Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
5: How I attracted and addressed my audience
I addressed my audience by using a well known celebrity, Pixie Lott, to feature as the cover story in the magazine. Her presence on the front cover should make the audience interested in the magazine straight away as. From my research, I know that she is someone they are interested in and also someone they aspire to be like. The cover image, a double page feature and a photoshoot should hopefully sell the magazine if the target audience saw it on the newsagent's shelves.
The colours I used throughout my magazine are pink, mauve, black and white. I chose this complimentary scheme because it is both feminine and classy and my research revealed that it should appeal to my target audience.
The magazine's logo, which is the N (from 'Notice') with the graphic floral pattern around it was the first thing that attracted viewers when I showed it to a sample audience. I wanted to create an elegant yet girlie iconic symbol which the audience would come to associate with the magazine and what it stands for. All the fonts I used attract a female audience. To contrast with the swirly fonts I chose some plain ones.
My double page spread attracts my audience as girls would be interested to know about Pixie's life and it also looks quite personal as Pixie has signed it at the bottom of her picture. Pixie fans would also notice straight away that the title of the double page spread 'Cry me out' is named after one of her best songs, so this would also draw them in.
All the feature articles listed on the contents page are designed to appeal to the interests of the audience and therefore they should lure them into looking through the magazine. Girls are never satisfied with their look so the 'How to update your look' article and the 'Fashion Fix' would fulfil these interests. In addition, articles related to fashion should attract potential fashion advertising. For this magazine, advertisers are just as important as the readers.
My research revealed that the target audience are huge Twilight fans so the Stephanie Meyer interview would also appeal to them. My regulars are quite conventional of magazines so these would interest my audience, especially the celeb gossip and the horoscopes.
The colours I used throughout my magazine are pink, mauve, black and white. I chose this complimentary scheme because it is both feminine and classy and my research revealed that it should appeal to my target audience.
The magazine's logo, which is the N (from 'Notice') with the graphic floral pattern around it was the first thing that attracted viewers when I showed it to a sample audience. I wanted to create an elegant yet girlie iconic symbol which the audience would come to associate with the magazine and what it stands for. All the fonts I used attract a female audience. To contrast with the swirly fonts I chose some plain ones.
My double page spread attracts my audience as girls would be interested to know about Pixie's life and it also looks quite personal as Pixie has signed it at the bottom of her picture. Pixie fans would also notice straight away that the title of the double page spread 'Cry me out' is named after one of her best songs, so this would also draw them in.
All the feature articles listed on the contents page are designed to appeal to the interests of the audience and therefore they should lure them into looking through the magazine. Girls are never satisfied with their look so the 'How to update your look' article and the 'Fashion Fix' would fulfil these interests. In addition, articles related to fashion should attract potential fashion advertising. For this magazine, advertisers are just as important as the readers.
My research revealed that the target audience are huge Twilight fans so the Stephanie Meyer interview would also appeal to them. My regulars are quite conventional of magazines so these would interest my audience, especially the celeb gossip and the horoscopes.
Monday, 22 February 2010
3: What kind of media institution might distribute my magazine and why
The media institution I think might be most likely to produce and distribute my magazine would be Bauer. Not only do they publish printed magazines but they also manage online magazines, TV programming and radio stations. They are the largest publishers of magazines in Britain, publishing some of the biggest titles, and therefore should be the most financially stable and should be able to provide a secure place in the market.Another reason why I think my magazine would be best suited with Bauer is because they produce a lot of consumer magazines which are in the same league as or quite similar to my magazine for example; Heat and Closer. These titles attract my target audience but they aren't music based so mine offers some difference and could easily share cross promotions with these titles. I think there is a gap in the market for my magazine as there isn't a music magazine which combines fashion features and specifically targets young women.
My magazine would be distributed in the mainstream market in shops such as Tesco and WH Smith as these are the kind of places my audience would go to purchase magazines. It would also be available on subscription.
Overview of the magazine industry in the UK today -
- There are over 3,200 different consumer titles
- 1.4 billion magazines are sold each year
- 85% of the population reads a magazine
- Advertisers spend 745 million in magazines in 2008
- Consumers spend 2 billion on magazines annually
- An average of 500 new magazines are launched every year
- Only 3 in 10 titles survive for more than 4 years
- Bauer publish 25% of the consumer titles published i the UK
7: How I have progressed from my preliminary task
Looking back on my preliminary task I can see that my standard of work has improved a lot and my work now looks more professional whereas the preliminary task lacked this. This was probably because I learnt how to use Photoshop much better and I became much more aware of what could be done with Photoshop and how to do it.
I think my music magazine appeals more to my audience as it looks more professional and more closely relates to the interests of hte audience in terms of both style and content. Although my college magazine was for college students and therefore didn't need to look as professional, I think it came out looking as though it was for a younger audience. This was maybe because the colours I used on my college magazine were all really bright and childish whereas on my music magazine I went for a more subtle, elegant effect.
I think I achieved what I set out to do in the making of my music magazine, however I also know that improvements could be made. It has turned out a lot more successful than my college magazine.
I think my music magazine appeals more to my audience as it looks more professional and more closely relates to the interests of hte audience in terms of both style and content. Although my college magazine was for college students and therefore didn't need to look as professional, I think it came out looking as though it was for a younger audience. This was maybe because the colours I used on my college magazine were all really bright and childish whereas on my music magazine I went for a more subtle, elegant effect.
