are emphasized in the frame and stand out.

It also helps with the overall approach of the music video because the costuming stays the same throughout but, the colour co-ordination is neon and vibrant. This make the artist stand out. And also for me emphasis the narrative as it is clear the motive of the music video or rather narrative is the woman he meets is his treasure.

Therefore, this also aids the impression that he is looking for a treasure. I feel that the clothing that the female was is; golden, was purposely chosen to reinforce that she is something special as, gold has connotation of wealth and decadent living standards. I also like the fact that there is over layering of Mars as it indicates his route, traces his step and from that helps to emphasis his route to treasure.

More analysis…

The whole music video also abides by a party tone and this is reinforced by the dancing, the colours and the band. The consistent dancing helps to make the song feel uplifting and a dance tune and that was the ambition of the single so, this works well with the overall vibe of the song. The fact that the song continues with the neon approach gives the feel of a party without the literal approach of filming in a party so at the same time beholds the olden feel of the song. This then gives the impression that the song could have appeared on top of the pops many years ago.

In the song it feels as though this video is a recreation of time and Mars and the producers are trying to recreate what has previously been a trend. Instead of create a new vibe and feel with the music video it has the impression that they are making the style timeless.

The video is though somewhat contradicting to the tone and approach that Mars has created in the past. Such as “Lazy song” and “grenade”. This might be because Mars is trying to be versatile in the industry or potentially is undecided on the hallmark he has in the industry.

More analysis…The fact that the dancers do all work in unison and dance together shows that there is this uplifting, fun dance classic atmosphere in the music video. And in a way because it juxtaposes the current types of music videos whereby there is a distinguishable narrative in the the video it means the music is more essential then the video itself.

It also highlights that Mars is not that self indulgent in the video as he is sharing the spotlight with several people instead of in a setting that is more exclusive and only framing him. This highlighted the impotence of the wide shot framing a it positioned the audience in the dance routine having fun and also explored the route of inclusive dancing.

The fact that there are no white people I the music video also suggested that the music video was committed to the jazz style and approach that the tone of the beat has. There are instruments that all around the scenes highlighted the jazz feel also because there are instruments that would be categorized under the jazz backing beat/chords.