Evanescence – Rock/Alternative

Official Website - http://www.evanescence.com/

Conventional features

Can download videos from iTunes

Exclusive performance by the band

Photo gallery

New album advertised

Can join their official fan club

Ringtones

Official tour merchandise – T-shirts, bags, keychains, stickers, cards, wristbands, CD cover sticker, 2 piece necklace, button pack

Latest news

Upcoming tour dates

Advertising ‘Nightmare Revisited’ – theme links to their image

Layout design

Dominated at the top by the key image – links to the band’s image

All other options given about equal spacing

Semiotic analysis of key iconography

Black background

Yellow and green misty, use of light, other worldly, supernatural

Image – church-like building, very grand, chandelier, illuminating butterflies

Images used are all of the lead female singer – used to sell the band

Typeface

‘Evanescence’ is in white

Imagery of the moon tied into the font – connotations of something supernatural, witchcraft

Interactivity

New single plays as soon as you enter the site

Nightmare Revisited –can watch the trailer for and the making of ‘Nightmare before Christmas’

MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/evanescence

Conventional features

Image of band

Pop out player – can play their tracks

Can contact them

General information about the band

Upcoming shows

Blog entries Discography – link to all their albums on Amazon

Biography

Nightmare Revisited –can watch the trailer for and the making of ‘Nightmare before Christmas’

Link to:

- Exclusive performance for Live Sets

- Evanescence threads

- Youtube channel

- Fanclub

- E-news

- UK E-news

Watch/download their videos or buy their album

Ringtones

Merchandise

Record label

Layout design

Dominated by animated image of the band at the top

New album not advertised at the top, nearer the bottom

More focus on the band/upcoming tours etc

Semiotic analysis of key iconography

Animated image of the band – distinctive, makes them stand apart

Female lead singer at the forefront, more sexualised, used to sell the band and their music

Female lead singer wearing a black dress made to look unrefined, raw

All dressed in black, serious/moody expressions – band image

Grey misty background, tree branches

Typeface

‘Evanescence’ is in white

Imagery of the moon tied into the font – connotations of something supernatural, witchcraft

Other font is yellow, red and white

Straight, simple

Interactivity

Pop out player – can play their tracks

Nightmare Revisited –can watch the trailer for and the making of ‘Nightmare before Christmas’

Can watch their videos

Ne-Yo – R&B

Official Website - http://www.yearofthegentleman.com/

(named after his album, iconography compliments ‘gentleman’ theme)

Conventional features

New album advertised at the top

Can play the video for his new single ‘Part of the List’

Blog information

Latest gigs

USTREAM – slideshow, videos – live blog etc

USTREAM chat

Can become a member

Twitter feed

Can subscribe to his mailing list, mobile list and Ne-Yo feed

Link to a forum

Images and video links

Advertising a CD with a link to Amazon, Ne-Yo is featured on the album as a duet partner on one of the tracks.

Layout design

More space given to Ne-Yo’s blog

Videos of Ne-Yo live or in the studio are given prime space and more focus

Music video for his new single is on the side at the top.

Semiotic analysis of key iconography

Background – cream colour, image of Ne-Yo his signature look, wearing a hat and suit, slightly blurry.

Goes with the name of his album ‘Year of the Gentleman’

Typeface

Black, white and brown font

Straight, simple, sophisticated, classy

Interactivity

Can play the video for his new single ‘Part of the List’

Videos from his blog

Slide shows

USTREAM chat

MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/neyo

Conventional features

Store – can buy Ne-Yo hats, T-shirts, autographed towels, beanies and a poster

Can access his video blog – takes you to his official website

Video of Ne-Yo dancing in the background

Can add Ne-Yo as a friend

Can play the video for his new single ‘Part of the List’

Loads of images and video links

Biography ‘About Ne-Yo’

Ringtones/videos/wallpapers

Can buy all three of his albums

Advertise album ‘Just Dance’ as it features one of Ne-Yo’s tracks

List of concerts

Layout design

Screen within a screen

His name is bigger than the album title

Album advertised at the top and takes up a lot of space

A lot of space given to the music video for his new single (near the top)

