Unit 13 LO1

OCR –
Level 3 Cambridge Introductory Diploma in
Media
Unit 13:
Planning and pitching a print based media
product.
Evidence
Name: Jake Naunton
Candidate number: 3097
Centre number: 64135
St. Andrew’s Catholic School
64135
Set Brief - Print
Project/Brief –
Music Magazine & Promotion

Purpose
• The purpose of Mixmag is to keep readers up to date with the latest music news and gossip.
• In each issue you can expect to find coverage new albums and singles.
• Additionally you can typically find interviews with artists that are particularly popular at the current
point in time.
• Moreover the strapline (which is a small piece of text above the headline) the strapline for Mixmag
is “The worlds biggest dance music and clubbing magazine.” This connotes that for the readers that
they can have comfort that the magazine is the best in the industry of EDM. Moreover this strapline
indicates that there is no magazine on the market with a higher quality of content than Mixmag.
• The purpose is also to be eye-catching and current within the media; the type of people that read
this magazine live in the city.
• Through the use of Richard Dyer’s star appeal readers can instantly connect with a magazine as a
popular figure will be dominating the front cover. This attracts the attention of readers instantly
making them want to pick up the magazine.
• Additionally, the purpose of the magazine is to appeal to those of young age; this follows Hartley’s 7
Subjectivities. This is the idea that a magazine or element of media has 7 ways which it appeals to a
range of categories.
Source: http://mixmag.net/

Purpose and meaning continued
Source:
https://issuu.com/mixmagmedia/
docs/mixmag_media_kit_2016
Mixmag is the market leader for ‘the fastest growing
music sector, electronic music’ according to their 2016
press pack. The screenshot presented at the bottom
of the slide indicates that Mixmag pride themselves in
connecting to consumers on a personal basis. This is
noticeable as they have bolded ‘We speak to 5 million
fan per week’ identifying how their brand ideology
and ethos is based around connecting people with the
same interests and bringing them together. They also
identify how they believe that ‘content is king’ noting
that they are aware how to appel to their readership
and other potential consumers. Since Mixmag is an
electronic music figure within the industry they have
adopted other strategies to reach out to to new
audiences. This is particularly noticeable on their
website as you can notice that along the task menu
they have ‘Fashion’, ‘News’ and ‘Tech’ this is clear
that Mixmag has plans and visions for the future to
expand and wider the traffic on their site and the
readership in their magazine.

Content
• Competitions every issue, for example you could have the chance to win
festival tickets, or especially signed merchandise or CDs.
• In addition you will find links to drama and news within that particular music
genre.
• Moreover you can discover news and highlights from the latest festivals.
• Moreover a large percentage of the revenue for Mixmag comes from online
purposes here readers are able to watch the latest music videos and explore
the latest trends within music culture.
• Similarly you are able to find dates for upcoming for gigs and festivals.
• The magazine also covers news and reviews of the latest technology for
upcoming and passionate DJ’s.
• Mixmag’s magazine and online website also covers information about their
own record label and artists which are under their label.
• Further content that is demonstrated on the magazine to the right is a free
gift. It is evident that the magazine comes with a free CD.
• Also each issue will be exclusive in terms of the house style and colour
scheme, this is because it provides diversity and variety for readers.

Contents page
The contents page of Mixmag is very typical of
other magazines in the same genre. This is
because it provides an insight into the content
which can be found throughout the entire
product and provides readers with the ability to
effectively find their desired page. However
something that is atypical about this contents
page is the fact that it does not really have any
graphical assistance in order to draw the readers
attention to this page. Perhaps indicating that
Mixmag is more motivated in diverting readers to
the content and advertisements that are
included throughout the product. However the
contents page provides a great deal of
achknowledgements and thanks to those that
have worked on the magazine.

Form
Mixmag publish by DMC (Disco Mix Club) began around 15 years ago; it was originally completely published
in hard copy magazines. However as the magazine industry has declined over the last decade Mixmag
wisely opted to create other forms of income for their business; for example they publishes interviews and
content to their YouTube channels in order to generate another source of income. Moreover Mixmag also
make the magazine available and smartphone devices for a small fee.
The magazine generically keeps the same simplistic and stylish form and style; this is evident in the below
front covers that display a clean and sophisticated look to them. This appeals to a wide variety of readers;
this is because readers that already enjoy the genre will buy the magazine anyway, however by employing a
clean and professional look it means that the product will be placed higher up the market. Thereby
appealing to a greater range of social groups. Due to the bright and evocative colour scheme it is clear that
it appeals to the younger generation, in this case Mixmag project their product to an audience of
generically young males between the ages of 18-27. This is because notably the colour scheme would not
appeal to an older potential consumer, notably because they would not understand what the magazine is a
bout as it is a prime example of a modern magazine combining the use of a range of content.
Source list:
-http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-
ZdjB41CJ0ZU/UIYBVJ8SaqI/AAAAA
AAACJI/3bJD0e4Khq8/s1600/Mixm
ag.png
-
http://images.junostatic.com/full/I
S493455-01-01-BIG.jpg

