Packaging & Music

Marketing

Trey Smith 04/28/14

Background

● Music was historically a performance art – patrons paid artists (not that

much) to play.

● Music recording and sales allowed artists to make a living off their craft.

● New formats created marketing opportunities

• Sometimes exploited

• Sometimes organically developed

• Sometimes overlooked

• Sometimes the fox was left in charge of the hen house …

Music Industry CRM & Packaging

Music Industry CRM – Study in Packaging

● The unique size of the long play vinyl record offered a nearly 12 inch

square advertising space.

● The hurried pace of the music industry often did not leave time to use the

space for specific marketing promotions. The marketing space was left to

the music artists and design artists, often creating a small poster.

● However, some artists created a definite style, and sometimes even logos,

which helped the artist branding and sales promotion

Image Creation

● Continuity of artworko Funkadelic

o The Weeknd

Art Direction & Branding

• Label would have in house art directors

• Freelancers were hired

• Some artist directed their own firms

Motown:

Southern Rap and Pen & Pixel

Southern Rap institutions like No Limit and Cash Money Records utilized

famed graphic design firm Pen & Pixel to create a cohesive theme

throughout their album art.

How Decisions Were Made

Responses from John Doyle, former CBS and Sony Music Executive

Depending on the status of the group, there were different options:

1) Artist driven decisions – Some artist had strong options and sales strength

to determine their own images. Within the limits of packaging expense,

music artist were given some leeway to decide. (Pink Floyd & Hipgnosis)

2) Record label assigned designer who consulted with

artist.

Outlandish Designs

“No commercial company, especially a music entertainment company, seeks

public resentment unless it is part of the preconceived strategy to gain PR

attention.”

- John Doyle, Sony Music

When Art > Commercial Appeal

● Some influential groups, like the Velvet Underground had artist success

without commercial success.

New Recording Formats = Change

● Cassetteso smaller dimensions, but same info must be included

● CDso Bigger than casettes, technology format allowed for some extras.

● MP3/Digitalo can include any extras you want, but file size is a consideration.

Youth Marketing

● Resale potential. New Market members & formats.

● Some bought the same product in vinyl, then cassettes, then CD’s, and

then even downloads. - John Doyle, Sony Music

Many considerations must be made when

developing artwork for music releases.

In Conclusion

End