Colours covers!

[Refix]

Its not that special or memorable for me. Just a plain magazine-editorial-picture-ish
The font kinda cool, but the placement and size are major issue.

[orangeakira]

It's funny that we have all the song, the covers, the album name, and almost all the pvs. I actually keep forgetting this album hasn't been released yet (physically). lol

[hayasaki]

Originally Posted by orangeakira

It's funny that we have all the song, the covers, the album name, and almost all the pvs. I actually keep forgetting this album hasn't been released yet (physically). lol

And its tour is ending two weeks from Now lol

[marty]

@November4: I remember reading in Japan you can't really download illegally, or something like that. Maybe that's why they thought this was a smart promotion: since nobody was going to be interested even if they announced an album, they used a thing people still are interested in (concerts) to give them free samples of the new songs otherwise they wouldn't have checked on their own.
Honestly, I'm perplexed too at this new marketing direction, but since it's something refreshing, I really like it. Anyway, it seems WAY more and better planned than her whole 15th anniversary, even if maybe not very effective.

[orangeakira]

Originally Posted by marty

@November4: I remember reading in Japan you can't really download illegally, or something like that. Maybe that's why they thought this was a smart promotion: since nobody was going to be interested even if they announced an album, they used a thing people still are interested in (concerts) to give them free samples of the new songs otherwise they wouldn't have checked on their own.

It's only illegal if the artist doesn't want you to download it. If Ayu released "EDMA" as a free exclusive download on her website it wouldn't be "illegal". If it was released on itunes only and someone bought it, and then uploaded it on a site like mega, or mediafire for people to download, that is illegal.

I think it was a very smart idea to give out free album samplers like the "XOXO/Terminal" CD but personally I see no reason why EDMA couldn't be a free download even if it is only about $5, or even put on a cd and handed out like the other cds at her concerts. I mean you're literally paying for a 15 minute sampler? Samples are for people to get a taste of something to get them to want to buy it. Could you imagine if you went to a supermarket and the nice old ladies that worked the sample stands actually charged you to try the samples?

Hell, if anything EDMA should be a free download on her official website for everyone to enjoy, while the 2 song free cds handed out at her concerts should be $5 you can buy at the stands outside. The cds give you 2 full songs to enjoy for no price, while EDMA only gives you a verse and a chorus of select songs from the album which you can hear for free on itunes when you press "preview all".

[pimenta]

Originally Posted by orangeakira

Hell, if anything EDMA should be a free download on her official website for everyone to enjoy, while the 2 song free cds handed out at her concerts should be $5 you can buy at the stands outside. The cds give you 2 full songs to enjoy for no price, while EDMA only gives you a verse and a chorus of select songs from the album which you can hear for free on itunes when you press "preview all".

Just want to remind you that to get those "free CDs" people had to attend the concert, and the tickets aren't cheap (in fact the tickets for this tour are more expensive than many other j-pop artists' tours).

[marty]

Originally Posted by orangeakira

It's only illegal if the artist doesn't want you to download it. If Ayu released "EDMA" as a free exclusive download on her website it wouldn't be "illegal". If it was released on itunes only and someone bought it, and then uploaded it on a site like mega, or mediafire for people to download, that is illegal.

I think it was a very smart idea to give out free album samplers like the "XOXO/Terminal" CD but personally I see no reason why EDMA couldn't be a free download even if it is only about $5, or even put on a cd and handed out like the other cds at her concerts. I mean you're literally paying for a 15 minute sampler? Samples are for people to get a taste of something to get them to want to buy it. Could you imagine if you went to a supermarket and the nice old ladies that worked the sample stands actually charged you to try the samples?

Hell, if anything EDMA should be a free download on her official website for everyone to enjoy, while the 2 song free cds handed out at her concerts should be $5 you can buy at the stands outside. The cds give you 2 full songs to enjoy for no price, while EDMA only gives you a verse and a chorus of select songs from the album which you can hear for free on itunes when you press "preview all".

I'm with you about EDMA.
I was manly talking about the previous promotional things: free cds at the concerts, the new pvs showed during the live, new songs never heard before performed before the release, etc.
It's strange and new for Ayu, so I was wondering why they decided to promote the cd this way.

[hayasaki]

I'm officially using that textless photo for my iTunes��❤️

[LEOyumi]

Well, if we're going to try to define what's artistic, we'll still be discussing when ayu releases her 20th album. I feel the Colours covers have an artistic touch to them, somewhat like a simplistic fashion photoshoot.

[kaled kalil]

I can't with people dissing Secret's cover... That CD Only is one of my favorites cover EVER.

The new album's covers are pretty, nothing special but better than her latest releases.
Five (with so many photoshop mistakes) and Party Queen covers are so wrong, and Love Songs/Love Again were kinda of whatever, so this one is kinda fresh to her. It reminds me of Bold & Delicious style without the cool background.

[xLuna&1LOVE]

@ November4 What is the dealio exactly about?

Unfortunately I am not up to date with Namie's recent releases. I would love to believe she had a much better marketing strategy, but I cannot see/use hers as an example because I know nothing about it.

Ayu has not hired "some" western artists. She has collaborated with influencial, international artists who are positively active at the moment. They are not 'some people' you can make jokes about. They are very well chosen for the EDM sound Ayu was looking for. Being able to collaborate with different music producers like these men is definetely a sign she is taking her work serious.

