This is my final Iceflake article. It works better than the pevious draft as It looks considerably busier and more in the style of teh magazine.Thursday, 5 March 2009
Final Iceflake article
This is my final Iceflake article. It works better than the pevious draft as It looks considerably busier and more in the style of teh magazine.
Final Contents Page
This is my final Contents page. Like my front cover i also completely recreated the stye of the page as I felt the colourscheme and layout didnt work. I definately prefer this page from my previous contents page.Final Front Cover
This is my final Front cover, I have followed and changed the errors that were previously made. I am pleased with the outcome as I worked hard to change the image of the magazine fomr the first ever draft I created.
Manipulating My Contents page
These are again the step by step instructions for how I developed my contents page using photoshop.
Manipulating Front cover
These are the step by step instructions for how I created my Front cover on photoshop.
Improvement scans fro Contents pages
These scans were again used for use of improvemnts for my final outomes, the post it notes helped to identify the changes that needed to be made to make it look its best.
Improvement scans Front covers
These scans are from my drafts that I stuck notes on. I used post it notes to make it easier for me to identify the errors and edits that I would need to make. Some of the notes are more obvious changes that need to be changed, whereas some are a small as getting rid of a blur. But it helped to remind me of what imperfections needed changing.
Contents Page research
Comparison of contrasting Contents pages
The two contents pages I will be comparing are the contents pages from NME and XXL ; these are two opposite genres of music and i thought they would be appropriate for my research.
NME Contents
The style of the contents pages are extremely organized: there are headings for the different sections and a neat and easy to read index along the left side of the page. The main picture to illustrate the page is linked to an article inside the magazine; underneath this picture is a large bold title of what this particular article is about and a brief summary of it to get the reader interested. There are also other coloured text boxes holding page numbers for extra content such as: ‘The UK’s No1 Gig Guide Starts p58’ which attract the readers eye. There is a large black text box at the bottom of the page advertising a subscription to the magazine with bright bold text and a bold ‘save 33%’. This is on the contents page as the magazine is trying to get as many buyers as possible and showing a discount would appeal to them. Furthermore there are little symbols next to some of the contents titles saying ‘On the cover’ which is a quick way for the audience to pin point the article they are interested in reading. The heading of the contents page is bold and simple’ THIS WEEK’ it stands out the most and is clearly a contents page because of it looking like a smart and organized list. Next to this there is the masthead of the magazine to add a bright layout and matching theme to the magazine.
XXL Contents
Unlike NME, XXL’s contents page is a lot more laid back. The colour scheme is black and white and there is a considerable lesser amount of writing. This is because it is focusing more on the looks of the contents page rather than the information it is giving, it is very stylised and uses a provocative image to get the readers attention for the main story featured. The main picture dominates the page; it relates to the main cover story and is the main feature of the magazine. There are only 4 pages mentioned in the contents, these are obviously hand selected as the main important ones, they have skipped most pages to keep the page looking important and as far away from looking like a contents page as possible. At first glance I thought this page was an advert as the colours didn’t stand out and there were no long lists of pages; it was mainly a picture. There is also the masthead of the magazine missing; this keeps the page looking separate from the magazine just like an advert. This may have been done on purpose to give the page a ‘designer’ look and the title of the page ‘Top Billin’’ could mean the top rated content in the magazine this month and this then has the word ‘features’ in faint barely readable writing underneath. The only similarity I can find is that there is a main picture with a cover story underneath it, this is usually a main story that the readers will be eager to get too. I can see what the magazine has tried to do with this contents page; however I feel that it needs to stand out more so as to catch the reader’s attention. Under each contents page list there is a description of what these pages are about so that the reader can skip the other pages and get to the interesting stories.
The two contents pages I will be comparing are the contents pages from NME and XXL ; these are two opposite genres of music and i thought they would be appropriate for my research.
NME Contents
The style of the contents pages are extremely organized: there are headings for the different sections and a neat and easy to read index along the left side of the page. The main picture to illustrate the page is linked to an article inside the magazine; underneath this picture is a large bold title of what this particular article is about and a brief summary of it to get the reader interested. There are also other coloured text boxes holding page numbers for extra content such as: ‘The UK’s No1 Gig Guide Starts p58’ which attract the readers eye. There is a large black text box at the bottom of the page advertising a subscription to the magazine with bright bold text and a bold ‘save 33%’. This is on the contents page as the magazine is trying to get as many buyers as possible and showing a discount would appeal to them. Furthermore there are little symbols next to some of the contents titles saying ‘On the cover’ which is a quick way for the audience to pin point the article they are interested in reading. The heading of the contents page is bold and simple’ THIS WEEK’ it stands out the most and is clearly a contents page because of it looking like a smart and organized list. Next to this there is the masthead of the magazine to add a bright layout and matching theme to the magazine.
XXL Contents
Unlike NME, XXL’s contents page is a lot more laid back. The colour scheme is black and white and there is a considerable lesser amount of writing. This is because it is focusing more on the looks of the contents page rather than the information it is giving, it is very stylised and uses a provocative image to get the readers attention for the main story featured. The main picture dominates the page; it relates to the main cover story and is the main feature of the magazine. There are only 4 pages mentioned in the contents, these are obviously hand selected as the main important ones, they have skipped most pages to keep the page looking important and as far away from looking like a contents page as possible. At first glance I thought this page was an advert as the colours didn’t stand out and there were no long lists of pages; it was mainly a picture. There is also the masthead of the magazine missing; this keeps the page looking separate from the magazine just like an advert. This may have been done on purpose to give the page a ‘designer’ look and the title of the page ‘Top Billin’’ could mean the top rated content in the magazine this month and this then has the word ‘features’ in faint barely readable writing underneath. The only similarity I can find is that there is a main picture with a cover story underneath it, this is usually a main story that the readers will be eager to get too. I can see what the magazine has tried to do with this contents page; however I feel that it needs to stand out more so as to catch the reader’s attention. Under each contents page list there is a description of what these pages are about so that the reader can skip the other pages and get to the interesting stories.
