3. History of the Magazine and its title...
• Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth
• Q was first published in October 1986, setting itself apart from
much of the other music press with monthly production and higher
standards of photography and printing.
• In the early years, the magazine was sub-titled "The modern guide
to music and more".
• Originally it was to be called Cue (as in the sense of cueing a
record, ready to play), but the name was changed so that it
wouldn't be mistaken for a snooker magazine.
• Another reason for the name change, cited in Q's 200th edition, is
that a single-letter title would be more prominent on newsstands.
• First issue, October 1986
4. Brand Description and Audience
Profile...
• Since launch in 1986, Q has been the UK’s best selling music monthly magazine. It
has delivered the world’s biggest music stars every month. Seeing life through the
lens of music, it draws references from the world of sport, comedy, film and even
politics. With the magazine at its beating heart, the world of Q encompasses Q
Radio, QTV, Qthemusic.com and its legendary lunch-time knees up, the Q Awards.
-Parts of Q include:
Q Magazine
Q Radio
Q Magazine Website
Q TV - Sky 364 , Virgin Media 338
Q Awards
• Readership Profile: Open minded experience seekers, the Q audience don’t define
themselves by the music they listen to. Music is an important passion, but their
love of music will never be to the detriment of their other passions, such as film,
sport and comedy.
• The magazine costs £4 to purchase in the shops so the audience has to have a
more well off Job as it is one of the most expensive music magazine around.
5. Content...
• Review section of all latest films, Artists, Albums, live tours
• Interviews with popular music artists
• Known for lists such as ‘100 Greatest Albums’ or ’50 bands to see
before you die’
• Features such as
-The Q50: top 50 essential tracks of the month
-Cash for Questions: Celeb/band answer questions from reader
-Ten Commandments: Singer creates on commandments on how to
live
• Everything you need to know about films, DVDs, radio, books,
games and gadgets
6. • From the Q magazine I bought this is some of the
contents inside, the photo’s taken by me ...
7. Owners...
• Bauer Media
• Bauer Media connects and engages 19 million consumers every week
with the most influential brands in the UK
• Bauer Media is a division of the Bauer Media Group, Europe’s largest
privately owned publishing Group. The Group is a worldwide media
empire offering over 230 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online, TV
and radio stations.
• Bauer Media joined the Bauer Media Group in January 2008
• multi-platform UK-based media Group consisting of many companies
collected around two main divisions – Magazines and Radio
• Bauer Media is a mass media institution as they not only produce ‘Q
Magazine’ but other magazines and also radio stations including...........
8.
9. Bauer Today...
• Today, Bauer Media spans over 80 influential brand
names covering a diverse range of interests
including heat – the must have weekly celebrity title,
Parker's, MATCH, CAR and Yours and many more.
• Bauer Media is a sister company of H Bauer
Publishing, publisher of the UK's biggest TV listings,
Take a Break and Bella.
10. My Q magazine analysis ...
The image on the right is the picture I took of the latest Q
magazine I bought to help me when thinking about the
type of music magazine I want to create.
From Slide two which showed a variety of different Q
covers this is very similar, They all tend to have the same
house style being; the Masthead at the top left and the
same colours running throughout, Red, White, Black or
Orange/peach.
The colour of the writing and
the format of the main
headings are all the same, as
they are the main story they
are bolder and the clearest
text to see. The quotes from
each artist tells is what we
should expect from the
interview with them which
hooks the reader as they
already know what to
expect.
This is the main image because they
are the main figures and stand out,
there are no other images on the
page. They stand tall and proud
drawing the reader to them. These
three artist may have been chosen
because they represent different types
of music; Jay Z being the main lead he
gets much more of the magazine than
the two behind him.
This additional piece at the
bottom is like the ‘puff’ as its
added information to tell us what
else will be in the magazine apart
from the three main
interviews/articles we see
featured.
Secondary lead so we know the
magazine is not just based on the
3 main artists shown, the use of
the large text on ‘42’ is for
emphasis and the circle around it
makes it stand out.
All of the ‘Q Magazines have the
same layout; whereby they have a
main image on the front gripping the
reader straight away with simple
background colour (normally white)
to make them the main focus and to
make the mast head clearly visible to
advertise the magazine.
This is here to create a stand out
feature, the shape of the star-like
semi circle shows its a key element
inside
11. Contents page...
Main stories are very clear to see
just like on the front cover they
are the main topics of the
magazine and this is the same for
the contents page; drawing the
audience in to focus on them.
Pages are divided; the first
contents page is based on the
main articles and the second
is the secondary leads and the
regular features of every
monthly ‘Q Magazine’
Colour scheme is kept the same;
simple white background to make the
text and imagery stand out, and red
for features and masthead
Good use of imagery so that the
reader does not get bored with
reading lots of text, the images give
away the different sections inside,
with the page numbers added to
them in larger font so can easily be
identified as to where to go for that
article
Writing under each sub-heading,
telling the audience what they are
about, this is good because without
having to turn to the page they get a
sense of what is to come
Clear issue number and image of the
front cover is placed inside so the reader
does not at any point need to refer back
to the front page, they can link it to the
stories in the contents
12. Chosen article...
I have chosen to look at one of the main articles in the magazine
because when it come to creating my music magazine I need to look at
how to design my double page spread. This article; like the front cover
and contents page has followed the same simple colouring and large
imagery.
‘Worlds
greatest
rapper’ this
indicates why
he is the lead
and why he
receives 9
pages in total.
His posture and
pose links to the
story. It says ‘The
power of Z’, the
picture fits, it
looks like he has
power and
authority, very
hard looking and
covers most of
the page.
Plain background
to make him and
the large ‘Z’ stand
out.
13. His pose in this picture,
again like the opening
pages of the article, show
him to be hard looking,
standing proud, strong
and important figure.
Close up shot for greater
effect.
The large ‘J’ to
tell us who he is,
to show his
importance as
made the
background and
for a an effective
, eye catching
feature.
From reading the article, the language ranges. It
is mainly informal where it gives quotes from
what he says, however formal and very big
vocabulary when the writer is telling us
information.
Same house style throughout, the use of
red, white and black showing rule of
three and to make the image the centre
of attention
14. Good use of imagery to break up
the text as lot of text is provided
images breaks this up.
Added information,
about some of his
greatest hits
15. Quote to tell
us what is
included in
the interview
without
reading it all,
draws reader
in.
His pose is linked to the caption ‘most hooked
up guy in music’ showing his status and
importance by the way he stands strong, bold,
full body image to show how he stands with
attitude and authority.
All things on the second page are
drawn to show as though Jay Z
has hand written it; like a plan,
puts together things from the
interview to draw in the reader.
16. • In total the ‘Q Magazine’ I have chosen to look at
contains 40 adverts. As this is a music magazine they
are all based on music, things such as new releases,
concerts dates, etc. However there are the odd few
that are drinks/games and a perfume advert at the
front. From the adverts, we can gain a sort of
readership profile for this magazine.
• The reader would be passionate in music but also in
their passion for games and drink. The magazine has
a variety of reviews on films, DVDs, CD’s and books
so we must not just see this as a completely music
based audience