Ayu knew what sound she was looking for and that is why I cannot believe she has ever changed a lot to finish Colours in the last minute. Though, I can understand she struggled by putting Pray on the refreshing album without any other J-Pop-ish songs to reinforce the complete sound. She could not have made the deadline in July otherwise. Even though some marketing strategy decisions have been weird, that showcase and the 10 days PV shooting are not some things to shedule in a rush.

By saying this I hope I could have convinced you a little bit that Colours has not been a rushed through progress, but an experimental opportunity to work together with a brandnew team who really thought of the album concept in first place. I think the album is very well executed. Much better than LOVE again, which is actually very uncomparable to Colours, but hey.
But it is up to you whether you like the album or not. Even Ayu does not have the power over that fact.

[Andrenekoi]

I love how much marketing specialists we have over here...

[kotora]

Why does she have perfect armpit and perfect hair, but I have messy hair and life.

[adantatu2]

avex's prices for everything are always more expensive.

[Sandy]

I guess I'm a little late for this, but oh well...

I like these covers. If the covers would have been her in a rainbow-dress with bright lights in the background I'd been sarcasticaly like "Oh yeah, "colours", so you're cover is... colorful. Clever."
And again, if the covers were black/white... It's so far from the title it's even more obivous.

Ayu's covers a neither the-literall-translation nor complete-opposite. And... It has pretty much always been like that. I like the covers.

If I'd buy an album (which I will, I just never buy them when they first come out) it'd be the CD+DVD b/c that's just the way it has always been for me. I also have the CD version of many albums but only because I couldn't afford the CD+DVD at the time or CD Only was the only one available. I buy the Korean/Hong Kong version, not the Japanese. Cheaper. But here, the CD+DVD has the weakest cover and I fricking hate it.

This...

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by Linza-mo

...is gorgeous.

Can someone please tell me what's up with the f@$}£ng candles?? Seriousley... CANDELS?? I'm sure Ayu's one of these yoga-and-aromatheraphy-helps-you-find-your-inner-strenght but I'm kind of going skitso over this right now...

Okay, the aYUMI HAMASaKI CoLOURS is juvenile to say the least. Hah, when I was ~13, a bunch of girlz from my cl55 wrote l1ke th!s & the teach€r she l1ke tothallyh gave d3t3nti0n 1CE b/c ThEy WoLdN'T sTaPh OMFG!!11
If Ayu is trying to be clever, she failed. L1ke, tothallyh.
I remember having trouble adjusting to "talkin' 2 myself" but it doesn't look as bad, nee??

Still, the font is straight like VOGUE, yes? This is inside Vogue Paris 90th Anniversary Special Edition

Spoiler:

This font makes Ayu's covers look too much like magazine covers...
And it's too big - don't mind the color of the titel, but it takes too much space!!

Originally Posted by orangeakira

It's funny that we have all the song, the covers, the album name, and almost all the pvs. I actually keep forgetting this album hasn't been released yet (physically). lol

^My reaction. She is trying something western which is pretty much what everyone is doing, even in my home country. But she's trying something new (for her) and that's great off topic, am I the only one that gets headache from EDM?

Originally Posted by orangeakira

I think it was a very smart idea to give out free album samplers like the "XOXO/Terminal" CD but personally I see no reason why EDMA couldn't be a free download even if it is only about $5, or even put on a cd and handed out like the other cds at her concerts. I mean you're literally paying for a 15 minute sampler? Samples are for people to get a taste of something to get them to want to buy it. Could you imagine if you went to a supermarket and the nice old ladies that worked the sample stands actually charged you to try the samples?

Hell, if anything EDMA should be a free download on her official website for everyone to enjoy, while the 2 song free cds handed out at her concerts should be $5 you can buy at the stands outside. The cds give you 2 full songs to enjoy for no price, while EDMA only gives you a verse and a chorus of select songs from the album which you can hear for free on itunes when you press "preview all".

^I love how I can just quote orangeakira instead of using my own words...
JK, I agree with you.

Lastly... SHE DISCOVERED A NEW COLOUR!! NO MORE PEACH/ORANGE!!! YAAAY!!!

[ayuuk]

Do you guys feel the cover for CD+Bluray is a bit strange? Ayu's left ear's position is sooo low. It looks so weird.

I am seriously debating if I will buy the CD+Bluray >"<

[rusuke]

I like them especially the CD+DVD covers. Finally, something different covers. I thought she will continue doing a photo shoot covers with same color scheme from LOVE SONGS to LOVE again.

[Cyria]

I don't like how big the text is, but apart from that they're pretty nice shots.

[Loulines]

Um... guys...
I was trying to join the CD+BR cover with the textless one (nevermind why) and I saw something weird:

(Her cheek and neck)
I mean... WTH? Did someone at avex just photoshopped already photoshopped picture?

[kotora]

Originally Posted by Loulines

Um... guys...
I was trying to join the CD+BR cover with the textless one (nevermind why) and I saw something weird:

(Her cheek and neck)
I mean... WTH? Did someone at avex just photoshopped already photoshopped picture?

THAT IS JUST HER HAIR WITH BRIGHT LIGHTING. SHE HAS LONG HAIR, HELLO.