AO1 - Analysing a Digipak's design

I will be analysing the Digipak and CD packaging for The Beatles' album, Sergant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The digipak itself follows the standard layout and dimensions of a modern digipak of 139.5 by 6 by 125.5 mm. The chosen digipak contains two panels on each side of the central image, one containing the disk and one containing booklets and images. The Digipak is fast becoming the most popular packaging for discs, albums and singles because it not only appeals because of it's recyclable ability but it allows for more creativity in the look and set up of the packaging.

The digipak consists of bright and vibrant colours, which possibly reflects the vibrant music and attitudes The Beatles portrayed in the swinging sixties. The vibrant and flamboyant colours also clash which could suggest the personalities of the members of the band. The art in Digipaks reflect the artists and appeal to the target audience in order to bring up sales. More often than not, artists will release several different versions of a Digipak or album in order to boost sales and revenue. Something that The Beatles probably have done for this album in vinyl, CD previously with a jewel case, and now a Digipak. I think the emotions and themes in The Beatles Digipaks in general reflect them as a band and as people; fun, vibrant, etc.

At the time of original release, it's likely that the target audience for this Digipak were teenagers, from around 13 to early 20s with a large female to male ratio. However, as this album and The Beatles have become nostalgic and iconic over time, the audience has widened. The younger audience is likely to have declined, but the middle-aged and older audience would be purchasing this to their additional copies as a 'collection', or to just listen again. With the items that come with the Digipak, seen in picture three, it could further back up the point that this is a collectable. It's likely that this Digipak was released in the UK only to further back up the exclusivity and collecting idea. I think the product has a complete fitness for audience for its graphics across the whole of it's releases through the use of several items being included in the Digipak that a huge Beatle fan would want.

The text on the product is part of the image, rather than a text layer placed on top of the image, which is a common convention in recent Digipak designs. On the front cover "Beatles" is made up of flowers and petals in a picture that not only shows the hugely influential style of the sixties, but how much technology has come on since the artwork was originally produced for the vinyl release. By continuing to use the format and convention in the modern Digipack only fuels the iconography and legacy that The Beatles still hold.

The artwork and graphics on this product are the same as the original vinyl and cassette release, which suggests that producers behind the product are trying to keep the nostalgia of The Beatles living by using a coherent house style. I think this further backs up my previous point of collectable items.

The product is full of bright and vibrant colours such as reds, yellows, greens and blues to create a fun and friendly feel about The Beatles and to flaunt the idea that The Beatles are suited to any age and genre and do not have a specific audience. The cover included pictures of famous icons of the 60s which would appeal to a large audience at the time of it's original release and a large audience today due to the iconography and nostalgia that comes with it.

I feel that the product is efficient and effective and is fit for an audience of today not because of it's friendly and vibrant feel but because of it's iconography and that's why it hasn't been changed since it's release.