Task Brief

For our AS Media Studies coursework, we were asked to produce a front cover, a contents page and a double page spread for a new music magazine aimed at our chosen audience. As well as create, we were asked to research and plan for our music magazine to ensure that it suited our chosen genre and audience well.

Completed Front Cover

Completed Contents Page

Completed Double Page Spread

Ongoing Production log - Entry 22

Today I checked through all my coursework to ensure I had everything on my blog and also, I wanted to make sure all my work was to a high standard and was in chronological order. I made any amendments and I then decided to upload my rejected photos so that my examiner knew why I chose the photos I did and why I didn't choose others. This I feel was a successful part of my project because I was able to make a decision as to which photos suited my audience and genre and which did not. However to improve I will take more photos with different backgrounds as one problem I found with my current photos is that they all had quite similar backgrounds hence showing how I would improve my images.

Ongoing Production log - Entry 21

Today I managed to complete all my evaluation. Looking back at my process, I feel that I chose suitable formats because they are all creative and different hence they make my blog look really interesting and individual. They also all use different ICT skills and they all use different software; some of this software was new to me thus again showing how they were suitable formats for me to use because I managed to learn new things and gain new skills which I can use in the future. As well as this, some of the questions were easier to do and others I found rather challenging and difficult because it required further research and effort. Overall however I feel that my evaluation was a successful part of my process because I managed my time effectively and I created a creative and interesting evaluation which I can now publish on my blog.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Ongoing Production log - Entry 20

Today I filmed and finished my video and I also finished my Prezi. I found the video really fun to film and it was my favourite part of my evaluation because it was creative and was different to the others. Today I will also go through my blog and my magazine and correct any mistakes and I will make sure everything is in chronological order.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

 

 

Transcript:

 

Jamie: For my music magazine, EMBER, I am considering the media institution: Bauer Media. This is because I feel that this media institution is a suitable institution which could distribute my media product because it focuses on individuality and uniqueness. Because my media product is rather alternative, the fact that they distribute other creative magazines which have their own individual styles makes this institution more appropriate and suitable for my needs. Here we have the CEO of Bauer Media who’s here today to talk about why they think that their institution would be the most suitable for distributing my media product.

CEO: Well we deal with magazines which have a similar genre to yours therefore we know quite a lot about how to target your target audience. We therefore feel that our institution is very appropriate because we already distribute magazines such as Q and The Hits hence we know quite a bit about what your audience want and how we can sell your magazine to them; we find that we are strong in this targeting and advertising to specific audiences.

Jamie: After research, I also found that you work with a variety of magazines which all have different audiences. You distribute gardening magazines, automobile magazines and music magazines and so many more; I’m impressed!

CEO: We pride ourselves in the way we successfully appeal to a variety of target audiences. We try and make every magazine modern and creative yet suitable for our audience because the audience matters most to us. We ensure pride and warmth in our magazines and we want to ensure that neither our advertisements nor our magazines are intimidating because it is our aim to create informing and entertaining magazines which are fresh and surprising. We want to inspire and connect with our audiences so that we stand out from the competition so we are consistently better. That’s why we feel that our institution would be appropriate for your magazine because we always keep in mind the audience and how we as an institution can appeal to them most.

Jamie: How will you advertise my media product then?

CEO: Because everything is done online nowadays, we have started going digital with our magazines. Therefore we like to think that we are keeping in line with current trends and progressions in society because we want to appeal to a wider audience and because most media viewing is done online now, for example: reading books or reading a newspaper, digital magazines are the way forward. As a company, we also ensure that we create effective and creative advertisements so that we successfully and strongly appeal to our audiences. This is why our institution would be suitable for your magazine because we connect with our audiences on a variety of platforms and this is especially good considering we work with a variety of cultures and audiences and so the variety of platforms ensures that we appeal to them all. This is why we pride ourselves in the fact that we are a unique, diverse and vibrant business hence why you work with us.

Jamie: I agree, as a society we are glued to our devices and so by going digital, as well as paper, with our magazines, it will not only reduce the price as we will need to manufacture less products but also, it will appeal and target a much wider variety of audience.

CEO: As a company we like to put the reader in the room with their favourite artists and show how their own journeys have shaped their music. After reading your latest issue of EMBER, I feel that our company would again, be very appropriate and suitable because your artist’s article does exactly that – it shows how her journey has shaped her music. We also like to give money to the ‘Cash for Kids’ charity because we like to give back to the community, especially because the community does so much for us.

