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Front Cover Final

Above is an image of my front cover for music magazine. It is a pop magazine that is called 'Illusion'. As you can seen I have kept to the norms of music magazine front covers by having 1 main image in the middle of the page with the cover lines surrounding it and the main cover story in the middle of the page. I have made the main cover story yellow so it is much brighter than the rest of the page so it stands out clearly. The rest of the cover lines are in red so as you can see my main colours are red and yellow so this is the brand I am trying to create. I have also put my logo in the bottom left hand corner and I will put this on every page of my magazine because this helps create the brand of 'Illusion'.

Contents Page Final

Above is an image of my contents page for my music magazine 'Illusion'. I have changed the layout of this from my original mock ups because I originally started off by going with what I had in my mock ups, however I felt that it didn't work so I changed it to this current one which I think works well. I have my main articles down the left hand side of the page with the page numbers on top of the article name. I have kept the same background as the front cover because this helps me create the brand I am trying to create and also to keep a specific house style as this shows a professional aspect to my magazine. I have also put my logo in the bottom left hand corner of the page just like it was presented in the front cover as this creates the brand. I will also do this on my double page spread to create consistency.

Double Page Spread Article

Below is the article that I will use for my double page spread article. My article is a question and answer based article about 'The Ravens'. The background behind the whole point of this story is that band member 'Alex Morgan' (who is on the front cover) has left his solo career to join 'The Ravens'. He talks about why he made the decision to leave his solo career and what the other band members (Ross and Stephen) think of Alex joining the band. And also not to mention a little bit of gossip about relationship issues between Ross and Alex because everyone loves a bit of gossip and conspiracy in a pop magazine!

The UK’s new hottest music band - they have just released their new album Waterwork and is the fastest selling album in the UK this year. With newest band member Alex Morgan leaving his solo career to join The Ravens, Illusion have a lot to ask the UK’s hottest boy band.

Q: Alex, how does it feel knowing that your debut album was the fastest selling album in the UK this year?

Alex Morgan: Man, it feels superb. It is just a great feeling knowing everyone likes the album. It was totally unexpected considering I left my solo career to join The Ravens. It was a big risk to take, I didn’t really know what to expect but with having the fastest selling debut album in the UK

this year obviously means that everyone has approved of the change and the decision I took.

Q: Stephen and Ross, how is it having Alex in the band?

Stephen Baker: It feels absolutely grand. It’s just an honour to work with just a talented music artist. He brings so much to the band what both myself and Ross lacked so it was a great surprise when Alex announced his departure from singing solo and when I got a phone call a month later asking if we want to put a pop band together I immediately spoke with Ross and the band was formed.

Ross Palmer: Yeah, it was a surprise to me too when Alex announced his departure from singing solo. As Stephen mentioned, it’s just an honour to work with just a talented music artist and also I now know what an incredibly nice guy he is, so I am so privileged to be at this current stage of my life.

Q: So, with this being so successful, do you have any plans to go on tour?

AM: Yeah there have been talks of a tour. We think we may start off with just a British Tour.

RP: Yeah we think we may tour at about 100 venues across the country, hoping to play at venues such as Wembley, The O2, The LG Arena and Manchester Arena.

SB: If this tour sells well then we hope to be adding additional dates and hopefully may consider doing a world tour, but at the moment this is a little ambitious for us so we will stick to the UK

tour and see how we go from there.

Q: Is there any talk about releasing a second album considering ‘Waterwork’ was so successful?

SB: Yes, there has been talk of releasing a new album, we wanted to make sure that our first one sold okay before there was any talk about making a second one, so now we know that ‘Waterwork’ was extremely successful we have indeed started to record for a new album.

Q: Alex and Ross, are the rumours true that you two are seeing each other?

AM: (chuckles) no Steve, that is not true, I have no idea where that rumour has come from.

RP: Errrr… No that’s not exactly true Alex… (winks at him)

Double Page Spread Final

Above is the final version of my double page spread. I have adapted it slightly from my orginal mock ups. What I have done is combine two mock up ideas togther, so this includes the big box on the right mixed with the pages smaller boxes on the left page and then joined with the image behind filling up the two pages. I also decided to remove the background from the image and just keep the people because I thought this looked better and more professional and it also allowed me to have the blue and white background that I used on both the front cover and the contents page which helps me create a brand. Because of the change in layout slightly I had to move the article quote to the top right of the page. Finally, as you can see I have my logo in the bottom left hand corner as seen on both the contents and the front cover.

Double Page Spread Mock Up 3

Double Page Spread Mock Up 2

Double Page Spread Mock Up 1

Contents Mock Up 3

Contents Mock Up 2

Contents Mock Up 1

Front Cover Mock Up 3

Front Cover Mock Up 2

New Improved Pictures

Front Cover Mock Up

Above is an image of what the front cover of my music magazine is planning to look like. As displayed in the image I will have a main image on the front which will be a close up image of the model with the mode of address looking at the camera. I will then have the main cover line over the top of that image which will relate to that image. I will then have four other cover lines surrounded down the side of the page which will make the magazine look professional and make the customer want to buy it. The main image will overlap part of the masthead because this is what I have found are the norms of music magazine front covers and it also looks very effective. The strapline of my magazine will also be placed under the masthead as most people are likely to read it if it is directly under the masthead of my magazine. I will have a sub image in the bottom right hand corner which will be at a slant. I think that this feature will look very effective and by doing this I will be defying the norms of music magazine front covers. The barcode is in the expected place and I will put it horizontally and put the issue number of the magazine with it as this is the norm. A flasher is also placed on the front cover to persuade readers to buy my magazine. This is just a plan of my front cover so it may change over time if I decide something doesn't work so well.

