Digipak Analysis- Miss Miller

A digipak is presented in the style of a book, with paperboard/cardboard outer binding including one or more plastic trays for the CD. This style became popular in the 2000s and is often used for special edition albums. A jewel CD case is the original disc case, that consists of three pieces of plastic and includes a plastic tray for the CD. Most of the detail is on the cover and the back, with song titles listed. Below is a listed comparison of both types. 

A digipak provides the fans with more information from the artist, for example a personal fan message which overall enhances the fan/artist bond, which is another positive factor. Digipaks are also unique and more attractive as there are featured bonus tracks and the use of higher quality images.

A jewel CD case is argued to be more traditional and durable because of the plastic sides. Due to this, a CD is quicker and easier to make and is cheaper to buy in stores. This type of casing is also easier to store and the booklets won't bend inside. Lastly, CDs are a better option for new fans testing the music.

The digipak I have chosen to analyse is Lana Del Rey's 'Born To Die'. I have chosen to analyse this digipak as it was released as Lana's first album therefore, I am able to analyse the aspects that causes an artist representation.

Firstly, the artist's name is extremely large and bold at the top of the cover in white colouring. This promotes the idea that Lana is a new artist which links to her being positioned in the centre alongside her name showing acknowledgement. This overall highlights a new artist to the public and is more recognisable to fans. It should be acknowledged also that the song titles, artist's name and album title are all capitalised, spaced out lettered and bold highlighting their importance and become prominent and possibly memorable to the audience. Next, the title of the album 'Born to die' is written in the same bold font, in the a blue colour matching the sky at the top. This also is positioned on Lana's white shirt. This shows her to be in sync with the album, connoting pride and her  involvement within the album. On a deeper level, this appeals to the audience as this shows that Lana is serious about her music and infers that she writes the songs herself, which is conventional of an indie artist. 

Lana is placed in the middle of cover with the use of a mid shot, however with a low angle element as the camera almost seems tilted. Because of this, the audience are looking up to her showing her constant importance and her strength to be a role model as the main focus is on Lana through this element and her fierce/confident posture which is effective. The indie genre is also shown through the cover as she isn't wearing and exaggerated clothes that are traditional within other genres for example pop and hip hop. This shows her natural beauty, causing  Lana to become more relatable to the audience. The 1960s element from her back combed hair style and natural make up with red lips shows a link between her style of music and creating something new and different, showing that her music would appeal to a niche audience.

Lana is represented to be naturally confident and showing importance. This is due to her demeanor and posture, as she is shown to be a fierce/independent woman which appeals toe her target audience (teenage/young adults/mostly females). This directly links to the title, also as death is denoted as something that is feared however, her facial expression is relaxed and calm. This can show why many people idolise her as she doesn't fear the usual aspects that many of us do. Again, Lana is represented as being naturally beautiful which again, is a feature to idolise as she promotes to her audience that strange clothes and an 'over the top' isn't needed. This message and her white shirt as costume gains her respect and this is a classy image rather than exploiting promiscuous imagery. This overall appeals to the audience as Lana starts to become more relatable.

The colours used within the whole digipak also connote ranging elements that represents both the artist and genre. The use of the colour blue within the song titles is calm and intricate, which links to her effortless and almost ghostly voice and the genre as blue is a naturalistic colour. White again links with this as it is known as a pure and natural colour, possibly showing the artist's innocence and the idea that she is a fresh/new part of the music industry. The use of red on the roses, Lana's lips and the blood splattered pages can all relate to each other and create similar images/ideas. This overall connotes passion and love, linking to the lyrics within the song. This colour however, can flip to more negative emotions and events such as death and blood, highlighting the titles further to the artist. Also, it is interesting and gains even more praise that the colours red, white and blue are used as the artist shows love to her country, creating another message such as 'don't forget where you started' causing her to become idolised and relatable as from this, she can be considered to be down to earth.