Jamie: That is fantastic! Giving back to charity should be a part of every business I believe and I think that EMBER’s artists would agree! I would also like to distribute my magazine in retail shops like Waitrose, Tesco and WHSmiths because they are all well established brands which already sell similar magazines to mine and because of their popularity, I think that this would be very suitable for my magazine and will allow my company to prosper.

CEO: We could definitely do that because again that will show the magazine off to a variety of audiences!

Jamie: Well I think your institution would be greatly suitable and appropriate for our magazine as I feel that your institution could distribution our magazine well so that it appeals to a wide variety of audiences both physically and digitally. Thank you for your time. 



Ongoing Production log - Entry 19

As part of question 3, this was the research I did prior to the video. I wanted to get some background knowledge on the business to ensure that the business I chose was suitable for my magazine. I wrote down a few bullet points on things I found interesting and useful; I could then incorporate this into my script. I felt that this was a successful part of my evaluation process because I planned each section well so I knew what I was doing.

Ongoing Production log - Entry 18

In today's lesson, I finished question 4 and started both question 2 and 3. I did my necessary research for question 3 and began writing my video script. I also chose my Prezi layout and quickly wrote down everything I wanted to discuss in this question - I wrote down the key points and what order I wanted them in. This I feel was successful because I used a software that I had not used before thus I learnt something new and have gained a new skill which I can use in the future; it makes my presentations look a lot more fun and creative. Also, once all my evaluation is complete, I will return to question 4 and change the layout of it on my blog because I don't really like it.

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

Ongoing Production log - Entry 17

Today I managed to finish question 5 and start question 4. I wrote out a questionnaire quickly and interviewed 10 people from my target audience to get their opinions on my magazine. I then put my results onto Excel and created individual pie charts. Again, this shows my ICT skills because I was able to use a different software, Excel. In this lesson I also made further improvements to my magazine, for example: I changed the layout of my contents page so all the text was in line because I felt this would make my magazine look more professional and neat.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Question 1: Would you buy the magazine? - This was my audience's response. From looking at these results, I can infer that my magazine is successful in the way that it grabs my audience's attention because only one out of the ten questioned, wouldn't buy my magazine thus showing how my magazine does appeal to my audience and in this sense I have successfully created a magazine that suits my genre as well as my audience. This also means that they are more likely to buy the magazine because it is something they like and find aesthetically pleasing.

Question 2: Is the price reasonable? - This was my audience's response. Although the majority of those questioned thought the price was reasonable, some thought it was too expensive. Therefore if I was to repeat this project again, I would lower the price to perhaps £2.99 as this will be more suitable for my audience because students/teenagers don't have a lot of money to spend on magazines. Hence if I was to lower the price, it would increase sales and appeal more to my audience which is something I want to ensure.

 Question 3: Does the image appeal to you? - This was my audience's response. I can infer that every single person who I interviewed thought that the image appealed to them thus I feel I have successfully appealed and thought about my audience because by looking at this response, I can tell that my audience like the images presented to them; the images are suited to what they like. However my own personal opinion is that to improve, I would use other artists and take pictures of numerous artists, not just one, because then I am able to open my magazine to a bigger audience and it also makes the contents page look a lot more interesting and exciting. Other than this, I feel I have successfully addressed my audience.

Question 4: Is the music genre clear? - This was my audience's response. I can infer from this response that the majority of people I asked thought the genre was clear; this was indie pop. However a small group of people thought that the music genre wasn't clear therefore to improve I will make the genre more apparent within the photos and text. I will do this by perhaps making my artist look more individual and alternative and I would also use an acoustic guitar as this is something that would make my image look more indie thus attracting my audience more. Despite this, I think the majority of the magazine looks indie pop due to the black and white, the hints of oranges and reds and the natural background however I think that I chose quite a difficult genre as it is very specific. This is why next time I will choose a more open and easy genre.

Question 5: Do you think the layout is neat and clear? - This was my audience's response. By looking at this response I can infer that everyone I interviewed thought that the layout was neat and clear. This, in my opinion, was a successful part of my magazine because I wanted to ensure that my magazine was clear and presented well and this is what I did. I ensured my text was in line and of a similar size and font throughout as this makes my magazine look more professional and high standard. This is why I feel I have created a successful magazine and have addressed my audience successfully because I ensured that the layout was simple and clear. However if I was to improve, I would perhaps to a more creative and unique layout as my layout is quite similar to all magazines. Other than this, I am happy with my layout.

