VLOG #1: Album Packaging

 

 

So, here is my first vlog and I decided to show you guys examples of how K-Pop albums are being packaged and what all you might find inside!

 

Looking at the four albums in the video, you can see that they aren't your average, everyday album. The quality of the packaging isn't a cheap material and is actually pretty heavy-duty. As you can see, these albums come with a bunch of extra material such as postcards, membership cards for fanclubs, photo books, lyric booklets, etc. I love this idea of adding extra materials to help sell the album. As a consumer, I feel like I am getting more for the price I pay, which is never too expensive. I'd have the say the most I've spent on an album was around $25-$30 and part of that price has the included import fee.  Some may think that price is too expensive, but once you see the packaging and what you get inside, I'm sure you would be sold. I've also noticed the trend of albums trying to outdo other albums. The content just keeps getting better and better. I have an album that came with buttons! Buttons. You just never know what they will come up with next.

 

Now, I have to ask myself the question, "What is actually selling the albums?" I still think that the music is what is selling these albums and that the extra material comes second. K-Pop fans are very passionate about supporting the artists and I have known some fans to buy multiple copies of an album just to support the artist. They also want that music and would rather buy the album instead of downloading because they get a high quality recording and they support the artist at the same time. But on the other hand, I've seen fans buy multiples of the same album just to collect those member cards I showed in the video. They want to get one of each member and will do so by buying more of the album. So, I guess the answer to that question can easily go both ways. But at least we know it's grabbing the attention of fans and albums continue to sell.