Genre Sources: http://mixmag.net/feature/how-your-favourite-genre-got-its-name
http://www.magneticmag.com/2015/10/stop-calling-edm-edm-here-is-a-proper-definition/
The genre of Mixmag is a wide majority of genre’s merged together in one magazine. Some of the sub
genres include, house, techno, dubstep and club music. Mixmag is also well known know for being the first
in the industry for introducing Trip hop into their coverage; this shows the importance and popularity of the
Mixmag and DMC brand in order for them to be able to circulate a new music genre. It is evident that
Mixmag covers a vast range of sub genres as the term “Mix” suggest that it is a range of different styles
combined in together. Next it is important to note that the genre of EDM is home to hundreds of sub-
genres, this is because very frequently new DJ’s are transpiring new forms of music therefore music
anaylsts, artists and general EDM lovers are classing different styles of music under different sub-genres;
these smaller genres are effectively all housed under the same main category. Some examples of sub-
genres include, Deep house, Dubstep and Chillstep. In 2010 the acronym ‘EDM’ was established to describe
the increasingly popular commercial US electronically orientated dance music scene. Common
misconceptions with the term ‘EDM’ is that the fact that people believe that EDM itself is a genre; except
this is incorrect EDM is more of a platform which houses hundreds of sub genres. The image presented in
the screenshot to the right is a image presentation of
the web of genres and where they have come from.
Electronical music surrounds all people, whether they
choose to accept it or not. Highly recognizable people
include the likes of David Guetta, Hardwell and Armin
Van Burren as they are global stars who are constantly
in top charts around the globe. This is the most noted
style of EDM however the more current sub genres are
the likes of house music and dubstep; this is the most
prefered by the majority of the young population, who
Mixmag appeals to.

Target audience
Harley’s theory:
Next it is important to consider Harley’s theory of the 7 Subjectivities; this is the idea that each element of media has 7 different categories which enable to
set the market position of a magazine and enables the magazine to be placed in the correct location.
Age:
For example Mixmag would appeal to an age range of between 15-30; this is because EDM (Electronic Dance Music) is a new genre which the older
generation would not be familiar with as it didn’t exist when they were younger. This means that Mixmag would appeal to a much younger range of
readership.
Gender:
Mixmag would typically appeal predominantly to men due to the simplistic yet stylish look. This is because the magazine is sophisticated with a clean front
cover with gentle colours which do not suggest femininity. Despite this the magazine could appeal to both genders; this is because the artists shown in the
covers below Disclosure and Hardwell have both had popular and successful songs in the charts. This means a wide range of people, men and women would
have listened to their music. Meaning that though Richard Dyer’s star appeal, Mixmag could appeal to either gender.
Katz theory:
This theory is the idea that each magazine has a purpose or provides the readers with a reason for picking up the magazine. For Mixmag the method used
would be inform and educate; this is because Mixmag informs young individuals about upcoming gigs and events. Other forms of classification include,
Personal relationship, Personal identification and Diversion. This means that the magazine acts as an escape from everyday life.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:
Maslow’s theory is the idea that reader of a magazine respond to the media content in different ways; examples include Social climbers, Caregivers,
Survivors and Explorers. I believe that the audience of Mixmag would be explorers this is because readers will be influenced by what they read. This is
because if there is a new upcoming band or brand then they want to find out more about it to learn about new current news.
Source:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2wsSWUeQiMo/Vks4dENAxXI/AAAAAAAAAbg/f39a6r6PyfY/s1600/SocialClasses.png

Target audience continued
• The image below demonstrates the social ladder; in which each magazine falls into at least
one category. For Mixmag I would suggest that the target audience of readers would fall
between E and C1; this is because of the style of the magazine which is relatively current and
fashionable meaning it would appeal to the younger generation and junior management.
The socio-economic needs of Mixmag appeals to young, stylish and current readers. This will
typically appeal to those in entry level managerial jobs.

Demographics
Source list:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/mixmag.n
et
http://www.prweek.com/article/806496/
media-relations-2-minutes-nick-
decosemo-editor-mixmag
Demographics: Demographic information is used in
media and marketing to classify an audience into
age, gender, race and various other categories.
The screenshots demonstrates to the right presents
the top five regions across the globe which visit the
Mixmag.com site. The map below this demonstrates
in a more accessible way where the regions are
situated that view Mixmag’s website. Those that
read Mixmag typically range between the age
bracket of 18-25; these types of people are typically
DJs, producers, musicians or people with a general
interest in music, fashion and clubbing.The majority
of readers are in education therefore they will not
earn a lot of money this is important because it
demonstrates that

Audience Theories: Katz
Uses and Gratifications Theory
Kat’z theory is a popular medium for understanding mass communication; the theory focuses on
the consumer or the readership instead of the actual message itself. This theory is useful as it
assumes that readers are not passive readers but instead they take an active role of interpreting
or integrating the media into their own lives. Moreover the theory outlines that the readers are
responsible for choosing the correct media in order to fit their needs, this means that readers can
access information that is useful and enables them to benefit from what they have read in some
way. When a reader actively looks for media to consume they are typically seeking for it in order
to gratify a need, an example of this is in social situations people may feel more confident and
knowledgeable after having read the media. Kat’z theory highlights four way a reader will
respond to the product; the first is diversion, this means that the media that readers are
consuming acts as a form of escapism from their everyday life. This is because readers are able to
escape from their lives by absorbing information about stars in the media. The next of the four
ways is personal relationships, this is the idea that readers feel that after reading a source of
information readers feel as though they can relate and feel like they personally know and
understand the celebrity concerned. Magazines are able to do this through the use of rhetorical
questions and direct address. The penultimate form of reader response is personal identity; this
is the idea that magazines give readers information about themselves. An example of this would
be reading about a style of music and the searching it up online, thereby discovering a new genre
of music that you enjoy. The final form of readers response is Surveillance

Audience theories: John Hartley
The Hartley classification
The Hartley classification contains 7 categories in order to identify the audience of a magazine.
Examples of this includes: Self, gender, age group, class, ethnicity, family and nation. This theory is
useful as it enables media analysts to be able to place a particular form of media or product content in a
specific industry or genre. A popular and notorious quotation from Hartley reads “Genre’s are agents of
ideological closure; they limit the meaning potential of a given text.”
Factors which categorize a media product:
Gender: For Mixmag I would suggest that the gender that the product would appeal to is mainly men,
this is due to the house styles implemented in the magazine. Moreover the layout and language used in
the magazine suggests that the magazine would appeal to young men.
Age-group: The age group you would expect for Mixmag to range from would be from 15-25; this is
because this is the age range of people who would be attracted to the style of magazine. This is because
of the eye catching bubble style font used conjunctively with bright contrasting colours in order to
attract the audiences attention.
Class: The class that I would expect to be purchasing Mixmag would be those in E (The lowest level of
worker) ranging up to C1 (Junior managers or administrative positions. ) This is because the type of
music being presented in the product would likely only appeal to those in the younger generation as the
music is new and current.
Ethnicity: My personal opinion on this sub category would be that the magazine would appeal to almost
any ethnicity; this is because the type of music covered in Mixmag has no cultural or religious links
meaning that it is open for anybody to listen to.