Next, on the front cover the artist's name is written in a large and bold font placed at the top of the cover and situated in the centre in white font that stands out on the blue sky. This presents the artist as being important as her name is the main focus and promoting her name to the audience which links to the idea that she is a new/upcoming artist.The same can also be said for the album name as 'Born To Die' is written in spaced out capitals in blue font, centred on the artist's white shirt. This makes the album name appeal vividly which promotes the artist's album causing it to become recognised by the public. The song titles are also displayed in the same blue colouring on the back page, they are also all capitalised in bold, blocked writing which makes them stand out and become more memorable. Lastly, the song lyrics within the digipak are written in a type written font, which makes the digipak possess a more vintage theme, and is more personal which is conventional to the indie genre.

The elements used within this digipak also connote varying messages. The red roses on the white background of the disk makes them more distinguished and creates the idea of love/death/beauty which links to the actual to album title and the 'Born to die' song on the album as they cover all three aspects or the idea of flowers at a funeral, exploring the idea of dying. The roses are also known as a beautiful gift/declaration of love which highlights the idea of her love for fans and their importance to her life. Her name is also not added to the CD, which suggests that she is new and the Star Theory paradox in the idea that she is not presented on the CD as she doesn't want to be present all of the time. However, features of the digipak do connote ideas of the title 'Born to die' and the theme of death. The use of the colours blue and white are direct features of the sky possibly inferring angels and heaven, the idea of an afterlife. The blood splattered pages are violent, linking further to death and the lyrics and music video of 'born to die' as there is a featured death scene to close.

The design and layout of the image features the use of a simple background, and the use of the sky and blue colouring is the main coloured theme. This is plain and causes Lana to become the main focus even more. These simple and naturalistic features relate to to the indie genre as there are no distractions just simplicity which link to her image that isn't distracting or promiscuous in looks or poses, Lana appears to be the girl next door which is relatable to fans and also raises the idea that she believes her music is good enough, she doesn't need to act like somebody else to sell her music.

I will use this research on my chosen artist's digipak to inform planning by adding different ideologies such as colouring and connotations and how they represent the artist and indie genre. I have also taken ideas such as as typography on board from this digipak as the type written font provides a vintage vibe and causes the lyrics to look more personal, causing the artist to connect with the audience. I have also taken ideas such as images and artist representation and overall layout as inspirations as from doing this research, I have released their importance and the audience need to connect with the artist which is conventional of the indie genre too as there is an evident aim to take fans on a journey and for them to bond with the artist and their lifestyles/past life events.

Magazine advert analysis- Miss Miller

Magazine adverts are important for the artist to create as they promote the artist/album to a wider audience and to overall  raise awareness for the new album, therefore increasing sales and the promotion of the artist. The use of a magazine advert also links into different media elements through the use of convergence as the album gains support from different companies which increases sales.

Representation of the artist

Within this cover, Lana Del Rey  possesses a clean cut appearance, wearing a white shirt, flawless makeup and perfect hair. This is an image for her target audience (teenage girls) to aspire to, especially as this is unprovocative however, also intrigues males due to her natural beauty. This is conventional to the indie genre due to the simplistic attire and shows that she takes her music career seriously. This image also represents Lana as being powerful and independent, as a mid shot highlights her strong stance  and her chin raised as well as this, causing Lana to look down into the camera lense, creating the sense of power respect/the idea that people look up to her. This represents the idea of fearlessness, showing a direct link to the album title. The use of this mise en scene element causes the artist to seem ordinary however possessing a talent making her successful, creating an extraordinary element, fulfilling Dyer's star theory. Her naturalistic look appeals to the female audience as well as hints of red lipstick and underwear that appeals to male members of the audience. This colour connotes the idea of love and passion, which are themes within her lyrics, causing the artist to be promoted successfully to the audience as they are provided with more in depth information.

