Generic Research: Case Study Three

                                                                            MOJO 

When opening their website, the first thing seen is MOJO’s latest edition of their physical magazine. This is a good way of promoting their most recent products, and enticing an audience to further explore their website to look at other editions. At the top of their website, there are several tabs to music related sources, which I could utilise within my website to promote other methods of audience engagement, such as linking social media.

Additionally, their website showcases other music-related articles that aren’t featured within editions. I think this is a good method of increasing audience interaction, especially with a genre-specific magazine, because if an audience has bought a magazine for a genre, they are likely to pay attention to articles with a similar nature of content. This would also be a good way of adding intertextuality to my products. There are also subscription buttons scattered around the webpage, to ensure audiences make a purchase.

MOJO’s website also has an archive of their latest magazines. This is another way I could display my editions.

Generic Research: Case Study Two

                                                                       BILLBOARD

Whilst ‘Billboard’ is a music magazine, it doesn't follow a lot of generic conventions. The masthead is unconventionally placed, and there is a lack of puffs and basic information, which is typically expected from a music magazine. However this gives the magazine connotations of sophistication. Despite this, most generic conventions are adhered to, such as direct mode of address from artists and uncentered coverlines.

I am inspired by the use of this cover’s naturalistic mise-en-scene, and would like to do something similar within one of my front covers. I like the connotations of ‘realness’, alongside the visually pleasing colour palette accompanying the natural theme. 

Generic Research: Case Study One

DAILY MUSIC ROLL

Within this edition of ‘Daily Music Roll’, generic conventions have been adhered to. The cover lines aren’t obscuring the main image, yet are still identifiable and provide information about the magazine’s contents. Within the main image, there is a direct mode of address via eye contact by Tyla, and 3-4 main colours are used to make the front cover visually stand out, whilst maintaining aesthetics. 

Within my magazines, I would like to mimic the graphic design element of the masthead, due to its visually appeasing nature, alongside its ability to instantly identify itself as a music magazine to an audience. I would also like to use my cover lines to incorporate intertextual references.

Generic Research- Codes and Conventions of Music Magazines

 Main Image

. Consists of a large close-up shot of the talent featuring within the main article, typically photographed on a plain background.

Cover lines

. Typically found at the left/right of the main image. Generally used to tease the reader about the edition’s contents, giving a general insight about the magazine’s niche.

Tagline

. Typically placed above the masthead, attracting attention by indicating that it’s a special addition, or highlighting an interesting story featured within the magazine.

Masthead

. Commonly found at the top of the magazine. Mastheads are bold, and in an easily visible font, named and designed to relate to the genre of music the magazine specialises in.

Composition

. Colour schemes tend to match the genre the magazine is aimed at (e.g. Kerrang! has a darker colour palette, than Mojo). 3-4 main colours are used, as too much colour can make editions hard to read, and visually unappealing.

. Magazine layout differs between genres.

. All music magazines will have basic information, such as a barcode, issue date and cover price.

. Puffs are used to grab attention.

. Direct mode of address.

Generic Research: Case Study Three

Website- Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo is an American singer-songwriter, her website 'GUTS world tour – Olivia Rodrigo | Official Store' being centred around her pop-rock album 'GUTS'. The website is interactive, a reoccurring theme being the stars seen floating within her merch, competitions, and webpage banner.

Banner

Rodrigo's website includes a cyclically changing banner, featuring images of her advertising her merchandise, and using puns such as 'spilling her guts' to promote her current tour.

Merchandise

Within her merchandise promotion, Olivia Rodrigo is the only model used within advertisement. This acts as a form of value transference from her to the product, as fans know that the merchandise they are receiving will be authentic, as it has been worn, and advertised by the artist herself. Additionally, the use of elite persons within this advertising draws more attention to the products, increasing the likelihood of being purchased. 

Digital Convergence

Within her merchandise store, Olivia Rodrigo has 'collections', consisting of merchandise relating to the music videos of her songs. This directly links her music videos to her website, as fans can interact with and purchase items they have previously seen. 

Interaction

Olivia Rodrigo's website contains a 'guts game' tab, where an audience can complete a quiz and receive a song that matches their personality. With this information, fans are then redirected back to the merch store, and suggested products that fit them the best. This is an intelligent form of advertising her merchandise store and her GUTS tour simultaneously, as not only is Rodrigo amplifying fans excitement to attend the concert, but she is also alleviating any potential distress caused by not knowing what to wear, capitalising off their concerns by providing a solution within her personal store.

Additionally, fans have the opportunity to win a purple acoustic guitar, signed by the artist herself, if they sign up to this competition. However, fans need to attend one of her shows in order to meet the entry requirements. This is a good way of once again amplifying excitement for the tour, whilst making sure fans actually purchase a ticket and attend.

Tour attendees are also invited to share their images taking from their show online via '#GUTSworldtour' for the chance to be features on the website. This not only advertises the tour at a cheap cost for Rodrigo, but also creates a space online for fans to talk about their positive experiences, instilling a sense of missing out in those who haven't attended. This inevitably encourages fans to purchase a ticket and attend, so they can be seen by both other fans, by relating to them, and potentially seen by the artist herself by being recognised on her website.

Generic Research: Case Study Two

                                                        Love It If We Made It- The 1975

'Love It If We Made It' is a self-described "gem of hope amongst all the rubble". The music video reflects the song's hard-hitting lyrics, consisting of controversial social and political references, observing the volatile effects of modern society. Rather than being performance-based, the video features snippets of narrative, capturing the zeitgeist of the song- "if we're talking about shocking stuff, and we're relating to shocking stuff, and we're resonating with the song because of that shocking stuff, we have to see that shocking stuff". The song is directed at the youth, resonating with the brief's target audience of a '16-25 year old middle market demographic who like to be entertained'. 

Mise-en scene

 

The video begins with a series of introductory shots of the band and their instruments individually without physically being present, represented by multiple coloured light sources. The anonymity of the performance draws attention away from an audience's personal appeal in the band's physical appearance, redirecting their view towards the serious nature of the following imagery shown.

The music video features several shots of videos corresponding with the song's lyrics (example: 'A beach of drowning three year olds', accompanied by imagery of Syrian refugee found washed up on shore). The video's visualisation of segments of lyrics by associating them with short footage of narrative is a creatively satisfying technique.

Intertextuality

The video's chorus homages Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel", making this celebratory segment act as an antithesis to the rest of the song's hard-hitting lyrics. 

Generic research: Case Study One

                                                            'Together'- Beabadoobee

'Together' by Beabadoobee was released as part of her 4th album 'Fake It Flowers', as a means of taking comfort in being alone, suggesting constant dependents on others can be unhealthy. The music video is a self-described "homage to chicks who rock on stage, like Veruca Salt and Hole", adopting 90s stylistic conventions throughout the performance.

Mise-en scène

The video is solely performance-based, featuring no narrative elements throughout. The 'band' seen are almost matching with their black attire, and musical talent is highlighted within each individual's close-up shot, playing their instrument. The use of pink strobe lighting, alongside the fast-paced editing and camera movement match the song's tempo, adhering to typical rock music video conventions. 

Intertextuality 

Throughout the music video, a series of floral imagery is used, both blooming and wilting. This could be to direct audiences to her album 'Fake It Flowers' that the song appears on, however it could also relate to the song's preferred reading. Beabadoobee stated 'Together' relates to straying away on the dependence on togetherness, as it can be self-destructive. This use of imagery connotes both positivity (thriving, potentially seen via relying less on others), and negativity (being harmed, potentially seen via depending on others).