Question 6: Do you think the images and colours are suitable for the genre? - This was my audience's response. According to the response, I can infer that the majority of people thought that all the images and colours were suitable for the genre. This is because I tried to keep the colours and images minimal because this was what appealed to my audience. They wanted images which were natural and relaxed and also they liked basic colours like black and white. As well as this, I wanted to use colours which made the theme of individuality more apparent in my magazine hence I used oranges and golds. Despite this, a few thought they weren't. Therefore to improve I will do further research into what specific colours my audience want so I can include this within my magazine to suit my genre more. Also I will make the images more individual and indie by, as aforementioned, adding an acoustic guitar as this will make my magazine suit my genre more as an acoustic guitar is what you normally think about when you think of indie. Other than this I feel like the use of colour and images was rather successful within my magazine.

Question 7: Does the text sound interesting/appealing? - This was my audience's response. I can infer that everyone I interviewed thought that the text sounded interesting and appealing. This is why I feel I have successfully addressed my audience because I analysed current indie pop magazines and looked at what sort of articles they used and I found that the articles were quite emotive and real; they weren't cliché or boring. This is why I ensured that my article was interesting and unedited because I wanted to make the article real and true because this is what my audience wanted. Therefore I feel I have successfully attracted my audience because the use of a creative and appealing article ensured that they found it interesting; I wanted them to want to read more of the magazine.

Question 8: Do you think the theme throughout is clear? - This was my audience's response. I can infer that the majority of people thought that the theme was apparent throughout however there were a few people who did not. They thought that the theme was apparent within the headers on the front cover and contents page but not so much on the double page spread. Therefore to improve I will make my theme, the theme of fire and flames, more obvious and clear on my double page spread by perhaps adding fire streaks into the large quote on the left page because this would have made the theme more clear on these pages. Despite this, I did try and keep the theme apparent by adding the fire effect into the page number boxes however because this is quite small it was probably not as apparent as it should have been. Therefore to improve I will add the theme into the double page spread so that my magazine looks more professional; it will make the pages look more like they are part of one magazine as opposed to different magazines.

My Questionnaire

Ongoing Production log - Entry 16

Today I finished my PowerPoint and added photos to both my Poster and PowerPoint to make them both a little more interesting and a little less dull. I carried on with my Poster yet have not finished it because half way through the lesson I decided to change question 3's format. Instead of an essay which is rather boring and unoriginal, I decided to create an interview style video because not only will it make the question more interesting but it will also show off my ICT skills as I am doing something different and using ICT in a different way. Also I felt that most of my blog was typed therefore I wanted to do something a bit more fun and exciting so I decided to plan a video.

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

What have you learnt about technologies 6 from jamiedear

Ongoing Production log - Entry 15

In today's lesson, I started question 5 and 6. In the first lesson I started my presentation. I quickly wrote down all the technologies I had used and learnt about in my process and this it made my easier to manage this question because I knew what technologies I had to analyse. This made the process a lot quicker and smoother because I knew what I had to write and so I didn't waste time throughout thinking about what I had to write next. In the following lesson, I started my Poster as we didn't have computers or laptops. Therefore, I decided to start question 5 so I didn't waste time doing nothing. I decided to get my target audience and take a picture of them together so that I could use this in my Poster to show who my target audience was and how I have addressed them.

Ongoing Production log - Entry 14

After school, I was able to finish question 7. I uploaded it onto soundcloud, a piece of software I had not used before, and then uploaded it onto blogger. I have learnt a lot from this stage because I now know how to use soundcloud and so I can use this skill for future projects. Next lesson I want to start my PowerPoint presentation and I want to get my image for my Poster as I want an image of my target audience in the middle of the page - this is my next step.

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Ongoing Production log - Entry 13

In my double lesson I started my evaluation. I started with question 1 and gathered all of the relevant images that I wanted to use and put them into my document. However I decided to move onto question 7 because I wanted to do something which was a little more creative and interesting therefore I planned my voice recording and wrote a script ready to read. I also felt that the first question was quite time consuming hence I decided to leave question 1 to last because then I can solely focus on that question without worrying about every other question. This I feel was a strength in my process because I was able to work thoroughly and was able to divide my time out and order my questions correctly in a way that I found helpful and easiest.

