Masthead Analysis

The use of colour in this mast head is quite an important factor. This is because the name of the magazine is in white and so the use of the red background makes the white text stand out more. This is why I will consider doing something like this because it not only adds colour and brightness to the masthead, but it also means that the masthead is bold and clear on the front cover. As well as this, like the previous masthead, this one is also thick and bold. This I feel is a suitable thing because again, it ensures that the audience can read it clearly and makes it stand out on the page. The use of the bright colour also makes the masthead eye catching and quite memorable which is why I will probably consider using a bright colour within my masthead; it keeps my masthead interesting and exciting. In addition to this, the mast head is also successful because it is three simple letters thus is one that is memorable and isn’t difficult to pronounce. This is something I want because not only does it make it easier to read thus suits my audience, but it also gives it more originality and uniqueness which is something I want in my title.

Like the NME masthead, this masthead also uses the colour red. This I feel is a successful element because it makes the text stand out and it also makes it eye catching – people are more drawn to it because it stands out on the page. Like the previous masthead, this again makes the masthead bold and clear which I feel is an important factor to consider. As well as this, the masthead is simply the letter ‘Q’. This is something I like because it is simple and to the point. It also makes the magazine memorable because the title is one that is easy to remember because it is just one letter. It is also easy to read and pronounce thus suits everyone – it isn’t confusing. One criticism however is that despite being a memorable title, it doesn’t really have any relevance to music therefore you wouldn’t normally associate the title with a music magazine – this is something I want to try and aim for however. Overall however, I do think that the one letter title does make it more unique and original and because this is something I want to achieve, I will still consider this when choosing my title.

In my opinion, this masthead is very bold and stands out on the front of a magazine. This is because it is black and because black is a versatile colour, it means that it can be put onto any background (apart from black) and it will still be visible and clear on the page. It also gives this very modern, classy and monochromatic look which makes the magazine look very modern and up to date. The lettering is also very thick and clear thus makes the mast head suitable because it stands out on the page and is readable. One criticism however, is that it looks quite dull and boring because there are no bright colours like red or blue. It is also very plain and simple however for my magazine, I would prefer a masthead that is eye catching and uses some sort of bright colour. However, when I looked at a variety of VIBE magazines, I found out that the colour changes depending on the issue. This I feel is a good thing because it keeps the masthead interesting and unique because it is constantly changing. Therefore, although the text and the size doesn’t change, the colour does thus attracts a variety of people. As well as this, the title can be associated with music which is something I want to try and aim for. This therefore makes the magazine more memorable because we associate VIBE with music thus is a suitable title, in my opinion.