1. Audience Feedback Ancillary Task Sam McMahon

2. To help me evaluate my ancillary task and overall project I asked 8 friends to answer 8 questions about my ancillary task. This involved creating a digipack (of which we chose 6 panels) and poster advertising our new album ‘Self Fulfilled Prophecy’ by Taylor and the Rubies. On each slide I have summarised the answers I gathered for each question.

3. Do you think the products are typical of album covers/posters? If so in what ways are they similar? All of my sample audience felt that both products are typical of album covers and posters. Many felt that they are typical as they are both eye-catching, this is very important for these products as the aim is to make the consumer buy the album by first grabbing their attention. My participants also felt that by having a different yet similar images (due to the clothing and lighting) throughout all products was very typical, they said this was important as each product can be easily linked and recognised. Some of my sample also felt that the products are typical as the name of the album links to the images used instead of one particular song. They felt that as Taylor was laughing, jumping for joy and holding her own cassette, she has become what she wanted to be.

4. Does anything make it different or does it stand out from the typical? How? Most of my participants said that by having the album incorporated into the poster was different, as usually either the album cover is the poster or the album is placed in the corner at the bottom almost like a separate image. Many of my sample audience felt that the fact that the album is a digipak instead of a normal (jewel) case makes the album stand out from the typical, as few albums use this type of packaging.

5. Does it work? Why? The main response I gained from this answer was that they are linked through colour and character, which means that the consumer can relate to the poster when they see the album in store or online. This may persuade them to buy the album, which is the main objective. Another similar answer I gained is that the poster advertises the album well, especially due to the cover of the album (which is very memorable) being shown on the poster. A couple of answers I gathered stated that the products work as the colours and mood created matched the genre of music the artist represents.

6. Can you name two interesting/impressive elements from the ancillary task? Nearly all of my responses said that the lighting was impressive as it fits the genre of the music, and its clear that the genre of the music is pop/indie-pop. Some people stated that it was interesting how the large writing spread across the main image worked on the album, and did not spoil the look of the album what-so-ever. They felt that this was surprising yet they like it. A few of my participants thought it was impressive how we had linked the white frames from the music video for ‘Oh No!’ to the poster for the album. Some also felt it was clever how we used the frames to link the poster to the video and album.

7. Could these products be stronger- if so how? Some of my audience thought that by using the very distinctive large writing from the album on the poster could have made the poster stronger as there would have been a greater link. Many of my sample audience said that by either making the backgrounds of the digipak images/poster completely different or exactly the same could make the products stronger. As they felt it was slightly strange how they were all a different ‘off-white’ colour. To make Taylor look as though she was actually stood in front of the frames on the poster was another factor a few of my audience felt could have been stronger.

8. Can you sum up the brand of this album/artist in a short sentence? These are the short responses I got from this question: ‘ The brand is fun, cheerful and happy’ ‘ I feel the brand is lively and fun’ ‘ I think the brand is pop’ ‘ I think it is 21 st century, cool and fun’ ‘ I would say the brand is cheeky and fun yet professional’ ‘ The brand is young, fun and aimed towards teenagers’ Some of my sample audience did not understand this question.

9. Can you see a clear brand image? And what creates the clear brand image? The majority of responses to this question said that the cheeky, fun, lively images of Taylor creates the brand image. Corresponding to this, some of my sample thought that the colours and lighting of all the images created the clear brand image. A couple of responses stated that Taylors age created the clear brand.

10. My response to audience feedback I am extremely pleased with the audience feedback I gained for my ancillary task. This is because they have highlighted many positive and negative points which I was unaware of. These are points such as how well the poster links to both the music video, through the frames, and album as it is featured on the poster. It was also great to hear how my audience felt that the incorporation of the album into the poster was cleverly done. It was also very interesting to hear how our products could be stronger, such as by altering the background colours of the digipak images and poster. Overall I am very happy with the feedback I have gained, as it will help me considerably when writing my evaluation.