What is a Digipak?

The CD DigiPak is a modern, stylish alternative to the standard CD Jewel Case. CD Digipaks are a custom printed card packaging that can hold one or more CDs which are held in place with plastic trays which are glued into the digipak.

CD DigiPacks are especially popular in the music industry for CD albums as well as multiple CD disc sets. This gives the product an expensive professional look and feel. They are important in the fact that they are the first thing an audience will see when buying an album.

Here are some examples of DigiPaks:

Rihanna - Loud

Rihanna is an example of a pop artist who has used a Digipak. Featured on the front cover is the star herself promoting her own music. The bright colours tell the audience this will be a pop album, as well as the red roses, red and white colours and white dress connoting love and romance, and giving the feeling of a marriage. This could possibly tell the audience what the album will be about as a whole. The name 'Loud' also brings to mind a sexual context, perfect for the running theme throughout.

Alt - J - Matilda

Alt - J is an example of an indie artist who have used a Digipak. Exploration and possibilities are what I perceive from this as a consumer. The triangle symbol has been replaced in the place of the A for Alt - J, their signature symbol, which has been used to establish their image and can now be recognised among consumers. Because of the black background the orange of space is emphasised, the fonts in simple, bold, white and orange letters also stand out because of this.

However, some artists choose to only produce a jewel case for their album, such as The Killers below:

The Killers - Sam's Town

As an example of an indie/ indie rock/ alternative artist, The Killers' Jewel case includes very monochrome images depicting gypsy-like landscapes.  The goat's horns featured on the front cover follows the curve of the CD perfectly, effective in its simplicity. The band have chosen to have semi-naked women on their front cover suggesting a male audience. The Killers logo is featured, allowing them to be recognised in shops. Interestingly, the name of the album 'Sam's Town' is the only piece of colour featured, Whether to connote a dangerous feel or just to emphasise the writing is unclear.

Unlike the other two above they have chosen to just produce the basic casing without all the extra features, however in todays industry most artists only use jewel cases as the demand for CD's declines, so instead they put their resources in other areas of production and distribution.