Double Page Spreads Evaluation

When looking at all three of the double page spreads I have analysed. There are immediately many differences and similarities that are shown. I have analysed the music magazines of Billboard, Vibe and NME because this way it will help me understand more about how to make my own music magazine.

The first element that I noticed when looking at the format research I have carried out on double page spreads is the image or images that are used. Out of the three magazines I have looked at, 2 of them have an image that fills up the entire page or most of the page. Saying this however, all three magazines have laid out the image of the double page spread in a slightly different way. Vibe magazine especially has defied convention and has chosen to include an image of a woman on the right hand side of the page with other separate pictures of that same woman across the top of the page. In this case then, this magazine defines the norms of double page spreads with the layout and eye flow that it contains. The most normal double page spread comes from NME magazine because the image is situated across most of the two pages so it stands out well but also still allows room for the article and columns. The way in which Billboard magazine presents their picture on their double page spread is very effective. The entire page is filled up the whole image and the article boxes are placed over the top of the picture. The image in a way acts primarily as the image but also acts as the background and I think this works very well and I will use this technique when I come to making my double page spread.

Another piece of information I have gathered from my format research on double page spreads is the columns and articles. Both Vibe and NME magazine follow the norms of typical double page spreads and have the articles sectioned in columns which make it easier to read and make it look professional. However, in the Billboard magazine double page spread the use of columns is not to be seen. Instead there are 4 article boxes presented at the bottom of the page when normally they are down the side on a separate page. I think this looks very simple yet effective as it portrays the message and the brand that this magazine is trying to present to its target audience. As mentioned in my previous paragraph about the image, I like the way in how Billboard has presented this double page spread. So because they have used a full image which also acts as the background they are limited on what they can do with the article and it looks very effective yet professional with the text boxes they use. I think that I will use this idea of using text boxes but I may sick to the magazine norms and use columns in the text boxes so it is easier to read. This way I will be defying the norms but at the same time sticking to a few. This way it will make my magazine stand out but I also know it will work and look effective.

Another feature which I picked out when looking at the three double page spreads is the colour that they use. Each double page spread has a very distinctive house style. In Billboard magazine the house style consists of primarily red, grey and black. The article text is red and grey. The main parts of the article such as the heading before each article is in red which makes it stand out as red is a very dominating colour especially against the other grey text and black and white background. The house style of Vibe magazine is grey, black, white and blue as the colours are repeated and shown throughout the article. The house style of NME magazine is really just a black and yellow house style. The main reason why each of these magazines has kept a simple and the same house style is because of this idea of creating a brand. Furthermore, by keeping a consistent and effective house style on the double page spread it also helps attract the reader and makes them want to read it because of the way it looks. If the double page spread looks professional and effective then the receiver of the magazine is more likely to read it so it is a very important factor to advertise this article. Taking this factor into account then, it is very important that I chose the right house style for my own double page spread. I think the key to choosing the best house style primarily relates to the target audience of the article and also the message and type of the article.

In conclusion, by completing this format research on music magazine double page spreads, I have gained a lot of information about how I should make my own music magazine. I now know what the norms of music double page spreads are and what I can do to defy the norms. This format research is very helpful for my task. I think when I come to making my double page spread I will adopt the way in which Billboard magazine presents their double page spread. I will use a full image which acts also as the background and as mentioned, I will use this idea of using text boxes but I may sick to the magazine norms and use columns in the text boxes so it is easier to read.

Contents Pages Evaluation

When looking at all three of the contents pages I have analysed. There are immediately many differences and similarities that are shown. I have analysed the music magazines of Billboard, Vibe and NME because this way it will help me understand more about how to make my own music magazine.

The main factor that I got out of my format research of contents pages is the layout. Two of the magazines have the same layout and what is described as the traditional magazine contents page layout and one of the magazines has completely defied the norms of contents pages. The two traditional layouts are the magazines of Billboard and Vibe. The way in which they are laid out are contents of page numbers and what’s in the magazine down the left or right side with an image or a few images on the opposite side. On Billboard magazine, the contents is down the left hand side of the page with a main image opposite it and three smaller images down the right hand side of the page. On Vibe’s contents page it is almost exactly the same but the contents is down the right hand side of the page and there is one main image opposite it which fills the rest of the page. This style of layout is what most music or even any type of magazine has for their contents page as it is easy to read and looks very effective and stylish. On the other hand, NME magazine has completely gone against the norms of contents pages. Their layout is very jumbled up but very organised. There are all in separate boxes which contain the articles and a few words and an image describing what the real article offers later on in the magazine. Just as we saw in their front cover they defied the norms of the masthead and have again been different with the layout of their magazine. This is the brand they are trying to create so this is the primary reason why they have conveyed the norms. Therefore, when I come to making my contents page I think I will play it safe and suck to the traditional contents page layout as I know this way it will be effective and will look good.