Audience theories: Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
Maslow’s theory is centered around the idea that there are four categories which readers can place themselves
under. The main idea is that when a reader consumes the information presented in the product they are
prompted to act in a certain way. This can include, social climbers, Caregivers, Explorers and Survivors.
Social Climbers: This is where the audience reads the magazine in order to attempt to improve their social
status and improve their social recognition. In order for a reader to this they must adopt a certain aspect that
the magazine covers. For example if the magazine is covering information about a new clothing line from an
artist then the reader may purchase this fashion, this would make them a social climber.
Caregivers: This is where the reader beings to feel an intermit connection with the stars or personal concerned
in the article. The reader may be prompted to feel sorry for the person concerned meaning that they make a
bond.
Explorers: This type of reader is driven by social change in that they are willing to change and adapt their lives
in order to make it similar to an experience discovered in Mixmag.
Survivors: These are the types of readers who spot a stand out article of the shop’s shelves and purchase it in
order to find out what happens to the story and to those concerned.
I would suggest that readers of Mixmag would fall under the Social climbers
category. This is because by reading the magazine consumers would be driven
to adapt their individual lifestyle in order to include themselves in the recent
trends. Moreover the audience would also read this would absorb
information about the latest festivals and trends therefore prompting them
to adapt their way of living to be more interconnected with current trends.

Psychographics
Psychographics: This is a way of segmenting the market into groups based on social class, lifestyle
and personality. This is based on the assumption that particular products and purchases will
reflect that consumers characteristics and patterns of living.
The below image demonstrates the table of the seven different categories under psychographics:
The target audience for Mixmag is between
16-25 year olds; this is because Mixmag
mainly covers upcoming festivals and music
conventions. This would appeal to young
adults as they have the funds to attend
what is being presented in the magazine.
Next the Mixmag would predominantly aim
to attract attention to young white males;
however they do not restrict themselves to
any form of ethnicity. Moreover Mixmag
predominantly covers festivals and events
in the UK meaning that their readership
may be subjective to British citizens.
However Mixmag has expanded to cover
some foreign festivals meaning that they
expand their readership worldwide.

Production process continued
The screenshot to the right
demonstrates a screenshot
image demonstrating that I have
made an attempt to contact the
publishers of Mixmag.
Unfortunately I was
unsuccessful; therefore on the
next slide I explain the
production process for a typical
magazine.

Production process
Steps for creating a magazine:
1. Firstly the publishers have to set up a date for publication; this date is plain and simply the day which readers can purchase
the product. Now that the publishers have a date they now need to organize the schedule for the production of the
magazine.
2. Next the publishers must manage the schedule of the process. The schedule is made in a way which allows each department
to complete their individual piece in time.
3. Following this you have the editorial and budgetary decision; this involves the senior editors of the magazine deciding what
topics should be covered and in what way in the next issue. Once the committee has decided what to include in the form of
news, interviews and stories the team then have to tackle budgetary decisions. This is when the team look at the available
money to them and how it should be spent towards the production of the magazine.
4. Now the next stage is named the content acquisition; this step is arguably the most potent of all steps as the writers and
designers now have to decide how they want the magazine to look, feel and read. The main way the magazine will be
organized is by employees working from publishing institution will begin to write on relevant topics and current news. At this
point the artwork and graphics are also developed. Another way the magazine produces the content is by hiring external
writers to covers their desired topics. Additionally this stage could also be considered the most important step because
reports and journalists will be investigating the topics; moreover research will also be done online using the web and
databases. Finally meetings with stars being interviewed in the magazine will be contacted.
5. After the content is arranged the next step in production is sub-editing; at this stage an editor will ensure that the quality of
the magazine is at it’s highest standard. This is an important step as it insures that the magazine is projected as
professionally as possible; in order to do this editor will check spelling and grammar of the magazine; they will also make
sure that all articles follow the house style of the magazine.
6. In addition page layout is the next step; here employees labeled “layout staff” are responsible for piecing all elements of the
magazine together. Here advertisements will also be implemented into the magazine.
7. The next step is, proofreading; at this stage the editorial department will print a hard copy of the entire magazine in order to
try to find some mistakes. This enables the magazine to be made as professional as possible.
8. The penultimate stage is where the magazine is printed; firstly the magazine prints only s couple of copies to ensure that the
magazine is perfect and make final checks. Then the magazine is sent into bulk printing.
9. Finally, the last stage is distribution, here the printing company have printed all the magazines and now they need to be
packaged ready to be sold to the public.
Source: http://hosbeg.com/the-magazine-production-process/

Frequency
Mixmag is released monthly for purchase; readers have the opportunity to purchase the
magazine via three separate medians:
• The first of the three is that for a small fee of £2.50 you are able to read the magazine on
your smartphone device via Apple or Android.
• Your second option as a reader is to buy a hard copy in the shops for a slightly upgraded fee
of £5.50.
• Finally your last option as a Mixmag reader is to Subscribe and have 10 issues sent to your
door. This is evident in the below screenshot taken from the official Mixmag website.