Advert Research
Comparison of adverts in XXL and NME
I will compare two adverts from NME and XXL magazine to see the comparison of what the magazines are trying to sell their readers and how these appeal to each target audience.
NME – Kaiser Chiefs single/Zavvie
These adverts are purely music advertisements; they are both styled onto half of a single page and they are trying to get the reader to but the music. The Kaiser Chiefs are trying to sell their new single: ‘Never Miss a beat’ and Zavvie is trying to sell the brand new albums on offer and giving examples which are picked for the magazines target audience to have maximum appeal: ‘Travis’ and ‘R Ra Riot’. These are bands that may capture the audience’s attention. These adverts show that this magazine’s main concern is music, the majority of all the adverts are for new albums and gigs and this advert is a prime example. The fact that the page is split in half shows the wide diversity of music adverts that the magazine wants to display; there is no particular focus on one area of music, the magazine wants to display as much of a variety of music adverts as possible.
XXL – Jewellery/watches (ItsHot.com)
This advert is displaying gold necklaces, rings, earrings and watches covered in expensive diamonds; in other words. I found this strange at first for a music magazine, however I realised that unlike NME, XXL’s music is all about image. Depending on the genre of music the magazine is containing, all of the adverts will appeal to the audience and in XXL’s case most of the adverts are about fashion and looking good. This comes before the music which shows just how cultural this music genre is (RnB/Hip hop) the adverts will display items which the audience may see their favourite stars wearing and so they will want to be like them as they aspire to them.
The colour scheme is very dark and masculine and contrasts with the main images (products) making them stand out and shout at you. This is the opposite from the NME advert which is more subtle and doesn’t highlight the products with contrasting colours. In XXL it is trying to grab the target audience’s attention by using bold images that shout whereas NME relies on the reader’s interest in bands to spot the adverts.
I will compare two adverts from NME and XXL magazine to see the comparison of what the magazines are trying to sell their readers and how these appeal to each target audience.
NME – Kaiser Chiefs single/Zavvie
These adverts are purely music advertisements; they are both styled onto half of a single page and they are trying to get the reader to but the music. The Kaiser Chiefs are trying to sell their new single: ‘Never Miss a beat’ and Zavvie is trying to sell the brand new albums on offer and giving examples which are picked for the magazines target audience to have maximum appeal: ‘Travis’ and ‘R Ra Riot’. These are bands that may capture the audience’s attention. These adverts show that this magazine’s main concern is music, the majority of all the adverts are for new albums and gigs and this advert is a prime example. The fact that the page is split in half shows the wide diversity of music adverts that the magazine wants to display; there is no particular focus on one area of music, the magazine wants to display as much of a variety of music adverts as possible.
XXL – Jewellery/watches (ItsHot.com)
This advert is displaying gold necklaces, rings, earrings and watches covered in expensive diamonds; in other words. I found this strange at first for a music magazine, however I realised that unlike NME, XXL’s music is all about image. Depending on the genre of music the magazine is containing, all of the adverts will appeal to the audience and in XXL’s case most of the adverts are about fashion and looking good. This comes before the music which shows just how cultural this music genre is (RnB/Hip hop) the adverts will display items which the audience may see their favourite stars wearing and so they will want to be like them as they aspire to them.
The colour scheme is very dark and masculine and contrasts with the main images (products) making them stand out and shout at you. This is the opposite from the NME advert which is more subtle and doesn’t highlight the products with contrasting colours. In XXL it is trying to grab the target audience’s attention by using bold images that shout whereas NME relies on the reader’s interest in bands to spot the adverts.
My Questionnaire
Questionnaire- Target Audience for my magazine
- Are you… (Please tick)
Male___________ Female____________
-Are you..?(Please tick)
13-16_______
17-20_______
21+_________
-Would you like to see more RnB magazines on sale in the UK?
Yes_____________
No______________ (if No Why?) ____________________________
-Would you be interested in finding out the latest news and gossip about RnB stars?
Yes____________
No_____________
-Have you noticed a considerable gap in the market for RnB magazines?
Yes_____________
No_____________
- Would you be interested in content such as interviews, reviews and new releases in music?
Yes_____________
No_____________
Other (please specify) _____________________________________________
- What price would you be willing to pay for a monthly RnB magazine? (Please tick)
£2.00/£2.50_________
£2.75/£3.25 __________
What cover design appeals to you most? (Please tick
) 
- Are you… (Please tick)
Male___________ Female____________
-Are you..?(Please tick)
13-16_______
17-20_______
21+_________
-Would you like to see more RnB magazines on sale in the UK?
Yes_____________
No______________ (if No Why?) ____________________________
-Would you be interested in finding out the latest news and gossip about RnB stars?
Yes____________
No_____________
-Have you noticed a considerable gap in the market for RnB magazines?
Yes_____________
No_____________
- Would you be interested in content such as interviews, reviews and new releases in music?