Ongoing Production log - Entry 12

In this lesson we began our evaluation. I made a table and I wrote what sort of format I wanted each question in. I then highlighted all the questions in red to show that I hadn't started any. Further on in the process I then began to highlight the questions yellow and green to show that I had either completely finished that particular question or I had done half of the question, e.g.: I could have written the script but not actually have filmed it yet. This I feel was a strength of my process because it ensured I constantly knew what had to be done and what had been done thus my time management in this section was successful because I was aware of everything that had to be done and I constantly stayed on track and spent equal time on each of the sections because I wanted all my sections to be of a high standard. This is why I found it easy to stick to my deadline thus colour coding was a strength of this process.

Peer Feedback

I asked my peers what they thought of my magazine and these are their responses:

Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task Jamie Dear from jamiedear

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.

Masthead Designs

Audience Research

Audience research from jamiedear

Initial audience mind map

Audience Profile

Artist Profile: Lady Gaga

Artist profile for gaga from jamiedear

Artist Profile: Sam Smith

Artist profile for sam smith from jamiedear

Artist Profile: Lacey Raye (My own artist)

Content Analysis of a Music Magazine

Front Cover Analysis:

The front cover clearly and explicitly shows the audience what the magazine is about and what the magazine's focus music genre is. The magazine itself is largely associated with alternative and indie music but the front cover specifically shows a grime punk band called Slaves. The front cover is also quite patronizing because Slaves - the two men who take up the majority of the magazine cover - are staring straight at you. Not only this but the text is similar in the way that it is patronizing because the phrase 'YOU'VE BEEN TOLD...' is quite forceful and strict. This also links into the suitable age range for the magazine because the fact it is quite patronizing and powerful suggests that it is probably not suitable for children. Throughout the magazine there are swear words which also suggest how the magazine is not suitable for young people. Therefore I would say that the front cover is successful in the way that it shows what type of music is featured in the magazine and what type of target audience it suits.

I would also say that the front cover is bright and vibrant because the use of the contrasting colours: red, white, black and yellow make the text and images pop and bold on the page. Also because the men are positioned across most of the page, it suggests how the magazine want that band to be the centre of attention. Because the band is so prominent on the page, when you first pick up the magazine, you are instantly drawn to them. Like the text, the men also emphasise the magazines music genre because they have tattoos and wear things that wouldn't normally be seen on, for example, a pop magazine.

Written around the magazine cover are names of numerous artists which are mentioned in the magazine but the main artist, Slaves, has been written largely across the centre of the magazine in red which not only makes the name bold and stand out, but it makes the magazines genre quite obvious and identifiable because you wouldn't have a grime punk band being centre of attention on a pop music magazine cover. Not only this but the fact that they have been written across the front cover in bold lettering suggests how they are of importance within the magazine. This is also shown by their two page spread article and their pictures throughout the magazine.

In this specific magazine, there are no giveaways like CD's or posters however when I was looking for a magazine to analyse, I found numerous other magazines which did include free CD's and posters for the buyer. I feel that they have added this additional 'something' to make the users want to buy the magazine more because it comes with a free gift - something we all like. Also the magazine encourages readers to purchase the magazine because around the cover numerous different artists have been written therefore showing the audience that the magazine mentions a variety of artists thus suits more than one type of audience therefore more people are inclined to buy the magazine.

Contents Page Analysis:

The contents of this magazine is clear and easy to read and decipher. It explicitly states what is written and what happens on each page, e.g.: Reviews, Things We Like etc. as well as giving the artist that each page talks about for example: on page 14 it focuses on the band 'Bring Me The Horizon'. Not only this but it also gives a column dedicated to the week's top features which include artists that have been interviewed or are rising in popularity quite significantly. Also, these artists which are featured are normally favourites for the week so they get quite a bit of magazine space.
There is also a 'Band List' in the contents page which lists all the artists mentioned in the magazine and the pages that they are featured in - these artists are written in alphabetical order and this is helpful because if you're looking for a specific artist, it is easy to find both in the list and in the magazine because it has been clearly marked and written.

Within the magazine there are 8 different adverts for things like alcohol, technology, gigs, next editions of the magazine and other magazines. These all suit the reader and target audience well because they are things that they would be interested in. There are also 16 advertisements for gigs and again, these are gigs that the target audience would be interested in and would enjoy because the bands/artists which are mentioned are all bands which suit the magazine genre as well as suiting the target audiences likes.