Front cover
The strapline of Mixmag reads “The
worlds biggest dance music and
clubbing magazine” This connotes
that they are telling readers that their
magazine is far superior to others.
The barcode is unique to each
magazine, they are a 12 digit code
that allows the shops register to
identify what product you’re
purchasing. The barcode is an
important feature of a magazine as
without them as retailer will
typically not sell them.
Here the main image is
important because it is
evident that the man
presented who is named
“Scuba” is the main talking
point. This is evident as the
image of him covers the
masthead at the top of the
magazine. A mast head is a
title written in large bold
writing allowing the branding
to stand out
The price is always located near to or
around the barcode as a default in all
magazines. The price is always vital on a
front cover.
The main headline is always
presented in larger bolder text
than the rest; the purpose of this
is so when a user picks up the
magazine they are fully aware
what content the magazine holds.
The sub story is generically in a smaller
text size to the main story as it is still
necessary that the reader identifies that
it is there however it is not vital that
they read it first. Notably here the main
sub story is presented in pink and
highlighted in black as Mixmag wants
this feature to be noticed before the
others; whereas the less other less
important stories are located below this
in generic black font.
The font of the magazine is
important because it
demonstrates the simplicity of
the Masthead. This
demonstrates how the
magazine appeals to young
stylish individuals from any
social code/ class.
The colour scheme on this front cover
is very typical of magazines in general
as it demonstrates that they only use
a generic two to three colours on
their front cover. This cover clearly
uses pink, black and white with some
use of a purple gradient in the
background of the DJ’s location.
The masthead is effective because
Mixmag maintains their generic usage of
the large font with white colouring. This is
important as it retains brand identity so
that reoccurring customers know what to
look out for when finding Mixmag on the
shelves.

Double page spread deconstruction analysis
The font of the article
is artistic and
simplistic; this has the
ability to draw the
reader in as they are
interested by the title.
The bottom left of the
double page spread
present in a small and
simple manner, the
page number. Along
side this it has the
issue date.
The image is blended
behind the article, to
give it a standout but
simplistically stylish
look. This element
appeals to
Source: https://beauchampcollegeasmedia13.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/mixmag-double-page-spread-february-issue/
The pull quote
has been placed
in a
conversational
manner this
makes the
audience feel as
though they are
important and
included.
This small piece of
text highlights how
the photographer
and the writer of
the article are
being given their
credit.
Between the
two columns of
text there is a
wide spacing;
this is used to
break the text
away from the
image. This has
been used to
separate the
artists from the
article to show
how they get a
special mention.
The main image, which is mainly displayed on the right hand page is
presenting “Duke Dumont.” The fact that he is standing on a
staircase in a suit is notable because it ties in with his stage name as
‘Duke,’ demonstrating his importance and credibility.
The stand first is the introductory paragraph before the main
article.

Website analysis
This arrows demonstrates the
social media links on the
homepage just beneath the
banner. The technological
convergence of website is
particularly potent as it draws
the readers attention to other
aspects and sources of
information from the
website.
Includes advertisements for
the latest concerts and
festivals, this is in a
different form from a
magazine as it enables the
reader to interact with the
hyperlink to direct
themselves to the page
containing the
advertisement.
Very similar to a
magazine cover the
main article is
displayed in the middle
of the website and is
the first main image
that the reader will
notice. The purpose of
the large font and
image is to draw the
reader to this particular
page so that they can
be informed and are
able to interpret more
information.
Below the main article you
can see the sub story which
are still relevant but are
not the main focus. This is
very similar to a magazine
as on the front cover they
will always have a main
story which they want to
catch the readers attention
with smaller less important
articles below.
The large wide tab
below the website
buttons is an
advertisement which
takes users to a
Spotify playlist this is
notable as it contains
the latest music and
remixes that the
magazine has been
talking about.
The arrow points to the
Mixmag home tab; this
takes the user back to
this page once they
have read an article of
watching a video for
example. The
homepage is the
central hub of a
website which connects
readers with other
elements of the
website.
Source: http://mixmag.net/

Website analysis continued
The news sector of the website is
home to current drama and new
music releases. Within the news tab
it contains links to the latest
interviews and articles; this tab is
also a useful tool to the young
generation as it presents
information about the best clubs in
different regions. Moreover, you
can find articles here that cover the
latest gossip.
Souce list:
http://mixmag.
net/
http://www.bla
yneypartnershi
p.co.uk/wp-
content/upload
s/2014/07/mix
mag1.jpg
The video tab directs
users to a page full of
the latest interviews
and music videos. The
video hyperlinks direct
readers to the Mixmag
YouTube channel; this
another form of
revenue for Mixmag.
The music tab diverts users to a
page where they can read about
artists profiles. Moreover users
can also download music from the
coordinated tab at the top of page
allowing them to purchase the
music that has been reviewed on
the website or in the magazine.
Also displayed on the music page
is a tab labelled “Premier” here
Mixmag will be the first in the
industry to uncover the latest
album or news. This enables the
company to generate more
income as they can advertise
themselves as the only ones
displaying this content therefore
attracting users to their site,
thereby promoting their product.
The review page is
home to a page
especially
designed for
readers to identify
the new hottest
music at the
current time. This
enables readers to
filter the review
results into their
desired choice of
sub genre.
The events page
highlights the
latest festivals and
shows; the page
also provides a
search bar for
website users to
search for what
genre of music
they want along
with the location.
Users will also find
that there are
multiple image
based buttons
which will direct
them to sources
where they can
buy tickets on
external sites for
upcoming
festivals.
The more tab
depicted in the
screenshot below
demonstrates
external sites and
legal notes for the
website.

