Budget and Narrative: Market Research

For our market research we asked two questions. 

1) Do you prefer music video styles of low or high budget

We asked this question as a way of analysing people's responses to the contrasting music videos of today. We have such a difference between high budget music videos, such as Next 2 You by Chris Brown and Justin Bieber and low budget music videos, such as Down With The Trumpets by Rizzle Kicks and this question with the answers help us to see whether the budget of the music video actually affects the portrayal of the messages from the music video. 

2) Which narratives do you prefer in music video? For example relationships, sports, fighting, violence, videos of the artist performing the song or teenage narratives.

This question was again asked to analyse people's interpretations of the vast range of music videos we have today. We have such diversity of narrative in music videos nowadays that one music video can be perceived in many different ways. For example Proud by JLS. This music video can be seen as a tribute to the athletes and their families as it was released during the build up of the Olympics, or it can be seen as a personal message from JLS to their families. This question was also a way of seeing preferences.



The answer to the first question was very useful. He said that the budget depends on the artist, which is very much true with music videos today. If it is known for an artist to have a really "out-there" music video (some sort of trademark perhaps), like Lady Gaga or Beyonce, then for them to release a low budget music video would be uncharacteristic for them and may not attract as many views as their previous music videos have. He also said that a low budget music video could also be really good to highlight the actual narrative of the music video itself. Because of the lack of fancy costumes, extravagant location, choreography, makeup etc. it will not distract the audience from the actual message or narrative of the music video. For example A-Team by Ed Sheeran.
The answers to the second question were once again highly useful. He answered in context of target audience; what would appeal to the artist's audience and get their music video a lot of views. An example of a music video appealing to a particular audience would be Live While We're Young by One Direction. One Direction appeal to teenage girls and the use of a teenage "party" goofing around lifestyle would draw in the views and would also show off the band members' personalities. This would make the music video seem like an intimate video between the band and their fans. He also answered in context of sales of the product. He said that if the music video appeals to the target audience they are more likely to by the product, which is very true. He said that looking at music videos now, teenage narratives are a lot more common.