1. Craig Newton
Mac DeMarco is representedasa relaxedandfree artist,makingmusicthat
he wants to;not beinginfluencedbyrecordlabels.Thiscanbe inferred
fromthe clothinghe wears,suchas the flannel shirtnotfullydone upwith
rolledupsleeves.
The scrawledandroughwritingmayalsosuggesthowhe isfree flowingas
an artistgoingagainstthe predominantblackandwhite colourof the
artworkwiththe boldturquoise blue of the writing.The simple numbering
of the coverof the “2” may alsosuggesthissimplisticmusicandgenre. As
well ashowhismusicis simple andcalmingwithoccasional burstsof
energy.
His relaxedtensionstate alsosuggestshowhismusiciscalmingandlistens
more as an openmic at a local club,rather than a professional artistata
high-endrecordingstudio.
It isa clearhintto hismusical inspirationisallowinganaudience to
understandhisstyle of music,asitis a homage to the Bruce Springsteen
album“The River”.
Thisalbumartwork effectivelysellstothe correcttargetaudience because
of the image theyhave portrayedof a relaxedmanwithaguitar.Givingthe
sense thathismusicstyle isa man and a guitar.Thiseffectivelysellsitto
the correct target audience of male andfemalesfromseventeenyearsof
age upto thirtyyearsof age.
2. Craig Newton
Thispromotionposterclearlylinkstosome of the inspirationsMacDeMarco takesin hismusic,due
to the lipswitha tongue out.As thisis the iconiclogoof the RollingStones. Thiswouldalsoattract
the target audience thathe istryingto attract withhisstyle of music. Asaspectsof it couldbe
likenedtothem. The coloursalsoare brightand boldreflectingthatof hismusicinmany ways,due
to the constantchange inpace andrhythm inhismusic.
He followsthe same patternof usinghandwrittenstyledwriting inhisartworkandpromotional
media,creatinganidentifiable brand. Italsoclearlyfollowsthe “Zpattern advertising”style
meaningyouare guidedbythe advertto initiallylookatthe name “Mac DeMarco”, thento the
tongue,thentothe datesand eventlocation.Thisensuresyouasanaudience wouldgetthe key
informationaboutMac Demarcoand the event.Italsoallowsyouto understandalittle abouthim
as an artist andwhat hismusicisabout,due tothe aforementionedlogoof the RollingStones.
Thisattracts both gendersasthe posteris neutral incoloursdue tothe mainyellowandredtheme
withwhite highlights,whilstalsoattractingthe correctage ranges of seventeenandto thirtyplus.It
iseffective inclearlygivingthe date andlocationof the event.However,itcouldbe arguedthatthe
posterislacking.Due to itnot havingany informationonhowtogettickets or to findoutany more
informationthroughwebsitesandsocial media.
The iconictongue logobecomesafocal pointof the posterand drawsyour attentiontothe poster.
The colour scheme of the posterbeingsoboldandvibrantmay be consideredvulgarbysome.
However,iteffectivelydrawsyourattentiontothe posterandcreatesa boldyetsimplisticstyle.
Again,reflectingthatof Mac DeMarco’s musicstyle.
The colour of the writingisred contrastingwiththe yellowthisisdone toensure thatthe important
informationstandsoutboldly. The wayinwhichthe name at the top of the posteris angled
downwardsisdone toforce the viewer’seyeline downwardstowardsthe importantinformationof
whenandwhere the event ison,thisiseffective.
The tongue logoalsoframesthe writing makingwhatappearsto be messyrandomlyplacedwriting
lookneatand easyto interpret,flowingnaturallydue tothe subtle wayinwhichyoureyeline focus
isguided.
3. Craig Newton
Three coloursare usedonthisalbumcoverbeingred,blackand white.Thisisdone toensure that
the importantinformationsuchasthe title standoutsignificantly,due tothese coloursbeingso
contrastingto eachother.Thismay alsosuggestto a personviewingthe albumcoverthateach
songon it isoriginal andcontrastingto eachother.
The cover featuresall the bandmemberssatwiththeirinstrumentswearingskinnyjeansandwith
longhair.This allowsyoutoclearlyidentifyitasindie rock genre,asthisis the fashionof indie
rock. All of the band membersbeingsatina huddle playingtheirinstrumentsalsosuggestsitisan
indie rockgenre of music,due to the ideathat indie rock asa genre isall aboutsittingandplaying
musicexperimentingwithdifferentsounds,playingmusicforfunasan independentband.
The colour scheme isalsosimple withaclearbackgroundinorderto ensure thatthe key
informationof the albumisconveyed.Italsohighlightsthe factthattheyare an indie band with
little moneyforproducinganalbumcoverof high-endproductionquality.Thisisremainingtrue to
the core ethosof indie rock,that youshouldplaymusicandexperimentforfunnotformoney.
Thisis alsowhytheyhave decidedtotake thisphotofor the albumcoverin whatappearsto be a
basicliving/spare room witha small basicsofa.
Thissimplisticstyletheyhave createdcouldalsoreflectthe style of theirmusicthattheycreate.
Yet thisiscontradictedbythe red font colourof the album’stitle,suggestingthattheyare
experimental intheirmusictoo. Therefore stickingtothe core ethosof indie rockmusic.
The type of instrumentstheyare holdinginthe picture alsosuggestshowtheirmusicis
experimental,stickingtothe indie rockgenre.Astheyare combiningacousticguitarswithelectric
guitarcreatinga mellowyetexcitingtone.Allowingthe targetaudiencetoidentifyitasindie rock
and be attracted towardsthe album.
The albumcover effectivelyattractsthe correcttarget audience due tothe constantlinkstothe
indie rockgenre.
4. Craig Newton
The promotional posterforthe albumusesthe same picture featuredonthe album artwork.This
will have beendone tocreate a directlinkbetweenthisposterandthe album,allowingpeople
viewingeitherone toimmediatelyidentifywhatandwhoThe Kooksare as well aswhat the poster
isabout.
It alsofeaturesthe same colourscheme featuredonthe albumcoverforthe same reasons.Whilst
alsodisplayingreviewsof the albumbeneathenticingapersontobuythe albumas theytrust an
expert’s opinion.
The writingonthe posterisstructuredinsuch a way thatit slopes inwardsinan upside-down
triangle shape.Thiswill have beendone tocause youreyeline focustoinitiallylookatthe bold
large fontof the band’sname. Allowingapersonviewingittounderstandwhothe bandis,thento
the name of the albumand thendownto the reviews,finishingfinallywiththe album’scoverart
picture.Thiscreatesa strongand identifiable directlinkif apersonwere tosee eitherthisposter
or the albumhopefullycausingthemtobuyit.
The band membersbeingshowntobe sataround ina circle playingtheirinstrumentsimmediately
allowsforan individual viewingittoattainan ideaof the type of musicgenre the bandplays.
It alsohighlightsinboldfontitfeaturesthe songs“Naïve”and“She movesinherownway” thisis
done so thata personwhomaylike the songyetnot knowwhomade it know, andtherefore be
enticedtobuythe album. Or withsomeone whoknowsthe bandalreadygivesthemajustification
to buythe album.
The use of the same font as the albumcovercreatesa directlink betweenthe twowhilstalso
establishingabrandfor the bandthat an audience will be able toidentifyandassociate withThe
Kooksand theirmusic. Thisestablishesthatthe Posterandalbumartworkworkveryeffectivelyto
attract the correct targetaudience inasymbioticrelationship.