Yes_____________
No_____________
Other (please specify) _____________________________________________
- What price would you be willing to pay for a monthly RnB magazine? (Please tick)
£2.00/£2.50_________
£2.75/£3.25 __________
What cover design appeals to you most? (Please tick
) 
QUESTIONNAIRE ANALYSIS
Monday, 2 March 2009
Cover Analysis 3
Magazine Analysis ‘Vibe magazine’
Title
The magazine is called Vibe because it could relate to the ‘music’ vibes, vibes are instinctive feelings that person gets from a situation, it is also the slang word for vibration, so it could be making a connection with the vibrations from music or saying that the magazine gives you a good feeling because usually you would connect vibes with positive feelings more than negative ones.
Publisher
The founder of Vibe magazine is Quincy Jones which is funded by Time Inc. The publisher is Len Burnett. The magazine is published monthly and has a website: www.vibe.com which readers and the general public can enter and read daily news and gossip in the RnB world and watch video clips on the latest artists ect.
Target Audience
I believe the target audience for this magazine is older teenagers to young adults, perhaps 17-22 and I definitely feel this magazine is aimed towards a male audience because of the artists featured and the style/ layout of the whole magazine; the colours are dark, blacks and blues fill the page and it looks stormy on the front cover, perhaps relating to power. The main images are of strong powerful men that a male audience could aspire to, or a provocative posing woman that men would appreciate looking at and reading about, e.g. ‘Rihanna, go getta’ the slang sentence appeals to an older male audience. A younger audience would not appreciate any of the above things and also may not be interested in the in depth articles featured; they would be looking for something more concise and simple. Also women would not like the cover picture as 50 cent is looking into the camera in a confrontational way, almost threatening and this would put them off.
The style/ Presentation of the magazine
I noticed that the presentation of the magazine is very expensive similar to other RnB music magazines in the way that it uses bold striking letters looking; it looks glossy and relates to the RnB style of ‘bling’ and expensive style. It is quite similar to other RnB magazines in the way that is uses bold text and confident looking main models. Also the colours are quite masculine; it has a similar layout to Complex magazine which uses these conventions.
Addressing the reader
It addresses its reader in a confrontational manner, a bit like the genre of music; i.e. it’s in your face and shouts at you. 50 Cent’s image is confrontational; which is how some people feel this type of music genre is represented.
The subjects that are covered are interviews with main stars and countdowns of favourite stars etc. There are also smaller articles on other RnB stars such as Rihanna.
FRONT COVER
The mast head is big, bold and takes up a huge proportion of the page, this could represent the music genre is contains; it is excessively over the top and shouts at the audience. The word Vibe relates to music as in ‘The music Vibe’. The white stands out against the dark background.
The colour-scheme is white blue, black and yellow, all of which are classed as masculine colours. The background is stormy and dark; this is behind the main image of 50 cent to connect with the threatening look of the storm and himself. The main image of 50 cent is intimidating and in your face; he is staring directly into your eyes and is frowning with his nostrils flared and muscles clenched, This makes him look confrontational ( like the magazine), almost daring the reader to buy the magazine. He is wearing an expensive looking necklace and has his cap twisted to the side to make him look edgy and link in with the ‘expensive image’ genre of music. The main coverline is a rhetorical question to the audience which is meant to link in with his threatening look. The quote underneath this has highlighted words in red ‘resolving issues’ this is because it represents danger and anger. It adds to his tough image. The other coverlines are colloquial and conversational: ‘Rihanna Go getta’. The bright yellow colours stand out against the dark blue background.
This magazine is similar to the music magazine XXL in the way that it shouts at you and has masculine backgrounds with a striking image. However this magazine has more coverlines than XXL and is slightly more colourful.
Title
The magazine is called Vibe because it could relate to the ‘music’ vibes, vibes are instinctive feelings that person gets from a situation, it is also the slang word for vibration, so it could be making a connection with the vibrations from music or saying that the magazine gives you a good feeling because usually you would connect vibes with positive feelings more than negative ones.
Publisher
The founder of Vibe magazine is Quincy Jones which is funded by Time Inc. The publisher is Len Burnett. The magazine is published monthly and has a website: www.vibe.com which readers and the general public can enter and read daily news and gossip in the RnB world and watch video clips on the latest artists ect.
Target Audience
I believe the target audience for this magazine is older teenagers to young adults, perhaps 17-22 and I definitely feel this magazine is aimed towards a male audience because of the artists featured and the style/ layout of the whole magazine; the colours are dark, blacks and blues fill the page and it looks stormy on the front cover, perhaps relating to power. The main images are of strong powerful men that a male audience could aspire to, or a provocative posing woman that men would appreciate looking at and reading about, e.g. ‘Rihanna, go getta’ the slang sentence appeals to an older male audience. A younger audience would not appreciate any of the above things and also may not be interested in the in depth articles featured; they would be looking for something more concise and simple. Also women would not like the cover picture as 50 cent is looking into the camera in a confrontational way, almost threatening and this would put them off.
The style/ Presentation of the magazine
I noticed that the presentation of the magazine is very expensive similar to other RnB music magazines in the way that it uses bold striking letters looking; it looks glossy and relates to the RnB style of ‘bling’ and expensive style. It is quite similar to other RnB magazines in the way that is uses bold text and confident looking main models. Also the colours are quite masculine; it has a similar layout to Complex magazine which uses these conventions.
Addressing the reader
It addresses its reader in a confrontational manner, a bit like the genre of music; i.e. it’s in your face and shouts at you. 50 Cent’s image is confrontational; which is how some people feel this type of music genre is represented.
The subjects that are covered are interviews with main stars and countdowns of favourite stars etc. There are also smaller articles on other RnB stars such as Rihanna.
