Music Blog Post

Photo of artist.

Temptation 

Genre  

The genre for our artist was alternative rock or 'out-of-the-ordinary' rock. Alt-rock became popular in the 1990s. This type of genre usually provides simple instrumentation and a clear melody. 

Target Audience

The target audience aged from 16-22 (teens to young adults), consisted of both men and women and aims to target all economic classes (if being more specific middle class).

Marketing Trends

HALF-ALIVE 

The American band formed in 2016. The band started becoming famous when they released the music video of their hit song; “Still Feel, ” due to its amazing choreography and cinematography. The band a few months later signed a record deal with RCA Records. In mid-2019, the band released their first album, “Now, Not Yet”, through streaming services and for free on their channel on YouTube. Half-Alive is a clear example of what a smaller band can do to market as they became popular recently, but are still considered to be on the smaller side.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT

One of the most famous and successful indie-alternative band of the last decade. Cage The Elephant was formed back in 2008. 1.5 billion streams worldwide and 11 Billboard #1 singles. The band has featured in music festivals and official tours. Their official website features their merchandise, their social media, updates on tours, and promotion on their products. 

How we developed Temptation

Our group decided to develop our brand through our social media, website, and music video. Through social media and our website, we created a recurring theme of cloud and a neutral to a dark color palette. The signature clouds and color palette are everywhere from our posts to the merch we created. This was done to create consistency within our brand, something that does very well in the music industry and social media as well. The clouds are also an easy way for our fans to identify us. We decided to market our artists through social media as it what our TA is always on, especially through their cellular devices. 

Through Instagram and Twitter, we created a hashtag (#temptationmusic) so fans can find more information about the artist more easily. They could find tour dates, music release dates, merch giveaway info, etc. We also decided to market through Tiktok because it's an easy way to market the song and gain popularity as did the song renegade. Then we would repost fan dancing to our song on other social media platforms to show we care for each and every one. 

We also chose to develop our brand in a way that our target audience could relate to especially through our music video. The majority of the age group of our target audience are young adults who sometimes need help to find themselves, make poor decisions, and are in a sort of 'rebel' stage. All these things, the audience can relate to making the connection between fan and artist stronger, something vital in the music industry. The music video also works to develop our artist persona as a relatable person (getting into a fight with parents) and a careless teen. 

Marketing Products 

Some of the products we created include hats, sweatshirts, shirts, phone cases, and polaroids.  We also created posts for our social media and an album cover. To keep our target audience in mind we decided to make out merchandise affordable and a wide range of products, also the products are unisex so they can appeal to both men and women, making the most out of our TA. Through our products, we also kept our theme of clouds and the dark color palette throughout. The merchandise fits the 'unique' teens that nowadays became a trend, being different from others.  All of our products can be purchased online making it accessible for fans from all over the world (when we grow). 

What I learned

For production, we learned music videos have to capture the audience in the beginning and all the way through.  This is difficult because not every part of a music video is interesting, but it has to strive to keep the audience's attention. I also learned the best type of video that I think marketed both the artist and the song well was the combo of storytelling and artistic because the story keeps viewers intrigued, and it being artistic sells the song as well. 

Through the development of our marketing campaign, I learned how much research and time goes into it. I also discovered the extensity the campaign has to have and how it revolves around the target audience. The importance of why choices are made and the importance of comparing to other artists to prove these choices will work to market the artist. Not only, must this be done, I also learned uniqueness and creativity plays a huge role as well. After listening to all the presentations this was very clear, the more unique an artist is the better. But, they have to be unique in a way that is still ideal to grow and gain the most popularity. 

Representation Analysis

Tide Ad

This tide ad is of a mother who wishes her daughter wore more girly clothes. This ad challenges women's gender roles/  when the little girl only wishes to wear " hoodies and cargo shorts" and plays with cars instead of wearing all pink like her mom dreams she would.  The little girl's household seems to be white and she looks about 9-10. The ad represents girls at a young age who challenge traditional gender roles, while her mother represents traditional gender roles. With the representation in this ad, the audience makes it appear as if older generations are less accepting of non-traditional gender roles than newer ones. To the audience, it is made apparent that newer generations are more against gender norms and don't seem to make a big deal if they don't follow them. But, it can also come across as showing a mom who doesn't know how to raise her child, since she looks rebellious. Therefore, the mothers in the audience may question how well they raised their children based on these gender roles. 

