Evaluation Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?

When creating a promotion package it is necessary to conform to the institutions needs as well as leaving an impression on the audience whilst the products are being marketed. We thought that the most effective way to do this would be to establish a clear link between all three texts.

We began the research and planning stage of the project by analysing the lyrics of the song '18 and Life' in order to establish the themes we should connote in the music video. Through researching videos of the rock and roll genre, we learnt that the most effective concept to connect with our target audience would be to use the conventional combination of band shots and narrative. The target audience admire the band, therefore making band shots very important towards the success of the text.

As for the narrative, we reflected the songs themes of youth, rebellion, isolation and aggression within the actions of a male teenage protagonist. The target audience can identify with him, due to the way he is represented by micro aspects such as mise-en-scene and cinematography.

The themes represented and the conventional combination of narrative and band shots were the biggest successes of the music video. It was therefore a good idea to use these successes to link together the video and the two ancillary tasks (CD package and poster). The rebellious nature of the boy is evident throughout the narrative, but is explicitly represented in the Costcutter scene, where he is denoted stealing food.

The theme of crime/ rebelliousness is also represented in the ancillary tasks through the visual signifier of the spray can, which the teenage protagonist from the narrative uses to graffiti band information onto a brick wall.

The target audience relate with this theme, which I think makes for an effective link between the three texts. As previously mentioned, the audience admires the band. This audience need is addressed through the inclusion of a screen grab of the lead singer on the inside cover of the CD package, demonstrating a clear link between the CD cover and band shots.

In terms of colour, we have maintained a saturated, dark and high contrast aesthetic throughout all three texts. This presents another clear link between the texts, leaving the target audience with a solid impression of the band and their song. Both of the Ancillary tasks include the logo of our chosen institution. This institution is called 'Roadrunner Records' who sign artists and bands who fall into similar Rock genres, which the audience would no doubt be familiar with, this makes for an effective combination between the two ancillary tasks.