FRONT COVER
The mast head is big, bold and takes up a huge proportion of the page, this could represent the music genre is contains; it is excessively over the top and shouts at the audience. The word Vibe relates to music as in ‘The music Vibe’. The white stands out against the dark background.
The colour-scheme is white blue, black and yellow, all of which are classed as masculine colours. The background is stormy and dark; this is behind the main image of 50 cent to connect with the threatening look of the storm and himself. The main image of 50 cent is intimidating and in your face; he is staring directly into your eyes and is frowning with his nostrils flared and muscles clenched, This makes him look confrontational ( like the magazine), almost daring the reader to buy the magazine. He is wearing an expensive looking necklace and has his cap twisted to the side to make him look edgy and link in with the ‘expensive image’ genre of music. The main coverline is a rhetorical question to the audience which is meant to link in with his threatening look. The quote underneath this has highlighted words in red ‘resolving issues’ this is because it represents danger and anger. It adds to his tough image. The other coverlines are colloquial and conversational: ‘Rihanna Go getta’. The bright yellow colours stand out against the dark blue background.
This magazine is similar to the music magazine XXL in the way that it shouts at you and has masculine backgrounds with a striking image. However this magazine has more coverlines than XXL and is slightly more colourful.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Cover Analysis 2
Magazine Analysis: Complex magazine
Title
The name ‘Complex’ could relate to the music genre is contains (RnB) or perhaps the content. The content in this magazine is mixed, there are many different cultures covered so this may be why it is named complex magazine. The connotations of the word complex are varied, mixed, in depth just like the content. This magazine is released every few months and is a men’s magazine containing music articles and other male orientated articles. Its founder is Mark Ecko who runs Mark Ecko enterprises (publisher), the other media interests are his interactive entertainment projects in his company.
Target Audience
The target Audience for this magazine is definitely a male audience and would perhaps appeal to an audience from the ages of 25+ as it has more adult content. I know that this is the target audience because the articles are very male orientated: ‘BBQ Grills, Bikes…’ these appeal to men. Also the banner makes it very clear that it’s for men: ‘The ultimate buyers guide for men’. The main layout picture is targeting men, Rihanna is in a bikini posing provocatively’ this would appeal to men in the above ages I have wrote. The niche audience it is aiming for would be attracted to the article: ’85 things you need to know about comic books’ this is obviously an add-in article to the music side of the magazine which is the main basis of the magazine. The representation of the audience is that they are the ‘boys with their toys type’ hwo aren’t the mainstream RnB fans.
The reader interacts with the magazine through letters to the magazine, the reader can send in their thoughts and feelings of the magazine. Also they can go onto the website and watch videos, get the latest news etc. And subscribe to the magazine.
The ideology of this sort of men’s magazine is that it is a ‘boys with their toys’ type magazine with a few grown up music articles, it shouldn’t look too masculine as it is not aimed at hardcore RnB fans, it is merely for those with a slight interest.
Style and mode of address
I have noticed that unlike other music magazines this magazine has bright colours and has a big bright masthead and text over a deeply coloured background. It is still sophisticated however because of the layout of cover lines which follows the proper conventions of music magazines gives it this look. It looks expensive because of the main picture of a very famous RnB star and the layout which is very bold and shouts at you. Also it looks glossy and quite full. It is very similar to Vibe magazine however it has more variety of content and is more bright and colourful in its looks. The articles are very individual and I have struggled to find a magazine with this variety of articles in it, this makes it very unique.
It addresses its readers in a brave confident way; by the pose Rihanna is modelling, to the bright blue and yellow colours which represent boldness. It shows Rihanna isn’t afraid to cover up, her movements are open and this shows that she is represented as being happy to show her true feelings and to not hide away’. It isn’t threatening and would appeal to a variety of male audiences as it contains mixtures of articles.
FRONT COVER ANALYSIS
The masthead of this magazine is bright, bold and the yellow stands out against the bright blue background. The font looks computerized to link in with the occasional media orientated articles in this men’s magazine.
The colour-scheme is summery with blue and yellow to represent the time of year and the way in which Rihanna is dressed also reimburses this idea (bikini). Her clothes match the colour scheme and the dark black tones of her hair stand out extremely bold and match the car which she is posing on. These colours give the magazine a striking and very eyecatching style which gives the impression that this magazine doesn’t conform to the normal conventions of a man’s music magazine; the colours are not that masculine and the text isn’t sharp or brutal, it’s soft and simplistic. These still manage to give it a sophisticated look.
This magazine cover appeals to its target audience because of the provocative pose in which Rihanna is using; she is washing a car in a bikini; this is represented as being a sexualised scene that would appeal to its male audience. The car is also represented as a masculine object; it is something that interests many men and relates to the ‘boys with their toys’ theme of this magazine.
The main cover line is relating to the main image, it is the biggest to stand out. ‘Bad meaning good’ this shows a rebellious and sexual side to the magazine, the fact that it then says ‘Really good!’ gives the magazine a slightly informal and colloquial format, it is conversational and the simple sentence brings impact. Two of the cover lines contain numbers in them for impact and to show that the magazine is full of information that would interest the readers, it reflects the size of the two articles and is used to get noticed.
Finally the tagline names the target audience and the adjective ‘ultimate’ brings powerful impact and gives the impression of popularity within the magazine. The other graphics that are used on the cover such as the 360 degree arrow reinforces the informal side again and the coloured text box around the cover line ’85 things you need ..’ highlights this article as it is obviously of interest to the target audience.
