Analysis of Digipaks Magazine Advertising

Digipak Research

Several elements stand out for their repeated use across the majority of digipak magazine advertisements:

- Image of artist - main image, using star image concept

- Image of album cover with quotes declaring artist success/status such as “#1 Smash Hit!”

- The musical genre is indicated through the choice of iconography, font, imagery and colour the advert utilises, serving as a reflection of star image by playing on the artist's existing associations and connotations

- There is also a wealth of basic information contained in the digipak advert. Album titles, select tracks, release date, critic quotes/star that will parallel both the artist's star image and the album's style and details concerning the release format (CD, Vinyl, Digital download) along with publication points such as availability and retailers logos.

- Finally, electronic information such the artist's web address and any potential social media links will be featured.

Common Features

Digipak Advert No. 1

The layout of this particular advert is conventional and is replete with the usual suite of information. The artist’s name is featured prominently on the key image of the artist himself, the album title is also displayed, as is the album’s release date with the additional piece of advertising for the single the album features, making a point of its inclusion. At the very base of the image, there are addresses for James Morrison’s website and social networking accounts to provide additional publicity. However, there is an absence of other content such as critics’ praise, institutional information such as the record label or even something such as listed retailers, other release format or bonus features accompanying the digipak release. This is evidently a more minimalist approach to the magazine advert that subverts the traditional expectations while still adhering to them enough to provide effective promotion.

This style plays into the representation of the artist, using the sparse design to reflect Morrison’s star image, hence himself being the key image to directly play into his existing fan base using his prominence in material such as this. Additionally, the composition and mise-en-scene all reinforce this image. The colour palette is washed out and limited to earthy colours such as browns contrasted with whites, to create a slightly nostalgic image with connotations of the past, where artists focused on the craft of music as opposed to the modern idea of celebrity. This image is common for Morrison’s style of performance (he is a Soul singer-songwriter), playing into the iconography of Greenwich village to appeal to his fans who are familiar with how he is portrayed. The use of a medium long shot allows him to take prominence while still retaining a sense of intimacy as though the audience is catching him unawares, his smaller size in the frame speaking to his desire to not fall into the label of celebrity, emphasising a certain humble quality brought about through his rugged, unassuming clothing and the apparent realism of the setting.

Digipak Advert No. 1Examining other promotional materials reveals that Morrison’s image has a high degree of synergy with this chosen example. In all of them, he retains that minimalist style with him at the forefront to reinforce his star image, always portrayed in an intimate, sensitive fashion, his expressions usually connoting intellect and his clothing and settings conveying a certain down-to-earth quality that makes him empathetic and relatable to the audience. Other common features include a repeated typography and bleached colour palette that appears hand-crafted, natural and fits his rustic aesthetic. There is a defined style to his material that refers back to the musicians of the past where music was the focus. This element is emphasised by the lack of institutional information or other release information or appraisal, showing him to be apparently unconcerned with commercial success, something that undoubtedly endears him to his audience who have grown familiar with his image and respect his artistically-inclined focus.

Digipak Advert No. 2Despite the parallels between the musical style and star image of the two artists, this is a far more conventional example of digipak marketing. Dylan is pushed to the forefront in a key image taken directly from the Mono Recordings record cover, appealing to both the classic image of Bob Dylan (and the connotations that arise from the idea of the artist at that time in his career) and the audience’s sense of familiarity and nostalgia for that era of Dylan. Additionally, all the typical information is provided concerning the album’s release, including the release date, content, a link to his website, the logo of the record label responsible for its release (Sony Music) and the HMV logo that shows a deal between Sony and the retailer for this type of linked marketing. The loglines below the prominently featured name of Dylan use highly emotive and affectionate language that positions him as “a legend”, tapping into the

audience’s connection to him and to place him in history, again appealing to the classic idea of Dylan during his 1960s heyday by utilising iconography such as his unkempt dark hair and cigarette. The selection of the key image reflects this intertextuality as does the choice of colour and font with the contrast of a bold, simple typography against the blue and black palette having been used in promotional material for Dylan previously, most notably his Shadows in the Dark album and more modern releases such as his Essential collection have retained this signature element of his star image, meaning this very deliberate throwback is in compete synergy with Dylan’s previous work and image. The prominence of these elements, generated by their size and placement, projects this fact to the audience almost overbearingly, referencing nothing from Dylan’s less successful subsequent efforts in a bid to tap into the memory of the artist as opposed to his current place in the industry.

