How Effective is the Combination of your Main Product and Ancillary Texts? 

1. Question 2.

2. Introduction
 I firmly believe that my main product (music video) and
ancillary texts (digipak/advert) complement each other
brilliantly to create a successful media product. I have
evidence from my questionnaire to backup this belief. I
have used a variety of different techniques in order to
achieve a set of media products that tie in with one
another.

3. Key Signifier
When creating my digipak I
firstly created a key signifying
image. This image could then be
used as the “face of the band”
and to create a brand. I made the
image striking and captivating.
This picture was then used on
both the album cover and the
advert. This type of
intertextuality helps the
audience to better recognise the
artist.

4. Use of colour grading
 I have used the same colour grading style throughout the music video and digipak.
Both the poster and album cover use the same image to create a symbiotic link
between one another. The colour grading creates a visual link between all products.
This helps to create a repeatable brand that will be easy to remember for the viewer.
By doing this it enables the viewer/customer to easily identify and link the products
together and therefore engaging them to purchase adverts because the products are
related to a band/genre they are already familiar with.
 Here you can see the similar colour grading that has been used. The midtones are
orange, yet the contrast is high to try to bring out as much colour as possible. This
type of colour grading complements the overall aesthetic I am trying to achieve.

5. Questionnaire analysis
 The results from my questionnaire suggest that the
digipak and music video complement one another very
well with 64% of people saying that the extent at which
the digipak and music video link is great.

6. How I would release these media products
 If I was to release the products, I produced in the same way a real media product is released I
would; Firstly release the music video. My research suggests this is a common practice because
it creates enigma and mystery around the media product. This will attract the audience
towards the media product as an entirety. This practice is much more successful than
attempting to force the viewers to buy the product with adverts and digipaks which directly
state how and where to buy the product. In contrast to this the music video focuses on the
music itself, and the motifs it may contain. This is more likely to cause “hype” within the
audience, as people become excited about new music being released. The advertising of the
new album would then be done by word of mouth within the audience. Especially considering
with sites such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook it’s very easy for exciting upcoming
information to spread rapidly.
 An example of this has been done very recently. At the time of writing this Paramore released a
brand new song out of nowhere. This has caused a lot of talk. No album covers or digipaks
where released prior to this. This is a prime example of why releasing a music video with no
surrounding products can be so successful, because now people are excited and waiting for an
album that relates to the music they like. It also appears more “honest” because the music
video is released in a way that appears as if it’s not any form of promotion.
 Regarding the advert, I would only publish it in niche specific magazines which also feature
topics that would engage my target audience such as technology. This would attract a wider
audience of digital natives.

7. Use of social media
 On my poster I have chosen to include social media links. This
below the line marketing allows fans to create and spread their
own views and “hype” online. Because of the digital age we
now live in, everybody can be content consumers, and
producers. Therefore, if a music video becomes popular, and a
digital ambassador chooses to tweet “check out this new song
by glass animals” many more people will become exposed to
the song. These digital natives allow news, music and content
to be spread rapidly and globally. By including the social media
links on my poster it will allow people to stay up to date directly
with artists, it also gives viewers the opportunity to directly
communicate with the artists. This helps the band to be viewed
as more honest and can give a greater insight into their life.

8. Advert promotion of Album
On my advert I have hinted that an album is on its way. This will
engage the audience to be alert for the release of a new album.
If just one digital ambassador views the advert and shares their
opinions, then many more people can be exposed to the media
products. This method merges both above the line, and below
the line marketing techniques in order to try to attract as big of
an audience as possible. This encourages customers to become
more involved. By indicating that an album is on its way people
may wish to have a tangible copy of the music in the form of a
CD, or an increasingly popular record, this helps to make the
music be more of an event. Many independent bands like to
create events around there work, even though this style of
marketing is often more expensive.

9. Marketing techniques
 By creating media products that link all the available outlets
such as online presence and traditional advertising techniques I
can ensure I have adopted a 360 degree marketing strategy
that is sure to be viewed by many peoples. Despite Glass
Animals being an alternative independent band, it is likely they
would be able to afford this form of marketing. However,
because they are an alternative rock band it is likely they would
want to appeal to only a niche market in order to have
complete creative freedom. Glass Animals had a niche
following 1 year ago, however since then they have become
widely known. Their music has appeared in TV adverts, films
and has amassed millions of views on YouTube. Because of this,
the most appropriate platform to publish the music video
would be YouTube, as the band already has over 173,000
subscribers who would be directly notified of a release.

10. Intertextuality
 I created intertextuality which uses gratifications theory by
incorporating black bars into all the media products.
 As has been previously mentioned the colour grading is the
same, as well as the black bars either side of the image.
This helps to create a wider aspect ratio within the music
video, and create a separation within the adverts from its
surroundings.
Black bars

11. Improvements
 In the future to address the lack of connection between the 2
characters within the music video I could have shown them within
my digipak. This would create a link between the characters so that
when the music video is watched, the viewers may already know
there is a definite link between them.
 I should have produced a QR code for my advert and album cover.
This could have easily taken the audience to the Glass Animals
website. This is common convention nowadays however I didn't
include it within my digipak which was a mistake! There are many
online programs which will create a QR code free of charge and
incredibly quickly so there is no reason not to include one. If I where
to have featured one I would have placed it alongside my social
media links.