Creative Journal ~ Digipak Creation

Upon creating the magazine we started out with the original picture, which is shown below. We then edited it in Photoshop to blur the background too allow us to make the design more fluent and work better together.

The next step was editing the images that needed to be presented onto the magazine. This meant using software such as Photoshop and paint to remove backgrounds with ease.

Creative Journal - Digipak Development

When creating the CD cover we made multiple versions and got feedback on each to see which would best suit our target audience. Overall we made a total of three mock ups and then we created the final. We printed each prototype off to get an idea of if the product looked effective and how we planned for it to be.

Prototype One

The first prototype we created is shown above. This was the basic design, main focuses were getting image positioning and appropriate quotes and fonts to fit the style. The main issues with this prototype is the rotation of the top three images (this need to be upside down in order for the print to work correctly). We also decided that the quotes didn’t work as effectively as we hoped so we addressed this in the second prototype. Another main focus with this prototype was the back of the cover, ensuring that it contained the correct and appropriate information in order for it to give a professional feel. The prototype is missing a spine, which we realised after the creation. The middle we decided to be simplistic, this being because with the three photos we took, there was a lot of graffiti and therefore a lot going on which needed balancing. We used the colour pink to reflect the music video (use of the green screen in the zoom) this way the CD cover was reflective of the music video which carried the main message the artist carries.

Prototype Two

The second prototype we created (shown above) started to come together more, this being because we had the correct positioning of the slides, in the first prototype the slides were not placed correctly. We planned and designed the front slide for this prototype and incorporated the spines throughout, however, upon printing we realised the front slide was not rotated appropriately. We also were not too sure about the quotations and their positing on the CD, alongside the spine being the wrong way round which we later corrected. We also decided that the print was too bare, so we decided to add another image in the middle. The feedback that impacted this decision was that there was too much pink so we took this into consideration for prototype three. We looked into how the spine needs to be so we could incorporate the appropriate information, this being the artist’s name, the album name, serial number and the record label logo.

Prototype Three

Prototype Three was created using the feedback from prototype two, as shown we used more photos to decrease the amount of pink in the product. However, upon personal reflection we decided that two quotes weren’t as effective as we intended.  

Final Product

This view allows you to see the product internally.

This view allows you to see the external element of the product.

The final product allowed us to act upon feedback given by our audience, it meant we could ensure the impact that it has and how eye catching the product actually was. The final product was deemed successful because it has strong continuity between the digipak and the final video. This ensured that people was able to make the connection between the two products and were able to successfully identify which genre the artist belonged to.

Audience Feedback

Magazine Advert Codes and Conventions

The codes and conventions of  a magazine advert is demonstrated below.

Code/conventions	Reason
Artist Name & Album Title	This is how the reader will identify the artist. The advert’s purpose is to promote the artist & album, so there needs to be recognisable features so the audience knows what they’re looking for and they can identify the product, it also allows the advert to stick in the audience’s head to achieve its purpose. It is also important for the advert to contain information to help the audience purchase the album.
Purchase Information	Key elements of this is the release date of the album, or if it is now available it should be stated in order to inform the audience. The audience should also be informed if the album is only available a physical copy or is available digitally as well. If this is the case, is the album available on the artists website or on ITunes. Likewise knowledge on where to purchase the physical copy will be beneficial.
Reviews	This is a key component as it gives the audience good faith that the album is worth their money. The audience hearing from someone who isn’t a company has a different impact on their likelihood of purchase. The audience may also look on website to see reviews for the artist and their albums. For example, if the artist that was being advertised was in the rock genre then Kerrang! Magazine is the likely place for them to look. It is important that only good reviews are included within the advert. Star ratings are also popular.
Imagery	The imagery that the advert contains will be the difference between the reader stopping on the advert or carrying on. The imagery should reflect the artist and their music effectively and should also follow a aesthetically pleasing design scheme.
‘Featuring’	Artists take advantage of current releases to also advertise their past releases and will be able to use popular songs off of the current album to catch the attention of the audience. The impact this has is an identifying factor which decides whether they purchase the album or not.
Online Links	Addresses for relevant website should be shown on a magazine to allow the audience to read more about the artist and the new or past albums. Links to their social media should also be apparent to engage the audience into the life of the artist, developing a person connecting with them. It is important to create synergy between the online advertisements and the physical advertisements. Using social media and online promotions will allow the artist to target a younger generation which can be greatly effective.

Anotated Magazine digipak

Codes and Conventions of a Digipak Magazine

Storyboard