Another aspect that stood put to me when looking at the three contents pages is the image position and the choice of image that is used. All three magazine contents pages have slightly different ways of presenting the images. In Billboard a choice of four images is used, one main image in the middle and 3 smaller images down the side. In Vibe, only one main image is used and in NME 7 smaller images are used which are dotted around the page. You could say that both Billboard and Vibe magazine is the classic way of presenting images on a contents page because it follows the eye flow rules. There is just a main image on Vibe’s and nothing else but on Billboard other images are used to give more information about the article to the reader. As mentioned previously with NME, they are creating their brand by being different and they have done this also by the way in how they set out their images. I think that when I come to making my contents page I will adopted the style of Billboard magazine as I like the way in which their pictures are positioned. I think that this is a very good way of presenting the contents page because it gives a lot of information out and the pictures help persuade the reader to read that article. I also think that using more pictures is more effective for my target audience too as it is for teenagers and stereotypically, teenagers prefer looking at pictures than reading lots of text.

Another feature which I picked out when looking at the three contents pages is the branding in which all magazines are trying to create. As mentioned, NME create a clear brand by the way in how they defy convention in the way it is laid out and the pictures. Billboard and Vibe create a brand by the colours they use in the front cover. Each magazine they publish they keep the same colour throughout. In the top right corner of the page there is the Billboard logo with their colours so even without looking at the front cover, readers can instantly tell what magazine this is. This is pretty much the same in Vibe magazine as well. The main bit of branding on this magazine is the red 'V' at the top right. This 'V' represents the 'Vibe' logo in the same Vibe colours and primarily the style in which the logo is presented.

In conclusion, by completing this format research on music magazine contents pages I have retrieved a lot of knowledge and information about the typical aspects of music magazine contents pages and I can take this research and use it to help me produce my own contents page. I mentioned that I will stick to the norms of contents pages as it is safe and I know it will be effective, however I may decide to break the typical norms to make my magazine different and stand out, just like we saw in NME magazine.

Front Covers Evaluation

When looking at all three of the front covers I have analysed. There are immediately many differences and similarities that are shown. I have analysed the music magazines of Billboard, Vibe and NME because this way it will help me understand more about how to make my own music magazine.

The instant factor I saw when looking at each of the front covers is the main image. On all three of the magazines I analysed, each of them contained one big image that fills up the whole of the front cover. Two out of the three main images was an image of the artist’s head and every image the mode of address was them looking at the camera. This has been done because it creates more effect and drama and also engages the reader more. In addition to this, all the images is of a famous music artist so the audience can relate further to the magazine which would persuade more people to buy it especially if they were interested in that specific music artist. In this case the, for my own music magazine I will use a big image of a famous music artist from the pop industry (as that is the genre of music magazine I will be creating) and make the mode of address looking at the camera because as we have seen this is the norm of music magazines and this makes the magazine look professional and very effective when it is on the shop shelves.
 

Another piece of information I have gathered from my format research on front covers is the mastheads. All three of the front covers have the masthead across the top of the page. Both Billboard and Vibe had the masthead across the whole top of the page however; NME had the masthead still at the top but squashed in the corner of the page. I have found out from my research that the norms of mastheads on music magazines is to do what Billboard and Vibe has done and to display the masthead across the whole top of the page. NME magazine have done this because they want to create diversity and stand out from the rest. Therefore, when I make my own magazine I am not sure whether I should convey the norms of music magazine mastheads and have it maybe down the side of the page or at the bottom as this will create variety and will make my magazine stand out or stick to the norms to make it look like a traditional music magazine. The problem with conveying the norms is that it is very risky and must be implemented in the right way because if it is not then the idea of being different will backfire and will have the reverse effect that I wanted. In this case then, when I make my magazine I will experiment with different masthead positions to see what makes my magazine most effective and what makes it stand out the best.
 

When looking at the text of these three front covers, the same thing is used to help create a brand for the magazine. This aspect is the colour. Every magazine has a distinctive house style to it which helps massively create a brand for their own magazine. The colour scheme of Billboard’s front cover is pink, yellow and white, a more female dominating house style. The colour scheme of Vibe’s front cover is grey, black and red which is a more male dominating house style and the colour scheme for NME magazine is red and white colour scheme which can relate to both males and females. I think the key to choosing the right colour scheme for the front page of the magazine is to know who the audience of the magazine are. The target audience for my magazine would more likely to be males in their teens who are into pop music, so in this case I need to adopt the idea and style of Vibe magazine’s house style because they have a similar target audience to me.

