Conventions of a digipack
For the first of our ancillary texts we have decided to construct a digipack. The modern digipack is a variation on the traditional plastic CD case for album, it usually consists of a folding cardboard sheet with a certain number of flaps and storage compartments. The CD either stored on a plastic back or a carboard sleave which is very similar to the classic carboard sleaving for vinyl. Not all of the images included in my research are from digipacks, but represent the way that album art is presented in general.
For a description of some types of digipack see: http://www.mediaheaven.co.uk/digipak.htm (hyperlink option broken)
The digipack (or traditional CD case) is just as important promotional tool for the artist as a music video or any other form of advertising. The artwork needs to be able to stand out from the crowd, while at the same time it has to relate to the music or artist. From looking at a range of album covers and digipacks I have managed to piece together a set of common conventions which are present, these are by no means definitive but seem to represent this form of media text.
•Genre Characteristics
•Artwork reflecting the main themes of the album or artist
•Images of the artist (or their iconography)
•Intertextual references
•A consistent design aesthetic
•Information about the product
There is obviously a great detail of variety in the application of these conventions, this is essential to allow an album to stand out from the crowd. For most texts one convention or a combination of few will provide a unique selling point.
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