Issue 1 (cover and contents) Draft 1

 

Research: Bauer Media

 

Bauer media is one of the largest privately owned media business' in the world. 

Research of real life stories websites

Real People:

This website creates a good brand synergy with the print magazine. The latest edition of the magazine can be seen on the home page with many articles from it. The main colours form the magazine, pink and yellow, are continued through this website. The yellow bar across the top is bright and directs attention to the call to action of the social media links. This yellow is continued in the section at the bottom of the page including articles on crime, with the banner making it look like police tape. The home page doesn't contain anything else. The navigation bar at the top contains different sections, including "web wins" and "sell us YOUR story." These make the website feel more inclusive. The synergy between the website and magazine are continued with the repetition of the competition and the puzzles. The footer of the website, again has a call to action for the social media links, and also contains a hyperlink to Hearst, the company that produce the magazine. 

Kerrang:The website continues conventions from their magazine. The logo is black which links with the cover on many features of their magazine. There is a large photographic montage at the top of the website. This immediately establishes the viewership. The navigation bar at the top has links to "news" "video" and "features." Underneath this, the bright yellow background changes to white as there are numerous different articles that have been features in the magazine, crating a brand synergy.

Audience Segments

 16-18: This age demographic is heavily influenced via social media and is responsible for over 29% of Instagram's traffic. At this age, people are finishing secondary school and are starting college or apprenticeships. Over 38,000 people in this age group currently do apprenticeships. Also, in this age group, people are starting to think about university, or work. 

18-21: This age group spend an average of 22 hours a week on their phone and chose to do more online than any other age group - eg shopping. 81% of this age group use BuzzFeed. This is a website with breaking news, journalism, quizzes and gossip. A recent Freshers Marketing Report reveals that 87% of 18-24s want brands to entertain, inform and inspire them. 

21-25 : magazines for this age catagory can be more serious than before and be more niche. People in this age category prefer more up to date and real world issues. People this age are finishing university and starting jobs and these are some issues I could include.

Research of Magazine Covers

 

Pick Me Up!

This cover links with the codes and conventions of other Real Life story magazines. Neales repetition and difference is clear here as the the main article and photograph is on the right with other stories and images arranged on the left. There are seven images on the cover with 17 individual subjects. The main images follow conventions for a magazine as the subjects are all looking directly at the camera, as if they are looking out the magazine and at the viewer. The brand identity is seen through the consistent use of the same font and the use of the colour red for the important stories - the same colour as the magazines logo. The red and purple colour scheme on the cover reminds viewers that it is a festive edition of the magazine. These colours are used effectively with the headlines of the articles with different colours used to highlight the exposé or different buzz words, eg "BEST" is in yellow. These sections are also used as call to actions to make the reader notice these key points and want to find out more. This cover appeals to a wide range of social groups, there are stories about family, sexuality and one that focuses on disability as well.

Bella

Just like the last cover, this one follows the same conventions by having the main story on the right hand side with other, smaller stories on the left. Again there is a collection of different images on the cover. There are 9 different images with 8 different models. The main image is shown as important as her head covers part of the masthead. In addition to this, it breaks magazine conventions as she is not looking at the camera and is instead gazing to the side. This allows readers to create early representations of the model. This sly and slightly aggressive facial expression works well with the main article "New fears for Linda." Readers can tell this is the main article because the box-out behind the text is the same colour as the font in the masthead, which continues the brand identity. All the other stories are in their own shapes and banners. Unlike other magazines, there is no consistency with the colours of these graphics as they are all different colours. In my opinion this makes the cover look messy and unorganised. Like other magazines, the buzz words are capitalised and there is a call to action - a link to the website in the masthead. This magazine doesn't represent social groups as well as others, there are only white, mostly female models - most of a similar age.

That's Life!

Just like the other two, this magazine has the main model on the right hand side of the page. This photograph follows magazine conventions as the model is looking straight at the camera - this is the same for six of the other seven images on the cover. She is wearing minimalistic make-up but the lighting still makes her skin shine. The background of the cover is the same colour green as her dress. The brand identity is conveyed the same way as the other magazines - the colour of the masthead is also the colour of the box-out on the main article and on the buzz words - "TERROR." The colours on this cover have also been selected carefully, with purple and yellow being used for the other articles. The yellow could be symbolic of the deceit or hazards in some of the articles and the purple could by symbolic of loyalty and trust in the brand. Again, the cover is not appealing to different social groups as it mainly images of women the same age. There is no representation of different ethnicity, age or gender. Just like the Bella magazine, in the bottom right corner their is a call to action, promoting the puzzles inside. 

Annotating Magazine Covers

 

Researching Masthead and Sell Line ideas.

 1) I looked at the word story for a masthead and found the word tale, and the idea of telling tales. 

2) Another word I enjoyed playing around with was the idea of MORE. And the puns "more than a magazine." The synonym to boot was also one that I liked and the phrase 'a boot up the backside' which is a bit tongue and cheek and 16-25 year olds would find it funny. Then there was the idea of a logo being a boot. 

3) I also looked at more energetic words for my magazine