Another factor of information which I retrieved from my format research is the elements of the barcode. On both Vibe magazine and NME magazine a barcode is present and on both of the magazines it is placed at the bottom of the page. Vibe’s is placed in the bottom left corner and NME’s is placed in the bottom right corner, both of the barcodes are vertically presented instead of horizontally. This will probably be because by having them vertically it takes up less of the page but also is more appealing to the eye. The reason why Vibe and NME have the barcode on different sides is because that is how it fits into the layout of the magazine. Therefore, when I come to producing my magazine I will place the barcode down the side in the bottom corner but experiment whether to have it on the left or right depending on where the text and images are.

In conclusion, by completing this format research on music magazine front covers, I have gained a lot of information about how I should make my own music magazine. I now know what the norms of music front covers are and what I can do to defy the norms. This format research is very helpful for my task.

Format Research Double Page Spread 3 - NME Magazine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG25VtXgtpw&feature=youtu.be

 

Format Research Double Page Spread 2 - Vibe Magazine

For my second format research about double page spreads, I will analysing the double page spread of Vibe Magazine

Layout: The layout of this double page spread looks very effective and different to other double page spreads seen in previous music magazines. The norm of double pages spreads of not just music magazines but any magazines is to have an image on preferably the right hand side of the page with the article on the left as this is what the normal eye flow is when the receiver first looks at the page. In this case then, this magazine defines the norms of double page spreads with the layout and eye flow that it contains. Saying this however, the previous music magazine I looked at, 'Billboard' also conveys the norms of double page spreads so maybe this is the norm for double page spreads of music magazines. The way in which the image, article and the headings are displayed make the page look very professional and very vibrant due to the use of colours and different images used across the top of the page. The way in which the articles are laid out also makes the page look really good and appealing to the reader as they are broken down into columns which are the norms of typical magazine articles. There are articles on each page, even though there are more on the left hand page where the main image is displayed on the right which sort of acts as the norms of eye flow but as the image isn't filling up the whole right hand page I would still say it contradicts the norms of a traditional eye flow. Overall, I like the layout of this double page spread as it is diverse with a good range of colours and the articles are placed well which makes the reader what to look at this page more in depth. 

Images:  The images used on this double page look very effective because of the use of colour and the style in which the images are laid out across the page. I like how there are multiple pictures of the same women across the top of the page and she is posing in different ways. The way in how there is a main image of her in colour at the front and then the smaller images in black and white in the background makes the double page spread appeal to its target audience. By looking at the double page spread of this magazine, I would say that the target audience of this article would be for women as the images show a women in a nice, fancy dress so this could suggest women are reading this article because they are inspired by her look at feel that if they read the article then they can look like her. This image is an iconic image because the article is actually about her so they use an iconic image to relate the text to the picture, this way the reader feels more connected to the article and knows what it is about. The image is also the first thing the reader sees when they open the page because it follows the norms of eye flow. If the reader likes the image then it is most probable that they will want to read the article because they want to find out more about that person. This is also why the producer used an iconic image rather than a symbolic image. Although there aren't many images or even a contrast of images on this page I think that  the images that are used makes this double page spread look very effective.

Font/Colour/Articles: The font used is a san serif font which is very effective as it portrays informality to the reader which could then consequently gain the readers trust as they have a more personal and special feel when purchasing and reading the magazine. Like Billboard magazine, this double page spread has a very distinctive house style.  The colours of grey, black, white and blue are presented as the house style in this double page spread as the colours are repeated and shown throughout the article. Furthermore, the font used is a serif font which makes the article look really interesting and presented professionally. In addition, unlike what we saw in Billboard magazine, the article is a the traditional style with columns as this makes it easier for the receiver to read. On the other hand, just like Billboard, there also isn't any sign of a drop cap which is what most magazines have at the beginning of an article to attract attention and make the page look more appealing to the eye.  

Format Research Double Page Spread 1 - Billboard Magazine

For my first format research on double page spreads I will be analysing a double page spread from Billboard magazine.

Layout: The layout of this double page spread looks very effective by the use of colours displayed across the page and the choice of image and where it is placed. The eye flow of this double page spread doesn't follow the norms of normal double page spreads as the main image is usually displayed on the right hand side with the article on the left, however on this double page spread the image is displayed on the left but slightly off centre which coveys the norms and makes the page look very professional and stylish. The image of Rita Ora is displayed behind the heading with her face poking through the gaps in the letters. The main heading itself is presented across the entire double page spread which also coveys the norms of double page spreads as they are normally over one page on the left, opposite the image but this magazine has shown differently as they want to create their brand of Billboard. The articles also are very different compared to normal double page spreads. There are 4 article boxes presented at the bottom of the page when normally they are down the side on a separate page. I think this looks very simple yet effective as it portrays the message and the brand that this magazine is trying to present to its target audience.

Image: The image on this double page spread fills the whole double page which coveys the norms of double page spreads. The background of the page is the picture and Rita Ora acts as the main image but is part of the entire image that acts as the background. Furthermore, the producer has made the background of the image black and white and kept the image of Rita Ora in colour. This makes the eye flow direct towards Rita Ora as she is standing out which implies she is important. This makes sense because the article is about Rita Ora so you would gather that she would be the main focus of attention. I like how she is positioned in the page too; she is sitting down with her legs positioned through the text boxes. Whats more, the facial expression that Rita Ora is portraying makes her look very seductive as she has her mouth open and the mode of address is looking at the camera engaging the reader. Also, this idea of looking seductive is shown by her legs, as she is showing them off and is sitting in a seductive way. in this case, the target audience can primarily be for men as they like looking at Rita Ora and what to find out more about her but can also be for women as they may feel inspired and want to look like this.

