Ancillary Task: Album Magasine Posters

To help me understand in more detail what is typically found on a magazine album pester, I decided to analyse Lana Del Rey's and Lorde's campaign as they were the two artists that I had focused on most and had inspired my own artist.

Similarities:

• Throughout both Lana Del Rey's poster and Lorde's poster, the key image is consistent in terms of all the feature the artist. This is consistent with what I found out in the codes and conventions of magazine posters. 

• Also, each one features the name of the album in a bold white font. 

• Each one includes where you can buy the album and it is typically in a smaller font in proportion to the rest of the font on the poster and is found at the very bottom of the poster. 

• Each poster also has the logo of the production company. Although it is in different positions on each poster, it is always small and has a transparent edit on it in order for it to not take away from the aesthetic of the rest of the poster. 

Differences:

• There is CGI used in Lorde’s poster to create a distorted effect and to use almost supernatural colours. However, this isn’t seen on Lana Del Rey’s album. This could be due to the fact that Lorde is recognised as being more unique and controversial around the topics she discusses in terms of drugs and alcohol etc. Considering the album is called ‘melodrama’; romances and breakups, this effect creates a more dramatic effect. On the other hand, Lana Del Rey conforms more to the stereotypical American classical aesthetic utilising more simplistic imagery to conform to her image. 

• Lana Del Rey uses a mid-shot low angle shot in order to create an empowering female as the key image. However, Lorde uses a high angle shot of her in bed under covers, which again conforms to the typical breakup story of a female staying in bed feeling self-pity. Therefore, the key images are both related to the meaning of the album and brand image of the artist. 

How will this help me?

Overall, looking at Lana Del Rey’s and Lorde’s poster, I have realised that there are certain consistencies and codes and conventions I should conform to within my own product e.g. the key image of the artist, featuring the name of the artist and the album. However, there are also aspects I should challenge in order to create originality and to conform specifically to the image and style of the artist I am trying to create e.g. if there is CGI used, the type of key image and the extra information provided on the poster.