ANALYSING BRAND CONSISTENCY

Magazine advert Indie folk

Front cover Back cover

Skinny love: video snapshots

Birdy’s branding is consistent across all 3 texts relating to her album ‘Birdy’.

The artist costume is consistent through out, she maintains a vintage look this represents the artist to be sophisticated, matured and ordinary. The magazine cover clothing looks vintage this is represented through the silk material, the dress being knee length and the skin tight socks makes the overall vintage look apparent. Similarly, in the album front cover a similar dress is worn (same colour/length). However a wholly jumper is worn over the dress, the jumper looks vintage through the burgundy colour and the styling involved in the sewing. The jumper is the only pop of colour. This colour connotes love with a twist of hurt, pain and damage. In addition, in the music video the artist wear a similar dress the clothing remains consistent throughout as it is plain, simple almost emotionless similar to the pastel background colours used in the album back and front cover which are bland and dirty looking. The vintage look makes the artist appear sophisticated as it is not revealing, it is a matured look and it is ordinary as this kind of outfit is available for all who wish to wear a vintage outfit. The artist is further represented to be sophisticated and mature through her posture which is consistent in the magazine cover and the album front cover. her body language arms down to her waist and standing positions portray real life, regular and everyday body language. Although on the album cover her legs are crossed where as on the magazine cover her back is slouched this makes her seem less confident and more susceptible which may be hinting out to her lyrics emotions in her songs.

The location used being a grand old house that is abandoned is consistent in the music video and album cover, the location may be an attempt to the style synonymous with the artist. For example a grand old house style is sophistication, complexity and as it is old it is also mature. These ideas the location represents is reflected by the artist as well.

Direct eye contact is consistent in all texts although in the music video it rarely occurs this is because the artist is focusing on her vocal quality or being clear with the narrative rather than ‘performing’. It represents the artist to be vulnerable at the same time. Eye contact on the album and magazine cover is used to engage the audience directly, this will attract the audience more as they can view her facial expressions and body language and get an idea of her album.

Long shots are used on the magazine cover and the front album cover. to show vintage/background/atmosphere

The artist hair and make-up are consistent in all texts, in all the make-up is minimal, it is very simple. This represents the artist youth but also it reinforces the clothing as the makeup remains sophisticated. This is also common in Indie music videos as the artist is generally less significant instead the vocal expression, lyrics, location (atmosphere) around gets more attention rather than her physicality. This is because a narrative is generally preferred in Indie music videos, therefore the artist needs to blend in with the mood. Minimal make-up further reinforces the idea of being ordinary, the artist is not coming across as being exclusive and different to everyone else instead she is portraying her self as being the same as everyone else and her lyrics also represents this. In addition the artist hair is consistent in all texts, in all it is out. In the magazine cover and album front cover it looks more vintage due to the waves added where as in the music video it looks natural and normal.

The close up shot of a prop (the key) the transition shot used is a fade, the lighting is dark which is consistent throughout the video, the dark colours are also used in the back cover of the album the song titles (typography) nearly blends in with the dark grey colour. Similar with the magazine cover the background is dark grey however the lighting is stronger in order for the image to look professional and make the artist look more appealing. More over the front cover of the album is set in an old looking home here you would expect it to be a dark, old and damaged room however, similar to the magazine cover professional lighting is used in order for the image to look more professional and clear. The dark lighting and atmosphere effect is a common convention used in Indie (folk) music as dark colours and lighting represent being uncared for, feeling unhappy, lost and confused, it almost sets a depressing and gothic atmosphere. These idea are also generally reflected through Indie folk lyrics as well. Having a simple image is a common convention in Indie music as this represents the lyrics and overall message and atmosphere of the video and the artist personality to. The lighting tends to be brighter in long shots in comparison to the close-up shots, the long shots are brighter so the audience can see the location more detail and to get an overall image of the artist, where as the close-ups are dark so the emotion the artist presents and the objects significance are reinforced by the colour/lighting effects.

The use of nature is consistent in all texts, in the music video nature is represented through natural occurring objects such as a spider. A spider web is shown in a close up shot this is used as it represents the artist emotions and lyrics for example feeling confused, the spider web is very complicated also feeling weak and unwanted a spider web is very easily damaged and is usually seen as a disturbance almost pest like. More over, in the music video the artist is shown through an olden window and rotting wood ledge which looks uncared for and abandoned this also may represent the artist emotion/lyrics. The use of objects and shots to signify an emotion of reinforce the lyric is common in Indie music as they tend to be a narrative the images/shots shown need to be significant and have a deeper meaning that also compliments the overall mood and atmosphere of the video. Natures presence is also shown on the album front and back cover for example the wall being rusty, old, hurt and neglected are due to nature taking its tall over time since it has not been cared for. This may also represent how the artist is feeling and sending out a message that no matter how much you try to avoid a certain situation or point in your life it is bound to occur and it is natural as it happens to everything and everyone at some point, nothing remains constant or new for long. On the magazine cover nature is represented through the added effect of butterflies in the corners, butterflies represent joy, hope (symbol of rebirth) and new beginnings. Just like a caterpillar must go through several growth and development before it can become a beautiful butterfly, so must we go through several growth experiences in life. This idea is represented by the artist personally as she is young many chances are coming her way but also it is represented in the lyrics as it is about love, love is forever growing or changing with experiences as well. Nature is overall represented to be in control and unpreventable, in addition it adds to the vintage image as nature is simple and plain. The use of nature in a Indie genre is common as it represent life in general Indie music generally tend to be about life as well.