A-Level Case Study for Ed Sheeran

1. ED SHEERAN

2. Record Label
• Kept his image
• Collaboration with Grime artists
• Supplied producers and engineers
• Media introductions at BBC1 Xtra
• Free gigs with journalists
• Different platforms released
• What does the record label offer?
• Provided Sheeran with the tools and people to make his own music – true to his style, as well
as helping market his music.
• Warner is horizontally integrated because WMG distributes and produces films, music and TV.
This benefits them as they can work through the different medias so they don't pay extra top
have music on a film. Also, this gives each sector a chance of advertisement so again making
them money. The record labels that Warner Music Group own all record and produce music,
showing that they are vertically integrated.

3. Audience Targeting
• Music is released on different platforms and marketed on popular shows.
• He played free gigs in Camden to target older audience.
• Played abroad to target foreign audience.

4. Shape of You Analysis
• Shape of You is a linear narrative video, which follows Sheeran’s relationship with a fellow boxer
who then leaves him but returns for his bi fight against a Sumo wrestler.
• There is a relationship between the lyrics as the ‘shape’ is related to the fitness of the two
characters as they are members of the same gym. The video shows shots of them working out as
well as ‘kissing in the backseat’ of cab, illustrating the lyrics.
• Whenever the rhythm changes in the song, such as from the verse to the chorus, there is a sudden
change of scene, amplifying the song.
• Shape of you is a pop song so the inclusion of a love story in the video does fit the genre
conventions as pop is typically focused on relationships.
• There are many close up shots of Sheeran, which show his emotional status after he meets the girl
and when she leaves him, allowing for the audience to identify with his character.
• There is a lot of focus on the woman as she works out in her shorts and sports bra. Showing a
voyeuristic treatment of the female body. However, the video does seem to focus on her fitness
rather than sexualise her too much which suggests it is valuing health over beauty.

5. Thinking Out Loud Analysis
• Manipulates the woman by throwing her around
• He is fully clothed but her dress is revealing
• She ‘performs’ for him while he watches on
• Fragmentation of the woman
• Ed leads
• Beauty myth
• Uses her as a guitar – objectification
• John Berger – men act and women appear. Men look at women and women want to be looked
at. The surveyor of a woman in herself is male.

6. Marketing and Promotion
Spotify
The payment per stream on spotify can be anywhere from $0.006 and $0.0084.
Sheeran’s album, X, had around 433m streams and + garnered 435m towards
the end of 2014.
Despite receiving a cheque for £4 from spotify early in his career, Sheeran
supports streaming services as X was streamed 26 million times which has
helped promote his tours and live performances.

7. Star Theory
Between the ordinary and extraordinary.
His comic relief appearance showed that he was a big enough star to help raise money for such a
big charity. The lack of script or filters portray him as ordinary however, and the frequent use of
mid-shots don’t show him in a glamorous light. When he meets the little boy who lives on the
streets, his reaction is human and he cannot leave him there. He asks him what he would do if he
was the president and has a laugh with the boy, showing that he is just an average man. However,
when he puts him up in a hotel, we see that he is also extraordinary and can afford this, reminding
us that he is a star.