Section 5: The Other Items
What promotional items for The Cross of Changes have appeared?
In mid-March, 1994, promotional boxes were set up on counters in Australian CD stores. It's dimensions are 15.5cm x 27.5cm x 14.5cm. It is an open box which holds promotional booklets, with a top 'flap' at the back. On this flap is the cover of The CROSS of Changes with the ENIGMA 2 section placed on top of the picture, and the title centred below the picture. On two sides of the box is the picture, and at the very front of the box, is a small rectangular part with the ENIGMA 2 section once again, and the Virgin symbol on each corner.
Inside this box were kept small booklets (they are the same size as CD booklets). The cover of the booklets are identical to the cover of The CROSS of Changes. When opened, two pages face the viewer. The left hand side shows the track listing and is identical to that in the album's booklet. The right hand side has a grainy brown background, and has the ENIGMA 2 section at the top. Following this is the text:
- Old rules and habits have to be rejected and dismissed so that something new can be created states Michael Cretu, and thus created the project ENIGMA at the end of 1990.
- The Gregorian chants combined with dance rhythms created a wave of enthusiasm that swept everybody away - Bombay fortune tellers, London DJs, Bangkok market tenders and Beverley Hills doctors, lawyers and attorneys - all of them found their common ground in the music of ENIGMA.
- MCMXC a.D. went on to sell over 7m copies world wide and continues to be one of Virgin Records best sellers.
- ENIGMA is a comparatively new collage of sounds, rhythm and feeling for time, it is a musical work with hardly anything in common with standard songs and their formats. Michael Cretu took over 3 years to produce the follow up to MCMXC a.D. as he worked his way through hundreds of CDs of native song, sampling, cataloguing and synchronising many sounds before he could even begin his own song writing process.
- The Cross of Changes is a musical step forward, but it nevertheless incorporates all the instinctive elements that MCMXC a.D. does but in a completely new guise.
- A black, oval-shaped calculator with the ENIGMA 2 logo at the top
- Pens
- A plastic bag measuring 25 x 32cm with Norwegian text translated as:
ENIGMA
THE CROSS OF CHANGES
Seducing * Mystical
Sound Experience
NEW album out in December - White ENIGMA monk on a black 100% cotton heavyweight T-shirt, retailing at US$15
- White ENIGMA monk on a black 9oz heavyweight set-in sleeve sweatshirt, made up of 50/50 poly/cotton and retailing at US$25
- White ENIGMA monk on an 11oz heavyweight set-in sleeve sweatshirt, made up of 95/5 cotton/poly and retailing at US$35
- Full colour print (cover artwork [logo] and special backprint) on a black 100% cotton American style T-shirt, retailing at DM30 or US$19.99
- Full colour print (cover artwork [logo] and special backprint) on a light grey 100% cotton American style T-shirt, retailing at DM30 or US$19.99
- Full colour print on a black set-in sleeve American style sweatshirt, retailing at DM60 or US$25.99
- Full colour print on a light grey set-in sleeve American style sweatshirt, retailing at DM60 or US$25.99
- Logo front & back on a black bomber jacket with leather sleeves, retailing at DM298 or US$198
- Logo on a black cap, retailing for DM28 or US$14.99
- Full colour artwork on a black wrist-watch, retailing for DM68 or US$48.99
the C R O S S of changes is released on April 4th.
The page with the above text opens to show two more pages - the first is identical to the credits page from the album. The other page has the same background as the above text and contains the information required to reserve a copy of the album. Finally, on the back of the booklet, is the same page as on the back of the album booklet, displaying the quote by Jelaluddin Rumi.
Other promotional products that came out to coincide with the release of The CROSS of Changes include:
What promotional items for Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! have appeared?
In mid-late November pre-order forms appeared in Australian record stores. A5 in size, they have a close up of the cover in yellow as a background. ENIGMA3 is in large black writing at the top followed by a large picture of the cover and text stating "New Album" followed by the title of the album in write writing on a black background. This is followed by the heading "Limited Edition" and the text "PVC European Collector's Booklet. Pre-Order Your Copy Now". This is followed by some text stating the first two Enigma albums were also available, with small shots of their cover. Finally is the area to enter your details to order a copy.
In mid-1997, an Interactive Full Motion Digital Video (FMDV) CDROM Press Kit was distributed to the media. Designed like a Digipak but larger in size, it features original artwork all focussing on older photos of the Eiffel Tower, and measures 13cm x 20cm x 1cm. Contained on the CDROM is a full-screen music video to Beyond the Invisible, full-screen Electronic Press Kit (EPK) video for the new album in German and English, an Enigma 3 screensaver for PC, text of interviews Cretu did in October 1996, and 23 audio tracks of an interview he did in German.
What merchandise from MCMXC a.D. has appeared?
From the CD booklet to the US version of MCMXC a.D., the following merchandise is available:
The above three items were available from 1990 from:
Guy Tees
824 Suber Street
Columbia S.C. 29205
It is not known whether they are still available.
What merchandise from The Cross of Changes has appeared?
From the CD booklet to The CROSS of Changes in some countries, the following merchandise is available:
The above items were available from 1993 in German currency from:
Siraprint GmbH
Postbox 14 14 20
D-47024 Duisburg
Germany
They were available from 1994 in American currency from:
Polytrans-Euroline Performance Tees
14162 S.W. 139 CT.
Miami Fla 33186
It is not known whether they are still available, although since Siraprint is also advertised for merchandise for Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! (see below) there may be a chance they also have older stock.
What merchandise from Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! has appeared?
From the CD booklet to Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! merchandise is available on the Internet from http://www.rockpop.de. This site is in German. Merchanise is also available world-wide by faxing (49) - (0) 2065-40787. This fax is located in Germany. Alternatively you can write to:
Siraprint
PO Box 141420
D-47204 Duisburg
Germany
This is the company and address that was advertised for merchandise from the Cross of Changes CD booklet.
In the United States and Canada, merchandise is available by phoning (305) 251-5505 or faxing (305) 251-0212. Alternatively you can write to:
Polytrans
14166 S.W. 139th CT. Miami
FL 33186
USA
What posters have appeared?
For the release of both MCMXC a.D. and The CROSS of Changes, major record stores had large posters which feature the cover of the album and some text. For The CROSS of Changes the size of the poster is 23" x 33" and the text says Featuring the hit single Return to Innocence. It is presumed for MCMXC a.D. the text is Featuring the hit single Sadeness part 1!
Go to Section 6: The Meanings