I think I achieved what I set out to do in the making of my music magazine, however I also know that improvements could be made. It has turned out a lot more successful than my college magazine.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
6: Technologies used
When making and developing my magazine, I used computer programs such as Photoshop and Microsoft Word. Photoshop was used to construct the pages and to edit the text and pictures. Photographic techiniques used were my use of background and lighting, I had Pixie Lott against a white background so that it came off looking natural. The angle I took the picture at was medium shot so we can see almost most of her, so that she would fill the page nicely. Photoshop Techniques I used were things such as drop shadows and stroke on certain fonts so they stand out also things such as outer glow, colour overlay, contrasting and brightening the pictures etc.
Microsoft Word was used to write my article as this is the best programme available to me with a spell checker.
I used online programs such as Flickr, Blogger and the web browser Google. Flickr was used to annotate my planning materials. Blogger was used to upload and talk about my work and Google was used to research other magazines.
Microsoft Word was used to write my article as this is the best programme available to me with a spell checker.
I used online programs such as Flickr, Blogger and the web browser Google. Flickr was used to annotate my planning materials. Blogger was used to upload and talk about my work and Google was used to research other magazines.
I used a computer, Microsoft Windows XP being the operating system, to use all the programs and also a laser colour printer to print off my documents and draft issues.
And finally I used a digital camera to take my pictures.
4: The audience for my media product
The target audience demographics for my magazine includes females, 16-26 years old and middle class (BC1C2).Psychographically, I am targeting mainstreamers and aspirers; young women who aspire to look and be like the celebrities featured and who like to spend money on consumer products such as fashion and beauty items.
Target Audience Tastes -
- They shop at places like Topshop, River Island, New Look, Asos, H&M, Office, Warehouse, Miss Selfridge etc.
- They listen to all different types of music and mainly Kiss Radio.
- They listen to Beyonce, Chase & Status, Pixie Lott, Owl City, N-Dubz, so a real variety.
- Their Favourite TV channel is E4 and they watch things such as One Tree Hill, 90210, Friends, Glee, Desperate Housewives, Skins.
- They would buy my magazine as the Exclusive is about the Artist Pixie Lott who they listen too it also features other artists like N-dubz and Beyonce who they also listen too. It Features - Information about the movie Twilight which my audience love and it also describes fashion and how to look good which is something my audience aspire to.
Monday, 8 February 2010
2: How my media product represents social groups
The image on the left is my front cover image and the image on the right is the image I based my ideas on. The demographics for my magazine are: female, 16-26, middle class who are studying or in work. I think the image achieves these demographics as she is female looking around the age of 16-26, she can pull off looking middle class as I have her in normal but fashionable clothes, not glamorous, expensive clothes. My image can represent various psychographics. It demonstrates the sub-cultural identity of the girly girl. Psychographically, it demonstrates mainstreamers as she does look like a normal girl however she can also represent aspirers as people do aspirer to look and be like celebrities, such as Pixie Lott. She isn't seen as part of the psychographic category; individuals, as she is quite mainstream and sings pop songs and she conforms to contemporary mainstream fashion and music.My magazine has a pro-consumerist stance as she is demonstrating a positive stereotype such as being fashionable, being beautiful etc and I believe the magazine could easily attract the usual advertisements for fashion and beauty products as well as music related products because of the readers I have set out to attracts and the articles I have planned.
Similarities within the images start with the shot type. Both images are medium shots featuring a subjective gaze. This gives the audience more to connect with as Pixie is looking right at the reader. Secondly is the costume, as my person is supposed to look like Pixie Lott, I had her wear the same kind of clothes that Pixie is wearing in her photograph, they also have similar hair and make-up. The facial expressions and postures are similar; they both look seductive and sexy yet also manage to still look girly and pretty. This is pulled off by the fixed facial expression rather than a smile, the way the eyes connect with the camera, looking right into it and also the posture is open and relaxing symbolising that she is comfortable and confident in the photoshoot.
Differences within the images are firstly the lighting, as obviously Pixie Lott's photograph was taken professionally therefore the lighting is against a white background and really clear however my photograph was taken in a room in my house, even though against a white background the lighting in the room shows a slight shade of yellow. Secondly the use of props, in the photograph of Pixie Lott includes a microphone wrapped around her to signify her career in music. I didn't use any props for my photograph as I didn't want her to look over the top and still wanted her to connect with a mainstream female audience. The last difference within the images are the postures. For example, Pixie Lott looks strong and focused on the camera whereas my person isn't posing as much. She is focused on the camera but her body language looks more relaxed.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Friday, 5 February 2010
Friday, 27 November 2009
Thursday, 26 November 2009
My ideas for a new music magazine
The Type of music magazine I want to do is genre specific to a girly audience, I want a double page spread on one specific girl artist with an interview theme of questions and answers that will relate to things that most girls would want to know about the artist or in general. I chose the magazines above to best demonstrate what my magazine will look like as i think they are all girly and are also all mainly about gossip and music apart from OK magazine which is mainly about gossip and fashion etc. I prefer the image placements on Sugar and OK magazine as the image is what grabs the readers attention; this is what I want my main image on my magazine to do. I also like the colour scheme on all of the magazines as they all have the colour pink in which I think is the main colour associated with girls but I think they have all done this subtly therefore making it look girly and not tacky. Pink will most probably be the main colour for my magazine yet I will down tone it by adding contrasting colours.
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