Title
The name ‘Complex’ could relate to the music genre is contains (RnB) or perhaps the content. The content in this magazine is mixed, there are many different cultures covered so this may be why it is named complex magazine. The connotations of the word complex are varied, mixed, in depth just like the content. This magazine is released every few months and is a men’s magazine containing music articles and other male orientated articles. Its founder is Mark Ecko who runs Mark Ecko enterprises (publisher), the other media interests are his interactive entertainment projects in his company.
Target Audience
The target Audience for this magazine is definitely a male audience and would perhaps appeal to an audience from the ages of 25+ as it has more adult content. I know that this is the target audience because the articles are very male orientated: ‘BBQ Grills, Bikes…’ these appeal to men. Also the banner makes it very clear that it’s for men: ‘The ultimate buyers guide for men’. The main layout picture is targeting men, Rihanna is in a bikini posing provocatively’ this would appeal to men in the above ages I have wrote. The niche audience it is aiming for would be attracted to the article: ’85 things you need to know about comic books’ this is obviously an add-in article to the music side of the magazine which is the main basis of the magazine. The representation of the audience is that they are the ‘boys with their toys type’ hwo aren’t the mainstream RnB fans.
The reader interacts with the magazine through letters to the magazine, the reader can send in their thoughts and feelings of the magazine. Also they can go onto the website and watch videos, get the latest news etc. And subscribe to the magazine.
The ideology of this sort of men’s magazine is that it is a ‘boys with their toys’ type magazine with a few grown up music articles, it shouldn’t look too masculine as it is not aimed at hardcore RnB fans, it is merely for those with a slight interest.
Style and mode of address
I have noticed that unlike other music magazines this magazine has bright colours and has a big bright masthead and text over a deeply coloured background. It is still sophisticated however because of the layout of cover lines which follows the proper conventions of music magazines gives it this look. It looks expensive because of the main picture of a very famous RnB star and the layout which is very bold and shouts at you. Also it looks glossy and quite full. It is very similar to Vibe magazine however it has more variety of content and is more bright and colourful in its looks. The articles are very individual and I have struggled to find a magazine with this variety of articles in it, this makes it very unique.
It addresses its readers in a brave confident way; by the pose Rihanna is modelling, to the bright blue and yellow colours which represent boldness. It shows Rihanna isn’t afraid to cover up, her movements are open and this shows that she is represented as being happy to show her true feelings and to not hide away’. It isn’t threatening and would appeal to a variety of male audiences as it contains mixtures of articles.
FRONT COVER ANALYSIS
The masthead of this magazine is bright, bold and the yellow stands out against the bright blue background. The font looks computerized to link in with the occasional media orientated articles in this men’s magazine.
The colour-scheme is summery with blue and yellow to represent the time of year and the way in which Rihanna is dressed also reimburses this idea (bikini). Her clothes match the colour scheme and the dark black tones of her hair stand out extremely bold and match the car which she is posing on. These colours give the magazine a striking and very eyecatching style which gives the impression that this magazine doesn’t conform to the normal conventions of a man’s music magazine; the colours are not that masculine and the text isn’t sharp or brutal, it’s soft and simplistic. These still manage to give it a sophisticated look.
This magazine cover appeals to its target audience because of the provocative pose in which Rihanna is using; she is washing a car in a bikini; this is represented as being a sexualised scene that would appeal to its male audience. The car is also represented as a masculine object; it is something that interests many men and relates to the ‘boys with their toys’ theme of this magazine.
The main cover line is relating to the main image, it is the biggest to stand out. ‘Bad meaning good’ this shows a rebellious and sexual side to the magazine, the fact that it then says ‘Really good!’ gives the magazine a slightly informal and colloquial format, it is conversational and the simple sentence brings impact. Two of the cover lines contain numbers in them for impact and to show that the magazine is full of information that would interest the readers, it reflects the size of the two articles and is used to get noticed.
Finally the tagline names the target audience and the adjective ‘ultimate’ brings powerful impact and gives the impression of popularity within the magazine. The other graphics that are used on the cover such as the 360 degree arrow reinforces the informal side again and the coloured text box around the cover line ’85 things you need ..’ highlights this article as it is obviously of interest to the target audience.
Cover analysis 1
Rolling Stone Cover Analysis
Name
The magazine ‘Rolling Stone’ could be referring to the rock band ‘The rolling Stones’ which is extremely famous. The word ‘rolling’ could also refer to the fact that the magazine is ongoing and it gets across the latest news fast. The word ‘stone’ could represent the magazine as being a ‘rock’ magazine as well as the band the rolling stones. The significant words are both of them put together as the first thing that comes to your mind is the famous rock band which immediately gives the impression that this is a rock music magazine.
Publisher of the magazine
The publisher of this magazine is ‘Wenner media’ and publishes magazines such as ‘Men’s Journal’ ‘Us weekly publications and of course ‘Rolling Stone’. It is an American based company and the Rolling stone was created in San Francisco.
The rolling Stone costs $4.50 and is published every two weeks.
Target Audience
The readers that the magazine is targeting are men in their late twenties and above that enjoy rock music. It would appeal to an audience that want to know up to date news and gossip about older scene rock bands, this is why it would not appeal to perhaps a younger audience because they would be more interested in modern rock bands. Also there seems to be a political context behind the music side of things, it was after all known initially as a political magazine until it changed its format in the 90s. The layout would appeal to more of a male audience because there aren’t any bright feminine colours; they are white, black, blue and red. These don’t stand out and attract female readers as much.
The reader can interact with the magazine by logging onto their website: www.rollingstone.com and posting comments in forums, voting in online polls and writing letters to the magazine.
