This document provides guidance for an assignment on analyzing music video strategies. It includes directions to watch example music videos, conduct audience research through vox pops interviews, and create a blog post summarizing findings about the purpose of music videos. Key points covered include how music videos are used to promote artists and songs, create synergy between music and other products, extend the income from a song through additional revenue streams, expand the outlets through which a song can be accessed, and strategies producers use to make videos successful. Students are asked to complete a written analysis of these purposes for their blog post due on September 11th.

1. A2 Media Studies
G324: Advanced Production Portfolio

2. Watch the Following Videos…
• Who/What is being promoted?
• What strategies are being used to promote
them?
• Example 1
• Example 2
• Example 3

3. Discovery Question
What strategies are used in Music Videos?

4. Consumption
• How do we consume our music videos?
Music Video
Consumption

5. Why Do We Watch Music Videos?
• You are going going to carry out some AUDIENCE
RESEARCH
• In small groups you need to think of some
questions that will tell us why people watch
Music Videos, How do they watch their videos
and what videos are popular
• You will need to carry out this research as VOX
POPS

6. VOX POPS
• VOX POPS or Vox Populi (the voice of the
people) are short interviews or sound bytes
taken from the general public e.g. People of
the Street
• They are used to get short answers about a
topic from a wide range of people
• Examples

7. Audience Research
• You now need to edit your footage into a short
video to go on your Blog
• This needs to be fast paced and you need to
select the most relevant answers
• Ext: Can you comment on your findings using
P.E.A? What have you found? Why is this
important?

8. Promotion
• The most important aspect of Music Videos is that they are there to sell the Artist, Song
and Album
• They present the artist to their audience in a number of ways that make them
appealing:
• Attractive
• Empathic
• Narrative
• Abstract
• They sometimes link directly to the Song and the Lyrics, or they present something
different to the audience to entertain them

9. Who or what is being
promoted in this video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Edv8Onsrgg
Watch the video and then discuss in your pair

10. Britney Spears perfume
Close up of the Bottle so
that the audience can see
the brand name
Discover

11. Maybeline (?) make up
Discover

12. Dating website ‘Plenty of fish’
Discover

13. Sony products
Britney is signed to Jive Records, part of Sony Music Entertainment (how
convenient!)
Discover

14. Britney Spears Music videos
Discover

15. This is an example of Synergy
• Synergy is where two products or companies combine to make a video,
and use the video as a platform to give them success in their respective
areas. For example a music video may be made to increase publicity for a
film, but may prove successful in its own right.
• A music video helps to provide synergy for the artist starring in it; a popular
music video helps to expand their audience but also serves to increase their
power in the industry.
• If a video is shown on YouTube for example, companies may pay to
advertise on the video. This would give them synergy, they would be
associated with the video and hopefully improve publicity.
• Example: Eminem – Not Afraid

16. Extension of Income
• Music videos are a good way for companies to make money; it
cashes in on the success of a song, and helps to boost sales of
other products linked to the singer.
• A music video can be sold on DVD or to other companies for
broadcast, this would get money for the production company, the
singer or artists featured in the song would likely get a percentage
deal.
• There would be repeat fees if the video was broadcast on TV. A
music video extends the income of the singer - they would get
money for doing the video, and from promotional duties and
products through the use of Synergy.
• Michael Jackson’s Thriller album took over $500 million in sales, no
doubt boosted by its massively popular video, Jackson himself
banked over $120 million. When it first aired on Top of the Pops it
was played several times in the first evening.

17. Extension of Income
• The Songwriter will get
paid $40 for every 1
million views on
YouTube.
• A successful YouTube
video can help you get
more fans and is an
easier to get your
video out there.

18. Extension of Outlets
• A music video gives the record company and artist numerous ways to expand its potential audience.
• A music video more than doubles the way a song can be accessed. A music video can be seen in many different
ways- on a special DVD or blu-ray, often bundled with the soundtrack (e.g. Christmas promotions at HMV), on a
Television channel, or on the internet. This ties in with publicity and other areas.
• Example: Union J in Kick Ass 2
• Example: DJ Fresh vs. Diplo - Earthquake
• People who buy a music video may not necessarily listen to music; a video can attract fans of the song or fans of
the video maker, they could even design different editions to attract specific parts of the audience. A music video
can connect with a wider audience than a audio track.
• A music video once made public can easily spread to other people, for example someone can ‘like’ a video on
Facebook and provide a link to it on YouTube, or can spread word of it through conversations, this isn’t directly an
outlet but it helps to expand the audience, music labels could make a video free to download for a small period-
this ties in with publicity, then people would rush to watch it and word would spread.
• Example: Psy – Gangnam Style
• Example: Baauer – Harlem Shake MEME

19. Producers Strategies
• To make a video successful a producer could use many
techniques. A music company would do audience research
before the filming of the video to figure out how to market it,
and how likely they are to be successful.
• A producer of a music video would probably help to fund it so
would have a definite idea of what direction he wanted to go
in. The crew they hire for the film would also indicate what
strategy they are going for:
– the director would have a certain technique or style which
would affect the video,
– the producer would collaborate closely with the artist or band in
the video, helping them get what they want.
– The band or singer may even act as a producer in their own right
to ensure this happens.
• Where and when the video is released can also effect how
successful it is and how it is perceived. A producer may
decide to include product placement or references to popular
culture.
• A music video may be designed for a specific audience i.e. a
Video may be designed with an Asian market in mind, so
would include Asian themed costumes and props to make it
more accessible to that audience.

20. Producers Strategies
• The video for the Michael Jackson and Janet
Jackson song Scream was the most expensive
video ever made at the time of its release.
• It was directed by Mark Romanek and cost
$7million dollars
• It featured two of the world’s biggest stars at the
time. The video was designed to illustrate this
with lots of close ups of the two stars.
• The video also showed their famous dance moves
and reinforced their image in the public’s eyes.
– Michael Jackson – Scream
• What else might have made the producers choose
to make this video

21. Producers Strategies
• Not all artists can afford to spend that
much money on their videos
• Independent bands and record labels
are smaller companies who might not
have the fan base or the marketing
budget to spend on a video
• This can lead to lower budget videos
shot by the bands themselves
• Example: Hospitality - Friends of
Friends
• Example: 4Ft Fingers - Last Man
Standing

22. Homework
• Complete your Write up of Purpose of Music
Videos using the following headings:
– Promotion
– Synergy
– Extension of Income
– Extension of Outlets
– Producers Strategies
• Upload this write up to your blog
• Due: WEDNESDAY 11th SEPTEMBER