Digipack

- Digipacks were originally created by MeadWestvaco and their product named 'Digi-Pak' is now trademarked.

A digipack is a type of CD package which goes against the normal representation of how a CD would usually be displayed. The packaging for a digipack is often made out of heavy paper or other cardboard material, giving it a more defined and unique look. Digipacks often have the design of opening like a book or similarly, to that of an everyday plastic CD case. However they can often have three parts to them, one part opening to the left, the other to the right both covering the CD that is placed in the centre third. The Centre that holds the CD is often made of a plastic material, like that of a traditional jewel case CD, this simply means that the plastic portion is attached to the cardboard or paper background.

Digipacks come with many positive and negative effects, many reasons for having one benefit the artist however the cost of having one can come as a hindrance.

• Digipacks are aesthetically pleasing and offer the artist a unique approach to displaying their CD. It also allows the artist to create further inside artwork or displayed lyrics or artist information as the design offers more room for development. However this ability to more creative comes at a price as constructing the ideal Digipack is more costly than an average CD case (Jewel Case).
• Jewel cases have been known to crack or snap easily, sometimes even when first opening it after purchasing. Digipacks offer a more sturdy approach to packaging which seems unlikely due to it's material use. However, after time the paper beings to separate and rips and tears begin to appear, making the Digipack look less attractive.
• The trays in Digipacks break more often than they do in Jewel Cases. There is less protection as the outer casing is constructed from flimsy materials such as paper, cardboard or card stock. As a result of this, the teeth that keep the CD firmly in place are at a higher risk of cracking and/or falling out.
• When the unfortunate event of the teeth breaking in a Digipack happens, the CD falls out the bottom of the packaging as unlike Jewel Cases, there is no material left there to hold it in place.
• Digipacks are more environmentally friendly compared to Jewel Cases. They are often made of recycled materials such as paper and unlike Jewel Cases, offer a more friendlier approach to packaging. However to establish such an eco friendly case, it is not always the case when it comes to physically producing the product, going against the original cause.

With help from my partner Ian who I have chosen to work with in a group creating our own Music Video, he has offered his Digipack by Damien Rice for me to demonstrate what one may look like

After analysing this Digipack I found it's appearance to be very simplistic, not very eye catching and it delivers very little insight into the artist. I decided to listen to the music on the album 'O' by artist 'Damien Rice' and found it to be calming and simple, thus linking to the appearance of the Digipack. Although the sound of the music and the appearance of the packaging coincide with eachother, when it comes to my Digipack working in a group with Ian for our artist, I want it's appearance to be eye catching and relevant to the artist, creating a corresponding theme. In order to establish what our Digipack will look like, me and Ian have decided to produce our own designs for our artist and combine them to produce what we believe represents our artist in the best possible way.

My first thoughts about how to display the Digipack are in the format of the packaging that places the CD in the centre third with the left and right portions covering the disc. On the cover will display the arist's name and an image that relates to the music i.e. acoustic guitar. The inside left sleeve is an ideal place to have a placement for the song lyrics and on the right some simple artwork design that reflects the artists image. On the back of the Digipack a corresponding art design will surround the edging, similar to that used on the inside, alongside a centred track listing in our desired font.