I don't know if this is the proper forum, it's a packaging question. I find a lot of DVDs, porn and mainstream, and music CDs are coming with light cardboard outer sleeves that have the same art as the regular plastic case inside. Is there a purpose to this?
Wicked DVDs started doing this about a year ago, and I think Warner CDs have it, among others. It annoys me because it's seems pointless and wasteful.
My guess is that it has something to do with fighting piracy. Not illegal downloading, but bootlegged physical DVDs being sold to unsuspecting customers that do not give any money back to the copyright holders. That is, it would make it easier for copyright holders to know if a replicator or someone else is ripping them off if new copies of their movie show up on the market without the outer sleeves, or the outer sleeve is printed on cheaper, non-glossy card stock. You know, the copyright holding company contracts one company makes the copies of the DVD discs, another company prints the cover that goes inside the clear plastic of the DVD case, and another company prints the outer sleeves, and ONLY the studio should possess all three. If copies of the DVD show up on the market with two of those looking legit but the third is obviously a cheaper copy, someone must be being dishonest somewhere. That's my guess, anyway.
I think an interesting variation on those sleeves is the "Jules Jordan Video" tops that fit over the top of the DVD case on JJV releases.
I don't think it's for anti-theft, they have magnetic strips stuck inside the packaging for that.
I think the reason is to give their products better curb appeal thanks to larger more colourful cover art. As a bonus some consumers may see it as a premium or updated version.
And they often have that cheap holographic effect that we all thought went out with the 80s.
As for why the sleeves are there: because some dumb-ass graphic designers are elevated into positions of responsibility in the marketing division.
Is wasteful. It's in the way. It's annoying as hell. And yet, I can't get myself to throw the damn things out. Afterall, it's healthy to vent a little frustration like this, from time to time.
I'd understand that with the Wicked movies (which do shrink-wrap the case inside the sleeve), but if there's a hardcore version of an Emmylou Harris cover, I want that one.
When they do that, they usually print the two versions on opposite sides of the same sheet. And then they can choose which side to have outside when they slide the sheet behind the flexible, clear plastic on the outside of the DVD case.
I'm sticking with my theory that the sleeve helps indicate that a copy is legit and not bootlegged until an industry insider confirms or denies it.
Edited by - Gentleman Jon on 1/28/2007 6:44:46 PM
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nietzsche Deactivated User
5470 Posts 8/03
Posted - Jan 28 2007 : 9:58PM
I suspect it's just a marketing thing. One company does it to make their product stand out. Then everyone else starts doing it.
CORRECTAMUNDO!!! The cardboard sleeve creates less glare under the store's lights than a standard shrink-wrapped package. So, you don't have to be standing at the right angle to see the entire box cover of a DVD when it's in the cardboard sleeve.
IIRC (and I'm pretty sure IRC), the mainstream DVDs I've bought with sleeves, all had them inside the wrapping. They still looked shinier, with more vivid colours.
God hates us all, you know it's true, God hates this place. - Slayer 1726 Posts 10/03
Posted - Jan 29 2007 : 1:52PM
I have yet to see a mainstream DVD with the outer sleeve, but every porn DVD I have seen with them has NOT had the outer cover wrapped. Maybe it's because they are screeners?
The companies I can recall using them (companies I screen for) is Zero Tolerance, Black Ice, 3rd Degree, Elegant Angel and Wicked.
Although I think it's kinda a waste, I can see the more vivid colors argument - but why not just make the covers that way to begin with. Maybe its the plastic that the DVD sleeve slides down into...
"The universe is hostile, So impersonal. Devour to survive." - Tool
Yea, it's all a marketing tactic. One way of differentiating their product. Studies have shown that people respond better to the texture of the cardboard slip rather than cheaper, flimsy feel of the shrink-wrap plastic.
These are more commonly referred to as "O" cards and yes, they are entirely for show and have no practical purpose whatsoever other than making one DVD stand out from another which doesn't have one. Retailers like them because they give the DVD the appearance of having more bang for the buck.
often they denote that the product is 'special edition' or they falsely lead you to believe that it is.
also, there are MANY that have different art on the inside. sometimes this is for artistic purposes, maybe it enhances the presentation, or sometimes the material inside is offensive. see: cannibal corpse.
don't zero tolerance cover all of their dvds with these?
These outer sleeves would be a great way for a company to "correct" the situation when pictures of performers are included on the inner box cover that but the footage ends up not making it into the movie.
Do you mean the "snapper" cases that Warner used in the early days of DVD? If so, you're in the minority. Most of the early adopters of DVD really disliked those cases.
I am amongst them. But, there is something arguably more environmentally consient that I find less unappealing. I noticed that An Inconvenient Truth has, at least at times, been offered for sale in totally carboard packaging. The WB packaging seemed cheap and really not all that environmentally conscient.
Some of the cardboard cases are nice, but the plastic part that held the DVD was inconsistant. I also like the thing cases, which are not used often enough. DVD sets should consist of these (they come in 2 DVD capacity) instead of the giant ones used now. The liner notes are usually elsewhere anyways.
The snapper cases weren't nearly as bad as the slide tray. I believe the first release of The Usual Suspects had a tray you pulled out of the bottom of the case. Yes, it worked even more stupidly than it sounds.
Don't even get me started on "Special Edition" cases. Took me forever to get the stink off my fingers from those Evil Dead "Book of the Dead" cases.
I never owned any discs that came in a slide tray case. But, in the early days of DVD, while all of the video store chains were still renting only VHS, I used to go to a store that had converted from primarily Laserdisc rental to DVD rental (I had been a long time Laserdisc rental customer of theirs). They used slide tray cases for their rental discs.
It worked well because the "handle" of the slide mechanism was a perfect place to put an anti-theft lock mechanism. It worked well for rentals, but I wouldn't have liked it for purchased discs.
When the majors went to DVD, they put that small chain out of business. I miss that store.
Posted - Jan 26 2007 : 2:35AM
