HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE COMBINATION OF YOUR MAIN PRODUCT AND ANCILLARY TEXTS?

• To understand the effectiveness of the combination of music videos and posters and digipacks meant we had to look at real media examples. We did research into different artists such as Lana Del Rey, Bastille and the NHBD themselves to see their products and to see what they have done to create an effective campaign to broadcast their work.

• What I found was that the colours and themes are reoccurring amongst the products, for example Katy Perry’s PRISM album, had the same reoccurring themes and colours. For example the colours are very bright, with the reoccurring colours of pink, blue, purple and yellow. As well as the text and the font used is the same for both the CD cover and poster. Reason for this is artists create many albums, thus to group their products they need to have the same colours or images, so the target audience know which is which. By having these reoccurring images and themes Katy Perry was able to create an effective campaign to have people notice her products. We needed to have the same outcome, thus we needed to follow the same conventions.

• The main product which was our music video, follows the theme of loss and friendship. This theme is carried out in our ancillary tasks also to achieve a coherent campaign that continues throughout the poster and digipack. It is crucial to have the same reoccurring themes on all the products to show they’re all from one source, and belong to each other.  By having nature as a theme which we have in all our products represents the realism of our music video, as well as the reality of death. By using nature in all out products makes it effective as it doesn’t matter what product the target audience sees first, they would understand immediately what it is about.

• The font was very important, especially the HAZE logo, as this logo is a branding, it stays the same throughout all the products, thus the font of that had to stay the same.

• In terms of the colour pallet and editing we had the reoccurrence of black and white/grey scale and vintage editing, which consisted of light flares and light leaks. This aspect was also carried out in our ancillary tasks. The digipack is all grey scale, as well as the promotional music poster. Colour is very significant in that aesthetically anyone who sees the products can immediately comprehend that all the products belong to one group. Although the inner meaning such as the themes such as loss and the hidden meaning is mostly for the fans, those that are not out target audience would also understand that these themes and images that they have caught a glimpse of are from one band HAZE.

• The colours of the poster is all greyscale, with white, this is a reoccurring colour and filter used throughout all the products. This allows all the products to interlink, when the target audience see the poster, they will wait till the digipack comes out, when they see this, they will see the similarities. This was effective and very crucial as if the colours in the music video were bright and loud, and the poster was grey scale while the digipack sepia, this would make it confusing and the products would not be as effective, as a group of things with the same reoccurring meaning and themes enhances the themes however differing ones only weaken the product and its ability to reach its target audience.

• The poster would bring the attention of the target audience, thus the poster needed to give away the themes immediately. The poster has the image of the protagonist and her friend and the positioning of the two, shows parting, also by having the friend behind the protagonist shows that the music video is about their relationship but in the view of the protagonist. Also by having the use of black ink photography adds to the aesthetic look, making it look very indie and vintage, this would reflect the music video, and its aesthetic look. This is effective as it interlinked all our products together, reflecting the same themes, giving the audience something to gather.

• The hidden meaning behind out front cover is that the image shows a journey, you can see a long path that fades away, this reflects the life and journey of the protagonist with her friend. The image is empty with just nature, I did not want people on the front cover, as the story is about emptiness and loss, thus the image explains to the audience what the album will be about.

• The digipack is promoted by the poster, thus it meant that the colours and themes had to be similar in order for the audience to understand that it is from one album and effectively reach the target audience.

• We have a simplistic colour scheme and design going through our CD cover. The colour is black and white, more towards the grey shades, as it reflects our music video. The design is very simple and is mainly full of texture and nature to symbolise realism.

• The band name 'HAZE' is in white, making it stand out from the grey background, I did not want to go for colour as it would not suit our music video.

• The music video emphasises the coherent campaign through the use of the same themes in the ancillary task. This recreates the same tone and ideas as the ancillary task so the audience can recognise the music video as being the ‘Haze’ album featuring the song ‘Alleyways’. The black and white effect is used in a similar way in the ancillary tasks, it establishes to the audience what the genre of music and style of music it is through its vintage feel, font and indexical symbols like the link between black and white film in indie movies and other music videos. This is effective as the target audience would have insight into indie genre and its conventions, by having these conventions in our music video, allows them to recognise the genre, effectively being their taste and satisfying their entertainment needs.

• We also used the same font for both Haze and Alleyways as this is a recognisable branding from the ancillary task which the audience would identify and link together. Also the theme of nature is a reoccurring one, the use of blossoms and branches represents the blossoming of their relationship, and the beauty of their friendship. However towards the end we see branches without leaves to represent loss through the seasons and this by having this reoccurring theme in all the products we effectively allow the audience to recognise the album.

• Overall the combination of all three of our products is very effective as all together it creates a strong platform for the target audience to reach and watch the music video. Through the use of the same themes, colour schemes and ideas it adds to the recognition of the band, the logo and colours are very statement and different adding to the difference of other real media products out there in the market ad making our products more identified.