2. Brief
“You have been commissioned by the
Northern Echo to produce a new
magazine or newspaper product. Your
product could be in any style or genre
but it must be self financed through
sales or advertising. You must also
produce your magazine for a specified
audience segment within the 16 to 25
age group.”
3. How I intend to meet this brief
o Needs to be tasteful, yet exciting enough
to engage my young audience.
o Articles need to apply to both target age
groups.
o Needs to be formal.
o Articles can‟t be too niche.
4. My Aims
o Alternative lifestyle magazine
o Given away for free with the Northern Echo
o Encourage young people to stand up for
what they believe in
o Encourage young people to be interested
in social issues
o Encourage young people to want to get
involved in community life
5. Genre Research
Limited sell lines
Close image of face
Typewriter font branding
Very simple
Focus is more on image
6. Handwritten font
– personal
Influence for „Is it My Fault?‟
Black and white image –
enforces serious and
emotional tone
Written in 1st
person –
connects the
audience
Simple layout
– more focus
on the
emotive
meaning of
the article
rather than
distractions
from colour
etc.
Short paragraphs on
each page – easier to
read
7. Images of people in
realistic, lively poses –
window to the future self
Formal language – makes
it more believable
Influence for confidence article
Simple fonts
used –
easier to
read
Young adult models –
relatable
Serious
tone when
discussing
the serious
issues on
confidence
– makes it
seem very
important
Bright pastel colours used –
connotes with happiness
8. I have realised from this research that magazines
are themed around what the article is about, if
it’s about happiness, bright colours are used and
vice versa.
I am going to take this idea and apply it to my
own magazine.
9. My audience
o Aged 17-21
o 60% female, 40% male
o Indie Scenesters, Creatives
and Young Alts
o Socioeconmic groups C2, C1
&B
10. Secondary audience
I also have to consider the Northern
Echo audience, who are:
o Local
o Older, possibly just over middle aged
o Interested in community
o A mixture of genders
o Have a caring attitude towards their readers
11. Audience Considerations
o Age – more likely to prefer bigger image to text ratio.
However, I realised that this wouldn‟t be problem with my
audience after magazine research, but still decided on
using a small number of columns.
o Socioeconmic group – although parents have money, they
may not. I had to consider pricing schemes and what I could
charge for my magazine, leading me to distributing it for
free.
o Looked at my audiences interests and decided on the
articles I could write from there, e.g. equality and confidence
issues.
12. PCC
• I researched into the Press Complaints Commission so I would be aware of
the regulations I need to follow.
• To make sure I don‟t break any of the rules set by them regarding harassment,
accuracy, privacy, intrusion into grief/shock etc. I came up with 5 golden rules.
1. Make sure all information included is genuine & accurate
2. Make sure that I am writing sensitively when discussing
rape and sexual assault
3. When researching articles, I must make sure I‟m not
intrusive
4. I must make sure that the locations I shoot in are definitely
accessible
5. I must make sure that all the places I am visiting for
shoots, or interviews are safe.
13. Content research
I researched various areas for my
articles to make sure they were all
genuine and interesting:
oInternet
oFamily/friends opinions
oBooks on the subject – e.g.
Psychology
14. Mock ups
I created mock ups using all of my research
and known considerations on InDesign.
“Although orange may
be associated with
happiness and other
positive emotions, the
juxtaposition between
this and the dark subject
matter works well”
I think the first image is
particularly striking and
strong when linked with
the content of the article
and I think it is a
particularly effective
introductory image.
“I think the design of the first mock up looks a
bit "basic" and amateurish when compared to
the second”
The language is appropriate. It keeps
the a formal tone but does in a nondictatorial way appropriate for the type
of magazine that it is.
15. “The majority of the
language use is
appropriate, however
there are instances where
the formality drops and
the tone seems less
serious”
“I don't think the images
show the subject well
enough.”
“The interview is appropriate and works in
the article because it is from a professional
with a great knowledge of the subject. It
helps legitimize the points made prior and
afterward in the article.”
I prefer the second font much more,
as I believe it comes across as
more sophisticated while not
appearing as too 'old' for the target
demographic
16. What I‟m taking forward
From this feedback, I will be taking forward various
things to make sure my ideas apply to my
audience:
o I will be using the 1st image, or an image similar,
that is serious and emotive
o I will be keeping the same article, but will tweak
the grammar
o I will be keeping the border from my 2nd mock up
o I will be keeping the handwritten font
o I will also be keeping the 2 columns
17. STRIPPED
• The word „stripped‟ connotes with a form of „nakedness‟,
showing that the magazine is simple and stripped back from
the mainstream.
• It will have 12 pages.
• It will have 5 advertisements
• The front cover with be 350g and the inside pages will be
150g.
• It will be free with the Northern Echo
• It will be alternative lifestyle
18. Branding
I will brand my magazine through the use
of the American Typewriter font, which is
related to a newspaper theme and shows
the audience that this is more serious
It will mainly be black & white apart from
the few splashes of colour in the
confidence article. This will also brand my
magazine.
19. Flat plans – Front Cover
Aims
o Dark
o Intriguing image
o Black background, white
text
o Limited sell lines
20. Flat plans – Contents Page
Aims
o Masthead with
magazine title
o Simple
o Opposite of front page
– white background
with black text
o Bright images
21. Flat Plans – DPS 1
Aims
o Bright
o Fun
o Encourages confidence
and happiness
o 1st person narrative
o Formal yet friendly
22. Flat plans - DPS 2
Aims
o Dark
o Serious
o 3rd person narrative
o Formal
23. Flat Plans – DPS 3
Newspaper
theme
2nd person
narrative
Formal
Humorous
Black &
white
27. Commercial Viability
o Budget of £8400 after advertising
o Spent £6433.40 altogether
Advert type
Rate
DPS
£2000
Full page
£1000
Quarter page
£400
Inside front
£2500
Back page
£3000
29. Recap
o I aimed to create a magazine that fit both
audiences, through interesting articles that were
tasteful and not necessarily age specific.
o I wanted my magazine to be alternative lifestyle
and I believe I‟ve done this through choosing
articles which wouldn‟t be featured in a
mainstream magazine
o I also wanted to encourage young people to
stand up for what they believe in, again
something I believe I‟ve done through the
opinionated articles.
30. Conclusion
oI have decided to create an alternative
lifestyle magazine which discusses the
social issues that are going on in the
world.
oThere is a gap in the market for these
type of magazines so I believe that it
will be successful.