Contents page analysis
Main image: Much like many other magazines the main
image on the contents page takes up half of the page. This
suggests that the star credited on the focus of the page will
feature a lot throughout the magazine.
Colour scheme: Like most magazines Mixmag has a
simplistic and sleek colour scheme that sticks to only three
colours. This cover includes, black, white and yellow. This is
effective because the use of simplistic colour scheme
attracts the readers attention.
Page number: Like most magazines Mixmag includes the
page numbers for articles which are of most importance.
Masthead: In the corner of each of the contents pages for
Mixmag they include as small masthead in the top left hand
corner for brand recognition. This is effective as it blends in
with the colour scheme of the page, thereby keeping the
consistent house style.
Subheading: Under the heading “Features” it includes
information about the main elements that readers will be
interested in reading about. This is an important element of
the contents page a when potential consumers are viewing
the magazine in a shop they may flick to the contents page
to determine whether they are willing to pay the projected
price of the magazine.
Content: At the bottom of the page there is a promotion
which could be used to attract potential readers as they will
see the free gift and may be driven to purchase the
magazine.

Synergy
Synergy- The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater
than the sum of their individual effects.
Mixmag use six social media sites upon which they are able to expand readership and obtain
more of a social media presence. Social media sites used include, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube,
Beatport, Google+ and Soundcloud.
Additionally you’re able to download each issue onto your smartphone device or tablet; this
appeals to a much younger generation who normally wouldn’t purchase magazines. This
therefore expands the horizons of readership. Moreover the magazine (online and digitally)
constantly reference and advertise upcoming concerts, gigs and albums which are purchasable on
their website and on other sites.

Market position
Mixmag used to have a circulation of 80,000 copies; originally sold for £3.85, the magazine was
described as relatively niche in the music industry. Today the magazine now has around 16,000
circulation figures, this is mainly because the magazine switched to an online accessed medium.
Moreover Mixmag media network is mainly online on Youtube as it owns over 18 channels were
they post content frequently. The magazine began to struggle during 2012 as not enough copies
were sold, therefore they opted to reach out to a broader audience by enabling their content to
be accessed online; this is effective as it means that readers and music activists from all over the
world are able to view the content from Mixmag, not just magazine readers. Previously 95% of
the revenue for the publishers came from the magazine sales alone; now in todays modern
society this isn’t possible. This is because the magazine industry is experiencing a terminal
decline. Moreover the circulation of Mixmag between 1st of January and 31st of December is
20,053 copies. Although these figures do not read particularly high or noticeable; Mixmag was a
market leader in terms of the genre of EDM. This is due to the genre being relatively small and
not widely accessed via magazine; this is because the main content for readers, consumers and
fans of Mixmag is that their content is predominantly found online.
Source: http://www.magforum.com/glossies/music_magazines.htm
digiday.com/publishers/mixmag-survived-turning-print-platforms-/

Technological convergence
Mixmag has now discontinued the production of the magazine in hard copy due to a lack of
readership and consumer interest. Now the Mixmag magazine is released online monthly but on
a much smaller scale with considerably less content. However as the magazine is now only
viewed by an online audience the house style of the magazine cover has increased in quality
considerably. This is clear as there is no longer the need for large scale intrusive advertising,
instead they can adopt an minimalistic look.
However Mixmag was previously released every month because of this DMC provided three
options for their readers to access the information. The first of the three is that for a small fee of
£2.50 you are able to read the magazine on your smartphone device via Apple or Android. Your
second option as a reader is to buy a hard copy in the shops for a slightly upgraded fee of £5.50.
Finally your last option as a Mixmag reader is to Subscribe and have 10 issues sent to your door.
This is evident in the below screenshot taken from the official Mixmag website.
Source: http://mixmag.net/page/get-the-magazine

Technological convergence continued
Social media is a very pivotal element of the success of Mixmag for numerous reasons; firstly one
of main the reasons is because it has the capability of interconnecting thousands of potential
consumers with Mixmag. The three screenshots situated at the bottom of the slide demonstrate
(in order) Mixmag’s Google+, Facebook and Twitter profiles; this is significant because at the time
of creating the document the combined number of followers across just these three social media
sites is precisely 2,481,623 followers. Therefore social media clearly plays a huge role in diverting
traffic to Mixmag.net ensuring they stay in business. Mixmag is able to effectively connect with
followers as they can choose to be notified by new posts in order to draw them to Mixmag’s
website where they can read an article or review.

The publisher for Mixmag, Disco Mix Club are
primarily know for work in remixing music as a
record label. DMC started first in February
1983 with cassettes; the following year DMC
began releasing further cassettes and vinyl
products. Two years in advance, 1986 they
began holding a yearly DJ competition, this is
still held yearly today. Since 2010, DMC
started re-pressing older Commercial
Collection on CD-R's instead of the original
silver CD's.
It is the largest DJ organisation that is based
within the UK; DMC is also a brand which is
known to own institutions such as 1210
apparel which is a small time clothing brand
which is producing merchandise to bring
music lovers together. Moreover, on top of
this DMC own Back to Mine which is another
magazine based brand
MIXMAG, the biggest selling music magazine ever which
we developed over 15 years with monthly sales of over
150,000 copies give their readers the ability to keep up
with the latest news and gossip. It has been referred to as
the “Bible” for DJ and dance music fans. It is also clear
that the invention of MIXMAG was vital to the emergence
and success of the modern DJ and clubbing scene.
Mixmag has also been labelled ‘the world’s most
established and longest running electronic music media
company, with a 30 year history.’ according to Indeed.
Due to the research I have completed at this stage I have
found a Mixmag press pack which identifies how they, in
the modern music industry still have a magazine
readership of 246,000; this is contributed by tablet and
smartphone viewing, along with hard copy readership
and online subscriptions. Mixmag is also an institution
which as a large online presence. With other a million
followers on their combined social media platforms, and
600,000 YouTube subscribers at this given time Mixmag
upload content onto their online do mina in order to
continue and progress their relationship with their
readers and consumers.
Publisher Product
Sources:
http://www.dmcdjonline.com/history/
https://www.discogs.com/label/4243-DMC
http://www.indeed.com/cmp/Mixmag-Media

