Developing Brand Identity

 Brand Identity

In modern times, music videos allow artists to be able to create images and brand identities for themselves using visual images instead of just using music. Artists have used music videos in a way of which they appeal to audiences and present themselves in the ways that they want to be presented and hopefully to gain a following out of it. This was especially evident in the late 1980's when the TV Channel "MTV" started showing lots of these music videos which allowed artists to be able to create themselves a brand identity. These music videos are becoming so popular nowadays that they are able to make or break someone career. At present, there is a current decline in music videos being shown on TV, but the introduction of internet and the web have kept music videos as being important. Improves in web-based video technology have been useful. This includes Youtube, Vimeo and Social Media Accounts. This theory is proved by the song "Gangnam Style" by PSY. The song isn't really all that great, but the music video is the main reason why it became so popular. This is because PSY was able to perform the Gangnam Style dance which made it so popular. Music Videos allow artists to be able to hide lack of musical talent with the substitute of a music video. 

Example of Brand Identity - Jessie J

When an artist is creating their own brand identity, it is important that they consider a lot of different factors when trying to appeal to an audience. It requires careful consideration when promoting across different medias (Music Video, Adverts, Websites) etc. The image that is created by the artist must be kept consistent. An image is created through the use of: Colour Schemes, Size and Style of fonts, and images used. A good example of an artist who has done this well is Jessie J. In her debut album "Who You Are", she portrayed a lot of the same images in all of the media products that she used to promote this album. As you can see from the picture, this is an example of a online picture she made for this album. The album cover, magazine covers all followed the same concepts. They all had the black background, with gold metallic font with the same kind of hairstyle. This consistency portrays the image of her being really expensive with the gold font, but also quite masculine with all of the dark colours.


Example of Brand Identity - The Arctic Monkeys

Another example of a brand identity is the band "The Arctic Monkeys". They were able to change their brand identity by completely scrapping the first identity they had, and replacing it with one that they thought would appeal to a different target audience.

 As you can see from the 2 pictures, there is a clear difference in brand identity that The Arctic Monkeys are putting across to their audiences. The first picture shows the band in their very young stages, and they are wearing casual clothes with lots of different bright colours such as red, blue, yellow etc. As they were a young band back then, they would be wearing casual clothes like this in order to appeal to the younger target audience. In the second picture, you get a sense that The Arctic Monkeys have matured in a way because of the way that they are

dressed and the colour scheme that they are using. They are dressed in suits and ties, and are using the black and white colour scheme. From this, we can see that they have definitely changed their brand identity as they are trying to portray a more retro and old school style of band and music. This has been carefully planned in order to attract an older audience which is definitely different to the first brand identity that they portrayed.

Example of Brand Identity - Shinedown

Shinedown is another example of Brand Identity, and the 4 album covers above prove this theory. At first glance, all four albums look very different with no similarities, but when you look at it again, you realise that they all have something in common. All 4 album covers are of the surreal nature and they're all very strange in what they are and what they are trying to show. The album covers show: Tree in a dark wood, random birds in a white space, some kind of demon spirit thing, and then doll figures near a haunted house. They are all really strange things and all have some kind of surreal nature about them. This is an example of brand identity because Shinedown would have thought their album covers and decided to always use surreal covers. This brand identity makes them different because Shinedown want their fans to realise that they are unique and different from other artists out there, so that they stand out more.