Coursework - Billboard planning

Research tasks:

1)  Billboard poster research:

Look at the following billboard poster:

Now answer the following questions based on the poster above: 

1. What historical moment in pop music does this documentary focus on, and why might that moment be significant for audiences interested in music history? 
The documentary focuses on the recording of the charity single “We Are the World” in 1985, when some of the biggest pop stars of the time came together in one studio. This moment is significant because it represents a rare collaboration between major artists and shows how pop music was used to address global issues, such as famine relief. For audiences interested in music history, it captures a defining moment of 1980s pop culture, celebrity influence, and social activism.

2. How might the poster imagery communicate the era of the music being explored (e.g., 1980s)?

• Vintage photography of famous artists
  
• Fashion typical of the 1980s, such as big hair, denim, leather jackets, and bold accessories
  
• A warm-toned filter to suggest archival footage
  
• These elements instantly signal the time period to audiences familiar with the decade.

3. Who would be the target audience for this documentary and why?

• Older audiences who remember the original song and era, as the documentary offers nostalgia
  
• Music fans and pop culture enthusiasts interested in iconic artists and behind-the-scenes stories
  
• Younger audiences who enjoy documentaries and want to learn about influential moments in music history
  
• This broad audience appeal makes the documentary both educational and entertaining.

4. What visual codes (e.g., typeface, colour, style of photograph) would you expect on the poster to reflect the documentary’s focus on classic pop music history?

• Bold or retro-style typefaces commonly associated with 1980s album covers
  
• Warm colours like gold, red, or cream to suggest nostalgia and importance
  
• Black-and-white or sepia-toned photographs to reflect authenticity and historical significance
  
• Images showing artists together in a recording studio, reinforcing collaboration and legacy

5. How could promotional text emphasise both nostalgia and relevance to a modern audience?
Promotional text could emphasise nostalgia.
To appeal to modern audiences, it could highlight themes like unity, global responsibility, and the power of music to create change, showing that the message of the documentary is still relevant today.

This Is Pop on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81050786

(This Is Pop is a documentary series exploring different influences and trends in pop music.) 

Watch the following trailer for the documentary series: 

Now answer the following questions based on the trailer: 

1. What themes and topics does This Is Pop explore based on its episode description (e.g., Auto-Tune, boy bands, festival culture)? 
This Is Pop explores key moments, trends and innovations that have shaped pop music history. Themes include the impact of technology (such as Auto-Tune), the construction and commercial power of boy bands, the rise of festival culture, and how pop music reflects social and cultural change. The series also examines issues of authenticity, fame, creativity and industry control, showing how pop music both influences and responds to its audience and society.

2. How might a billboard poster visually represent multiple facets of pop music history covered in this series?
A billboard poster could use a collage or montage style, combining images of artists from different eras, microphones, sound waves, festival crowds and recording technology. Bright, contrasting colours could represent different decades of pop, while layered imagery would suggest variety and evolution. This visual complexity would communicate that the series covers many stories rather than focusing on one artist or moment

3. This Is Pop is a series rather than a single documentary film—how might its poster need to differ in design from a single-film poster to communicate that?
Unlike a single-film poster, the This Is Pop poster would need to suggest breadth and episodic content. This could be achieved through multiple images, a bold central title, and possibly a tagline that hints at “the stories behind the music.” The design would feel less narrative focused and more thematic, signalling that each episode explores a different aspect of pop rather than telling one continuous story.

4. What aspects of pop culture history might appeal to older audiences versus younger audiences?
Older audiences may be drawn to episodes exploring earlier pop eras, classic artists, and the origins of trends they experienced firsthand, creating nostalgia. Younger audiences are more likely to engage with topics such as Auto-Tune, modern pop stars, festivals and social media driven fame. By covering multiple generations, the series appeals to a wide demographic.

5. What visual elements could ensure the poster suggests that this isn’t just entertainment, but a music documentary with depth and exploration?
To suggest depth, the poster could use a darker or more muted colour palette alongside bold highlights, serious typography, and imagery such as studio equipment, archival footage stills, or behind-the-scenes shots. A minimal but authoritative font and an analytical tagline would signal that the series is informative and reflective, not just celebratory, reinforcing its documentary genre.

These two IMDb image links point to stills or frames from the same documentary series (This Is Pop.) 

