Research into DVD covers, and Magazine Adverts

Another part of our coursework task was to produce two ancillary texts. The first was a magazine advert, which would be shown in popular and relevant music magazines. The second one was a DVD cover for the release of our music video. I therefore researched both of these topics, looking into popular current contenders, styles and audiences. I decided to begin my research looking into general magazine adverts, starting with ones that aim at a female audience ‘More, Closer, OK!’. I noticed most of the adverts in these were relevant to what a female audience would be interested in purchasing, for example make-up, perfumes, and other cosmetics. I then looked into magazines focusing on a male audience, for example Nut’s and Zoo. Again, I noticed that whatever being advertised was typical to what a male would purchase, for example, aftershave, cars, and sportswear. Throughout both of these, I noticed that all adverts had a similar pattern and layout. Focusing around one large picture with minimal text, however putting forward all information needed for promotion. I then began researching into the most popular music magazines currently, I found that NME and Kerrang! were big contenders. Both magazines are well known for their eye catching front covers, always containing the latest music news and gossip and also hosing all of the current ‘big’ artists. Having looked inside both of them, and looking at their websites and customer reviews it was clear to me that both magazines have the same objectives; music information and promotion. I then focused what I was looking at within the magazines around the adverts placed in them, I found that a vast majority of the adverts placed in music magazines were of a similar layout to previous magazines, however the picture was of a bad rather than a product. They tended to have bold writing, minimal but catchy, a smaller section containing information on how to purchase, or become a fan of the band or song, and also a website. I definitely think that NME would be more suitable for our magazine advert, as I think that the genre of our music is indie, and NME covers the majority of music genres, whereas Kerrang! focuses slightly more on rock. I also thing that the narrative of the music video suits NME better, as it represents a stereotypical life of a youth culture, which fits in to age rang 14-25 and I feel NME also has this target audience, whereas Kerrang!’s audience is more genre (rock) related that age related. We included things like promotions when bought in HMV and, a prompt to become a fan a popular social networking site, as we thought these would also target the appropriate audience.

When moving my research onto the DVD topic, I found it a lot harder to find DVD covers containing music videos and songs. It was made clear to me that a promotional DVD is not a popular way to distribute a music video. Some CD singles that are released for sale in the shops contain a video file of the music video for the audience to view, however these are not sold in a DVD case, but a CD case. I therefore did research into both DVD covers and CD single and album covers. I found that for the CD single or CD album, the front cover consisted of one large simplistic image; if and album the image would be of the band or singer and if a CD single it would be a different image of the band or singer, relating more to that particular song. DVD covers were similar, containing one large simplistic image and a title, with more text on the rear of the case. We therefore decided to combine these two ideas into one, producing a DVD cover with all of typical DVD features, however incorporating the visuals of a CD cover, as we thought this is what drew attention to what the product was.