Font/Colour/Articles: The font used is a san serif font which is very effective as it portrays informality to the reader which could then consequently gain the readers trust as they have a more personal and special feel when purchasing and reading the magazine. The double page spread has a distinctive house style of primarily red, grey and black. The article text is red and grey. The main parts of the article such as the heading before each article is in red which makes it stand out as red is a very dominating colour especially against the other grey text and black and white background. The red is also used for the questions that are asked to Rita Ora in order to make it clearly laid out for the reader to understand what parts are the questions and what parts are her answers for that question. Furthermore, the font of the heading the says 'RITA ORA' in red with a very effective san serif font which makes the article look really interesting and presented professionally. In addition, in the articles isn't in a typical article form where there are colulmns of texts down the page wtth sub images inserted in the mix of them. There also isn't any sign of a drop cap which is what most magazines have at the begining of an article to attract attention and make the page look more appealing to the eye.  

Format Research Contents Page 3 - NME Magazine

For my third and final format research on contents pages, I will be analysing the contents page of NME magazine

Layout: The layout of the contents page of this magazine is very different to other music magazines that I have looked at previously. Normally, there is a main image in the middle and that is the only image visible on the page, there may be a few other sub images on the right or left which give a little extra information about what the magazine contains. The actual contents itself, which display the page numbers and whats inside is normally based down the side in a column. This magazine however, conveys the norms of all these rules of general music magazines. There aren't any set columns where the contents of the magazine is, it is very jumbled up but very organised. There are all separate boxes which contain the articles and a few words and an image describing what the real article offers later on in the magazine. There still is a main image displayed in the middle which is where most of the focus of the reader is when first laying eyes on this page. Furthermore, because the image is central our eyes are automatically directed to this. The producer has done this because he/she obviously wants the readers main attention to be drawn to this specific article and therefore shows more importance over the other sections on the page. The layout of this magazine is very different to other magazines which makes it unique against other magazines, this will probably be their unique selling point against competitor magazines such as Vibe and Billboard magazine.

Images: Unlike the other two magazines I have looked at, this magazine is completely different in terms of images. Billboard magazine had one main image and 3 smaller images on its contents page and Vibe magazine had just one big main image filling up most of the page. NME magazine however, Has a cluster of pictures all over the page. On this page there are seven images visible on this page and I think it makes the page stand out, look different and be really effective. Three out of the seven images' mode of address is the artist/s looking at the camera, and the other four's mode of address' is the artist not looking at the camera. I think the fact that they have created variety and contrast with the mode of address' as it creates huge effect on the reader and reveals a lot about the magazine itself and even the type of artist. The images where the artists are looking at the camera symbolise interaction with the reader, its almost like they are telling the reader there is something going on with their life which is why they will be featured in the magazine. It also suggests that it is a good thing, they aren't afraid to hide behind the camera and are happy to let it all out. In contrast, the images where the artist/s are not looking at the camera implies that they are trying to hide and are not confident with displaying their story with the public as they are unaware of the camera so would of probably not agreed into taking the picture. However, you can look at this from another perspective and suggest that by not looking at the camera creates a dramatic effect on the reader and gives more information about the person and what is going on in the article itself.

 

Language: Just like the other magazines I have looked at previously, the language in NME magazine is really no different. There isn't loads of text which is good as it won't give away too much information about the article, it is just giving the reader a taster on what they can expect. The contents page of a magazine is like a trailer for a movie, so the language is critical as it plays a big part in what the reader can expect. The language use on this contents page relates a lot to the purpose and the audience of the magazine. It is a very chilled back and relaxed style of writing as a lot of quotes from the artists featured in the pictures are used to try and help persuade the reader to read the rest of this magazine. I would suggest that the target audience of this magazine would be for both genders aged 18 - 50 years. This is due to the fact that like the front cover, the contents page is kept to a simple house style that applies to both males and females. The font, colour, images and the language is sort of a neutral style and there doesn't seem to be any connotations relating to neither males or females. When looking at the language that is used, it contains a lot of adjectives and simple sentences. This is because the producer wants to give the reader as much detail as possible whilst making it interesting but at the same time, not giving away too much information.

 

Branding: The branding of this magazine is very easy to spot and identify and is therefore very effective and very successful. The main part of branding that is displayed on this magazine is primarily the way it is laid out because as I've mentioned above is a very unique way of laying out a contents page of a music magazine. The way in which the page is laid out is very different, but the way in how they create a brand is the fact that NME keep to the exact same layout in every issue they produce. This layout is a main image in the middle with smaller images surrounding it around the outside. Furthermore, the fact that they keep the same colour and style of red page numbers in the corners of the box in each of the individual article boxes. This helps the reader immediately identify what magazine they are reading even if they haven't looked at the front cover. The font is a san serif font which is very effective as it portrays informality to the reader which could then consequently gain the readers trust as they have a more personal and special feel when purchasing and reading the magazine. This may then make them buy the magazine weekly and they would then start to feel part of the NME family, which is a good way in how they create the NME brand. We see this with lots of other music magazines too so this is definitely a 'norm' in music magazines. 