There are 12 pages dedicated to reviews in the magazine. There are reviews about albums, films and live performances and covers a variety of artists - these are all mentioned in the contents page.  They are rated out of 10 and this allows the reader to see what was popular and good and what wasn't so popular and good this week. Therefore much like the contents page, reviews are helpful and clear to understand.

Other than this, the rest of the magazine is dedicated to various other stories and editorials which are written in the contents page so it is easy to navigate around the magazine and find specific artists. The contents of the magazine is a mixture of stories, reviews, advertisements with the additional crossword at the back therefore covers all aspects thus is suitable for the target audience.  

Double Page Spread Analysis:

The double page spread I have chosen focuses on the band: Slaves. In this double page spread,  there are two large photos at the top of the page which are quite prominent on the page. One is of Isaac - a member of Slaves - crowd surfing topless at Glastonbury and the other is of Laurie - the other member of Slaves - with his hands in the air clapping. Both photos show a large crowd showing the great popularity of the band and both photos show how the audience are enjoying their performance, and how Slaves like to interact with the audience also. Because in one of the photos Isaac is topless and is crowd surfing, it suggests how the band is careless and fun. It also goes well with the music genre because you would normally consider crowd surfing to be done by a punk rock band, rather than a pop band.

The language used in this article is quite strong because there is a use of swear words suggesting again how it is not suitable for young children. It also suggests how the band doesn't care what they say and because this isn't a good moral message to send out, it suggests how young children again, are not suited to this type of music/musician. This is why I would say that the language used in this article, because it is quite heavy is only suitable for those who don't mind swearing and are young adults. Not only this but the article also uses quite complex words such as 'perilously' and 'auspicious' which are words that young children and teenagers may not understand. This suggests how the article is specifically targeted to those who understand complex language like young adults etc.

In my opinion, I don't think the band is trying to promote anything specifically but they want to be interviewed  because they believe that they're giving a message that makes people feel happy and is something people can relate to. Also I believe that the reason why they were interviewed was because of their fast rising popularity and because "They've invaded the Top 10 and shut down Glastonbury...", suggesting how this band is something that people want to hear and read about.

On the double page spread there is also a section which discusses the bands biggest moments for example, its debut singles and performances. However it also mentions at the end about their first big headline tour in the UK in November 2015 and their performance at Reading, suggesting how maybe they could have been promoting this tour and performance.

The article itself is rather positive because it talks quite considerably about the bands successes and achievements like their debut album 'Are You Satisfied?'. Personally I don't think that there is any point that the magazine is trying to make about this band because the article generally talks about the history of the members and how they became a band. It also talks about their live performances and how they are a "startling powerful live band" therefore suggesting how the magazine feel positively about the band.

Despite all the positives mentioned, the article also talks about people who dislike the band and  how people have dismissed them as "fucking appalling." Not only this but it talks about how the band thought that NME - the magazine - was "just trying to stir up shit" after the magazine made a comment about how the band sounded like Take That. This shows how despite the positives about the band, negatives are also mentioned; negatives which put the band in a negative light due to the swearing and the arguments that the band caused. Other than this however, I would say that the article is quite positive about the band and hopeful about the bands future. 

Analysis of music magazines (Front cover, contents page and double page spread)

This front cover connotes wealth and fame. This is because he is purposefully showing off his silver ring therefore the fact that he is making this obvious, shows that he is portraying to the reader that he is wealthy and successful. As well as this, the colours of the text are all quite bold and bright, and stand out on the page; it is eye catching. For example: the magazine uses red, blues and yellows. This links into how the text used is quite gangster. This is evident in the word ‘Swagger’ because this has been written in a cool and funky way that is suitable for the type of magazine; it is something the target audience will understand and like because it is in a graffiti style.

Also, the main focus image of the front cover is Usher who is suitable for this type of magazine because this magazine specifies in his music genre. As well as this, he also well-known and is well liked therefore, is a suitable model because people automatically relate the front image with the genre of the magazine. In this case, the genre of the magazine is clearly RnB and Hip Hop. Therefore, this is an effective front cover. In addition to this, the blue and the words used on the page like ‘sex’ and ‘swagger’ are more targeting the male audience thus you can automatically assume that this magazine is suitable for males as opposed to females.