Axe Ad

The axe ad is of a man who seems to attract women of all kinds from black to white, with a spray of an axe. Again, in this ad gender roles are discussed, but the traditional are shown. As the man sprays axe, women come from all directions seeking the man who seems to be having the time of his life. In the ad, the women are seen as animal-like as they run through the wild looking for their prey, the man.  Although it seems to be more inclusive of races, it is not for sizes as they are all skinny long-legged models. The ad has a sexual element as all the women run in tiny bathing suits. It also shows the audience what men nowadays expect, a woman wearing little clothing with a perfect body; unrealistic expectations. For the audience, it may cause women to feel poor if not fit to these "expectations." It may also implement unrealistic expectations for men. In addition, women are painted as sexual creatures whose role in society is to provide pleasure to men.

Genre Research Project

Psychological thriller 

General

A psychological thriller a sub-genre of a regular thriller, but with more of a dramatic element, that is based upon the apprehension and excitement it provides to the audience. This type of thriller is very close to psychological horror and in some cases, they overlap. The target audience of a psycho-thriller is women ages 30-50; this is because they may be too difficult to watch for a younger audience. In addition, women are found to be more attracted to emotional/intellectual films than men. Typically,  they discuss a protagonist's mental state,  leading them to be found in dangerous situations. The plot consists of the protagonist, commonly innocent victims, confronting the situations they are faced with due to their mental state along with the antagonist, usually criminals or stalkers. 

Conventions

Psychological thrillers are generally accompanied by tension music that helps to create suspense and develop the plot further as it moves along. 

There is also a great deal of low-level lighting that initiates fear and creates tension for the audience. 

Quick edits along with changes in camera angle create the buildup of eerie and suspense as the audience anticipates what is to occur next. The fast-paced editing is mostly used for very important and major scenes. 

Flashbacks are another common technique that is used to uncover a dark past of some sort, usually of the protagonist. The protagonist is then threatened with their past by the antagonist. 

Mirrors are a prop that is also utilized often when directors wish to reveal a darker side of a character in the thriller. 

Setting

Location is another factor that is very carefully considered. These types of thrillers are typically shot in isolated places where characters are forced to face their problems alone. Sometimes they are filmed in cabins or islands where the director is able to be separated from reality. But, other times they can be shot in regular urban areas, being more apparent to reality, where instead of isolating the character they isolate them socially. 

Themes 

Psychological thrillers are also known to have reoccurring themes throughout the productions. Some themes that generally developed consist of, but are not limited to 

• Reality
• Purpose
• Existence

Marketing

Psychological thrillers are masters of suspense (Hitchcock) and use several marketing techniques. 

One famous technique is to observe the trends that are emerging from the media. Then these trends can be infiltrated into the films. Therefore, the film is caught up with the latest technology to satisfy its audience. 

Another technique is to use the media to its advantage. Media, like movie theaters, can be a major contributing factor to the marketing as it is reaches the right audience, movie watchers all at one time. 

Being unique and playing with the rules of regular movies. When audiences don't know as much of a movie as they want to they are more prompted to watch it. 

Major psycho-thriller productions 

The Black swan is a major psychological thriller directed by Harren Aronofsky. It follows a plot of the protagonist, Nina, who is overcome by the passion she has for ballet. When Nina wins the heart of her artistic director and plays the white swan, a fellow classmate, Lily, chooses to run against the competition and become a black swan. Mirrors are used throughout the film to reveal Lily's dark side as it begins to take her over. The peaceful setting contradicts what a regular psycho film is shot in as it transforms a calm room into a terrifying experience. In Black Swan, there is also an abundance of themes including perfection and paranoia. 

Taxi Driver is another psychological thriller who is directed by Martin Scorcese. The plot is of an ex-marine veteran, Travis,  that suffers insomnia and is angry at how the world has become. Until he finds his will to live, Betsy changes his mind and he quickly begins to obsess over. One of the major themes is mental illness as the main character is faced with when he begins to obsess over other people like Betsy. Quick cuts are another major technique Scorsese uses to aid in the development of the main character's mental state as it worsens over time.

More psychological thrillers

1. Inception (2010)

2. Psycho (1960)

3.Joker (2019)

4. The Gift (2015)

5.Silence of the Lambs

References 

https://prezi.com/jzs6b3a9ykxn/target-audience-thriller-films/ 

http://thrillerstudies.blogspot.com/2012/03/conventions-of-psychological-thriller.html

https://prezi.com/mh5w4mkqh6ng/codes-and-conventions-of-psychological-thriller/

https://www.scribd.com/doc/83768754/Codes-and-Conventions-of-a-Psychological-Thriller

My name is Sophia Blanco. This blog will be updating the progress of my media studies project.