Compare the two different images from this series:

1. What different visual messages do they convey about pop music?
The first one only has the name of the title in colour while everything else is in black and white. The seconds one is very colourful and vibrant and the colour scheme matches the era

2. How do these images reflect the diversity within pop music culture (different genres, artists, eras)?
There are people of lots of races and gender which shows diversity

3. What emotions or associations do the images try to evoke in the viewer?
A sense of identity and relatableness or nostalgia

4. If you were to extract design cues (pose, colour palette, style) from these stills for your billboard posters, what would you take and why?
The fonts of the typography because they look really cool and match the era

5. How do the images relate to your understanding of representation and media language in music documentaries?
Costumes, makeup can show how people used to dress and identify as back in the days

2) Billboard Poster Research (Era Focus)

You must research THREE professional billboard or large-format posters, one from each era:

1. 1980s or 1990s pop artist promotion

2. 2000s or 2010s pop artist promotion

3. Contemporary (2018–present) pop artist promotion

These may include:

• Tour posters
• Album or single promotions
• Music documentaries
• Streaming platform music content (e.g. Netflix, Apple TV)

Choose artists that are clearly representative of each era.

3) Media Language Analysis 

For each billboard poster, analyse how visual design communicates meaning and appeals to its audience.

You should analyse:

• Layout & composition
  (scale, hierarchy, central image, simplicity for roadside viewing)
  
  1990s: Hierarchy of the one in the middle being the main person while others are on the side
  2000s: Beyonce the central image, very simple, large scale
  2020s: Taylor swift central image, quite simple

• Typography
  (font style, size, era connotations, readability)
  
  1990s: Bold serif font in red, Connotes power, tradition and rock legacy, Highly readable from a distance
  2000s: Clean, sans-serif font, Modern and minimal, early 2000s style, Artist name larger than album title, star branding
  2020s: Handwritten-style font, Connotes intimacy and authenticity, Reflects modern, indie-influenced pop 

• Colour palette
  1990s: Dark, muted background with red text, Connotes seriousness, masculinity and authenticity, Reflects gritty rock culture of the 1990s
  2000s: Warm gold and skin tones, Connotes glamour, success and luxury, Reflects polished 2000s pop/R&B culture
  2020s: Muted blues and greens, Calm, reflective tone, Signals maturity and emotional depth 

• Imagery
  (pose, gaze, styling, realism vs performance)
  
  1990s: Serious facial expressions and direct gazes, Minimal performance, authoritative image, Smart but rebellious clothing reflects rock star identity
  2010s: Direct address, confidence and power, Flawless styling, Blends sexuality with empowerment
  2020s: Gentle gaze and natural styling, Focus on storytelling rather than performance, Suggests realism and vulnerability

  
  

• Branding
  (logos, streaming platforms, consistency)
  
  1990s: band name is the main brand, No streaming logos → pre-digital era, Relies on established fame rather than promotion
  2000s: Beyoncé’s name acts as a global brand, Focus on image and recognisability, Reflects rise of celebrity culture
  2020s: Grammy logo reinforces credibility, Cross-platform appeal (award recognition), Balances artistry with commercial success

  
  
  

Then, explain how these choices reflect the era of pop music being represented.

1990s: Emphasises legacy, live performance and musical credibility
2000s: Emphasises individual stardom and commercial success
2020s: Reflects 2020s focus on authenticity and self-expression

4) Representation and Era identity

Explain how each poster represents:

• The artist

• The music culture of the era

• Attitudes to fame, performance, and identity

Consider:

• Fashion and styling

• Gender representation

• Star image

• Youth culture vs nostalgia

• Authenticity vs commercialisation

Apply at least one theory, such as:

• Stuart Hall – Representation

• Postmodernism (nostalgia, pastiche, remixing eras)

1990s: Artists represented as powerful, dominant figures, Music culture focused on authenticity and longevity, Fame shown as earned and stable, Strong male dominance in representation, Stuart Hall: meaning constructed through signs of authority and seriousness

2000s: Beyoncé represented as powerful and glamorous, Music culture values image and celebrity, Fame linked to branding and visibility, Strong female empowerment but highly stylised, Postmodernism: constructed, polished star image

2020s: Artist shown as authentic and introspective, Music culture values emotion and storytelling, Fame presented as earned through artistry, Gender representation is soft, natural and empowered, Stuart Hall: representation shapes ideas of authenticity

5) Audience appeal

For each era-based poster, explain:

• Who the primary audience is

• How it may also appeal to other age groups

• How nostalgia is used to attract older audiences

• How modern design elements attract younger audiences

Link this directly to the documentary’s aim to appeal to “people of all ages interested in pop music.”

