Katy Perry's CD Cover

CD covers are designed to be eye catching (audience lines of appeal: one line of appeal is called envy or emulation and another one is aspiration). CD’s show an insight and establish an artists identity, they are visual representations of the music and therefore reflect the genre of music the artist has produced. Codes and conventions of the genre are use to appeal to the targeted audience.  

'One of the Boys' is Katy Perry’s first album cover.

The typography consists of her name and the title of the album. The font used for her name is a bubble gum pink with a thick white outer line and it's larger than the album title as a consequence the name is what immediately catches the audiences attention this is done so that audiences will recognise who’s album it is. The pink font and bright colour scheme is very feminine and youthful suggesting Katy Perry is very girly, sweet and playful, which suggests that her target audience is young people most likely teenagers. However, the title of the album, ‘One of the Boys’, contrasts with the feminine representation. The colour of the title is blue, which is an iconic colour that represents boys. The album name introduces her tomboyish and fun persona to the audience. She has made a reference to both genders in order for the album to appeal to a broad mainstream audience consequently she is able to maximise salves/revenue. Realistically girls are the ones who are most likely to buy and listen to her album whilst boys would be attracted to her image rather then music. Her revealing clothes make her attract a male audience. She would also appeal to the ‘gay scene’ as Katy Perry is very extravagant, with what she does, as seen in the picture. The mise en scene in this picture gives off an ideology of the 50's with the use of the old record player, her blue 50's style straw hat, the white picket fence, and the old style garden lounger with the blanket, giving of a modern and retro feel. Her clothing also portrays a vintage style from Katy, Her pink crop top with blue high waisted shorts, red wedges and blue sunhat are all retro fashion but it has been modernised in order to fit in with today’s modern society, young girls would envy and want to emulate her stylish clothing.  This theme could have been used in order for the album to also appeal to older audiences who would be able to identify with the 50’s theme. The shot is a medium shot and her pose is very seductive which, again, appeals to a male audiences.  Her pose is also very dramatic and glamorous looking, this appeals to higher-class audiences, as they are more likely to identity and relate to her. It’s important to appeal to this type of audience as they have the money to spend on the album. A lower class audience would also be interested in the album, as determination and talent would inspire them. There is no viewing of the institution on the front cover as this is not as relevant to a young audience.

The back of the album cover portrays the same theme as the front cover, although the sky is slightly darker suggesting time has passed and it is not dark. The ideology of the 50's still runs throughout the digipak as the white picket fence still remains in the shot and Katy is wearing different but yet very similar clothes as in the front cover. Her high waisted shorts and a pink crop top and hairstyle reinforce retro fashion. There is also a funfair theme on the back cover which is suggested by the red heart lollypop and pool with the rubber ducks, which could represent the ‘hook-a-duck popular funfair game. This theme appeals to a young audience as it implies that Katy is a fun natured girl. The back cover is also very feminine, this is connoted by the red lipstick, handwritten font and the two love hearts, which separate the main songs front the mixes.