What would my target audience look for when buying a magazine?

Updated ideas from research

Front Cover

• Main image taking up the majority of the front cover - models in casual clothing
• Strapline/cover story linking to the main image
• Masthead - black or white
• Cover stories - San serif font 
• Not too much text so it doesn't look over crowded
• Include a variety of names who would be included in the magazine so the reader knows if they will have any interest in the magazine
• Pugs in the bottom right corner

Contents page 

• Use of columns for text
• Images linking to cover stories surrounding the columns
• Page numbers larger font size to the rest of the text (around 20)
• 2 different fonts/sizes - sub headings/cover stories (10-14)
• All san serif fonts 
• Space between images - border affect 

Double page spread

• San serif font 
• Font size 10 (article)
• Article based on an interview with indie band/singer
• One image will use up a whole page
• Black and white theme

Target Audience Research - Fonts for masthead

From looking into fonts from my target audience research I found that 'Mega sans' and 'Mf autumn breeze' were the two most popular choices. With taking this into consider I do like both of these fonts and I am most likely to use the font 'Mf autumn breeze' out of the two, as I think that this font is more appropriate to my magazine and my genre.

Slidely of images I might like to recreate

Jolie Quirke's Slidely by Slidely Slideshow

I created this slidely to show some of the images that I like and might think about recreating for my photoshoots. Some of them are very different and in different locations which is what I like.

Analysis on 'Vogue' magazine contents page

This contents page would be suitable of a target audience similar to my own (15-25) and would appeal more to a female audience. This isn't a music magazine contents page but I thought that I would have a look at another kind of magazine of a similar target audience, to see if I could gain any different ideas. On this contents page I do like the way that the text is in the centre in columns and then surrounded by images. The fonts used are suitable and would appeal to the target audience because it links to the type of magazine that it is. What I don't like about this page is that the images don't have much relevance to the text and don't indicate what page they would link to. However they show a range of different images and all show something different. The text size is about 10 and the sub headings are about 14 which is what I will probably use for my own. Overall this magazine is colourful, stands out and has a very unique presentation. I think that this contents page doesn't look to overcrowded and looks good with the white background.

Thinking about photoshoots

Id like to experiment with different scenery for my photoshoots. But the key thing I will be aiming for is for it to link to my genre and my target audience.

This first example is taken in a studio. The two members of the group in the background are giving a direct address to the audience because they are looking directly at the camera, whilst the other two are looking away which gives them a more natural affect. This type of shoot is one that would be evidently set up for the purpose of the magazine/article. It would also be used with artificial lighting as apose to natural lighting. Using this type of photoshoot will help me reveal the model(s) face without shadow and will give me more to experiment with on photoshop. 

 

This next example uses various props which gives the image more definition,  and makes it more interesting then the two models stood on their own in the photo. The props give more identity to the image so you would be able to guess the theme/genre that it is. I would like to try to use some props in my photoshoots, so that they will link to my genre and appeal more to my target audience. Also this image is taken in the natural light when the sun is setting; I like this idea because it gives the image a natural effect the and the light isn't too bright. I'd possibly like to take some photos at this time of day so I get this particular lighting. 

For my photoshoots I don't think that taking close up shots links to my genre or would appeal to this target audience. Long shots gives more definition to the image and gives you more to present. 

Updated ideas

From looking into double pages spreads from existing magazines, I have decided for my own I am going to have my image large at one side of the page. I think the image should stand out and have a direct address to the reader. The conventions I will use will be using similar fonts for cover stories and headings, as I think that this will link the magazine together and not make it look messy. For the article itself I will use a San serif font (size 10), which will be 'calibri' or 'corbel', because this appeals more to my target audience and has more of a 'modern' look than a serif font, and this also links to my genre. I like the idea of quoting something from the article, highlighting it and making it a bigger font size because I think It will bring interest to the reader. Overall I've come up with the idea of basing my article on an interview with a band/singer as I think that this is something that would appeal to my target audience and something they would like to read. 

Double page spread analysis

This double page spread is from Kerrang magazine. A bit like the other page spreads I have looked into, the image takes up a large proportion of the page. The image is the most eye catching feature on the page and draws in the reader because the model(s) links to the text itself and what it's about. Half way through the text, the magazine has quoted something from the article, made it a bigger font size and highlighted it in black so it stands out; this could have been done because it is a key thing mentioned in the article and a reader flicking through the magazine may notice this and want to find out more. I think that the fonts link to the genre of this magazine and appeal to the target audience which is similar to my own. The text size is about 10 and uses a San serif font. Overall I think that this double page spread uses a range of conventions, such as the way the double page spread is presented in this magazine and the fonts used. I think from this it appeals to target audience and draws in the reader because it is something they like. 