1990s: Primary audience: older rock fans, Nostalgia through classic styling and typography, Limited appeal to younger audiences due to traditional design

2000s: Primary audience: young pop and R&B fans, Glamour appeals to aspirational youth culture, Nostalgia for older audiences familiar with her early career

2020s: Primary audience: younger listeners, Emotional tone appeals to digital-native audiences, Nostalgia through folk styling attracts older fans, Modern design keeps it relevant and current

6) Streaming services and industry conventions

Research how streaming services (e.g. Netflix) promote music documentaries.

Analyse:

• Common visual conventions (minimal text, strong imagery)

• Use of logos and release dates

• How platforms communicate where and how to watch

• How global audiences affect design choices

You may refer to:

• Netflix documentary posters

• Online promotional materials

Billboard adaptations of streaming campaigns

• Streaming services like Netflix use minimal text so posters are easy to read quickly on billboards, phones and social media
• A strong central image (artist close-up or performance shot) creates instant recognition and emotional impact
• Visuals are prioritised over information, reflecting modern digital advertising
• Platform logos (e.g. Netflix) are always included to signal quality and where the documentary can be watched
• Release dates are simple (“Coming soon” or a single date), showing on-demand access rather than cinema release
• Posters clearly communicate how and where to watch by focusing on the streaming brand instead of ticket or cinema details
• Familiar logos replace written instructions, assuming audience knowledge of streaming
• Global audiences influence design choices
• Limited text avoids language barriers
• Clean typography and universal imagery (microphones, crowds, artists) ensure worldwide appeal

7) Application to your coursework

This section must directly link your research to your final production.

Answer the following:

• How will each era influence the design of your three billboards?
  
  1990s: Quite colourful, bright colours and typography
  2000s: similar to 1990s
  2020s: nowadays fashion, typography is modern

• What visual codes will you use to differentiate eras?
  same as last bullet point

• How will you maintain brand consistency across all three posters?
  Add titles of the name of the documentary in each poster

• How will you promote your band from Task One as contemporary pop?
  Add the name of the band onto the poster, have same people from tiktoks be in the posters

• What design skills do you need to develop before production?
  Some photoshop, use canva, picstart, editing softwares/apps etc.

Planning and sketching

1) Plan the content for your first billboard poster:

• Title of the documentary film (must be NEW original mainstream music magazine you have invented): Echoes of Pop
• Name of streaming service the documentary will feature on: Netflix
• Original image (the band you promoted for one of your TikTok music videos)
• Release date of the documentary: 16/08/2026
• Ways your billboard poster will represent the contemporary pop era: Modern typography and fashion sense, neutral pop colours
• Font style / colour scheme, additional design aspects: same as above

3) Research and select the font or typography you will use for your billboard posters. This is a critical element of your print work - the brief requires a consistent house style running through all of your pages. 

 

Finally, create the pages in Adobe Photoshop or InDesign so you have the documents ready to go in terms of adding your text and images. This will need to include:

I will try recreate these sorts of ideas:

1990s: 

2000s: 

 

2020s: 

 

 

Photoshoot

1) Who do you need to photograph for your billboard posters? Remember, you need three original images across the whole print production. 
Myself, a few of my friends

2) What camera shots do you need? Write a shot list or draw a storyboard for your photoshoots. Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture - medium shots, close-ups etc.

Close up, medium shots, long shot maybe

3) Plan the mise-en-scene. What costume, props or make-up will you require for your photoshoots?

Harsh dark makeup, drums, guitars, maybe piano, jeans, crop tops, headbands, boots, baggy trousers

4) Finally, note down the time and date for your photoshoots. This may be inside or outside school (or a combination of both). You will have Media lesson time for this after the mock exams.
im not too sure yet but will be outside of school

Statement of Intent

1) Once you have completed your print research and planning, go back to your statement of intent and make sure you have included the print brief in your final draft. Then, submit the final draft statement of intent to your teacher. The due date for this will be confirmed by your coursework teacher.

Use your Media coursework lessons to complete these planning tasks - homework time should be exclusively to revise for mocks.

Due date for research and planning on Google Classroom.