Lions down the sides – connotations of masculinity, strength, the alpha male

Semiotic analysis of key iconography

Background – grey and black, almost 3D effect, image of Ne-Yo his signature look, wearing a hat and long black suit, looking to the left out of the picture,

Goes with the name of his album ‘Year of the Gentleman’

Typeface

Name of his album as a title on the website

Mainly grey font, some gold

Straight, simple, bold

Sophisticated, fancy, curly

Interactivity

Can play the video for his new single ‘Part of the List’

Pop out player – can play his tracks

Ne-Yo’s official website is more about him with the focus on his live blog and video clips of him in studio. His myspace is mainly focused on his new album and new single with his biography near the bottom of his myspace.

La Roux – electro-pop

Official Website - http://www.laroux.co.uk/

Conventional features

Link to a forum

List of their tour dates (click on red door)

General information.

Link to iTunes (click on the internet café), Amazon and HMV

Can download their new track ‘Fascination’ for free by entering your details so that they can add you to their mailing list and will send you latest news about them

Can watch their music videos for free

Images and video links

Social Networks - links to Myspace, facebook, Last FM, Bebo, Youtube.

Can sign up and become a fan.

Audio player and press

Layout design

Dominated by image of the street

The image moves with your mouse

Bottom left corner – advertise new album along with previous debut album

Semiotic analysis of key iconography

Similar to their myspace

Black background – quite edgy

Electric avenue

Colourful iconography – urban city street, modern, distinctive imagery

Electric avenue, The Flamingo Lounge, Nails shop, shops,

Typeface

White and grey

Simple, straight, bold, edgy, pointy

Goes with their cool, edgy image.

Interactivity

The image moves with the mouse.

Noise of the city.

Cars drive by, birds in the background, red door opens, traffic lights,

MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/larouxuk

Conventional features

List of gigs

Link to iTunes and polydor.com so you can buy their music

Pictures

Videos

Banner advertising debut album ‘Bullet Proof’

Link to their Official Site.

Contact list so you can send a message, become a friend etc

General information – music influences

Link to their blog – link to Lily Allen’s blog on file sharing (Lily supported La Roux on their tour)

Layout design

Banner advertising their bedut album at the top

Dominated by image of the street

Music video for new single near the top

Link to the ‘Official Site’ and to ‘Get The Album’ – promotion of the album through the single

More focus on their music

Semiotic analysis of key iconography

Black background – quite edgy

Colourful iconography – urban city street, modern, distinctive imagery

Electric Avenue, The Flamingo Lounge, Nails shop, shops, orange, green, blue and red neon lights,

Typeface

Simple, straight, bold, edgy, pointy

Mainly in white and red

Goes with their cool, edgy image.

Interactivity

Music video plays as soon as you enter the site.

Pop Out Player – can listen to their tracks.

Can mix, sing and remix her music

La Roux’s MySpace has more focus on their new single, albums and music with less emphasis on them as their blog entry is given less space. Their Official Site is more about the band image.

Test Shoot

We had our test shoot yesterday in the tunnel in New Southgate. It didn't go that well and so we decided we didnt want to do 'Fences' by Paramore for a number of reasons. First of all we are not sure we could get all the actors needed to perform in the band apart from Mia and Selina. We also weren't clear about our idea from the start and had massively over-complicated things. So we thought it woudn't be practical to continue.

So we have a new possible track called 'Eyes on Fire' by Blue Foundation that is featured in the Twilight film. It is way more atmospheric and we discussed more abstract ideas for this track that our actually practical and can be done with mainly one actress, most likely to be Mia.

So I will post more on this track once we are sure we can do it.

