CD Packaging: MUM- Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy
Stare at these images for one whole minute without blinking and you will get goose bumps all over. The ‘paper-cut’ pictures of kids pasted on eerie photographs of the woods, lake, and mountains have a haunting effect. It’s as if these kids were murdered in these places and that they are now lonely wandering spirits […]
Vinyl Packaging: Bob Hund Fantastiskt
Would you buy a single worth $3,650? The Swedish rock band Bob Hund released their single Fantastiskt (fantastic) as a 12″ one copy vinyl record that only allows 30 playings. The record was placed on a turntable with the lyrics etched on the turntable lid. It sold on eBay for US $3,650 and became the […]
Viral Marketing- the good,the bad, & the ugly
Viral marketing campaigns use mystery, fun, and often, deception to help create buzz for a new product. Sometimes such campaigns succeed; sometimes they backfire. Let’s take a look at these cases and try to see what they did right and wrong. Court TV “Hi Steven,” it began, cheerily enough. “Do I have your attention now? […]
Featured Designer: Chris Rubino
About Chris Rubino: Chris’s works have been exhibited in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and the U.S. He recently has created designs & illustrations for such clients as The New York Times, Banana Republic & The NY Public Theater. Rubino’s work has been strongly influenced by his screen-printing background making limited edition posters for bands such […]
CD Manufacturing: All About ID3 Tags
First, what is tagging? The process of including information other than sound into these digital audio files is commonly referred to as “tagging” in which you “tag” the audio file with additional information that describes the audio file. What is an ID3 Tag? This is the one that most people are familiar with. ID3 Tags […]
CD Packaging: Kanye Reveals 5 Alternate Album Covers
Do you remember Kanye West’s album art drama? That seems like very old news but apparently, the guy is still not over it (maybe not until Nov 22, the official album release date…). He used the CD Packaging ‘controversy’ to promote his physical albums and when the issue became boring and everyone began to put […]
Indie Musicians: “Grunt Work” is What Building Your Music Career is All About
Replace Your Misconceptions As a consultant and educator, it’s my job to replace your misconceptions about the music business with a dose of business savvy. It’s not surprising that so many artists don’t have a clue about how much grunt work is required to build the foundation of their career. We consumers see only the […]
CD Packaging: P-Money Everything
This CD artwork took more than 350 hours to complete. It is constructed from styrofoam, balsa wood, coloured paper and cotton wool which were shot as part of a diorama. (Check ‘the making’ below) Inspired by the many sample tracks on the album from days gone by – everything from 70s funk to 80s electro […]
The 3 Musts of Promotional Products
Don’t simply print your band name on a piece of shirt just for the sake of having promotional items. You have to give good attention to your promotional products in order for it to be effective. Be strategic and smart when it comes to your promotional approach, design, distribution, and the overall marketing plan. Promotional […]
Indie Musicians: The Dos and Don’ts of Touring
Touring is so much fun! Well, as long as you never complain. Or go to the toilet. Or eat. The Guardian‘s Indie Professor made a fun but sensible list of the do’s and don’ts of touring. This list is by no means comprehensive, but it will undoubtedly be useful to any band on tour. 1) Pack […]