Functionally, digipaks exist to protect the CD and carry institutional information (eg label copyrighting, barcode, denoting writing/recording credit, reference number etc) as well as to advertise the contents, standing out to attract suitable members of the target audience when browsing shelves/digital stores. This means that the digipak's artistic design must reflect the creative intentions of the artist, as well as targeting the specific genre's audience through recognisable generic conventions. (See my other posts analysing how specific album covers achieve this.) The album art must not only represent the band, their image, their audience and the genre of music, but also imply institutional factors, such as what kind of label it is released on, the appeal of the band as an underground artist and whether it is a first release or not. However, as well as conforming to the conventions of the genre, the digipak must also be unique, eyecatching and interesting, or else its potential as a promotional tool would be wasted.
Digipaks are also noted for their considerably reduced environmental impact compared to traditional jewel-cases. This is an attraction for smaller, more ethically-minded record labels or bands with such attitudes, although is not considered an important factor by profit-driven major labels.
This research will influence my digipak as I now understand the importance of particular features in the design and implementation of artwork - not just for the front/album cover, but for the entire digipak product.