Retail outlet
The screenshots below demonstrate the retailers that sell
Mixmag. Additionally a screenshot of a Google map is presented
this pin points high-street retailers that sell Mixmag in the local
area.
Source list:
http://seymour.magzene.com
http://www.abc.org.uk/Certificates/18260713.pdf
The Mixmag copy presented to the right presents a copy of
Mixmag which I purchased from a HMV outlet in central London
for £4.99. This evidently highlights how the magazine is
purchasable from big retailers in the city. This highlights how
Mixmag have a strong enough readership for their product to be
available for purchase by a large possibility of people.

Purpose and meaning
Vibe magazine portrays different types of stories relating to Hip-Hop and rap based themes. This
is portrayed by the front page of their website which is filled with numerous stories on
predominantly ‘Black’ themes and news headlines from recent incidents or ‘beefs’ between
rappers or other artists. For example they have the main headline as the recent ‘diss’ battle
between rappers, Meek Mill and The Game, which is still ongoing and at the present time is
concluding between a ‘diss’ track each. The Game released ‘92 Bars’ dissing Meek Mill after Meek
released ‘Ooouuu’ dissing The Game. This would be very big and interesting news to rap and hip-
hop fans as it is between The Game, a big named rapper known by fans of 50 Cent, Eminem and
Dr Dre, and Meek Mill, who has recently had feuds with rappers like Drake.

Genre
The genre of vibe is primarily R&B and Hip-hop; however the success of Vibe is
primarily because they cover a range of genres from forms of rap, and hip-hop. This is
effective in marketing terms because it means that the magazine appeals to a wider
range of readers, in turn meaning that they sell more copies of the product. However
as the magazine industry has been suffering recently Vibe and other popular
magazines have made moves in order to obtain more readership. This means that they
have expanded from simply covering the hip hop genre; now Vibe also now covers
EDM music. Vibe like many other rival businesses have identified that they need to
follow where their audience goes, this means that they have recently expanded into a
greater range of genres.
Source: http://www.foliomag.com/vibe-
expands-its-brand-platform-new-music-
genre/

Form and style
The general style of Vibe is relatively simplistic; the front cover informs the reader of the content which is inside the
magazine yet at the same time it ensures that the simplicity is kept. The font of the strapline is bold and big but at
the same time it is the main and only feature of the top half of the magazine. The bottom half of the magazine is
dominated by a large image, generically using star appeal this is effective because it means that a consumer
identifies a popular figure which they follow in the media and are prompted to want to read about them. Another
common attribute within Vibe front covers is the generic layout this means that they nearly always have a large
image in the middle, next to this on either side you will be able to find sub stories and other information prompts
that inform the reader what is in the magazine. The text either side of the image is typically in small but contrasting
font colour to the masthead and main image. This is useful as although the sub stories are not a important as the
main article the editors still want this element to stand out and be noticeable. Another element of the Vibe front
cover which enables it to be at the top of the market in it’s genre is the careful choice of colouring; this is evident in
the Kanye West front cover presented down below. This is because the designing team have specifically chosen to
use contrasting colours, a light baby blue and a hot pink. This means that both colours stand out making the front
cover eye catching and attractive to readers.

Front cover analysis
House style: The main colours used on this
particular front cover are red, black, grey
and white. This is significant as the
connotations of these colours are
associated with rap and hip-hop. These
chosen colours are picked in conjunction
with Eminem, this is because it highlight
how he is the main attraction of the front
cover through Richard Dyer’s star appeal.
Main image: The main image presents
Eminem, it is evidently clear that he is the
main attraction of the front cover. This is
clear because he completely stands out
from the page; this is made possible by the
colour choice which projects the
noticeability of the star. This is an major
and pivotal feature of the front cover
because Eminem is one of the most
successful artists across any genre within
the 21st century as he has sold millions
records. This means that readers will feel
far more inclined to pick up the magazine
as they are excited by noticing a major star
on the front cover. In addition the front
cover clearly indicates the genre due to the
fierce, borderline aggressive posture of
Eminem; this clearly demonstrates to
readers that the magazine is of the Rap
genre.
Font: The font is a clean crisp stylish element
of text which allows consumers to identify
the magazine in shops. This is further made
easier by the sans serif font, this means that
the characters used in the word vibe are
easier to identify as they have clean edges.
This in turn makes the magazine stand out
because it is noticeable and evidently
different to other magazines.
Main cover line: The main cover line reads
“Eminem comes clean” this insinuates that
the widely recognised star will be revealing
exclusive information to the readers of Vibe.
This therefore acts as an incentive for
readers to purchase this particular issue of
vibe. This cover line perfectly ties in with the
main image as the posture of Eminem in the
image indicates that he may be hiding
something, therefore prompting the
consumers to purchase the magazine in
order to reveal this secret.
Strapline: The piece of text at the top of the magazine reads
“Busta Rhymes- DIMX-ODB-Cash Money-Puff Daddy” This
connotes how the editors of vibe are informing the readers of
what else they can discover in the magazine.
Masthead: The masthead which reads
“Vibe” combines two of the colours used
throughout the house style of the front
cover. The masthead involves both black and
red in a form of gradient; this is effective
because much like the colour scheme it adds
to the general sense that the magazine is
aimed at rap and hip-hop readers.

