Independent Record Shops vs The Internet

This is something that really gets my back up, the decline of the independent music store. Now i know it's not entirely to do with design but there's a relation to marketing strategy here. Seeing my friend's independent record store go under at the beginning of the year wasn't nice, especially as he had it for over 15 years and had become a bit of an institution in Lincoln. The fact was he just couldn't keep it afloat in todays market. People just aren't buying CD's and Records anymore, it's all gone digital. I know as a designer i shouldn't be all for technology, and to an extent i am, but it's sad to see things disappear after being around for such a long time because people prefer to use technology to get what they want and need. I know this may be evolution etc but what's a faceless download on your computer compared to holding something that shows design that is so often beautiful and innovative and has been lovingly created by someone just like you. Physical CD'S/Records aside, it is a shame that so many record stores are disappearing, nobody wants to actually go out and buy things anymore. Fopp, the largest independent music retailer has recently gone into administration. Fopp was loved by many for it's low prices and simple retailing. So what happened? Is this the work of the downloading culture? Or simply poor marketing/business management on Fopp's part? If things carry on the way they are going HMV and Virgin will probably be next. It's got me thinking about what could be done to market/advertise independent music to consumers, that would appeal to them over downloading and buying from the internet. It'd be challenge considering all the pro's of downloading and the con's of buying from a store.

Vinyl Revolution

Working in shop over summer which specializes in records as well as clothing i have seen first hand the rise of the record. It's definately making a comeback, parents are blowing the dust off their old records and their kids are starting out building a collection of their own. So why have records persisted in staying around for so long? With records, you feel like you're getting more for your money. Playing a CD doesn't compare to watching a record spin round. Vinyl is now being revamped using innovative design. Vinyl is being produced in a multitude of colours and different effects such as marble and glitter. Vinyl is also being etched, beautiful illustrations are being etched onto the surface of vinyl making them not only functional but decorative. It's nice to see that even when given the option of downloading music, some consumers are still choosing to invest in a work of art!

Walkers Crisps

Has anyone else noticed the recent re-design of the Walkers crisps packet. I know it's a boring subject but it really got me thinking about how a simple change to a design can change consumer behaviour. Working in a bar this summer there hasn't been anything for me to eat during me shift except Walkers crisps. Until recently i never ate them thinking they were too unhealthy to stuff my face with, but being such a porn to things such as advertising and aesthetics i've starting eating the odd bag (or two), and it's all down to the typography used on the packet cover. The old font used to tell us the flavour was bold and quite a heavy font. However they've now changed it to a much lighter font not too dissimilar to the font used on 'light' versions of the snack. I wonder if Walkers knew what they were doing, a clever piece of re-design making people think they are eating a lighter snack. Are they trying to save themselves in a market where health food reigns supreme?

'Tryvertising'

Leading on from my post about the Pay per Blog scheme and it got me thinking about the lengths advertisers are going to because of the state of the consumer market. Advertising has been sneaky in order to infiltrate the market. Agencies such as Taxi Promotion UK use civilian's to spread their word, giving them the chance to try something out first then promote it to others. They take cabbies on free holidays to Las Vegas and Thailand in the hope they will talk to their passengers about it.
Scottish and Newcastle the brewer that brews Kronenbourg and Fosters, are currently going into 6,000 pubs across England to buy customers free drinks whilst asking about their drinking habits.
Another amusing bit of advertising took place a couple of months ago in Covent Garden, London. The company Carbon Marketing deliberately jackknifed a lorry spilling thousands of boxes of Nestle(their clients)chocolate bars onto the street. Up to 70,000 passers by picked up a chocolate bar to sample not even knowing that they were taking part in a 'free trial'. This so called 'Tryvertising' works particularly well with children willing to put up with adverts bombarding them in return for free stuff. It certainly works for the company Blyk a new mobile phone company who offers teenagers free text messages in return for being regularly interrupted by adverts. Teenagers are only too happy to accept this.
The fact that it shows consumers are willing to put up with being advertised to, and also promoting to others, in return for freebies shows that 'Tryvertising' may be the new thing in a world where we really don't want to be told what to do and buy. Conventional advertising isn't enough nowadays.

Pay per Post

www.payperpost.com is a website where you can sign up to get paid for plugging certain brands and services on your own blog. Advertisers are also invited to join the scheme on the sites homepage in the hope that their product/service will reach a broader consumer market through blogging. The average pay out per mention of a brand is about £6 and some blogers are earning up to £300 a month doing this. Personally i think it shows how desperate advertisers are becoming for their brand to be picked up by consumers. People don't like being told what to buy nowadays and this is a sneaky way of advertising to people in a way that means they don't even know they are being targeted by advertisers. Is this ethical or just the next step for advertising to take, necessary in an age where consumers are clued up, more cynical and are exposed so often to the internet?
Maybe we should all sign up? It'd be funny to see how each of us would try and sell the services of 'OpticsPlanet.com' Online binoculars shop where you can get free shipping on all items! (I'd get paid £5.15 for that!)

Women in Revolt, Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey

Women in Revolt, by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey is a satirical look at feminist revolutionary groups. A twist to the film is that all lead 'women' in the film are actually played by transvestites (some more convincing as women than others!) It's filmed in a very haphazard way, the sound quality is awful, acting is dire and camera footage is jerky. This was intentional however and and is characteristic of all Warhol's films. The concept and hidden meanings behind the storylines are what Warhol wants viewers to focus on. Slightly pretentious but a welcome change from the polished look of Hollywood cinema.

Drury Lane architecture

Being stuck back home in Lincoln all summer working has meant i have, at times, found it hard to find inspiration. All i had to do though was to look right on my doorstep. My parents house is in the center of Lincoln, an historic city built on Roman foundations. My street is a mixture of old and new houses and it certainly doesn't have any rhythm in terms of architecture. It's a jumble of grand manor style houses, quaint cottages and ultra modern town houses. Here are two houses that for me really stick out as being unique. Although not the most attractive designs they are doing something different and create an interesting contrast with the 1000 year old castle they are built right next to.