SC: Kings Of Leon Magazine Advert

Product Analysis

Album Cover: Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown

This magazine advert is very effective when drawing the eye of the reader. The advert uses mise-en-scene and colour to gain the audiences attention. The advert consists of one main image in the background; on top of the image is the band name, album title and release date of the album.
The main image is the silhouette of palm tree leaves against a blank background of sunset colours. It is a very calm image and perhaps represents the theme of the album. However, more effectively, the bright red and yellow colours grab the attention of the audience and draw them to the advert. The image is also slightly enigmas as well however, something that, again, causes the reader to be interested by and tempts them to read more.
If the bright colours and enigmas image do not draw the reader’s attention, then the title of the band (Kings of Leon) in bold capitals at the top of the advert certainly does. The Kings of Leon are currently huge and a household name in most of the country, they are an established band and therefore their very name can draw a reader. The layout makes sure that this is in a focal hotspot at the top of the page (where our eye naturally first looks when reading a page). This leads any fan of the band on to read more and at the bottom is some very basic language which gives details on the album. At the bottom (in the same text as the band name to keep in theme and create a house style) is the album title and release date. There are no details or reviews of the album which is very unconventional. This is another sign that the band feels they are established; they feel confident enough that this advert will sell the album without having to add reviews to the advert to help.
The only other texts on the advert are the bands website (to help promote the band) and an emblem of an online retailer which will sell the album. I think that this advert (when compared with the next advert I plan to analyse) shows just how much contrast there is between advertising for a debut band and an established band. The Kings of Leon don’t feel they need to rely on mise-en-scene and common conventions to sell the album, but simply use an intelligent layout to attract the reader to the name of the band.