Double page spread analysis
Main image: The main image which covers 50% of the
double page spread presents an image of Wiz Kalifa. The
image is in the form of a head shot that covers the entire
first page. The artist has a rebellious facial expression;
additionally the fact that he is blowing out smoke connotes
solely how the artists has ‘swag.’ This is evident because
the artist is well known so therefore people will instantly
recognize who he is; therefore he does not need to pose for
a photo like a typical person would as he is incredibly well
known in the music industry. The main image clearly links
to the articles which reads “How High.”
The main headline which reads “How High’
reveals a double meaning; the first being the
literal understanding which is that Wiz Kalifa is
‘high’ due to drug use. However the other
understanding is that the headline could
represent how high can he achieve in his
career; this is useful because it demonstrates
how the reader can be instantly engaged by
the double page spread as they are thinking
about the article.
The strapline which reads ‘WK’ is similar to
the main image, in that it takes up a large
amount of the page in order to attract the
readers attention. The page is also attractive
for readers because the colour scheme for
the strapline matches the colours on the
fashion that the artist is wearing. This
indicates that the magazine is simplistic yet
stylish, thereby appealing to readers.
Here you have the main body
of text; the font is in black
colouring, this is because the
writers want to information
and article to be easy to
access for readers. The first
letter of the text uses a drop
capital, this is significant
because it prompts the reader
as to where they should start
reading.
The caption which is presented
below the main image supports the
main headline of the magazine; this is
because it gives the reader a short
overview of what the article will
cover. Additionally the caption also
has the same colour scheme and
consistent house style of the rest of
the double page spread.
The name of the writer and
photographer is situated below the
caption giving them credit.

Double page spread analysis (continued)
Drop capital: The drop capital of this
double page spread is effective
because it is the same colour as the
main colours used in the main image
and colour scheme. This is significant
as it makes the purpose of the drop
capital even more useful. This is
because a drop capital is used to
ensure that the reader can easily
identify where they should start
reading. In this case it is particularly
useful as the dark yellow font cover is
of a contrasting colour to the text;
thereby making it more effective. The
drop capital is also more effective as
the drop capital is significantly larger
than the rest of the article.
Stand first: The stand first, much like
the drop capital, stands out to a
reader. This is because of the
contrasting use of yellow compared to
the white background. This stand first
is particularly useful as it means that
the readers can read this before or
after the main text to obtain an
overview of the article.

Website analysis
In terms of the presentation of the Vibe
website it is evident that it is following
the same consistent house style which
their magazine is printed with too.
Notably the ‘VIBE’ is capitalized in the
same font and color scheme as a regular
Vibe front cover. In terms of the content
which can be found on their website
you can locate a fashion tab where users
are able to identify the latest fashion
trends and lifestyle traits which can be
found within the culture of Hip-Hop and
Rap music. They notably also have
advertisements plastered on either side
of the editable region in order to
generate revenue for the company as
they are a large institutions with a
consistent stream of traffic on their
website each month. Moreover, much
like their print based magazine covers
their website covers reviews and
previews of new music to keep people
updated.

Contents
The content of vibe is different every issue; however generically Vibe
magazine will review a new current album for example a recent issue
covered Frank Ocean’s new album. Moreover issues typically contain
articles about the latest new and controversial stories; many readers
are reliant on the content produced by Vibe in order to keep up to
date with the latest trends. The vibe contents page is sleek and
simplistic which perfectly corresponds to the rest of the magazine; the
masthead on this page is a large letter “V” which is used to
demonstrate “Vibe.” The main image presenting Kendrick Lamar uses
three colours which create a simplistic yet stylish house style; this is
evident as the use of red white and black connote that Kendrick is the
main focus of the page. Next it is notable that the page numbers are
in the largest size; this is because the main purpose of the contents
page is to inform readers about what is in the magazine within a
condensed and concise manner and to divert them to their desired
page. The facial expressions presented by Kendrick make it clear that
this magazine is aimed at readers with an interest of Hip-hop; this is
because his facial expression depicts a rebellious look. This is
emphasises through his style of clothing with the cap inverted and a
chain around his neck. This appeals to readers as they view the star as
important and significant; this is furthermore evident as the main
image of Kendrick Lamar takes up around half of the contents page
indicating that he is a pivotal of this particular issues of the magazine.
Finally the editors of vibe have deliberately used a small amount of
text in order to ensure that the readers are engaged with the contents
page to allow to have a clean sophisticated style.
Source list:
https://nesasmedia2016.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/vibe-contents.png
http://www.slideshare.net/Aaliyah195/vibe-magazine-analysis

Frequency
• Previously Vibe magazine was released monthly, however much like other rival magazine companies the
ciruclation figures were not high enough to continue the same value of investment into the company. Spin
media reduced its circulation by 25%, this means that the magazine has go down from 12 issues a year to
10. Additionally in order to save costs they are merging its printing and digital editorial services. Due to
the magazine industry slowly experiencing a decline in popularity Vibe and other rival magazine
companies have opted to expand into online services. This is evident as the last printed version of Vibe
magazine was in 2014; instead of printing the magazine in hard copy the company has opted to produce
content online in order to reach a larger audience to obtain revenue.
Source: gawker.com/5151800/vibe-cuts-circulation-frequency-salaries-work-days

Target audience
• Vibe’s target audience would appeal to readers that are within the ‘E’ sector of the social class table
presented down below. This is because the magazine appeal to readers through bright colours, contrasts
and bubbly style writing; this evidently would be for teenagers and young adults ranging from 15-25 in
age. This could appeal to students, unemployed people and people in primitive managerial positions.
• Mixmag is particularly suitable for students because they will be able to connect with the latest trends;
this is because students are current with news and trends in the industry. This means that they will want
to keep up with the latest fashion, music and festival presented in the magazine. However Vibe magazine
may appeal to those in a higher class or age group; this is because people who used to be fond of Hip-hip/
R&B in the 80 & 90s may be interested in the content of the magazine.

