The document discusses how the creator effectively combined their main product (a music video) with ancillary texts (a digipak and advert) to promote a band. They aimed to create continuity between the products by using similar live performance imagery and color schemes. While it was easier to connect the digipak and advert as printed media, the music video was distinguished through its inclusion of a storyline while still incorporating live footage to maintain links to the other products. Audience research found a wide range of interests were served through this balanced approach. In the end, the products were deemed to work well together while retaining their individual qualities and fully representing the band.

1. Evaluation Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product
and ancillary texts?
As each of our products effectively serve the same purpose of promoting our
chosen band, we felt it important to create a sense of continuity and
cohesiveness between each text so as to create a consistent theme with which to
represent the band themselves.
After a group discussion, it was decided that the clearest way to link the three
texts together would be through the use of similar visuals. We had a few ideas,
but settled on the concept that live imagery of the band performing was
implementable to each type of text. We could edit footage of a performance in to
the video, and use images taken during their performance to illustrate the
digipak and advert with.
Here, we tried to use similar angles and
shots between the different products so
that after seeing one of them, an audience might feel a sense of almost deja vú
upon seeing the others. Getting the audience to “recognise” our products was an
incredibly important consideration in their creation, as we felt that if they could
not stand together, they would be fairly weak on their own in such a competitive
market as that of indie music. The fact that we wanted to use live imagery
handily connects with the mostly live-performance conventions of both our band
and the genre of indie-rock.
The products all share a predominantly dark colour scheme, with hints of red,
blue and yellow throughout. We edited the photos on the digipak and advert to
fit the captured video as it would have been harder to change to video to suit the
images, but the effect created definitely links the products together and they are
recognisable as part of a larger group from the colours they share.
Above:
Advert
Below:
Digipak
Front
Cover

2. The music video does not feature any text, but the
advert and digipak feature text very similar to that of
each other. The main fonts and their colours are
common across the two products, which adds a
professional edge to their presentation. The band’s
official logo was also used on both, but we changed its
colour in order to remain in keeping with our colour
scheme. This was upon their request and we felt it
important to remain faithful to their wishes
throughout our design stages, seeing as the end
product is actually for them.
We had originally wanted to conduct a few studio-based shoots of the band and
actors so that we may use their images on the digipak/advert, but this idea was
scrapped in favour of staying faithful to our predominantly live presentation of
the band. Not performing these shoots actually helped us to more effectively
combine our products, as it meant they couldn’t feature other content (e.g. the
video would not be able to feature the still images, so would stand out and feel
disconnected). This effort was made in pursuit of clear synergy between our
products.
It was much easier to make connections between the digipak and advert, as they
are both forms of still, printed media. One consideration we made in an effort to
work around this problem would be to use nothing but live performance clips for
our music video. I am glad we decided against this, however. Although it would
have made the three products altogether more similar, I don’t think this would
have necessarily made them better combined. We chose to include a storyline in
our video for alterior reasons (if someone didn’t like live performance, they
wouldn’t like any of the video), but I feel that in doing so, we gave the music video
its own voice and made it stand out from our other products. Had we made too
much of an effort to liken two different types of media together, I feel they would
all have lost their own individual values. I am happy with the juxtaposition that
the storyline in the video provides, but also glad that the live video shots still
hold onto that link to the printed products.
The audience research conducted before production began told us that our
audience had a very wide range of interests. There was no one particular
preference for either live or story-driven content, and I feel our work reflects
these opinions well. It is thanks to our three products’ common ground that we
have been able to cover as many bases as we could whilst still retaining
solidarity in our ideas.
In retrospect, I think our products cooperate very well to deliver a solid
overarching attitude and style to our final result. I (and my peers in interviews)
honestly believe that they look to suit each other, whilst still fulfilling the criteria
of our audience research. The work has a very distinct feel throughout and I
think this could have easily been ruined by having the products fit together any
less than seamlessly.
Above: Advert Title
Below: Digipak Front Cover
Note the exact same font and two-
tone colour scheme.