Format Research Contents Page 2 - Vibe Magazine

For my second format research on contents pages I will be analysing the contents page of Vibe magazine

Layout: The way this magazine is laid out suggests a lot about what the audience of this magazine is. It is a very simple layout which keeps to the norms of the magazine contents pages, which are normally, a large image in the middle which acts as the main image of which the most attention is drawn to from the reader. Then the rest of the contents page is the content of the entire magazine, and this is down the left hand side of the page. As we can see, the majority of this contents page is the main image of "Chain Gang" with a small description about the article and page number which informs the reader where to find this article if they want to read more. Then down the side are other articles about different aspects of what this magazine consists of. Unlike 'Billboard' magazine, the article information is very detailed and very organised down the side. The layout of 'Vibe' looks very professional and keeps to a simple layout which isn't too clustered and this aspect makes it look very effective.

Images: There is only one image on the contents page of this magazine. This image is a rather large image of the band "Chain Gang". We know that it is of Chain Gang because it says so underneath the image in larger text than the rest of the text. The image is in black and white which creates effect and sort of links to the audience. As proven in the format research of the front covers, Vibe magazine's target audience is males between the age of 18 - 30, primarily because of the aggressive look that this magazine portrays, it comes across that males are within that age band are more likely to read this magazine. The mode of address and the expression of the two people creates an effect on the message that this magazine is trying to create. By looking at the camera and addressing the reader it shows importance in the people. They are sort of looking at the reader with an expression on their face that says 'we know we are rich and famous, bow down', because of how the man is holding is head and standing upright and proud. The women is the same, the way she is standing and her facial expression makes her look very important, however, not as important as the man due to the fact she is standing lower and is smaller than him.

Language: The language used in this magazine is a very normal use of language. It is actually quite boring. There are no linguistic devices used to make the text sound interesting. It is just a load of simple and compound sentences that just briefly explain what the main pages and articles are. Although I say its boring because there isn't much detail, there can't be too much detail because it would get too boring and people would lose interest and wouldn't bother reading the article. Therefore, good magazines need to find a balance between too much detail and not enough detail. This magazine is the right amount of writing but the language that is used is not effective. The lexis is very boring and doesn't entertain the reader at all. The reason to this is because maybe of the audience this magazine has. As explained above, the audience is aimed at males between the age of 18 - 30, so in this case, going by stereotypes, men would not likely to read a lot in detail.

Branding: Just like all music magazines we have looked at, every single one is trying to create a brand on every page of their magazines and this magazine is no different. The main bit of branding on this magazine is the red 'V' at the top right. This 'V' represents the 'Vibe' logo in the same Vibe colours and primarily the style in which the logo is presented. It is the same throughout their entire magazine range, they always display their 'V' logo which represents their brand 'Vibe'. Furthermore, the way in which they keep to the same font in their writing and even the style of the page numbers helps the reader know what the brand of this magazine is. When the reader looks at the page they can instantly see that this is a Vibe magazine due to the way they lay the page out, the font used and the Vibe logo displayed. This makes the magazine really successful as customers can constantly relate to the magazine and consequently feel a part of the Vibe family.

Format Research Contents Page 1 - Billboard

For mt first format research on contents pages I will be analysing the contents page of Billboard Magazine.

Audience & Layout: The target audience of this magazines contents page is presented in multiple ways. Firstly, the way in which this contents page is laid out gives us an idea of whom the producer of the magazine is targeting. The layout is a very simple layout and looks like a typical magazine contents page. This is by having a column down the side which are informing the reader what is inside by giving a detailed insight to each section. There are then three images opposite which gives the reader a better insight to what this magazine features. The images help the reader relate to the context on the left hand side. So taking this into account, the target audience looks like it is for young people, about an age band between 14 - 21. It looks like it can be for any gender; this is because of the images that are used. The three images down the side look like they will attract men as they are images of rockstars that have a sort of aggressive look to them, so this would be more suited towards men rather than women. The reason why it would attract females though is because of the main image in the middle. The image shows a happy teenage girl so this would attract the teenage girl as they would be able to relate to the image.

Images: There are four images that are shown on the contents page of this magazine. To make a successful contents page the images must complement the context and I believe this magazine has done it well. When first looking at this page you immediately see the main imaged centred in the middle. This is because the image of the girl is very large so our attention is quickly drawn in by this. Furthermore, the fact that she is dressed in red enhances our attention to her. She is on a white background too so this gives more affect to the page as a whole. The three pictures down the right hand however contrasts against the middle image. The image of the girl is a peaceful image that enlightens the mood of the reader, as she is looking happy and has a sort cheering motion. It also looks like she is dressed in Christmas colours and outfit so this will also enlighten the mood of the reader. The reason why the other three images contrast this is because they are dark images. The facial expressions on the top two images especially show a dark and mysterious look. This may be because of the mixed audience Billboard have, as mentioned above, the middle image relates to and attracts females and the side images relate to and attracts males. The side images also give a further insight to what to expect in the magazine. These images are probably actual images from inside the magazine from that article so this gives the reader more information about what’s inside.

