Ancillary Text

As well as our main product (Love/Paranoia Music Video) Ellie and I have been tasked with the the addition of an Ancillary Text which will be combined with our main product to create our overall final outcome. Our ancillary text involves the design and construction of digipak-style packaging for our chosen song that features in our music video. A digipak is often used for CD singles or special editions of CD albums. Digipak typically consist of a book style card and plastic binding. Digipaks were first created by MeadWestvaco, and their product, called Digi-Pak, is trademarked. However, the format became more popular and began to be used by more manufacturers because of its developing populatiry in its first years of use the digipak in current times is very common and still very popular. 

The design of a typical digipak will consist of some aspect of what the artist represents and what the predominate genre is. The digipak will most likely embody and theme and a message about the artist image. An example of this would be Tame Impala's album art never showing a member of the band but always being clearly represented through psychedelic art and symbolism. This links to emphasising the bands brand image which in turn increases the popularity of the band. The digipak also exemplifies the artistic and creative approach the artist is taking throughout the music. For example, if there’s some futuristic idealism conveyed in the lyrics or the visuals in the music video then the front cover wouldn’t be very contemporary but more obscure and abstract. This could also be conveyed through the use of simplistic imagery, which through research I have conducted is often showed on the covers of classical music CD's which is in keeping with the genre. All aspects of the digipak, brand image and music video are all interwoven together. From conducting research into the digipak I have been made aware of how our music video being so closely linked and represented through means of psychedelic expression (the use of ink in water, paint to drip over body parts and neon face paint) and how the design of the digipak will have to link back to this form of expression quite closely to in turn link back to the music video. From further research I conducted I have also been made aware that the design and contraction of a digipak can benefit the artist and their music as its aims to work as a promotional aspect of the music industry which helps bring awareness to the artist thus selling the artist and encouraging consumers to buy and listen to their music. You could argue that buying a CD or any form of hardcopy music including the digipak establishes your loyalty to your artist. As through globalisation almost all music products are purchased online or even more likely today to be illegally downloaded or streamed of the internet. Consumers may be swayed from taking this course of action if they are fans of the band or artist and see that the digipak they are selling is unique and unattainable through online streaming.