The style of magazine and mode of address
The magazine’s presentation is quite formal, there is some colour but it is not bright or eye catching, this perhaps relates to the genre of music it contains, old rock music; it is laid out neatly in a sophisticated manner and has an expensive look to it because of this. It addresses its readers in a formal way however the picture of Amy Winehouse addresses the audience in a rather provocative way, suggesting that the magazine has a less formal side to it also. It doesn’t scream ‘look at me!’ but addresses the audience in a different way, it is using its sophisticated look to its advantage, for example Amy’s head covers most of the masthead but we still know what the name is, the title is that recognisable.
FRONT COVER ANALYSIS
The masthead is partially covered but still the reader knows what it says due to the popularity of the well known name and combination of two words. The font is italic and in an ‘old school rock’ font in blue with a black bold outline to stand out against the white background.
The colour scheme is black, blue and red with a white background to contrast with Amy’s black clothing and hair (displaying her dark nature?). The blue, black and red represent masculinity within the magazine. Also Amy’s tattoos match the red and black within the colour scheme. Amy herself as the main image is in a provocative pose; her chest is forward and her strap is of her shoulder slightly, she is also pouting and looking up and at the audience showing a slight sense of innocence. She is wearing all black to perhaps represent her dark times, also the ideology of the black colour of clothing is that it can be seen as rebellious and a person that isn’t afraid of being themselves. This can also appeal to men because they like women with confidence and a ‘nasty’ side. She is addressing the reader in the eye constantly, like in a challenging way.
The coverlines feature the main features in the magazine and the names of older rock bands that would appeal to a slightly older audience, no modern day bands. The cover lines are in Red and black to match the rebellious colours of the front cover, however for the main tagline Amy Winehouse’s name is in the same colour as the masthead to highlight its importance and to make it stand out alongside the name of the magazine, the coverlines aren’t overused and only the main articles that would grab the readers attention are covered. The ‘logo’ style cover line reminds the political side of the magazine and gives a ‘straight to the point’ evaluation of what this article will cover; it is in black and white bold colours to make it stand out almost like a newspaper article to keep its formal side.
The similarities of this front cover is Vibe and XXL magazine however this magazine is less ‘in your face; and is more formal to suit the older audiences looking at the magazine.
Name
The magazine ‘Rolling Stone’ could be referring to the rock band ‘The rolling Stones’ which is extremely famous. The word ‘rolling’ could also refer to the fact that the magazine is ongoing and it gets across the latest news fast. The word ‘stone’ could represent the magazine as being a ‘rock’ magazine as well as the band the rolling stones. The significant words are both of them put together as the first thing that comes to your mind is the famous rock band which immediately gives the impression that this is a rock music magazine.
Publisher of the magazine
The publisher of this magazine is ‘Wenner media’ and publishes magazines such as ‘Men’s Journal’ ‘Us weekly publications and of course ‘Rolling Stone’. It is an American based company and the Rolling stone was created in San Francisco.
The rolling Stone costs $4.50 and is published every two weeks.
Target Audience
The readers that the magazine is targeting are men in their late twenties and above that enjoy rock music. It would appeal to an audience that want to know up to date news and gossip about older scene rock bands, this is why it would not appeal to perhaps a younger audience because they would be more interested in modern rock bands. Also there seems to be a political context behind the music side of things, it was after all known initially as a political magazine until it changed its format in the 90s. The layout would appeal to more of a male audience because there aren’t any bright feminine colours; they are white, black, blue and red. These don’t stand out and attract female readers as much.
The reader can interact with the magazine by logging onto their website: www.rollingstone.com and posting comments in forums, voting in online polls and writing letters to the magazine.
The style of magazine and mode of address
The magazine’s presentation is quite formal, there is some colour but it is not bright or eye catching, this perhaps relates to the genre of music it contains, old rock music; it is laid out neatly in a sophisticated manner and has an expensive look to it because of this. It addresses its readers in a formal way however the picture of Amy Winehouse addresses the audience in a rather provocative way, suggesting that the magazine has a less formal side to it also. It doesn’t scream ‘look at me!’ but addresses the audience in a different way, it is using its sophisticated look to its advantage, for example Amy’s head covers most of the masthead but we still know what the name is, the title is that recognisable.
FRONT COVER ANALYSIS
The masthead is partially covered but still the reader knows what it says due to the popularity of the well known name and combination of two words. The font is italic and in an ‘old school rock’ font in blue with a black bold outline to stand out against the white background.
The colour scheme is black, blue and red with a white background to contrast with Amy’s black clothing and hair (displaying her dark nature?). The blue, black and red represent masculinity within the magazine. Also Amy’s tattoos match the red and black within the colour scheme. Amy herself as the main image is in a provocative pose; her chest is forward and her strap is of her shoulder slightly, she is also pouting and looking up and at the audience showing a slight sense of innocence. She is wearing all black to perhaps represent her dark times, also the ideology of the black colour of clothing is that it can be seen as rebellious and a person that isn’t afraid of being themselves. This can also appeal to men because they like women with confidence and a ‘nasty’ side. She is addressing the reader in the eye constantly, like in a challenging way.
The coverlines feature the main features in the magazine and the names of older rock bands that would appeal to a slightly older audience, no modern day bands. The cover lines are in Red and black to match the rebellious colours of the front cover, however for the main tagline Amy Winehouse’s name is in the same colour as the masthead to highlight its importance and to make it stand out alongside the name of the magazine, the coverlines aren’t overused and only the main articles that would grab the readers attention are covered. The ‘logo’ style cover line reminds the political side of the magazine and gives a ‘straight to the point’ evaluation of what this article will cover; it is in black and white bold colours to make it stand out almost like a newspaper article to keep its formal side.