Digipak Advert No. 2The main thrust of this marketing material is clearly to play on a sense of nostalgia and affection for classic Dylan and this is readily apparent when you compare it other examples, showing obvious parallels between them, chosen specifically for Dylan’s image as a notable singer-songwriter and musical artist, recognised by history and his legions of fans. As you can see, the typography, colour palette and the composition/mise-en-scene of the images all have a distinct commonality between them. The images are usual held in close ups or (at the most extreme) a medium shot, with Dylan’s expression a key focal point, again, engendering the feeling of intimacy that his singer-songwriter/folk music is noted for. The images appear spontaneous to convey that connection between subject and viewer and, in the analysed image, he is directly engaging the audience with his expression, drawing them in further. The monochrome used throughout speaks to this element’s connotations of the past and of the unrefined yet high quality of the music of the time, as well as granting the newer releases a sense of texture that gives them an authenticity pleasing to fans.

Digipak Advert No. 3This digipak, in similar fashion to the Bob Dylan, uses the legacy of the artist to promote this new release. Though slightly aged, it still adheres to the conventions of the format, prominently displaying Sinatra’s name and the album title in a bold font across the banner, using a key image of the legend himself, affected to appear worn and aged, evoking a sense of nostalgia for his status and career that plays directly into the wants and memories of the fans. The medium shot of Sinatra captures his expression in a moment of repose, appearing to be contemplating or reflecting which puts a certain melancholy on the image, especially considering his advanced age, creating a rose-tinted idea of the past. The colour design reflects this too, since the faded yellow gives the package the authenticity of a preserved collector’s item. The

information provided is the standard suite of details, encompassing the release date, the exclusive content that traditionally comes with a digipak release, the institutional information concerning the record labels and producers involved as well as a web link below the release date, all of which are presented over a key image of the artist, clearly trading on his star image using certain iconographic traits such as the black/white suit and cigarette as well as his inherent recognisability. This veneer of authenticity is the most appealing trait for the audience, tapping into their existing affection for Sinatra and the persona he projects, shown in the abundance of proudly advertised new content, showing an awareness of the many other releases his music has seen, endeavouring customers to make likely the latest in a string of purchases of the same material.

Digipak Advert No. 3The main point of synergy between this and other examples of Sinatra’s promotional material, is the consistent use of himself as the major draw, owing to his vast popularity and the connotations that his public image possesses, namely, love songs, Vegas and the style of “Crooning”, that genre of music that his voice had a unique sense for, showing an awareness of the Grain of Voice idea and taking that aboard when generating his star image. This release also continues the trend of giving Sinatra’s image a sense of authenticity, shown in the previous releases through the use of both apparently handwritten fonts and images of Sinatra that appear spontaneous and make him seem incredibly engaging and personable, continued in the examined example through the aforementioned colour design and the intimate nature of the image (close-ups., medium shots are also a commonality between many other advertisements). Where this release inverts the conventions that Sinatra’s image has generated, is in how the artist is presented. Instead of using an image that shows him smiling or otherwise engaging the audience directly through a measure of eye contact, here, Sinatra is looking down in though, appearing more introverted. This change in portrayal reinforces the idea of this release commemorating the legacy of Sinatra as opposed to continuing his career, again playing to his existing audience through their attachment to that legacy. Here, he is less of an artist and more of a human presence, creating the idea of getting under his skin without the idea of celebrity distancing him from the audience. This continues the apparent theme of authenticity that remains consistent throughout these releases.