Question Eight: On reflection, how successful do you think your product is? Will it actually succeed if it was launched on the market today?

1. Evaluation Question 8.

2. So that I could analyse the success of my media
product in terms of my target market and social
group, (indie/alternative youth culture,) I
decided to conduct another survey, asking
questions about the audience’s preferences and
their relationship within music culture.

3. I needed to make sure that my target
audience were responding and that I was
going to be analysing their responses.
All answered the question, and
continued with the survey. 27
respondents meant that I got a range
of results that would determine
whether my product would be
successful in the market.

4. 63% of respondents were in my
target age group of 17-24 who
represent youth culture. This meant
that I could gain good information
about whether my product would do
well with my target audience.
Having older and younger members
taking the survey meant that I could
identify whether the magazine would
appeal to other age groups if it were
ever to expand.

5. With 76.9% of
respondents (20
people) saying that
they would be willing
to spend my chosen
price on this
magazine, I know that
it would most likely
sell quite well. In
order to get a better
and more valid
figure, I would alter
my question according
to some of these
responses and add
that my magazine
would be monthly.
As some wouldn’t want to spend
as much as £2.49, I could consider
lowering the price slightly,
however, I would have to see
whether it was cost effective
according to the publishing and
advertising expenses, etc.
As some have specified that they either
don’t, or very rarely, buy music
magazines, I could consider altering my
product to suit an online or smart phone
market with apps or a website with the
magazine content published on there for

6. Content sells a magazine, and I
therefore wanted to identify
whether I had the correct
content and the correct balance
of content. 92.6% said that they
would want interviews with
artists, which suggests that my
double page spread article would
be successful, as I interview and
review a music artist. 85.2% said
that they would want the
opportunity to win tickets
etc, which is clearly advertised
on my cover, which suggests that
my target audience would be
attracted to my product by
looking at it.
A majority also said that they would prefer a simple
layout and style, which I believe is fitting to my
product. However, 85.2% said that they would prefer
to see mainly pictures, which would be something
that I would review within the next issue or if I were
to further edit my product.
The responses that I received
where factors that were
already included in my
product which suggests
success.

7. All respondents said that they take
an active part in music culture.
23/27 said that they purchase
music, and therefore I feel that a
fair amount of reviews of album
releases in issues would be
beneficial to sales. 81.5% said that
they use online sites to listen to
music, so if I were to review my
product again, I would look at
possibly branching out into having
a Spotify or Soundclound account
where the TRIBE team could post
their favourite music and construct
playlists of all the music/artists
featured in an issue which would
be updated monthly like the
magazine.
59.3% said that they play music or are in a band, and one respondent said that they
write music also. If I were to review my product again, I would include more articles
into how music is made/produced. Possibly have some interviews with producers
from indie/alternative record labels.
55.6% said they attend music events, so my
inclusion of the ‘GIG CITY UK’ review in the
contents and on the cover would attract
attention from my chosen audience.

8. Other music magazines that are on the market at the
moment do cater to my target age audience and chosen
genre. However, I don’t believe that they TARGET my
chosen target audience, and that is where I believe that I
have the edge, and would help TRIBE to achieve success
within the current market place. Even with a disposable
income, young adults don’t want to part with their
money to buy a music magazine a lot of the time, and I
therefore feel that my lower price of £2.49 (compared to
Q’s £3.99) would be more attractive to my chosen age
group. Whilst there are magazines which tiptoe into the
indie/alternative, there are non like TRIBE that fully
cater to the genre. However, as seen by the cover lines
of the cover to the right (Q Issue March 2012) the ‘16
page gig blow out’ would most likely attract my target
audience. I know this after doing my final target
audience research. I should have done more research like
the final survey that I conducted throughout my
construction and development on my product so that I
was constantly aware of the trends within my chosen
market.

9. The representation of women within my
magazine was quite important to me due to
the reaction of my target audience, and also
my personal views of how women are
portrayed within the industry. I wanted my
images to represent a natural and also less
casual ideology, and this I feel was
demonstrated through my choice of images.
Originally, my product was going to be aimed at boy males and
females. However, as I progressed, the male presence within
the magazine got smaller and smaller. While I still feel that
males would like the content of the magazine, they would
most likely never read it due to the way that it is presented. If
I were going to review my product, and look at constructing
another issue of TRIBE, I would either get a mixed gender
team to help me with ideas and to bring those ideas together
in construction and planning, or organise focus groups of both
genders within my age bracket of 17-24 in order to gain inside
opinions of representations. I would also take images of males
and include them in the magazine in order to attract other
males. They would most likely not buy/pick up the product if
it stayed like the way it is now.

10. As it stands, I believe that my product would be successful in a local area where
there is a rich music and youth culture available. For example, a place like Woking
where you have easy access to gig venues in London, Guildford and Aldershot, sixth
form colleges, clubs and bars, youth centres, and a town centre that has
shops, restaurants, etc. Beginning as a small magazine in a small market place, I
believe that the constant development and alterations to continue to fit in with the
ever changing institution of my product, my product would develop into success
with time and experience.