The similarities of this front cover is Vibe and XXL magazine however this magazine is less ‘in your face; and is more formal to suit the older audiences looking at the magazine.
Article Analysis 4
Magazine article Analysis: Top of the Pops
Avril Lavigne
Layout and organisation of the article
This article I am analysing is from Top of the Pops magazine in 2007. It is one page and then a double page spread of an interview with Avril Lavigne about issues with boys. The layout of this article on the first page is split into two, on half is the start of the interview and a brief introduction and the other half is the main large image of Avril, the double page spread is mainly another image of Avril Lavigne. She takes up one page and a half of the double pages, the rest of the interview is on the remaining left hand side of the page. This is so that the main focus is on the picture of her and for younger readers a smaller amount of text is what they would prefer to read. The interview stays on the left hand side of each of the pages containing it and there are large quotes surrounding the interview that are needed emphasising, for example: ‘I used to think I loved every guy I dated.’ And they always cover a small apart of the main images so as to keep the emphasis on her.
The masthead on the first page is written in different fonts for each word. ‘Girlfriend Power’, these two words are the largest text on the page, Girlfriend covers the whole top of the page and power is large but stays to the left hand side of the page so as not to cover Avril’s face. There is also a strap line to the left of the page underneath ‘Power’ which is large and emphasised but still stays to the left so it doesn’t cover the main image.
The main interview text is laid out in a boldly lined text box to keep it separated from everything else in the page; it is also slanted to relate to the theme of the article about no being perfect which also gives it a rebellious look. The quote boxes also follow this theme as well as the Strap line and other information boxes. Even though the layout is quite scruffy, it is well organised; the masthead is at the top, the introduction below it, and the interview stays on the same side of the pages. Also snippets of information are placed in bold boxes to keep them separate from the main article and the extra bullet point ‘tips’ are on the right side f the main image on the double page spread to keep them separate from the interview.
Maintaining Interest
The reader maintains interest throughout the article because of the bright eye catching colours, the large quotes that keep the audience interested in the content and also the text box that points to the next page and promises the reader juicy gossip and tips from Avril: ‘Avril’s love, lies and heartbreak- Turn Over!’ This exclamatory sentence urges the audience to read on as the best bits of the interview are still to come. The introduction of the interview; the first question ends with ‘can you give us some advice?’ this hints that the inter view promises boy trouble solutions and this would appeal strongly to its target audience and keep them hooked. Also the interview continues with funny questions and an unserious tone, it is conversational so the reader doesn’t lose interest. The quotes that are blown up hold either funny lines or main topics that concern its target audience: (‘Obsessed over being skinny…’) which then makes the reader want to read on to get to these parts.
Language and layout used for Target Audience
The target audience for this magazine I believe is young girls between the ages of 8 and 14. I get this feeling because of the type of article and how it is styled. It is an interview with Avril Lavigne which focuses on problems with boys; an issue that is very popular with girls between these ages; they would want to read the interview to see if Avril can help them solve any of their own boy problems. Any older girls would have grown out of this type of magazine as they would be looking more into fashion magazines and celebrity gossip rather than a pop music magazine.
-Layout
The layout of the article appeals to the target audience also. Firstly the main pictures; Avril takes up a lot of the pages and she looks happy and confident, but also wears hair ribbons with a skull on it reinforcing her old punk rocker side; this then could make the reader aspire to be like her, they want to be a strong, successful and independent person. The first image of Avril depicts her making a ‘shh’ gesture which gives the reader an impression that she is telling them her secrets, thus making them feel special and in on her secretive tips; something that young girls love.
The colours in the pictures could represent a lot of things; the red background could represent her fiery and bold personality, and her black clothes and dark accessories reinforce her ‘punk rocker side.’
-Language
Secondly, the language of this article is very informal, it is almost like a conversation and this is very appealing to the audience as they could read the interview quickly and not have to read lots of formal boxes of text; the interview is like a quick, friendly chat: ‘Yeah! I used to think I loved every guy I dated in High School!’ and ‘Just cos you like a guy...’ The use of colloquial language makes the interview flow more quickly and makes the reader feel like they are part of this conversation. Also some of the things Avril drops into the interview such as: ‘But high school guys are extremely immature’ are things that the target audience can relate too, making them feel as though Avril knows what she is talking about.
The masthead of the article is attention grabbing to the audience; the words ‘Girlfriend Power!’ each have a different meaning; ‘girlfriend’ is the name of her hit single at the time of the article and ‘power’ is there to give the female audience a feeling of empowerment, to be like Avril Lavigne who is known for her independent, rebellious personality. The strap line underneath the masthead holds a brief introduction and gives an insight into what the article is going to be about. It appeals to the audience because it flows well by using alliteration: ‘-the boy-bashing beauty with brains,’ and keeps it humorous and unserious, also the sentences are mainly simple to get straight to the point and keep the pace going.
The interviewee uses plural pronouns: ‘We won’t start...’, ‘What if we’re to shy...’ and this is to make the questions seem personal to every reader, it is including each reader as if they are the ones being answered, and it is personal reference to the audience.
On the strap line Avril is called ‘Miss Avril Lavigne!’ there are no references made throughout the interview of her present love life, despite the fact she is married. I feel the magazine has done this to make the audience feel they are on the same level as her, the title ‘Miss’ represents young girls and I think the magazine wanted the readers to still think of her as young and independent so that they could feel as though they related to her in some way.
