The document discusses how the author ensured effective synergy between their main media product and ancillary texts such as a magazine advertisement and CD digipak. Some techniques used included featuring the same actresses across products with consistent costumes and makeup to represent different character types. Imagery, colors, and screenshots were also consistently featured to create continuity. Audience feedback confirmed the synergy was generally good, though some felt the font and colors could better reflect the fun nature of the video, so changes were made.

1. 2) HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE
COMBINATION OF YOUR MAIN
PRODUCT AND ANCILLARY TEXTS?

2. It was very important to make sure that the combination of my main product and
ancillary texts is effective; this is because having a good synergy of products makes
it easy for the audience to associate the products as a whole rather than as two (or
three) separate products. The aim of this task was to create a promotional package
for a media text and I believe that by effectively synergising my products I created
the best way to promote the media text I chose.
One example of the way that I have made the combination of my texts effective is
my use of model or actress. I have ensured that my actresses have remained the
same throughout the making of the product. Due to the fact that I have three
actresses featured in my video, I deemed it necessary to make sure that I used all
three on both my magazine advert and on my digipak. Although I have only used
certain features from the faces of my models on my magazine advert, I feel that
they are still wholly recognisable due to the fact that they are the main focus of the
video. This is also the case of digipak however, my digipak uses the full faces of
the actresses inside, and so when the audience opens the digipak they can see the
very recognisable faces of the models that feature in the video.

3. I also made sure that my models always were wearing the same costumes and had the
same makeup. As you can see here, one of my actresses maintains the ‘goth’ look, one
maintains the ‘sporty’ look and one maintains the ‘girly’ look. I felt it was important to
have three strong girl characters in my video as this made my product much more
appealing to a wider audience as everyone would feel like they could relate to it, as
many people have been attached these sorts of labels at some point. I also tried to
maintain a positive view of all of the characters as I felt it was important to ensure
that my product was sending a positive body image to all girls. This was continued in
my digipak as you can see, as they effectively maintained their characters by both the
‘attitude’ they are portraying and the costumes and makeup they are wearing. I think
this is a good example of effective synergy as it shows continuity of character in my
video, digipak and even in my magazine. As you can see in my magazine ad you cannot
make out the full of the girls faces, however by makeup you can still associate yourself
with one of the characters, this is good as if the audience just happened to see the
magazine advert, they would be able to recognise the character and after watching the
video, would be able to attach themselves to a persona.

4. Furthermore, I have used the same images on my magazine advert and on the front cover of
my digipak; this creates continuity between the two products. I feel that this was very important,
to use the front cover of my digipak as the main focus of my magazine advert because it means
that it would be easy for the audience to spot the CD cover in a shop if they had previously
seen the advert. All images used on the inside of the digipak are screenshots from the actual
video, this creates brilliant cross-form synergy as it allows the audience to associate imagery
from the CD cover/inside with what they have seen on TV.
Another way in which I have made the combination of my texts effective is the use of the same
colours in my music video, digipak and magazine advert. The heavy use of green screen in my
video was very important when following the conventions of the genre I was trying to ‘mock’,
so it was important to use these same bright colours throughout the video to make sure that the
same ‘happy go lucky’ connotations are shown in all of my texts. The colours used
predominantly in my video are pink, blue, orange and white. I have ensured continuity as these
colours are used within the text underneath the image on the magazine advert, and also the text
underneath the image on the digipak as well as on the spine. These colours also feature in the
backgrounds of the images of the actresses on the ancillary texts. I have tried to maintain the
use of the same or similar colours throughout the making of my product and ancillary texts as I
believe that it is easy for the audience to relate these 4 primary colours to my product.

5. I have also used screenshots from my video as part of my digipak. As you can see, the main 4
images used on the inside of the digipak are screenshots of the 3 models and of the artist, taken
straight from the music video. Another example of this can be seen here, where I have used 4
screenshots from my video to create the back of the digipak which is a sort of 4 way split screen. I
think this is effective as it is taking things directly from the video, so it is easy for the audience to
see that this album contains a song which used the video with these 4 models.

6. I thought that it was necessary to also do audience feedback to see if my audience thought
that I had a good combination of products:
As you can see from these
questionnaires, most people asked
thought that there was good synergy of
my product, initially some people
thought that the font and colour of font
used in my ancillary texts did not
effectively reflect that in my video as it
was not ‘fun enough’ as a result of this
feedback I changed the colour of my
text and made the font bolder to make it
appear more ‘fun’ and I think that the
made the combination of my main
product and ancillary texts much more
effective.