This links into the repletion of the word ‘sex’ and this infers that the magazine is in a way, quite sexual and explicit. It also shows that the magazine was created to be read by people interested in sex. This is why I would imply that the target market is from 16-30. 

Like the previous magazine cover, the colours are very similar in the way that it makes the cover bright, bold and eye-catching. In this magazine cover especially, the collar of Kanye West’s jacket is the same colour as the masthead and secondary stories therefore this is effective because it links everything together and makes Kanye West stand out. Also as aforementioned, the blue connotes masculinity. As well as this, like Usher, he is a suitable model to use because he is popular and a successful artist; he is well-known. Also, he is someone that people idolise and is someone that is always in the press thus can be recognized by everyone. This is suitable because it makes recognizing the genre of the magazine, easier.

This links into the fact that he is looking straight at us. This makes us feel intimated and it is also quite patronizing. Also, it suggests authority and how in the music business, he is of quite importance and this links into the phrase which is seen on the front cover which is “I am rap” because again, this is connoting his fame and impact on this particular industry. In addition to this, the text and the phrases used on the front cover is also something that attracts the audience. This is because the word “secrets” connotes mystery which is something that attracts the audience because we are all nosey people; we want to know what is going on in everyone’s lives 24/7 because we love gossip. 

The main image on the front cover is a photo of two half naked men. Not only does this connote male dominance and superiority, but the fact that they look gangster automatically makes us as readers understand the genre of the magazine; this is hip hop. This links into the fact that their body is covered in tattoos because this relates well to their overall image and the type of music genre they do because it implies that they are quite rough and tough. Some would also say that the tattoos are quite attractive therefore you could say that there is a possible sex appeal with these artists. This links into the target market and how this magazine specifically targets males because the fact they wear chains and jewellery, infers wealth, fame and success which is what all males aspire for; these artists are almost idols.

In addition to this, the masthead has been written in diamonds which again connotes wealth and fame but the title ‘XXL’ also connotes sex and promiscuity as well as the bigger, the better which again, suits the target audience. 

Not only do they look ghetto but the background also looks quite ghetto which links to the music genre and the target audience.
The colours are also suitable because red, white and silver suggest wealth and fame. But the red also connotes both danger and sexual desires thus are suitable for this genre.

Finally, the words and text used such as ‘10^th Anniversary’ implies that the company is successful and have been around for a while. Therefore, by putting this on the front cover, it makes the reader more inclined to buy it because they know it is popular and it is going to be good. Also, the phrase ‘Survival of the fittest’ implies male dominance and superiority; that life is a competition. This again, suits the target audience because it is quite masculine and powerful. However, this is a genre I will not be further researching into because it is not something I am interested in nor does it suit my target audience; they will not like this genre.

I find the fact that this magazine contents page is in black and white quite appealing and eye catching. This is because it makes the red heart stand out and it makes the contents page quite emotive and strong. This connotes that Kanye is stealing women’s hearts – he is seen as some heart throb who women admire and desire. It also connotes that women want to love him and this connotes that Kanye has some sort of power. It connotes that women want Kanye because he is so wealthy and famous – it portrays him as a man who is idolised and loved by all. This links into what he is wearing because it looks rather formal and classy therefore this connotes that again, he is wealthy and is of importance in his industry. Also the fact that there is an article on fashion could imply that Kanye is almost some sort of fashion icon. Again, this implies that Kanye is an icon in both the music and fashion industry which connotes fame and wealth. In addition to this, the fact that Kanye is used instantly tells us what sort of music genre this magazine is going to be covering. This is because Kanye is a hip hop artist thus we know that this magazine is going to be about hip hop.

The way he is looking into the camera also connotes dominance and superiority. This is because he looks quite intimidating and strong thus connotes that he has power.

Like the previous magazine also, the text is quite alternative and funky. It suits the young and alternative audience because it is quite unique.

This is a magazine contents page I like because it is unique and appealing and looks rather modern too. This is because the main image on the page is of a woman lying down with her legs in the air. This connotes sex because it portrays her to be quite a sexual and playful woman. Therefore, this image not only appeals to women because she looks successful and powerful; something all women want to achieve, but it also appeals to men because she has been portrayed as a woman who is really sexy thus gives off this sex appeal. Also, the fact that she is wearing silver connotes wealth and power therefore to many; this could be found as quite attractive. Not only this, but the woman suits the stereotypical idea of what an attractive woman should be like. This is because she is slender and attractive and has long legs. Also, the way the text has been written on the page is quite alternative and clever. It suits the genre because like the genre, the contents page is funky and different; it’s eye catching. 