Typography/Style of language

Lana Del Rey's name is written at the very top of the album in the centre in a larger and bold font in white, that stands out on the blue background. This shows that the artist's name is the most important element within the advert, as the audience are able to view the artist's name as the font is easy to read and grabs attention. This successfully promotes the artist as through this, the artist's name is promoted to the wider public. The album name is written in the same font, with the same blue colour from the sky and is located on the artist's white shirt, causing it to become simpler to read. This causes promotion further, as the use of bold writing shows the importance of the album. Next, only her most well known songs are listed on the bottom of the album. This promotes individual (and most popular) songs as well as the album, which excites the audience and causes the audience to become more recognisable as only her successful work is listed. This is written in italics, which adds a feminine spin and also a handwritten style. This causes the advert to become more personal. Next, in the left hand corner the amazon website is included, this creates synergy and creates more ways of the audience to purchase the artist's products as she provides a website, giving the audience easy access to purchase the album. Lastly, the release date is printed slightly larger, which promotes the release of the album and causes this to become memorable and a focal point of the advert, as fans are given a date of album release.

Choice of image

The choice of imaging causes the artist to become the focal point of the page. This is caused by the use of cinematography as mid shot is aimed directly at her as she looks down to the audience, slightly. This highlights that she is the most important element of the advert and album. This also introduces her new self to the audience as she formally produced music through her real name. This also introduced her new genre of music to the audience the music industry. Next, the background is blurred however she still appears strong and vivid, highlighting that her appearance within the music industry matter as well as her involvement with in the album. Her appearance within the image is very pristine due to her white shirt, styled pin curls and natural 60s make up. This naturalistic look in conventional to the indie genre and also appeals to ranging target audiences as she would inspire women and attract men. 

Colours

The colours used within this magazine advert are all vibrate and link in with the theme of the music. The typography used also blends well with the choice of image as the scenery of a blue sky causes the artist's name in white font to stand out and become vivid. This also links to the album name printed in the same blue, however place on the artist's white shirt. This causes important elements of the album to stand out and to be promoted to the audience. The colour blue represents the idea of proffession and intelligence, promoting the artist in a positive way to the audience. The advert also contains elements of the colour red through the artist's lipstick and underwear, which connotes the idea of love and passion, introducing the audience to the themes within the artist's music.

Design and layout

The magazine advert is very simplistic and minimal. First, the text is all placed in locations that cause them to appear vividly for example, the blue, capitalised album name on the artist's white shirt. This causes all of the text to stand out on the advert and promotes the artist and album successfully to the audience. Next, the artist is represented through a mid shot, looking down at the audience with a stern expression. This causes her to become the main focus of the advert and highlights her importance within the production of the album. She is represented as being independent and fearless, linking to the title of the album. Lastly, the background featured within the music video is very simplistic and natural, linking to the indie genre. The background is blurred and includes a sky, trees and a part of a vintage car. This background does not draw attention away from the artist, which again highlights that she is the main focus of the whole album, which successfully promotes her music to a wider audience,

Connotations

There are many connotations that can be analysed from this magazine advert. Firstly, most of the text such as the album name is written in blue which is a calming colour and represents her music as most of her songs are slow and ghostly. Blue also connotes the idea of trust and intelligence, with the inclusion of this, the audience is promoted successfully as she aligns herself with these positive traits, making a statement about herself. As well as this, her name is written it white, standing out from the blue, sky background, causing this to stand out from other elements on the page. The connotations of white are 'purity' and the idea of 'perfection' this relates to the idea that, this is her first ever album since becoming 'Lana Del Rey' and the type of artist she wants to become. The use of colour within this magazine cover intrigues the audience and provides connotations that can explain the indie genre. The blue and white tones also connote her voice as it is calm and effortless and lower. Lastly, the artist's strong posture connotes the idea of strength and independence. This shows her pride due to the album and in her appearance as the highlights that an explicit image is not needed, which promotes her successfully to both males and females and is conventional to the indie genre as her clothing is not overly sexual or promiscuous. 

