Ancillary research of artists websites

1. Ancillary Research
Nadine Reynolds

2. Album name, given in the same font it
is on the album
Brand/Artist name
Social media links
Album cover
(Latest product)
Short description of the album, naming
the best selling songs and some
features. Menu (links to other
pages)

3. Website Analysis
• August Alsina is a popular R&B
artist’s who’s music is often slow
and melancholic. The website
portrays this aspect by its
consistent black and white theme
• He uses a variety of fonts on the
website. His album’s title “This
thing called life” is written in
cursive handwriting, as if he
wrote it himself.
• His name is written in his
trademark font which can be
found on all of his albums and
tour posters since he began
making music- this is an
important device in creating a
consistent brand image that is
recognisable to consumers and
fans.
• The bottom of the website page
has a white bar, which allows the
user to navigate around his site.

4. • Despite the homepage displaying quite dark
colours with an evident black and white
theme, the other pages on the site are cream
themed, with a black and white faded photo
of Alsina in the background.
• The same font is used across all pages and
there is a bar of social media links on each
page. This shows how he is connected to his
audience and their relevance in his success.

5. Brand/artist name
Dates and locations
for the tour
Social media
reference
Large image of the
artist

6. Concert Poster
• This is a poster from one of his 2014
tours.
• Again the same, medieval font is used
to write his name (this can be found
across all August Alsina merchandise,
albums and posters)
• The theme of the poster is again, black
and white, which expresses the same
melancholic themes the homepage of
his website showed
• Across all of his pages and posters is a
picture of Alsina- most of the time in
black and white. This indicates his
strong presence over his audience as
an artist and how he uses his image to
appeal to his fans

7. Large
photo of
the artist
staring
directly
into the
camera
Artist/Brand name

8. • The homepage is largely dominated by a
midshot of the artist. The colours around him
are quite evening themed- with blue, grey or
black bases. This creates a nostalgic aura
around the artist.
• It also seems to be in a non-rural setting, this
presents Omarion as a current, urban artist- a
theme which is also displayed within his
music.
• The mise-en-scene of the artist himself
presents Omarion as quite masculine and
tough. He stares directly into the camera,
which creates a no-fear atmosphere around
him and his personality, as well as this, he is
wearing a leather sleeveless top. Leather
often has connotations of macho masculinity
as well as being quite current and trendy. His
tattoo’s emphasise this stereotype.
• His earring also presents him as young and
urban as older generations may stigmatise
piercings, especially ear piercings on boys,
this makes him seem like he is rejecting the
norms and values that society is placing on
him and this can help him appeal and identify
with a younger audience.

9. • At the top of his homepage is his
name written in black over a white
backdrop. The simplistic theme
presents Omarion as a
sophisticated character, the use of
capital letters for his name also
highlights his importance and
presence.
• There is a bar beneath his which
allows his fans and users to look at
other sections of the website,
giving information about his music,
tours, general news and him as an
artist.
• Social media plays a key aspect in
every artists career in today’s
society and Omarion accepts this
with his separate page giving ways
for his audience to follow him on
his social media accounts.

10. Brand/artist name
Collage
of
albums/
photo’s
Buttons to other pages
Social media links

11. • Trey Songz page has a less consistent
theme as his page displays a collage
of albums he has produced in the
last 10 years.
• However, links can be made between
a series of the albums and the black
and white theme, as well as the
prominent use of the colour red.
• The connotations of the colour red
can represent Trey Songz as
dangerous (a popular “bad boy”
theme found within the R&B music
industry) or as romantic- again a
convention often found within the
music industry and within his music.
• The black and white theme makes
Trey Songz seem like a more
traditional artist, and gives his work a
more nostalgic essence.

12. Plain black
backdrop
Tour poster
Social media links Logo
Buttons to
other
pages
Menu

13. • Partynextdoor’s website is a lot more
simplistic than those of the other artists we
have explored so far.
• His website has a clear dark theme and
unlike the other artists he chooses a
landscape photo of a sunset rather than
one of himself.
• This represents how he is unique as an
artist and his contemporary take on the
genre- most other R&B artists use their own
image to attract fans but PND expresses his
feelings towards nature and the beauty in
the world instead. This presents him as a
less self obsessed character and more down
to earth than other R&B artists.
• The image itself of a sunset has
connotations of tranquillity and relaxation,
so the audience do not expect his music to
be very hyped or fast paced. The colours
give off a friendly and calming atmosphere
which may draw in his audience further.

14. At the top of his page he
does have social media links,
but unlike other artists
doesn’t have a whole page
for social media and his only
other features of his website
is a “Shows” page and a
“Sign Up” page which can be
found in the menu bar.
This suggests that PND is
very much about building a
relationship with his fanbase
through his music and
shows rather than by
showing off on his website
and his simplistic theme
creates a humble persona.

15. Tour name
Tour dates
Artist names

16. The tour poster for PND and Jeremih’s tour is very simplistic.
It follows the same dark colour scheme that can be found on
PartyNextDoor’s official website and the tour name is written over a
backdrop of the album cover.
There is again, no image of the artists advertised and there are also no
social media references.
The tour name is written in a rippled font, representing a water
reflection- this has connotations of peace and tranquillity- however the
ripple could suggest that something has disturbed the peace.
The gradient in the colour also suggests has an optimistic essence about
it, although “summers over” can be viewed as a negative thing (especially
to an audience of teenagers and young adults), the fact that the writing is
lighter towards the end suggests that the best is yet to come.

17. The tour poster is over a plain black backdrop, the simplicity of
this suggests that the artist is not very complicated or
interested in gimmicks and advanced marketing scheme’s- this
again creates a persona for PND that he is humble, down to
earth and basic.
The artists names are written in a lighter shade, all in capital
letters- this gives them an aura of importance and makes the
names stand out on the poster.
At the bottoms of the poster is tour dates and places, it doesn’t
really give any advice on how fans should purchase tickets (e.g.
ticketmaster web addresses etc) suggesting that the artists
have a strong fan-base that are trusted to find this information
out themselves.