On December 10th 2012 Gaptooth released “Ladykillers”, her first ever single as a digital download on both iTunes and Amazon. To promote this release she planned a short run of just 50 physical CDs, which would be sent out to promoters, publishers and producers a month before the release date. Because this was the first major release for Gaptooth she wanted to create something different, something eye-catching that would really wow the recipient. The usual approach of sending a plain CD in a plastic jewel case just wasn’t going to cut it.
The biggest hurdle would be cost; such a short run of bespoke CDs and cases could prove to be very expensive. After several discussions and searching for inspiration a company was found who could supply exactly what Gaptooth required whilst keeping within the allotted budget. They specialised in the duplication and printing of CDs and DVDs. What caught our eye were a range of printable CDs that looked and felt like the old vinyl records of the 70’s and 80’s. Seeing as they instantly grabbed our attention we felt they would have the same effect with anyone who received one.
Having chosen the vinyl discs we now needed a case that would compliment them. The same company also offered high quality printed cardboard cases. As with the CDs, Gaptooth felt they would really work with the new branding and make a much stronger first impression than a standard plastic jewel case, which I completely agreed with.
The next step involved creating the artwork for the CD and case. We both felt it was a great opportunity to promote not only the Ladykillers single but also the video, website and social media profiles. As the Gaptooth brand was still in it’s infancy I proposed a design that kept the same grungy style as the new logo and website. This would really help to strengthen the overall identity and make any future designs instantly recognisable as Gaptooth.
For the front cover I incorporated a silhouette of Gaptooth playing her guitar, taken from a still of the Ladykillers video. This worked perfectly and added a real sense of mysticism to the design, almost asking the question “who is Gaptooth?” This was answered immediately on the inside cover using another still from the video. Twitter, Facebook and Soundcloud links were added to the inside cover along with a QR code which linked to the Ladykillers YouTube video. This allowed the video to be viewed immediately on a mobile or tablet device simply by scanning the code.
All track listings, copyright information and references were added to the CD and back cover using the same style as the rest of the case. To add a finishing touch a silhouette of Nadia; one of Gaptooth’s cats was added to the back cover because, well to be honest, we both just love cats!
If you would like to watch the Ladykillers video on YouTube simply click on the following link www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sYzCskdSnQ
