Question 2

 

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary products?

We have decided to use the same picture for the magazine advert and the digipak front cover. This picture links to lip-syncing sections of the music video, which helps to give a sense of synergy among the three products. This means that someone who had seen one of the products would instantly recognise one of the others.

In the digipak, for the inside cover, we used a picture from the timelapse section of our music video. This also helps to give a sense of synergy between the products.

Using synergy makes the products more effective as it makes them more recognisable to the target market.

Question 1

 

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In our music video, we have challenged conventions of the electronica genre. For example, we decided to have a largely narrative based video rather than the performance based videos of other artists. This is because we felt that the song was better suited to a narrative based video.

At the part in the video where Ben drives past the victim and the paramedic, we have illustrated one of Goodwin’s seven points – the artist is seen to be looking/watching the girl.

We have decided to use the colour blue in some points, as well as while colour grading, to connote a feeling of sadness and guilt. We did this partly because we found that people associated guilt with the colour blue during our questionnaire, and also because it is used very commonly in electronica music videos.

The shot of the lift door at the beginning of the music video, conforms to electronica conventions, as these videos often have a small visual effect used to introduce the title.

Humbug Digipak Analysis

The very dull, dreary colour scheme reflects the title, humbug.

The picture, as it looks like it was taken with a very old camera, could connote that the band like to use older recording techniques, making the album reminiscent of older music styles.

The "warning moderate impact coarse language and/or themes" label shows that the target audience is a bit older than that of their previous two albums. The use of the generic label - "and/or" - portrays the band as if they don't really care and they are very easy-going. This is further supported by the picture, showing the band members relaxing.

The track list doesn't have numbers. This also suggests that the band want the audience to think that little effort was put into the album cover, possibly because they feel the only important part is the music. Also, the back panel has a large amount of dead space, further supporting this.

The record label, Domino, has a logo on the back panel. The logo is very small, connoting how, as the band is indie, the institution had little to do with the music produced.

Faithless 2.0 - Avicii Genre Magazine Advert Analysis

This magazine advert is for a remix, by Avicii, of Insomnia by Faithless.

It uses very bold colours to connote that the remix will be very bold and impressive. Apart from the main colour, purple, the reds and yellows used pay homage to the original music video, in which these were the only colours used - the rest of the video was in black and white.

The plain white colour of the text helps to make it stand out against the background.

The font for the '2.0' section connotes an alarm clock, which fits in with the theme of the song - not being able to sleep.

Having the original artist, Faithless, walking away in the picture, connotes that the old version of the song is leaving and it is time to listen to, and accept, the new version, by Avicii.

The stage lights either side of the original artist connote the location of a rave or nightclub scenario. This implies that the song will be good to dance to, which would make it popular among its target market.

Featuring the original artist's name and image on the cover implies that Avicii respects him and wants to make it clear that this isn't his original work. This helps to make the audience respect Avicii, as it shows that he isn't trying to rip off the original artist.


Analysing this magazine advert will help me when making my own, as t has shown me how colour and positioning can be used to connote a deeper meaning.

Ellie Goulding - Lights Magazine Advert Analysis

 

The background connotes the title, Lights, as it is very bright. The name, Ellie Goulding, is also very bright, as is the title of the album.

The predominant colour in this advertisement is gold. This connotes that the album is valuable and very good.

The quotes from other magazines and newspapers help to sell the album, as there is a wide range of different papers, from the Independent to The Times. "A staggering achievement" further helps to connote that the album is valuable and worth the money you spend on it.

The record company's logo is at the bottom of the advertisement, helping to associate the artist's success with their company.

There are small lights in the artist's hair, connoting the album title.

All of the small references to light help the audience to associate lights with the album. For example, they may be reminded of the album when they see lights in the same colour.


Analysing this magazine advertisement will help me when making my own, as it showcases very effective use of colour to connote the album's value.

Rough Magazine Advert Plan

I decided to feature car in my magazine advert, as it is used very often in the music video. This means that people would be able to associate the products easily.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Digipak Analysis

This digipak is very simple. It also has a very unclean/untidy feel, shown partly by the cigarette.


The track list, on the left, also gives off a sense of untidiness or disorganisation as the tracks do not have numbers.


The record label, Domino Recordings, is shown at the bottom of the back cover.


The name of the album is not shown on the front cover, which is unusual but also gives off the sense of disorganisation. Its shown on the spine.


The sleeve containing the CD is very simple - plain black with plain white writing - the album name.