The ideology of this article is that she is back; she’s a new Avril and has changed from ‘rock goddess’ to ‘confident girly girl with attitude’, however this idea is conflicting as she talks about ‘being yourself’ when the media and record companies have changed and developed her image.
Avril Lavigne
Layout and organisation of the article
This article I am analysing is from Top of the Pops magazine in 2007. It is one page and then a double page spread of an interview with Avril Lavigne about issues with boys. The layout of this article on the first page is split into two, on half is the start of the interview and a brief introduction and the other half is the main large image of Avril, the double page spread is mainly another image of Avril Lavigne. She takes up one page and a half of the double pages, the rest of the interview is on the remaining left hand side of the page. This is so that the main focus is on the picture of her and for younger readers a smaller amount of text is what they would prefer to read. The interview stays on the left hand side of each of the pages containing it and there are large quotes surrounding the interview that are needed emphasising, for example: ‘I used to think I loved every guy I dated.’ And they always cover a small apart of the main images so as to keep the emphasis on her.
The masthead on the first page is written in different fonts for each word. ‘Girlfriend Power’, these two words are the largest text on the page, Girlfriend covers the whole top of the page and power is large but stays to the left hand side of the page so as not to cover Avril’s face. There is also a strap line to the left of the page underneath ‘Power’ which is large and emphasised but still stays to the left so it doesn’t cover the main image.
The main interview text is laid out in a boldly lined text box to keep it separated from everything else in the page; it is also slanted to relate to the theme of the article about no being perfect which also gives it a rebellious look. The quote boxes also follow this theme as well as the Strap line and other information boxes. Even though the layout is quite scruffy, it is well organised; the masthead is at the top, the introduction below it, and the interview stays on the same side of the pages. Also snippets of information are placed in bold boxes to keep them separate from the main article and the extra bullet point ‘tips’ are on the right side f the main image on the double page spread to keep them separate from the interview.
Maintaining Interest
The reader maintains interest throughout the article because of the bright eye catching colours, the large quotes that keep the audience interested in the content and also the text box that points to the next page and promises the reader juicy gossip and tips from Avril: ‘Avril’s love, lies and heartbreak- Turn Over!’ This exclamatory sentence urges the audience to read on as the best bits of the interview are still to come. The introduction of the interview; the first question ends with ‘can you give us some advice?’ this hints that the inter view promises boy trouble solutions and this would appeal strongly to its target audience and keep them hooked. Also the interview continues with funny questions and an unserious tone, it is conversational so the reader doesn’t lose interest. The quotes that are blown up hold either funny lines or main topics that concern its target audience: (‘Obsessed over being skinny…’) which then makes the reader want to read on to get to these parts.
Language and layout used for Target Audience
The target audience for this magazine I believe is young girls between the ages of 8 and 14. I get this feeling because of the type of article and how it is styled. It is an interview with Avril Lavigne which focuses on problems with boys; an issue that is very popular with girls between these ages; they would want to read the interview to see if Avril can help them solve any of their own boy problems. Any older girls would have grown out of this type of magazine as they would be looking more into fashion magazines and celebrity gossip rather than a pop music magazine.
-Layout
The layout of the article appeals to the target audience also. Firstly the main pictures; Avril takes up a lot of the pages and she looks happy and confident, but also wears hair ribbons with a skull on it reinforcing her old punk rocker side; this then could make the reader aspire to be like her, they want to be a strong, successful and independent person. The first image of Avril depicts her making a ‘shh’ gesture which gives the reader an impression that she is telling them her secrets, thus making them feel special and in on her secretive tips; something that young girls love.
The colours in the pictures could represent a lot of things; the red background could represent her fiery and bold personality, and her black clothes and dark accessories reinforce her ‘punk rocker side.’
-Language
Secondly, the language of this article is very informal, it is almost like a conversation and this is very appealing to the audience as they could read the interview quickly and not have to read lots of formal boxes of text; the interview is like a quick, friendly chat: ‘Yeah! I used to think I loved every guy I dated in High School!’ and ‘Just cos you like a guy...’ The use of colloquial language makes the interview flow more quickly and makes the reader feel like they are part of this conversation. Also some of the things Avril drops into the interview such as: ‘But high school guys are extremely immature’ are things that the target audience can relate too, making them feel as though Avril knows what she is talking about.
The masthead of the article is attention grabbing to the audience; the words ‘Girlfriend Power!’ each have a different meaning; ‘girlfriend’ is the name of her hit single at the time of the article and ‘power’ is there to give the female audience a feeling of empowerment, to be like Avril Lavigne who is known for her independent, rebellious personality. The strap line underneath the masthead holds a brief introduction and gives an insight into what the article is going to be about. It appeals to the audience because it flows well by using alliteration: ‘-the boy-bashing beauty with brains,’ and keeps it humorous and unserious, also the sentences are mainly simple to get straight to the point and keep the pace going.
The interviewee uses plural pronouns: ‘We won’t start...’, ‘What if we’re to shy...’ and this is to make the questions seem personal to every reader, it is including each reader as if they are the ones being answered, and it is personal reference to the audience.
On the strap line Avril is called ‘Miss Avril Lavigne!’ there are no references made throughout the interview of her present love life, despite the fact she is married. I feel the magazine has done this to make the audience feel they are on the same level as her, the title ‘Miss’ represents young girls and I think the magazine wanted the readers to still think of her as young and independent so that they could feel as though they related to her in some way.
The ideology of this article is that she is back; she’s a new Avril and has changed from ‘rock goddess’ to ‘confident girly girl with attitude’, however this idea is conflicting as she talks about ‘being yourself’ when the media and record companies have changed and developed her image.
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