Language: The language use on this contents page relates a lot to the purpose and the audience of the magazine. The language is very informal and there are a lot of technical music terms that are used. This is because the producer is assuming knowledge and relies on the reader to know these technical terms as it is a specialist terminology. In terms of sentence structure, there aren't really much use of different terms of sentence structure or grammatical features as most of the language and writing used on this page is listed in a bullet point form. The information given is listed and normally consists of one or two words. However, there are a few uses of simple sentences under each point which describes what the article is about. They use simple sentences because this is the best way to give basic information and not bore the reader with long winded sentences.

Branding: Just as Billboard try to create a brand with the front cover, they keep this consistency throughout their magazine and this shows in the contents page. The main part of their branding is in the colour. Each magazine they publish they keep the same colour throughout. In the top right corner of the page there is the Billboard logo with their colours so even without looking at the front cover, readers can instantly tell what magazine this is. Also, by creating a brand it gains trust with the reader, they can feel trusted that when they go out the buy the magazine every week they know it will be quality and consistent as they see the Billboard brand. In addition, Billboard also creates their brand by using the same font on the text. The words "CONTENTS" at the top of the page have a distinctive font and style to it, (the letters with the line down the middle) so when readers look at this they know they are reading Billboard. Having a well known brand creates awareness and a recognisable magazine that customers can trust.

 

Format Research Front Cover 3 - NME Music Magazine

The third magazine that I will be analysing is a music magazine called NME



Audience: Judging by the front cover of this magazine I would suggest that the target audience of this magazine would be for both genders aged 18 - 50 years. This is due to the fact that the front cover is kept to a simple house style that applies to both males and females. The font, colour and image is sort of a neutral style, there doesn't seem to be any connotations relating to neither males or females. The reason why I have suggested that the target audience is in the age band between 18 - 50 is because of the main image. The main image is an image of Paul McCartney, probably the most famous man in the history of music. He is such a iconic image for the music world so this would automatically appeal to pretty much everyone who is in to this style of music. You could argue though that the main target audience is for older females as the cover lines are quotations from Paul McCartney about his life so this implies that the content of this magazine will be a lot of gossip about his life and females tend to like reading about celebrity gossip more than men do. This will especially appeal to the older generation though because Paul McCartney has been round for a long time ,so all the older people will know much more about him and his life than the younger person so they would feel more influenced and can relate more to him than the younger generation can. However saying this, I still believe that the target audience of this magazine is both genders of pretty much all ages due to the house style this magazine creates.

Masthead: The masthead of this magazine is presented at the top of the page just like we have seen in the other two magazines. This implies that this is the 'norm' for music magazines and therefore in my music magazine I will present my masthead at the top of the page. The masthead on the NME magazine is very bold and has a very distinctive font to it. This is because, just like all magazines, NME are trying to create a brand. NME and the other two magazines have created the brand mainly with the masthead and using distinctive and recognisable fonts and colours. What makes the masthead on this magazine look effective is the simple font (which again is the classic NME font, so people would immediately recognise it) and the colour. The red colour of the masthead looks very effective of the grey background as it stands out a lot and keeps to the general house style that this magazine is trying to portray. The use of capital letters of the masthead looks very effective as it draws a lot of attention and looks very effective as it stands out creating a dramatic effect. Furthermore, the masthead only consists of three words which is an acronym for 'New Musical Express', the fact that they don't bother putting the whole name on and just the initials is part of them creating a brand and suggests that they are too important and well known to show the full name and they just expect people to know what it stands for. This works really well and is very effective as it makes the magazine look more professional and helps it stand out over other magazines.

Main Image: The main image of this magazine is a picture of Sir Paul McCartney. As Paul McCartney is a well-known icon in the music world and is seen by some people as 'a god of music' then this suggests that this is a very prestigious issue of the magazine. As Paul McCartney fills pretty much the whole front page, it implies that he is very important and also gives us an insight that the main story and context is going to be about Paul McCartney. Furthermore, the fact that he is filling up the whole length of the page enhances the fact that he is respected and the fact that the title of the magazine, the masthead, is smaller than the image and is sort of squashed up in the corner, so this could suggest to the reader that Paul McCartney is more important than NME's own brand. This is a very effective idea because it could imply to the reader that the story about Paul McCartney inside is massive and very important. Paul McCartney is wearing a suit which further enhances that he is very successful. The way in which he is presented too makes him look very bold and significant, he is wearing a suit and doing is buttons up with a rather smug look on his face which sort of says "yes I know I'm rich and successful". The mode of address also helps with this as he is looking at the reader and is saying this to the reader. It has a more dramatic and meaningful effect on them which is a very good way to market the magazine as the reader is more likely to buy it as they feel more personal and attracted to it.

