This document compares and contrasts Digipaks and Jewel Cases as packaging formats for music albums. Digipaks are made of cardboard and are more environmentally friendly than plastic jewel cases. They allow for more content to be included through booklets and multiple disk storage. Jewel cases have a glossy finish but only hold one disk and limited additional materials. Both formats aim to provide information and aesthetics that appeal to audiences and promote the artist/album.

1. Digipaks VS Jewel Cases
Brontë Vickery

2. Jewel Pack
The plastic case The image on the
gives a very glossy cover is an iconic
finish image which was
quite
controversial
The font used on The font used on
their name is the album name
their trademark, is distorted, going
the name always with the aquatic
appears in this image
style.

3. The CD itself is The CD includes
printed with wave the name of the
like lines, in artist and album The case includes a pull
keeping with the as well as the out booklet, so the owner
cover copyright notice can take it out and see
more content- makes good
use of space
There are small plastic tabs
which do not obstruct the
view but hold the booklet Both the disk and
in place whilst allowing the booklet
easy removal- this is good contain a serial
ergonomics. number to prove
authenticity.

4. Inside the booklet, there
are photo-shoot images of
the band
The
background
graphics are
again wave-
like, staying
consistent.
There are lyrics included so the
audience can easily learn the words
and sing along. This is in a bubble
shape graphic, adding interest and
again sticking to the aquatic imagery.

5. On the other side of the concertina There are more photos of the band
booklet, there is a track list, so the members, which are in black and white
audience can easily select the song they for dramatic effect, the image looks a bit
want to listen to. distorted.
The first set of lyrics are written in wavy There are also lyrics for two of the songs,
lines, in keeping with the rest of the but not of any of the others .
album.

6. On the back of the CD, there is a track list
for ease of use and to advertise the songs
on the album.
There is a animated illustration on the The background is a continuation of the
back which adds interest but as I am not wave image on the front.
familiar with the songs I do not know if
the picture is relevant to the album.

7. Digipaks
The logo of the The cover has a
awards and the simple striped
year are shown. design that catches
the eye. The
The sponsor of the colours are that of
awards and the the Union
album is shown. jack, emphasising
that it is the “Brit”
The cover has a awards.
glossy
finish, making it
look like a more The images are of
expensive, appealin the iconic awards
g product. that are given out
The Digipak is to the artists at the
made from awards , which
card, which is On the front cover emphasises the
environmentally is a list of the top theme and allows
friendly as it can be artists who are on the audience to
recycled. the album. feel involved.

8. The image of the The DigiPak The case is made
award is repeated contains three CD’s, with pockets to
inside on one in each of the hold the disks in
page, as well as on colours of the place, which are
each of the CD’s . Union Jack. easy to slide the
disks out of.
There are four
The logo of the On each ‘page’,
double sided pages
awards is repeated below the disk is a
or folds- this means
on each of the track list for ease of
more information
disks. use.
can be included

9. When the Digipak One is a
is half open, two continuation of the
pages are visible. striped background
in national colours.
This page contains details about the
awards and the artists, as well as the
logos of affiliated companies and
programmes.

10. There is an extra booklet enclosed in the
digipak, meaning even more information can
be included- this gives the idea of good value
for money.
The cover of the booklet is The booklet is kept in one
a copy of the cover of the of the folds that form a
digipak, for consistency. pocket, and there is a cut
out for ease of use.

11. Inside the booklet is an additional The booklet also contains details of
track list, with ownership charities and organisations that are
acknowledgements. connected with or funded by the Brits.
There is also a photograph of one of the popular
bands featured on the album (Rizzle Kicks) holding a
show cheque to show the money being raised by
the |Brit awards and its album for the “Brit Trust”.
This would make the audience feel that in buying
the album, they are contributing to a good cause.
The image of the award is again
repeated, emphasising what the album is
about, and keeping consistency for good aesthetics.

12. The back of the Digipak has a plain
design, so as not to distract from the
text.
It contains a track
list for each of the
disks.
Here there is the
barcode and the
production
company.

13. The front cover has an abstract design. The image is very artistic but it does
not really inform the audience what the album is called. However this may
be a trademark design associated with the band, that fans would recognise
and therefore would value this digipak more.
The logo of
the artist is
half shown.
This would not
The bright red be easily
colour is eye noticeable,
catching. and unless the
audience were
already fans of
the artists,
they would
not know who
this symbol
referred to.

14. The digipak contains two CD’s, The middle fold contains a track list for
so this would be considered both disks, however the font is quite small,
good value. and would not be visible if the digipak was
sealed up in packaging, so the songs on the
album would not entice buyers.
The disks both
are printed
with a blurred
floral
image, which
provides
appealing
aesthetics.
The disks show the The middle fold forms a
The CD’s are held in place by
artist logo and have pocket which holds a
plastic casing stuck into the
ownership booklet.
digipak. This is practical but
acknowledgements.
would take away the eco-
friendly appeal of digipaks.

15. The pocket that the booklet is held in
has two cut outs for ease of use. The
booklet is in a darker colour than the
digipak which makes it stand
out, ensuring that the audience find
it easily.
The booklet inside has a lot of pages The floral design is continued on
so more information can be included. from the disks.
The pages contain the lyrics to each
song.

16. The back of the digipak continues the
blurred floral design used
throughout.
The name of the
album is printed
here.
There is a barcode and
ownership
acknowledgements.

17. This digipak is for a DVD, so is larger
than one for music.
The front cover is very
The production
plain, but this means
company is shown,
the design does not
which might
detract from the
encourage the
name of the
audience to buy the
programme.
DVD as the BBC have
a good reputation.
There is a cut-out so
that the audience can
easily take the DVD
out.
The age restriction is
shown.

18. The DVD digipak pulls
out of the cover.
The cover of the
digipak is the same as
the external cover.

19. The DVD is held in place by a plastic stuck in
case. This holds the disk effectively but is less
The DVD disk environmentally friendly.
is printed with
the name of
the
programme, t
he age
certificate, the
company logo
and the “DVD”
logo.
Printed on the DVD is One of the sides has a sketch image of a typical
a photograph of the scene from the programme, and a humorous
main character in the photograph of the creator and main character.
programme.

20. The second disk has the same
Three disks print as the first.
are included in
the digipak,
which means
there is good
value for
money as well
as good sue of
space,
meaning less
waste in
packaging.
The third disk has a
photograph of some of the
main characters from the
show.

21. One of the folds has
a still from the
programme
featuring two of the
characters.

22. The back cover features the brand logo of the fictional
company that the characters work for in the show.
The content is described.
Extra features
such as “special
features” are
advertised. There are stills
from the
programme.
The age certificate
is repeated.
There is a barcode.

23. Advantages of digipak over a jewel
case
• Graphically you can be more creative- for example a continued image
across all of the folds.
• More graphic content
• More information can be included- lyrics etc
• A “limited”, more novelty/luxury product- can become a collectors item
• More CD’s, more content
• More environmentally friendly, biodegradable- can also be made using
already recycled materials. Whereas plastic uses up crude oil supply and
cant biodegrade.
• Can include attached booklets- lyrics, photo-shoot montages.
• Can be stylised to match the image of the artist, in general and for how
they have branded themselves for the particular album and time. ( For
example Coldplay’s various albums)
• They are thicker, suggesting higher quality and more content. They may
also have to be stored in a separate place so would receive more
attention, either in a shop or in the home.

24. Disadvantages
• Not so durable
• Not so glossy
• Fiddly- difficult to use
• The price of the CD is inflated as digipaks are more difficult to
make
• They take up more space- for example they might not fit into
CD racks, and this may not be convenient for the audience.