The Ting Tings

1. Summarise the chnaging image of the band/artist as it has developed over time. It might also be useful to summarise the music genre also.
Indie/Alt/Rock/Electronica
Signed by record label Columbia Records (the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound – parented by Sony).
Katie White started in a female punk trio, Total Knockout, supporting Steps and Atomic Kitten. Some of their songs were written by de Martino. They became friends over their joint like of the band Portishead (Electronica/Experimental). After White’s band split over management issues, the two decided to join up.
The name comes from the first name of a Chinese colleague of White at a shop who told her the name sounds like the pronunciation of "an old bandstand" in Mandarin.
Their name earned them a lot of support from Japanese fans
Having created three songs, the bands first gig was a free-beer invite all at The Mill. Subsequent gigs were funded on donations, and after their third gig they were name checked on XFM.
Very bright, funky website – fuchsia pink, red and yellow contrasted with monochrome photographs/promo pics. Links to Myspace, Facebook, Bebo and Twitter – total social networking connections. Also iTunes, to purchase songs.
2. Who are the fans? Do you have any sense of how the music companies have segmented the audiences? To what extent has the branding of a band been linked to target audience?
Large Japanese following due to name – bonus Japanese tracks on album, placating audience. The vinyl was only available for fans of The Ting Tings to buy at their live shows. Every single released had different cover art. This is due to the fact that at every concert, a hundred blank seven-inch sleeves were pinned to a wall, making a canvas on which fans could create an overall piece of artwork that, once dismantled, were used as the sleeves for the singles.
The band's debut album, We Started Nothing, was released on 19 May 2008. It was leaked onto the internet on 13 May 2008. Shortly after the release of the album, the band released a statement on the social network service MySpace which explained to fans that their single "That's Not My Name" had reached number 1 in the UK Singles Charts, the statement went on to encourage fans to purchase legal copies of the single in order to keep it at the top position for the official Sunday Chart release on 18 May. The band went on to secure Number 1 in the UK Singles chart on 18 May.
Have a diary/blog up on their website, helps fans identify with them and feel involved. Also gives a chance to promote upcoming gigs.

3. What marketing strategies can you identify? What kinds of strategies can you list?(above/below-the line? unexpected promo stunts? etc). List any examples of the use of synergy with other industries to promote other media/products in connection with a band/artist.
Debut album was limited edition – several different background colours available in US, and only 2000 copies available on red vinyl. First single, Fruit Machine, limited to a 500-copy run only available at the group’s gigs – exclusivity, promotion of gigs. They had a notable performance at Glastonbury Festival 2007, and after an October 2007 tour of universities in the UK with Reverend and the Makers (Indie-rock + electropop)
Their singles "Shut Up and Let Me Go" and "We Started Nothing" were featured in the Gossip Girl series, while the song "Be the One" was featured in One Tree Hill. Their single "Great DJ" was featured in the theatrical trailers for the Anna Faris comedy "The House Bunny" and the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire."
They are scheduled to return to the United States in Autumn 2009, supporting Pink (rock, pop, alt) on her Funhouse Tour.
“I think, well, we run our own MySpace, that’s our main thing; I’m sure the other ones have helped. The one that we are really fully aware of is MySpace. When we started as a band we put like two songs on there. All we did was add like 20 of our favorite bands, like The Gossip and Talking Heads—we added their MySpaces—and people just found their way there. It’s so weird to be able to put a song on the Internet, and your band on the Internet, and people in Brazil [are] getting in touch and going, “I love it, can you send me a copy of it so I can DJ it?” And so we send them a copy out. It puts our faith back in music. They go on your page and there’s no middleman trying to manipulate the situation. They either like the music or they don’t and it’s very simple. Yeah, MySpace has been great”
Interview with COED Magazine. Allowed themselves to be interviewed by students after coming off stage at Glastonbury.
Merchandise available – band shirts, etc. to promote the image and branding.
Have to give email before allowed to post on website – allows free e-marketing.
Synergy with Apple (music used in iPod advert).

Useful Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ting_Tings
http://www.thetingtings.com/gb/frontpage?cmdr=ip2country/detected

Initial Ideas Brainstorm

Our pitch was yesterday and went quite well as we got a lot of feedback (there is more about all that on the group blog).


I have decided to put up a brainstorm and rather than just writing out all our ideas I thought I could convey our ideas more effectively through pictures. Therefore I have created a few visual brainstorms as you can see below.

We have a track!

We have decided on a track at last! The track is:

'Fences' by Paramore

Paramore are an American indie rock band with a lead female singer which is perfect as we want to use members of our group. Mia will probably play the lead female role. We already have some ideas on what we are going to do. They will soon be put up on this blog.