Text: The text featured on the front cover of NME magazine is a critical element for promoting this magazine.  I feel that the amount of text featured on the main cover is the right amount to have on a front cover. There is enough text to inform the reader however there isn’t too much so it doesn’t take up too much room and does not look to over crowded. The colour of the text also is very simple yet compelling. They stick to the same house style which is the same font and a red and black colour scheme. The font is a san serif font which is very effective as it portrays informality to the reader which could then consequently gain the readers trust as they have a more personal and special feel when purchasing and reading the magazine. This may then make them buy the magazine weekly and they would then start to feel part of the NME family, which is a good way in how they create the NME brand. We see this with lots of other music magazines too so this is definitely a 'norm' in music magazines. The only text that is really visible on the front cover of this magazine is cover lines about Paul McCartney, so they are really relying on this story about Paul McCartney so sell the magazine and attract customers. However, they do include five other small cover lines tucked away in the right top corner so the reader knows that the magazine isn't 100% about Paul McCartney. They are really small though so this demonstrates how insignificant they are and how important Paul McCartney is.

Format Research Front Cover 2 - Vibe Music Magazine

The second magazine that I will be analysing is a music magazine called Vibe.

Audience: The target audience of this magazine looks very different to the target audience of the magazine we last looked at. By just looking at the front cover we can immediately tell that this magazine is aimed at men. We know this because the whole 'vibe' of the entire front cover looks like it appeals to men. Such as the colour of the text and background, the type of cover stories that are inside this magazine and the main image. The whole front cover has a sort of dark and aggressive look to it. This is because mainly of the colours that are used and the main image. If we were to narrow down the target audience even more I would suggest that the target audience is males between the age of 18 - 30, primarily because of the aggressive look that this magazine portrays, it comes across that males are within that age band are more likely to read this magazine.

Masthead: Just like the masthead of 'Billboard' is covered up by the main image, the masthead of 'Vibe' is also displayed in the same way. Although not as covered up as Billboard, the masthead of Vibe is still covered up by the artist's head. This gives it a good effect and I think it is covered up just enough for it to look effective yet also still being able to read what the name of this magazine is. The colour of the word 'VIBE' keeps to the colour scheme of the magazine which is a dark and gloomy look which enhances the look of the main image. It is a very simple masthead which sort of follows the norms of general music magazines of this genre. It doesn't need to be fancy or sparkly as this does not appeal to the target audience of the magazine. It doesn't look too much that this magazine is trying to create a brand compared with others. It is just a plain simple font, with a dull colour on a grey background. You could argue though that this dull effect on the masthead is the brand they are trying to create, which in a way works well as people would see that same font and colour and know it is the magazine 'Vibe'. However, this does impact it on attracting new customers as it wouldn't quite stand out on the shelves of shops as well as other music magazines.

Main Image: The main image on the front cover of this magazine is very meaningful. The mode of address of the person on the front cover is looking straight at the camera which like 'Billboard' engages the reader and has a greater effect on what the genre of this magazine is. The image is of the rapper R.Kelly. We know this as it says on the header above at the top of the page in bold white letters so it implies that R.Kelly is important we automatically relate the words and the picture together. The main image itself is an image of R.Kelly looking into the camera, with his hands on the side of his head with no facial expression. This suggests he is thinking about something and as his face looks depressed it implies there may be a shocking story about R.Kelly inside this magazine so if you're a person who likes reading music gossip or are just interested in R.Kelly's life. The image is also quite big which fills up most of the page. This proposes that this person is very important and the main cover story will be out him. This interests mainly people interested in R.Kelly but can also attract people who are interested in this type of music genre and he is seen as a god.

Text: On this front cover the text is a key aspect to promote this magazine to its audience. If there was no text then no one would know what is going on and what is inside the magazine so they wouldn't really be interested in purchasing it. The look of the text is also critical. The font and colour and even the way the text is spaced out across the page gives an insight what the target audience is and if it attracts them. The colour scheme suits the audience and so does the font of the text. Just like the masthead the font is kept simple with not many colours used. The main colours that are visible are black, red and yellow. They have kept to a general house style which is the cover lines are black and the sub cover lines are in red. They use yellow in some parts of the text because this is the text they want to stand out. As the yellow is a very bright colour, it contrasts against the other dull colours surrounding it. When you first look at the page the first thing that catches your eye is yellow text, so this works well as the bits in yellow are the key parts of the content of the magazine and this is what they want the reader to see first.  

Brand: Like all magazines, 'Vibe' is trying to create a brand. The brand is decided on the mainly the font of the masthead and the cover lines, the colour of the masthead and cover lines and the choice of images that are used, primarily the main image. The brand that this magazine is trying to create is an aggressive men's magazine. This doesn't mean that the people who read 'Vibe' are aggressive people. but what the magazine is trying to do is that if you are someone who reads this magazine then you are cool and people must respect you. It does this by the cover lines and displaying what is inside, the type of stories that are filled in that magazine depends on what brand and reputation it has over the audience. When looking at other 'Vibe' magazines I see that they keep the same simple font and colour for the masthead. Also, it is always located in the same place on the page which is centred at the top. Furthermore, every 'Vibe' magazine that I have seen has the main image of a single person with the mode of address always looking at the camera. This also helps create the brand because they have kept to the same format and house style so people immediately recognise the brand 'Vibe'.