Merchandise

Merchandise

For modern day artistes, there is no question that most of the profits from their career are in fact raised from sources other than their music; with the introduction of streaming services and downloadable music files (legal and illegal), the source of their profits has shifted from the traditional 'music and album'. Merchandise is a way in which the artiste's fans can feel more involved and connected with the creators of their favourite music, and can give them a sense of unity, belonging or identification (especially in regards to apparel). Branding and authenticity can add to this feeling of collective identity. Merchandise can also be bought as a souvenir when sold at concerts. Today, it is a vital aspect of the music industry. 

I have created some examples of how I think the merchandise for my music video should look...

The very first example of merchandise which I would produce is the standard t-shirt design. After researching current pop artiste's merchandise homepages, it was clear that t-shirts are the most popular and successful items since on every site (Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa) a t-shirt was the first featured product. 

My first design is unisex, as to not lean towards one particular demographic of my audience, and is a simple white t-shirt with the same picture featured consistently throughout the branding of the music video. The iconic image is easy to recognize thanks to this consistency and it is a clear representation of the product itself. On the back of the t-shirt, there is a list of the tour dates. This element of the design is popular among the souvenirs and merchandise of contemporary pop musicians. It could also be perceived as an additional method of advertising! 

On the website, the t-shirt is featured towards the top of the 'SHOP' page and has a simple description alongside, along with the price displayed clearly. The 'Buy Now!' button is easy to spot, making the whole buying process simple for the buyer, and size information will be available after the decision has been made to invest in the product. Making the buying process as easy and frustration-free as possible will encourage the investor to go through with their action. 

The second example of the music video's merchandise is very similar to the first, however it is a t-shirt designed for babies and children. This ensures that my whole audience is facilitated for. The yellow colour of the design was chosen specifically in order to differentiate it from the first adult design. This reduces the risk of the visitor buying the wrong product (which would result in a great deal of disappointment and frustration). 

To keep the merchandise relevant to the contemporary audience, I have designed a phone case as the third merchandise example. The consistent branded design is featured again. 

My last example of merchandise is a sports shirt which is available in both men and women styles. Unlike the other examples, it is not themed around the main branding design. Instead, it features some key lyrics to the song. Since the song focuses on positivity and encourages its listeners to 'Try Everything' (an empowering message), I thought that a sports shirt was a product that would be appropriate considering this message. The alternative, subtle design also gives an example of how the merchandise for my product will vary in styles and cater for a wider audience, thus hopefully improving sales.