Representation of the artist

The advert provides the audience with a certain representation of the artist to create a bond between the artist/audience. Firstly, the artist looks away from the camera which represents her as being quite shy/mysterious  which is intriguing, This also creates the look of a less professional picture and relates to the typical indie due to the use of natural elements such as earth and the outside setting. This causes the artist to seem caring due to the use of nature, which also causes her to become more natural than artificial, linking to the sound of the music. This element promotes the artist and album, successfully. There is a direct link to the lung necklace worn and the title of the album 'Lungs' causing the idea of artist intelligence and a tool for the audience to remember the album and artist. The theme of natural elements is evident through out the advert as the artist's make up is quite natural again, and her nails are shorter however painted and prominent relating to young girls and causing a positive appearance to look up to and typical of the indie genre as she is quite simplistic. 

Typography/Style of language

The artist's name is written in bold lettering in bright white, contrasting to the black background. 

This writing is bold and mostly italic, creating a feminine sense however, causing the wording to become apparent to the audience. The artist's name becomes the focal point of the advert as the font and colouring is more vivid and eye catching promoting the album and artist successfully. Next, the use of the monosyllabic 'CD', 'Vinyl' and 'digital' are snappy and simple and get to the point, highlighting the artist's success and causes this to stick in the audience's mind. Lastly, at the bottom the artist's popular newer songs are highlighted, which excites the audience and makes the content of the album more appealing. 

Choice of image

The image used within in magazine advert exploits the idea of indie music, this is because it's quite naturalistic and raw, and it looks as if the artist lays upon grass or flowers. This is traditionally seen in music videos within this music genre, due to the theme of nature. Her pose isn't very provocative, relating again to the genre and appeals to the target audience of teenage females, mostly as well as males due to her more natural appearance. Lastly, the main focus is on the artist, showing that they are the most important element of the cover and their high involvement with the production of the album.  

Colours

The constant use of the colour black connotes a sense of mystery which links to the sound of the artist. This colour is also blank and doesn't divert attention from the audience, highlighting that the artist is the focal point and promotes her further. This colour however, subverts the typical indie stereotype, highlighting even more the idea of a difference from other musical artists and the different themes creates a wider and more diverse audience. The idea of using the colour white again, shows naturalistic features and purity which is conventional to the indie genre and stands out from the black background. This highlights the natural name of 'Lungs' reflecting her true emotions and naturalistic features of the human body highlighting that she wants to open up to the audience. A dark burgundy/red colour is used within the lung image, connoting the themes of love and passion, linking to the artist's love for fans and her music as well as possessing the audience with meaning and emotions that are linked to the artist's music.  

Design and layout

Firstly, the image of the artist connotes naturalistic features due to the nature around in the setting, highlighting that the artist is natural and relatable. Her posture us simplistic yet powerful as the pose is engaging and feminine, relating to the music that the artist creates. This image used is surrounded by a black border which highlights that the artist is the focal point as well as highlighting the connotations of mystery due to the colour black and the lack of eye contact from the artist. The text applied to the advert is very vivid and eye catching, drawing attention to the artist and album name, which is a positive tool to use for promotional purposes. 

Connotations

The use of the iconography of the lungs necklace links to the album name and creates the idea that the artist provides naturalistic features of her body, linking to the indie genre as well as showing strength. This also highlights her music style and different singing techniques due to the inclusion of lungs that her singing voice comes from her lungs, showing her natural and raw talent. The colour black used within the advert connotes the idea of mystery which links to the positioning of the artist and her posture as she doesn't look directly into the camera therefore causes a lack of eye contact. This causes the artist to make less of a direct connection with the artist however, they find that the artist cares about her music and songs created rather than her own image.

To conclude, this research of magazine adverts has provided me with more information on the genre that I am creating a music video for as well as giving me inspiration for how to plan and create my own magazine advert to promote my album and artist. This research has been extremely beneficial as I now possess a deeper knowledge on elements within the indie genre as well as positive ways to promote the artist that I will apply myself. For example, I will take on board the fact that representation of the artist is highly important when selling music, and the idea that highlighting the name of the album and the artist grabs attention, and the idea of the magazine industry and adding websites on the cover creates support and convergence as well as appealing to my target audience.