Target audience continued:
Harley’s theory:
Next it is important to consider Harley’s theory of the 7 Subjectivities; this is the idea that each element of media has 7 different categories which enable to
set the market position of a magazine and enables the magazine to be placed in the correct location.
Age:
For example Vibewould appeal to an age range of between 15-30; this is because Hip-hop is a relatively new genre which the older generation would not
be familiar with as it didn’t exist when they were younger. This means that Vibewould appeal to a much younger range of readership.
Gender:
Vibewould typically appeal predominantly to men due to the simplistic yet stylish look. This is because the magazine is sophisticated with a clean front cover
with gentle colours which do not suggest femininity. Despite this the magazine could appeal to both genders; this is because the artists shown in the covers
below Eminem and Kanye West have both had popular and successful songs in the charts. This means a wide range of people, men and women would have
listened to their music. Meaning that though Richard Dyer’s star appeal, Vibe could appeal to either gender.
Katz theory:
This theory is the idea that each magazine has a purpose or provides the readers with a reason for picking up the magazine. For Vibe the method used
would be inform and educate; this is because Vibe informs young individuals about upcoming gigs and events. Other forms of classification include, Personal
relationship, Personal identification and Diversion. This means that the magazine acts as an escape from everyday life.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:
Maslow’s theory is the idea that reader of a magazine respond to the media content in different ways; examples include Social climbers, Caregivers,
Survivors and Explorers. I believe that the audience of Vibe would be explorers this is because readers will be influenced by what they read. This is because
if there is a new upcoming band or brand then they want to find out more about it to learn about new current news.

Website analysis
Advertisements: The top
50% of the website is
absorbed by an
advertisement this indicates
that the website makes a
large amount of revenue
from the use of
advertisements. This is useful
to the Vibe organization as
the revenue intake from the
magazine industry has
declined but they would be
making money back from
advertisements.
The main article, much like a
magazine is displayed in a
large bold fashion. This is
useful because it stands out
from the other information
on the webpage meaning it
engages the readers
attention.
On the far right hand side of
the button tab there is a
button labeled ‘Viva’ this
takes users to an new page
filled with Latin culture. This
is a new element added by
Vibe in order to attract new
readers and traffic onto their
site.
You can evidently notice that
in the top right hand corner of
the webpage the technological
convergence is displayed. This
indicates that the magazine is
connected with social media
in order to provide news and
updates to readers.
Vibe magazine clearly doesn’t just cover music articles; this is
evident because next to logo of ‘Vibe’ there are various different
buttons. The first of which is news, this can include music related
news; however it appears that typically the main purpose of the
news tab is to act as a hub for all forms of news around the globe but
most importantly in America. Also Vibe covers the latest fashion; this
will cover style relating to the genre and culture of Hip-hop music,
this enables readers to various reasons to use the Vibe.com website.

Publisher of Vibe
• Vibe was founded by Quincy Jones in September 1993 under the company Spin Media. The Spin Media or
Spin music network is home to 7 different music websites. This includes: Vibe, Spin, Death and Taxes,
Steroegum, Idolator, Buzznet and Pure volume.
• Spin Media is also houses Spin Entertainment, this included the following brands: Celebuzz, The frisky, The
superficial, Go Fug Yourself and Celebslam. This organisations are all online based websites; each of them
covering different content.

Vibe magazine covers Rap and Hip-Hop culture throughout with interviews and news. Different sources
claim that the age range of the readership is different; however on source claims that “The new Vibe is
the premier destination for urban music, entertainment, culture and lifestyle for the aspirational 18-34
year old.” this suggests that due to the content covered by Vibe it appeals to an audience that all
typically into the junior ranks of employment. Stereotypically these sorts of people are still very young
people who now have the money to afford to buy Vibe magazine on a regular basis. VIBE chronicles the
celebrities, sounds, fashion, lifestyle, new media, and business born from urban music. As an
authoritative voice, VIBE creates trends as much as it records them. It covers music, educates its readers,
and gives back to the community. VIBE serves as a portal to a growing young, trendsetting, multicultural
audience.
As of 2011 Vibe had a circulation of 301,408 according to a survey formulated by the ABC news
company. This evidently highlights how Vibe magazine is globally a popular magazine within the industry
despite the reduction in magazine consumption.
Market position
Source:http://justmediakits.com/mediakit/1560-vibe.html

Technological convergence/ Synergy
In order to run a successful business Vibe have ensured that they formulate a strong synergetic
between their readers on social media. The screenshot presented below highlights how Vibe
have an average circulation of 300,000; in order to obtain these high figures Vibe must ensure to
reach out to a wide audience. The introduction of social media means that Vibe have a platform
in order to be able to discover new potential consumers and connect with them. The bottom of
the screenshot highlights how Vibe has around 1.5 million follows on Facebook and 350k on
Twitter. This below the line marketing technique is particularly effective as it will reach a wide
range of people from different backgrounds that would not usually come into contact with the
magazine. The front page of Vibe.com is presented in a screenshot below the media kit, this
shows the location of all the social media links for Vibe. This is useful as it is evidently an
unmissable element of the website meaning that readers can follow social media accounts in
order to stay up to date with the latest new and gossip for Vibe.

Production process
The image to the right demonstrates the message that I
created to send to Vibe in order to find out the specific
production process for Vibe. However I received no
response, therefore on the next slide you can find a
generic production process for all magazines.

Unit 13 LO1

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Unit 13 LO1