Critical Evaluation

 

Music Promotion Package: Critical Reflection

This music promotion package did not require me to write a song. However, I composed one because I wanted to immerse myself in the production journey of how music artists fabricate and release their songs to the public. 

I found the song writing relativity easy as I am a musician and singer and have written songs in the past. What I did underestimate was the time it took to record the song to a high standard. This was in part to a faulty device but either way this ate into my production schedule.  

The production process was now time sensitive, and I took it upon myself to shoot the video with two of my friends. This made it easier for me to finish the music video, given that I could focus into directing, behind the camera. 

My next obstacle was the construction of the digipack, this was particularly challenging because I was going through an “artist block”. I did plenty of research, but I found it difficult to develop the concept in a way that complemented my video. However, with perseverance the challenge became an inspiration for the final piece, to which I am very pleased with. 

The social media promotional concept was simple since I am very familiar with the platforms used by myself and so many artists. We are exposed to these platforms on a daily basis, and I will discuss further upon more reflection. 

How did your products represent social groups or issues?

A breakup can feel terrible to many teenage girls my age, which is a topic that the song highlights very well. I paid particular attention to this in the writing of the lyrics.  However, to appeal and empathise to more people in this demographic, I have created a music video that would try and represent them in situations that might arise in their lives, this in turn would hopefully establish a connection and understanding.

I tried to represent the young people of today in a number of ways. The characters wore their normal clothes in a bid to keep attune with today’s culture.  My characters are equipped with gadgets, like smartphones and Bluetooth headphones to show representation of contemporary society, something I hope the audience will track with the video’s codes and conventions.  

I didn’t address any social issues or conflicting topics such as war, racism, or sexuality. I wanted the song’s narrative to be the main focal point of my music video. However, I did challenge the narrative structure by portraying the music video through a nonlinear storytelling. Going back and forth from the past to the present, symbolising the regret depicted through the constant wave of memories. 

I manipulated elements in post – production such as the filters, lighting, and the durations of certain clips to dramatize them, and emphasize the message and lyrics of the song. 

For instance, the slow motion in the “jogging scene” juxtaposes the action of running and elongates the clip to resemble time passing without the character’s awareness since they’re knee - deep in their thought process. Elements like these in the music video can help convey the effects of heartbreak on mental health and how easy it is to drown in your own thoughts. 

I also played with the visual style when it came to the design of the digipack. The artist block was overcome by going back to basics and brainstorming ideas on a piece of paper. This gave me the concept of a “collage theme”. This collage concept meant more than just scraps of pictures on top of each other, as it also has codes and connotations to both good and bad memories. 

My project took on a ‘guerrilla filmmaking’ process due to the limited resources, time, and money. I only had access to one Canon digital camera a Sony camcorder, and an iPhone 13. This limited production equipment forced me keep shots simple and flexible which also required me to be creative with lighting and setting. A lot of the time, the filming was shaky, so multiple shots had to be taken, which made the music video process a lengthy one. 

How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of branding?

In the music industry, I found that the artist can also be ‘the brand’. Therefore, their songs, merchandise and their ‘look’ are the products. Throughout this music promotional package, I’ve always had it in my best interest to produce outcomes that connects with teenage girls going through this mundane experience. I produced products that comforted my audience, to let them know that even in these dark moments, there will always be room for growth. 

I tried to communicate and ensure this message by reaching out to my target audience and use marketing strategies like:

• Using social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter for a promotional campaign, which many teenagers use to connect with friends, and in this case, keep up with artists’ works. 

• Ensuring there’s consistency in marketing, which I have done by posting identical codes and conventions and content across the platforms, to avoid miscommunications and display a clear message. 

• Building a stronger brand by connecting with the fanbase through “memes” related to the release of the music video. 

• Designing the content released and the digipack to be aesthetically pleasing by adhering to a colour scheme, which includes ivory white, red, green, and black. 

• Maintaining continuity by keeping the content in theme with “letters”. For instance, including a personalised letter with each digipack. 

I found that when I was seeking to promote new music, social media was a great way to build a stronger brand because it allowed me to target the fanbase directly. This is becoming more apparent in society as these platforms provide opportunities for fans to ‘comment’ on the information and product given to them. 

The platforms also provide and user analytics - information about the main demographics that came across my page. This, along with the features I have used in filming the music video, and creating the digipack is how I have established my brand as a music artist. 

How do your products engage with the audience?

My target audience is mainly teenage girls, although I can see some boys empathising with my work. Using social media platforms is a must to reach this teenage audience.

I have used hashtags such as “#Letter2Him” the song title, to inspire discussions and more ‘buzz’ about the release of the music video, which would ideally increase its exposure, and potentially make it a “trending” topic. 

In addition, I have added a conceptual website which is “shop.elainecruz.com” to encourage purchasing of the products such as the digipack and future merchandise. Having a website is another great way to track performance as it shows user analytics, which could be used to target audience through the “SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)”. Future development would be to have a subscription option where subscribers would receive weekly emails about merchandise or digipacks or tour ticket releases. I would also try to incentivise my fan base with free products such as pictures and desktop wallpapers to hook them into my brand.

Furthermore, future plans include collaborations with other female artists who are well known in the music industry, namely Gracie Abrams and Beabadoobee. Because music remixes for instance, would maximise the synergy that comes with the collaboration to gain more “listeners” from both fanbases. 

It is also important to realize that artists are also considered influencers as a result of social media, which means that fans now, prioritise the authenticity and transparency that their idols display. Therefore, to maintain this, I plan on organizing a weekly schedule of “live” videos to engage and interact with fans and maintain relevance by constantly reminding them of my presence. 

Other activities such as posting “polls”, behind the scenes content and sharing fan-made edits on social media is how I plan on engaging with the audience, as it would help then feel more included in the community that my brand has built. 

How did your research inform your products and the way they use or challenge conventions?

For research purposes, I looked at well-known female artists that delve into the same music genre that I was promoting, that way I was inspired by the promotional tactics they have used. 

For the song itself, I was heavily influenced by the music style of singer – songwriter Niki Zefanya, whose songs I personally put on repeat when I went through my own emotional journeys. The lyrics of her music were so meaningful, and I wanted to highlight that in my very own work. 

I’ve also taken a lot of inspiration from artist, Gracie Abrams, for her promotional campaigns she’s used, because I have always been fond of the content she posts. For instance, she uses artistic and aesthetically pleasing designs to announce the release of her merchandise or vinyl album. I actually got the idea of the conceptual site from her, as she always mentions it when she releases her products in the social media posts she makes.

I did not challenge any conventions and decided to “play it safe” just because I wanted the audience’s attention on the meaning behind this “single” or my work in general, which again alludes to the issues surrounding a painful breakup. This is also my first attempt at making a video and for simplicity’s sake I would rather stick with normal codes and conventions and representations rather than challenge them.

To conclude, I have created a song, music video, and digipack which has touched on the topic of heart break. I have promoted it in several ways, all of which I am pleased with.

Looking back at my work I think one area of development I should have pursued was that of an artist logo or brand logo. I think this would have established a more recognisable brand, this would help differentiate me from other music artists. I also feel that this would have added more continuity if the logo would have been placed on my ‘products’.