In my earlier research, I found that the genre of music, I'm working within doesn't really get advertised or marketed very well within most magazines. If any within the music industry.

This is due to the audience being so small, that there's obviously not much money to be made aiming persific music and adverts at them.

So magazines decide to aim there adverts are the more board genre, within all the sub-genre’s are apart of. Because there are so many “sub-genres”.

Well through my recent research I found that, it didn’t really need advertising, as sub-genres which would be created and DJ’s of them would be heard through word of mouth.

For example, my artist would be heard at a gig with the AVALAF members and everyone would remember the AVALAF group. (As easier to remember than a single person).

This there by spreading the name from person to person through word of mouth.

It could be argued that network sites such as myspace and facebook come into “word of mouth”. As pages are set up (by the artists) for people to join and discuss, along with fellow DJ’s etc. This again making the audience active as they’ve chose to accept the music and are now showing elements media 2.0 as they’ve commenting and discussing issues which may arise, such as when’s the next gig?

This is a great way to promote the artist as its free!!!!!! And can target the right audience as it gives them the choice to be a “fan” or not. Thereby people that are fans are people that actually care and like the music and not just passive audience members.

So with social network sites, this gives a perfect platform to advise themselves on as they can show up-coming gigs on it etc.

Which the fans will be interested in, get updated and go, thereby advertising to the target audience exactly for absolutely free! And not having to worry about appeal to the different audiences or getting stereotyped as the only people that will know will be the fans.

HOWEVER…..

This could cause a problem as its only targeting people that are already fans, and not catching or bringing any new consumers in.

So how to target new audiences members at no expense???

could be used again. As current fans could invite there friends to join. But how many of those friends will actually accept, and even come to a gig?

Plus the gig holders want to make a profit and get themselves known, to bring in crowds so there not just going to rely on facebook, as it has limitations.

So its obviously that in order to be successful, more advertising is needed, whilst thinking of the small budget to run on.

As my artist doesn't have the privileges as other more well known artists by dominant society and audiences. E.g. Akon. As he has major labels and companies behind him, and a whole team of market as we have established earlier in my research.

So obviously his marketing campaigns and resources to make it are going to be “out-this-world” compare to DJ Cretin.

So what has DJ Cretin used to market himself in the past???

I found that my artist, and his group use posters made on Photoshop etc and put them around the local area to advertise there upcoming gigs. As I doubt it has a big enough reputation to reach out beyond the local area.

These posters seem to have a relatively easy message too its viewer, as it just informs them and doesn't really try and persuade or sell the gig to them.

I think this is because the market is so small and this style is so different and unique, the people will probably know already if there going or not.

As I think its more to reach out to people that are interested in that genre and making them aware not trying to sell it to any certain people.

Not only that but my artist seems to play at the same place at every gig “The Black Swann” so it probably has a reputation in the local area already for playing that certain type of music.

The posters themselves seem relatively simple and made up of drawings and Photoshop for the texts, and backgrounds.

However< When the poster is printed it is usually in black and white to save money, but on neon paper/card to stand out, highlighting the key information. Whilst the full colour versions will be probably seen on the internet and actual gigs themselves.

But my project is to make a magazine advert for my artist. Not a poster for a gig where his material would be heard.

So I interviewed our artist who said he never sells CD’s of his songs, only downloads which are on his Myspace.

He also said that the reason he doesn't put it to CD is because its to expensive, and a lot of his songs are mixes with other copyrighted songs in them, so if he were to go to CD there would be a lot of copyright issues, (as we faced earlier in the project.)

But hold on…

He did also say he has tried to advertise his material in the local newspaper before, a plan that didn’t succeed. But it was only a little advert at the back of the paper, so it didn’t cost much.

So in answer to my problem of not being able to make an magazine advert, as no artist of my artists genre would have a advert for anything in a magazine! Due to many limitations.

So as my artist had said he had advertised in a local newspaper, I am going to design an advert that would go in a newspaper.

However due to my artist not having much money, I’m going to make it 5x5 cm, so that its realistic to real life. As he would only have a small advert for his album in real-life. Which would be very basic and simple, due it being so small and printed in a newspaper.

So this address's my problem of doing a magazine advert.

Personal though I don’t think this is enough as I’ll be limited on what I can do for a tiny newspaper ad, as it has to be simple and clear so when it prints its readable.

So I have decided to make a simple neon advertisement as well, as its more realistic, as this would be what my artist would use and do. As this can also be put on social network sites.

So to conclude.

I discussed how my artist advertises himself already within his group (AVALAF). And what methods he uses at the present moment.

I also discussed the limitations he faces and how this effects his marketing and how he and others within the genre and market targets the right audience.

We also concluded that I will be designing a tiny advert for a newspaper and a poster fitting the right style that this genre uses.