2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

From AS coursework, we learnt a lot about synergy, and how it was an important sales technique for many brands. From this, I realised that I needed to synergise my coursework, so that there was potential for a brand, and overall, it would look a lot more professional. 

I think that my main products and my ancillary texts are clearly linked. There are many visual clues which suggest that they are all advertising the same thing. For example, the clock. A clcok made from roman numerals is demonstrated on my CD:

The large 'X' is highlighted on the digipak and the video, as a logo for the bands new album.  Hopefully, it would become recognisable to the target audience. 

The back cover of the digipack:

The advertisement:

And twice during the video: 

This represents the name of the band, 'Plan X', where the 'X' is being used as a roman numeral for 10. This links to the album title, 'After dark', which, of course, 10 o'clock is after dark!
This was my main use of synergy throughout the coursework. I thought it was a clever technique for the album, but also the band name could be refered to by the use of the 'X' logo. 

Potentially, the 'X' could be represented on other songs of the albums music videos, but also in future advertisements for concerts and even in magazine interviews. 

Both of the characters throughout the video are the same throughout. Molly and Andy feature throughout the entire video, advertisement and digipack  which is a visual clue that these are advertising the same film. 

I used the same font throughout the main product and the ancillary texts. I used American Typewriter, because it is bold and stands out, but also because I think it is quite unique and can be related to 'Plan Xs' merchandise. 

Throughout the ancillary texts, the images are black and white. This is to represent the theme of 'after night' and 10' o'clock which I think hold the theme together. The black and white theme again is an example of the synergy between the advertisement and the digipak. This theme could represent the band, just as other artists are represented through visual aspects such as Nicky Minaj with her different coloured hair in adverts and videos. 

I think that both the main product and the ancillary texts combine to have the right effect on the audience. I gained this through my audience feedback. One comment I received as "I think that there is a constant theme throughout which looks professional" Another person said: "I like the theme of the clock" and when asked what they liked most about the advertisement they said "Theme of the clock/ black and white theme" Therefore, from there responses I feel that they think that the overall theme is clear but also effective,as there are many comments about it. 

SYNERGY:
As you can see, there are many similarities which link the advertisement and digpak together. 

• The tiling o the photos
• the black and white theme
• the continuous font
• Large 'X' icon
• Involves both artist, Andy and Molly