 |
Do you remember walking down the aisles of your music store and just skimming over the thousands and thousands of CDs? What made you suddenly stop and spontaneously pick up a CD? What’s the first thing that sparks your curiosity? Is it the content or the appeal? While most would argue, it should be about the music. It was the artwork that captured your attention. As much as we would love to believe it’s the inside that matters; lets face it, image is important. This is not, by all means, to discredit the music. The content is relevant in that; the music keeps the fans loyal and coming back for more. But if the customer just walked by your CD and never picks it up, the potential fan is gone.
Don’t underestimate the power of CD cover art! The design of your CD cover is a crucial factor that can separate the amateur from the professional. It has the power to capture new fans. CD cover design can mean the difference between having your press kit CDs ending up in the trashcans or in a CD players of A&R representatives. A captivated design can attract new business and enhance your image. Even in vinyl days, cover art has always been a major attraction.
CD design is vital, it provide a glimpse into your personality. It can tease and titillate the imagination. If you like what’s on the outside; wait until you turn me on. From country to rock and everything in between, CD cover art speaks volume about who you are. Don’t make the mistake of outsourcing the design work to amateur. Although, it might be cost effective to even design it yourself, this could cost you dearly in the end; your potential new businesses.
Graphic designers have the artistic expertise to creative eye-catching designs. You’ve taken you time to perfect your music, and your cover art is the first thing people see. Don’t chance it with an amateurish design. A professional graphic designer can give your CD cover the wow factor it needs to grab hold of your audience. CD cover art should attract customers’ attention, capture their interest and finally, sell your CD.
Remember: You only have one chance to make a first impression.
 |
"I wanted to say how grateful I am to Aeron at ABET DISC for pretty much creating a mini miracle. They not only had my Cd's ready in 3 days but they also re-designed my CD layout. I am proud to recommend ABET DISC for all the services needed in the entertainment business today!! -Karina Nuvo" |
 |
How It Works? |
|
Abet Disc makes it easy. Just send us your photos, liner notes, song lyrics and any other information you want to appear on the packaging, along with any ideas you have for the design. We'll take care of the rest.
To help us understand your project better we've created a >>> Design Ideas Form.
This is a simple (optional) single-page survey about your design needs. Including a completed form with your order can help ensure we give you a design you’ll love. We can certainly give you a great design without the form, but filling it out will help us understand your project better. |
If you're looking to release a CD or DVD and you don't have any packaging ideas, that's okay we've got you covered, when you give our designers the most freedom, they often do their best work.
In a few days, we'll send you a proof of your complete package design. If you don't like what you see, we'll modify it until you do. most of our clients approve their designs after seeing just one or two proofs.
|
CD Design Tips |
|
The look of your CD is an essential part of the finished package. It seems obvious, but often it ends up being compromise by independent artist. Your design is the first thing a potential buyer or industry representative is going to see when they get their hands on your CD. Don't let their first impression be that your project is anything less than 100% professional.
Great design isn't just finding a cool graphic or photo it should be unique to your look and sound. Overview and evaluation of your music, market, and image are essential parts of a professional design. Spend as much time and energy as possible getting your project as close to perfect as you can. After all, your sound and look will ultimately define you and your project.
|
Determine your target audience |
|
Think of who your likely buyers will be. While you don't want to limit yourself, you also can't be all things to all people. You want to craft a message that is likely to appeal to the largest segment of your potential market. One way to consider your audience is to determine where will the discs be sold. If you plan on selling discs at a Borders bookstore, your packaging will probably look different than if you sell only at live gigs in grunge nightclubs.
|
Develop your message |
|
When someone who doesn't know you picks up your CD, what information do you want them to get? Are you selling fun, party music, or introspective, personal, love songs? Does your music carry social commentary, or a sense of humor? Effective marketing creates an emotional response in the customer. What do you want someone to feel when they see your project for the first time?
|
Know your competition |
|
It's a lot harder to stand out in a marketplace if you don't know what the rest of the marketplace looks like. Take a look at designs for products that are similar to yours. Which ones do you like and dislike? How are other artists getting their message across?
A successful package design will both fit in a market segment and stand out from it. When we approach a design, we're looking to create something that will say what makes this product unique, and what makes it similar. If the content is heavy metal and the design is smooth jazz, it'll certainly stand out from the rest of the metal market, but not in a good way. The message is confusing.
|
Get a professional designer involved early in the process |
|
Owning design software doesn't make you a designer any more than owning a mixing board makes you a sound engineer. A professional designer understands the limitations of commercial print production: trapping, color gamuts, and differences between silkscreen and offset printing. Given the expense of replicating CDs, you don't want to take a chance with someone who's never printed anything commercially. They could wind up making beginner mistakes that will be very costly to fix.
In the same way a songwriter conveys a message through music, a professional designer thinks in terms of visuals. All we do, every day, is come up with visual solutions that convey ideas. Our job is to come up with ways to get your message across that you would never think of.
|
Simplify your message |
|
Elaborate concepts usually aren't nearly as effective as simple ones. You don't have a lot of time to capture the customer's attention, and people won't dwell on concepts they don't understand. We've had clients who request 12 images on their cover, one to represent each song on the album. That collage might mean something to the songwriter, but it's a jumbled mess to a customer who isn't familiar with the content.
|
Focus on the message, not on the image |
|
Before you think about what your CD packaging should look like, make sure you know what it's supposed to do for you. Remember, the number one job of your packaging is to get people to buy the item. You want to convince a customer that this is a quality product worth their investment. Don't approach the design as the creator of the product: look at it from the perspective of someone who's going to buy the product, and who probably hasn't heard or seen the content.
Be careful of falling in love with a particular concept before you discuss it with a designer. You may be disappointed if you find out the perfect vision in your head will be difficult, and therefore expensive, to produce on the page.
If the idea of coming up with a marketing message is making you dizzy, then just come up with a list of words that you would use to describe the content, and bring that to your designer. Again, an experienced designer will be able to give visual form to your ideas. Even if you don't have a clue who your target market is, or have no idea what your message should be, giving us a little information like 'high-energy country pop' or 'true-life stories of growing up in the street' will help us give you a successful design.
Good packaging is vitally important to your sales and your image. That notion can be intimidating for the inexperienced. Fortunately, we make it easy for you. We understand that our clients aren't advertising executives: they're guitarists, singers, and drummers. That's precisely why we're here. We're like having an award-winning advertising agency at your fingertips! |  |