Contents page draft

Target audience research Indie themed mood board

Who is my target audience?

What is the age I am looking for?

• I am targeting my audience for young people around the ages of 15-25

Gender?

• I'd like to magazine to appeal to both genders that have an interest in this genre of music

What shops would my target audience probably shop at?

A few examples of where my target audience would shop at could be:

• urban outfitters
• modcloth
• nasty gal
• revolve
• loveclothing

What bands would I expect my target audience to listen to?

Some examples of what music my target audience would listen to is:

• The Smiths
• The 1975
• Oasis
• Arctic Monkeys
• Radiohead
• The Stone Roses
• Blur
• The wombats

VOXX

When VOXX came into one of our media lessons to help with the research of our music magazines, I was struggling to decide on which font that I wanted to use for my masthead; they suggested to find the font that I want to use was that I repeated the same word over and over again on a word document to see what would appeal and look good for my target audience. After trying this I was able to see which fonts I did and didn't like, and what I would possibly like to use for my masthead. 

Target audience research - Masthead ideas

Double page spread analysis

Double page spread analysis

This double page spread is from the magazine NME and is the genre I am looking at for my own music magazine. The title is a quote from the article so straight away pulls in the readers to find out what it is about. It is also a large font large and is a bold font so it eye catching and looks professional. The picture takes up a large majority of the double page spread and has a direct address to the reader because the models are looking directly at the camera.  The colours work well together because the image is very dark so using black and purple helps the image link the text and they don't clash together. I think there is a reasonable amount of text on this double page spread and doesn't over crowd the page. Overall I like how this double page spread has been laid out and would work well for my target audience. I also like this idea of having a quote for the title because it draws in the reader to find out more. 

Updated ideas

From researching into existing magazines I have gained ideas that I didn't originally have. Its given me a better idea of how I want to layout my magazine and what styles I want to use. With re-guards to images, I want to use a range of different themes which link the genre to give the target audience a wider range of features they have some interest in. I think that the different images give more definition to the magazines and makes the stories/cover stories more interesting and eye catching. I've enjoyed looking into existing magazines because its nice to see what is already out there with the genre that i am doing and gaining more and more ideas.

Analysis of 'Metal Hammer' contents page

This contents page has given me a completely different ideas to what I would want to use for my own magazines. Firstly I like how the text in the column on the second page has been presented. I wouldn't use this particular font for my genre but the way the the title of each cover story is big and bold which stands out and has some inside on each cover story in a smaller font size, looks good and draws in readers to find out more information. On the first page I like how there is a main story and gives the contents more definition and more interesting features. The fonts and images that have been used give a representation of what the genre is and appeal to the target audience. I don't really like the smaller text that there is and the surrounding images/boxes; they give a separate look to the rest of the contents page and look like it could be something that should be included on another page instead. However I do think that this page does appeal to the target audience and links the genre, I have gained a few ideas for my own contents page because of how it has been laid out as it does have a neat and professional look.

Analysis of 'Acoustic' magazine contents page

• This is the Acoustic magazines contents page. The colour scheme, fonts and images links to the genre of the magazine and the front cover. If someone was given this contents page they would know straight away the genre of music that this magazine is about; which is what I would want to aim for with my own magazine. The spaces between the images makes the contents more neat, professional and easier to identify each image, that would relate to a cover story. The contents writing doesn't have any sort of order which may confuse the reader when trying to find a particular article and make it harder to read, whereas if the page numbers were in order the reader may find it a lot less confusing. I do like the organisation of the contents page because it does look very organised and professional, which is how I want to present my own magazine. I also like the way that the text are in columns and the images have the page number that link to text gives a more neater look and doesn't make the contents messy with images and text scattered all over the place. I do think however the wrong font has been used for this magazine and takes away some form of identification of what the genre is, I would use this font for a more younger target audience. Having said that I like the font sizes that are used and would probably use similar font sizes when presenting my own contents page. I think when you look at this magazine the images on the contents page straight away draw in attention to the reader of what the genre of the magazine is, but for my own contents page I would want the more main stories to stand out more to having them all the same size. 

Masthead font ideas

Bernardo moda



Breamcatcher



Fabrik

Fibyngerowa

Hrawolam

Karloff

Megi sans

Mf rusty

Mf autumn breeze

Vexler slip



Vtks money 2