The document provides information about different types of CD packaging, specifically comparing digipaks and jewel cases. It notes the advantages and disadvantages of digipaks, such as having more room for graphics but being less durable than jewel cases. The document then analyzes examples of specific album digipaks, examining design elements like logos and cover art, how information is displayed, and how packaging reinforces the image of the artist.

1. Digipak Research
By Ellie cook

2. Digipaks
A Digipak is a patented style of CD packaging- how does
it differ from its main competitor, the jewel case?
Advantages Disadvantages
• More room for info and extra • Not very durable
content • Can be difficult to store
• More scope for graphic • Some people find them fiddly
creativity • They can inflate the price of the
• Similar durability to a jewel CD- can be more expensive to
case make.
• They can become collectors’
items
• Easier to recycle

3. Here is an example of a DVD digipak
The title and a
description are The BBC logo is
prominent in the displayed,
design.
advertising the
company the series
Very simple is distributed by.
typeface, which is
easily recognisable. An age limit is
The bland and bare provided, to inform the
colour scheme potential buyer as to
matches the title the nature of the
and theme of ‘the series, and to guard
office’, seeming against younger
stripped-down and viewers being
blank- like the mistakenly exposed to
stereotype boring explicit content.
office.
The number of discs included is
displayed, so the buyer knows
what is included.

4. The digipak includes
the pak itself, and
an outer dust cover,
which aids the
durability of the
product. The dust
cover is almost
identical to the DVD
case itself, showing
that it is simply
there to protect the
product.
The dust cover includes a small cutaway
to the inner box, which makes it much
easier for the buyer/user to remove the
dust cover in order to use the product.

5. The unused folds reinforce the idea
of the blandness of the workplace
with the plain background, and
simple outlining of shapes that the
audience may associate with an
office.
This space is also used to introduce
some of the main characters- their
relative colourfulness and bold posing
sets them apart from the figures in
the background. The pose here would
not be associated with the workplace,
indicating that there is some element
of comedy to this programme.

6. The final disc in the
digipak shows all of
the protagonists,
reinforcing the buyer’s
memories of the main
characters and the
storyline.
The discs are held in
by a plastic case ,
which adds structural The logos from the front of
durability to the the digipak are repeated
digipak, and protects on all the discs:
the discs more BBC logo
effectively than just Name of the programme
the card exterior. Age restriction
DVD logo

7. In contrast, here is a photograph of the
jewel case for Nirvana’s album ‘Nervmind’.
The cover art fills the front of the
case, whilst the band name and title
are smaller, and less obvious. This
would appear wrong, as the band
name, at least, should be prominent.
However, the cover art is so unusual
and iconic, that the album is
recognisable even without the band
The case is standard and album names.
jewel-case size, and is
made of hard,
transparent plastic. This
protects the CD more
effectively than card, but
is prone to cracking, as it
is less flexible, and more
brittle, than card.

8. The artwork on Song names
the back mostly and numbers
matches that on are displayed
the front, but on the back-
there is an area this means that
of contrast. potential
buyers can see
immediately
what music is
Barcode features included with
on the back the disc.
Production logo and copyright
information are included- the
copyright info is small, as it is only
there for legal purposes, and most
customers will not be interested in
it.

9. This is a one-CD
case. The
artwork on the
CD matches the
cover art, but
the titling is
more prominent.
The back of the front cover
features a photo of the band- this
is poorly lit, and blurred,
emphasising the band’s free and
individual image. They do not
want to be portrayed as
manufactured.

10. The artwork theme
continues onto the side
of the jewel case, so the
CD can be easily
recognised and found
when stored in a CD rack.
The front cover can
be pulled out, and
turns into a
booklet, featuring
song lyrics and
photos of the
band.

11. This digipak is from the 2012 BRIT awards.
As well as the
The colour
British colour-
scheme is the
scheme, the
quintessentially
soldier-shaped
British red, white
trophy is
and blue, but
featured, with
also features the
the word BRIT
union flag, which
written down it
helps it avoid
looking French
or American
Sponsor is A list of some of the top performers and
featured on the award winners are prominent- as this is
front cover not a band CD, but an event CD, people
will not automatically know what music
may be on it, so it is important to publicise
this information.

12. Inside of the front
cover are the thanks,
and explanatory notes
as to what is included
on the bonus disc.
Tells you who the
digipak design is
by. Also, a list of
the companies and The iconic colour-scheme is
charities associated continued all over the
with the 2012 BRIT digipak.
awards is included

13. This three-fold digipak contains
three CDs- again, one red, one
white, and one blue. The BRIT
motif is featured on the spare
fold.
Each CD is held in by a pocket-
this card pocket covers less than Each card pocket has
half of the disc, and so can serve a cutaway in the
the dual purpose of holding and middle, so that the
displaying the disc, and giving CD may be safely and
the list of singers and songs on easily picked up.
the CD.

14. The back fold shows all the
names of every singer and song
featured in the pack of CDs.
It also
features
the Studio
name and
logo.
Copyright information and
barcode are also displayed
on the back

15. This is the front cover of the digipak for a
Partially obscured ‘NIN’ logo
Nine Inch Nails album. The cover art is
unobtrusive and abstract- it gives no hint of
what type of band this is, or what sort of
music this CD may contain. The most eye-
catching part of the design in the iconic Nine
Inch Nails logo. This simple, monochromatic
logo has simply been overlaid onto the
artwork, but has been partially obscured. At
first glance, this may seem like a bad idea, as
it seems to reduce the cover’s advertising
potential- however, Nine Inch Nails are a
‘underground’ band, who do not like to be
seen as part of the mainstream music
industry. The partial obscuring of the logo
means that only fans will be able to recognise
it at first glance, retaining the band’s
underground style. Conversely, this tactic also
works to intrigue people who have not
encountered the band before, and may make
them more likely to pick up and look at the Abstract cover art.
digipak.

16. This two-fold digipak
The ‘NIN’ logo is displayed
uses plastic cases to
fully on both CDs, as well as
hold and protect the
copyright information, and
two discs- again, the
studio logos.
artwork is abstract.
The artwork
on the
second CD
resembles a
person,
possibly
giving the
buyer their
first glimpse
of the band.
The central section
of the digipak
shows the song
names for the CDs.

17. The middle section also features a
pocket, with cutaways for ease of
use, which contains a small and
again, plain-looking booklet.
The booklet
contains the song
lyrics, and more
abstract artwork.

18. Photo
Album name
Copyright info
Barcode
Studio logos
Unusually, it is the back of the Digipak which displays the album name. Also, it has
a photo on it which is not abstract, as well as the copyright information, studio
logos and barcode. This could help first time NIN buyers become interested in the
band- they see the ‘identity-less’ cover, become intrigued, and look on the back to
see if there is any more information. The small pieces of information which are
available keep the buyer’s interest in this seemingly invisible band.