CHIPMUNK

Bilaal Saghir, A2 Media, Mrs Doggart

I Am Chipmunk (2009)

• 2009 was the year Chipmunk signed to major label Sony (Jive). This was the artists crossover from Grime to Pop.

• The next slide shows the artwork for the catalogue of singles taken off his debut album “I Am Chipmunk”

What I Am Chipmunk represents Chipmunk himself.

• Looking at the artworks, you can see that the approach taken on the artwork input was minimal, basic and colourful. This is partly due to the content of the song, but you can see the Artist’s name is the same, which evidently becomes the artists’ “brand logo”

• There is also close ups of the artists face on these covers, which is demanded from the labels so the public become familiar with the artist.

• The colours vary drastically from cover to cover, which is done obviously to make it easy to identify each single.

• All in all, the covers have a very generic, minimal creativity input and that major label feel splattered all over it.

• The album artwork, is playful, it’s easy to look at it and it’s exactly the type of quality the artist (at the time) should be releasing, just in terms of his name, his the major success at such a young age and his roots. The words “I AM” are biggest words there, which I think emphasizes the point, like “THIS” is Chipmunk?

Champion featuring Chris Brown. Transition (2011)

• The artwork for Chipmunk’s Champion highly reflects on the music video. The cover has a sort of similar colour pallet as the video which is a greyish, washed out effect. The video is set in a rural, deserted place which I believe has an effect on the subject matter Chipmunk wants to point across.

• The concept was to approach a more mature sound and look. This was pointed out by Chipmunk himself in interviews. If you look at his singles history, from the likes of Chip Diddy Chip (UK #21) to his #1 UK Single Oopsy Daisy, Champion reflects on Chipmunk as an Artist, a young artist who’s showing maturity in his songs and ambiton. When discussing the artwork and video, the font used on the single artwork is a bold, capital lock, hard “Arial Rounded” like font. It isn’t as colorful or effective as his previous artworks. This style of font carries on in his later singles all from his aptly named album “Transition”.

• I believe this move for the artist himself was needed, being of his young age (20), Chipmunk needed that step forward, which would explain in his songs.

Brand Image for Chipmunk?• I think Chipmunk not only wanted to make this move, but he felt as if he

needed to. With a name like ‘Chipmunk’, it’s very easy to not take him seriously, considering the way he was introduced when he first signed to a major label (I Am Chipmunk era). I think he felt like when someone listens to Champion, he wants them to feel good, ambitious and motivated to go out and work hard, just like Chipmunk did himself.

• People could agree on the fact he wants that “Role Model” respect, purely because he wants to spread positive messages and not fall into the stereotype of a rapper.

• Given his sucess at such a young age, I think Chipmunk and his label believe it’s only wise he tries to make music such as Champion that has a positive reaction for his young audience.