This contents page is rather colourful and unique. This is because Katy Perry is holding a big mushroom. The fact that she is holding the mushroom with one hand infers strength and again, connotes power and success. This links into why Katy Perry was used and how this connotes wealth and success because Katy is a well-known artist who is quite important and superior in the music industry. As well as this, like the previous magazines, Katy also allows us to see what music genre this magazine is. This is because Katy is a pop artist therefore we instantly know that this must be a pop magazine.

Not only this but what she is wearing is quite revealing and sexual; she is only wearing a small dress. This makes her look more attractive and sexually appealing because she is showing more skin. Therefore, not only does it connote that she is a successful and wealthy artist but it also connotes that she is a beautiful woman. This links into the colours and how the red connotes sex and lust and the silver connotes wealth and expensiveness.

Also, the magazine cover is rather colourful and bold for example what she is wearing is colourful like with the reds and silvers and the pink and blue text is also rather striking. This appeals to the target audience because it makes the contents page not boring; it makes it look fun and interesting.

The quote is also important because it connotes success and fame because it is implying that she worked her way to the top. It also connotes that Katy Perry is fierce and knows what she wants; she’s determined to get what she wants. This therefore, could show how Katy Perry is a role model thus this shows why she was used in this magazine contents page.

 Much like the other double page spreads, the fact that Nicki Minaj is quite prominent on the page emphasises her importance in the industry – it shows that the article is going to be about her. As well as this, what Nicki is wearing has a variety of connotations. For example, the fact that she is wearing a zebra print connotes her individuality and her uniqueness in the music industry because it is connoting that she isn’t like anyone else. Also, the fact that her ring says ‘icon’ connotes success and fame because it is showing how she is a significant part of the music industry. It also implies that she is well liked and this suggests how she is an inspiration. This links into the text on the page because the quote “I really toned down the sexual stuff. There was no need for me to do it” highlights the fact that she became a successful artist because of her music and not because of her looks. This again, links into how she is an icon and an inspiration because it is showing that artists become famous because of their music, not because of their body etc. The word “Gospel” also connotes religion which could show that Nicki is a religious person thus again, links into how she is a good role model.

In addition to this, the double page spread is also rather pink and girly. This connotes femininity and it also shows that she is somewhat similar to Barbie and this links into the fact that like Barbie, she is liked by all and is seen as an icon and a role model to girls across the world. 

 This double page spread features a full page image of Lana Del Rey and an article on her career on the opposite page. The fact that her photograph takes up an entire page connotes her success and importance in the industry and how she is well liked. As well as this, it also shows that the article is about her thus is a successful element. In regards to the image, the fact that she is holding her neck connotes promiscuity and sexual desire. This links into why she has her eyes closed and has an open mouth because this also connotes sex. It is also quite an emotive picture because it is quite dark. Both her make-up and the background are quite dark and the black and dark blue connotes depth and sadness which relates well to her music. As well as this, you can also see her red hair and the red connotes sex and love which links well into what she is doing because both connote quite sexual things.

Also, the little spotlights make the overall page quite mysterious and magical. They also connote hope and fame and it makes the overall page brighter thus makes the page quite mystical and emotive. 

In this double page spread, Alexandra Burke looks powerful and fierce. The way she is standing makes her look powerful and self-assured. Also, her silver dress is quite glamourous and classy and the fact that it is silver connotes wealth and success. You could also say that because the dress is quite short and revealing, it comes across as rather sexual. This has connotations of lust and promiscuity. The fact that her bum is on show connotes confidence and it gives off this sexual appeal.

Not only this, but the phrase “Why the X-Factor winner is living the dream” connotes success and fame. It is also quite matriarchal because it is showing that women are rising up and are on top thus connotes superiority and dominance. This links into why her image takes us basically the entire first page because it connotes importance and it also makes us realise what the magazine article is going to be about.

As well as this, the colours are all complimenting and so the pink and black go well with the white background. It makes them stand out and eye catching. Also, the fact that pink has been used connotes femininity and is also quite a girly colour. This could imply that although Alexandra Burke is a famous, important woman in the music industry, she is still a girl at heart. 

Typography Analysis