Sunday, September 21, 2014

Ideas for CD packaging with extra content



In today’s streaming and downloading environment, a big challenge for retail physical media is to develop a product, whose appeal is so strong, the consumer’s decision to purchase the physical is almost a forgone conclusion.  Occasionally the physical media is the only way the product really works; a boxset containing lots of additional content and images is a great example.

For consumers desiring a CD format with a small footprint, the following ideas might be of interest to you. They are compact, store well, ship well, yet offer loads of space to tell your band’s story.

The first example is a package we manufactured for Numero Group. The title is also available in a matching LP boxset version.  The Boddie Recording Company: Cleveland Ohio is typical of re-issue label, Numero, efforts to compile music from small, almost unknown, or totally obscure record labels and weave a story around the music. 

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This package holds 3 CDs (58 tracks) and two booklets, full of history on Boddie and their artists, extensive notes and a great many pictures. There is also a detailed discography folio and reproduced fliers.

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Who will be the first person to spot the inconsistency of this customer furnished image? Write a note at the bottom of this post. 

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The end sheets and pockets are constructed of a tough kraft cover stock that will surely hold up to consumer handling. Notice the die cut pocket tabs on the above image.

 
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Above is a close-up of the quality binding and proper spacing of the internal pockets. If you click on the image, you can see the quality cloth cover wrap. 

Here is a close-up of turned edge and film laminated slip case. This package retails for $35.00 and is available from Numero Group’s website or Amazon. That’s a good retail price point for 3 CDs, the booklets, the slip case and the additional ephemera. 



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For those of you who are interested in the physical design process, I included the two below images of a preliminary sample . Ultimately a different binding method (we eliminated the screw post construction) was selected. And these two samples don’t include the die cut tabs. In the first image you can see the two screwposts that hold this particular format together. The vertically opening pockets were eventually changed to a side opening style.

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Here is another solution for content requiring only two disks. This is the Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound CD package.  I highlighted this LP package in December 2013. This CD package retails for $35.00 from the Numero Group’s website.  The purple fabric was custom dyed to the customer’s PMS color specifications. 





 
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Since there are only two CD’s, the inside front cover and inside back cover are the natural storage locations for the two disks.   

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Another film laminated slip case that provides protection and an easy to ship square format.


The below 4 images show how we present dummies (aka white samples) for customer approval. We used a red fabric because the color of the book hadn’t yet been determined. 

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The following American Express package isn’t a project we manufactured; however I thought it was a really great design. Behind each set of pages could contain a disk. You can’t see it in the photos, but a magnet provides a final closure mechanism.  The dark gray fabric quarterbind provides a real nice accent.   

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