I have decided to submit this as my final magazine advert. I got the idea of using the QR barcode from an advert in a tattoo magazine (picture below) this advertisement gets the reader to colour in the barcode which they then scan in to their phones, I tried a 'whited out' version which would be coloured in but I wasn't happy with the result (see below). Unless it stated on the advertisement that the QR barcode needed to be coloured in and then scanned (like on the tattoo ad) no one would know to do that and it would either be ignored or it wouldn't scan properly as it hasn't been coloured in. To colour in the barcode would take a lot of time and the whole purpose of the QR barcode is that it is 'quick' and will take you to a link that relates to the advertisement. The type of paper the advertisement is printed on will also depend on the success of the 'colouring in' technique.
I have produced a Tumblr page that features images of INFLUXX, the album cover, the music video etc. This is linked to the QR barcode on my advertisement, once scanned on a smartphone the audience will be taken to this page which acts as part of the advertising campaign for their album. This advertisement could also be featured on billboards & London Underground advertisements rather than just magazines.
QR barcode link to tumblr site: influxxmusic.tumblr.com
I think that the immediate response a typical viewer will have from looking at the imagery in the centre of this poster is that of an enthralling nature. It is very unconventional and provokes intrigue almost immediately. Though the QR barcode is commonly featured on many products from flyers to bottles of water, having it with no additional information on such a barren background really emphasises its importance and is likely to be the deciding factor in whether the viewer actually scans it or not, which I believe they will. I think from a distance it is unlikely to be clear what the imagery is, but again I believe this could work in favour of the artists, I personally would want to get a closer view of the poster to work out what the central imagery is. Of course by this point, any other intrigued individual is much more likely to scan it and find out additional information about INFLUXX.
ReplyDeleteI think the lack of information really adds something to the poster, it almost seems like some sort of 'movement' because of the very iconic imagery and text used for the artists name 'INFLUXX' it is the type of unexplained design that you would see cropping up in music venues and at festivals alike. Very similar in this respect to the underground promotional campaign for the new album Reflektor by Arcade Fire, the iconic imagery was found everywhere from New York subways to posters at every well known and established festival - ultimately meaning that by the time additional information was announced there was sufficient demand. I think this is what could eventually happen (if promoted correctly) with this advertisement and the artists related to it alike.
The colour scheme as well as the other features (such as the artists name text/font/etc) still remain a constant, this is again a very effective feature as it only reinforces the branded image that was created from the Digipaks design. Again, the minimalist nature of the design acts as a very intriguing element of the entire design and I think this intrigue is definitely applied to questions related to who INFLUXX may be and what they sound like - making it very efficient at marketing to the masses and established fans alike.
One potential issue with using such a plain white poster as a main advertisement for a band is that the locations that these advertisements would be placed would have to be selected carefully, for example, it may be difficult to use them in very public places such as shopping centres or the London Underground as more often than not the standard colour of walls etc is white, meaning that the poster would be quite indistinguishable. However I feel that the locations these posters would be placed (gig venues etc) would likely have a much darker colour scheme attributed to them, making visibility of the poster must easier for your target audience.
Despite this, could a reversed-colour version of the poster be made if it was decided that INFLUXX wanted to be promoted in the very public places mentioned above? Also, to increase visibility in very low lit areas such as gig venues, could a fluorescent design be adopted?
Apart from those slight issues, a very effective and iconic poster, much like the Digipak. The lack of imagery also oddly helps reinforce the bands image, and remains a convention to previous designs.
Reminds me slightly of the cover artwork for 'My Name Is My Name' by Pusha T
Whit.
yes meg, looks pretty dope well done
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