3. TAG LINE
'EXCLUSIVE' – engages audience, provides exclusivity, text
has influence – The effects model – buzz word 'exclusive' –
exclusivity is informing on the unknown (uses and grats)
I placed the tag line at the top of the front cover which is a
convention I found in magazines such as NME, Rolling Stone
and Q.
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4. MASTHEAD
Large – blue on grey background –
eye-catching – bold – capital letters
– stands out – brand awareness –
placed at the top of page to abide
by common conventions – located
typically in centre, easy to detect –
behind image, shows the
importance of artist.
Magazines that follow these
conventions are :
5. STRAP LINE
I used the common convention of a strapline on
the front cover, usually underneath the
masthead – stands out – informing (uses and
grats) acts as an introductory headline to the
magazine.
Other magazines that use this convention
are Q and NME
6. FLASH
Flash of information – keeps within the house
style – stands out – informative (uses and
grats) '1st
Issue' – entices audience because it's
new (hypodermic needle model)
Magazines that follow this convention are
NME and Q
7. COVERLINES
Entices audience, want to find answers inside –
informing – uses and grats – hypodermic needle –
powerless to resist finding out more. Differentiation
in font size and colour, separates text
Magazines that use similar conventions are NME &
Q
8. MAIN IMAGE
Mid-shot, uncommon convention – allows more of costume
to be shown, similar to fashion magazines, appeals to females
more. Singular artist (conventional) – direct mode of address
– connects artist and audience – personal relationship (Uses
and grats). In front of masthead – artist prominent on page,
light background – artist stands out. Artist not provocative –
defiant facial expression – not objectified, standing her
ground – challenges male gaze (Laura Mulvey)
Magazines challenging male gaze
9. FEATURES
Insight into features – informative, entices audience
(uses and grats) links to house style, right
positioning, altered colours to separate, not main
selling point – smaller font – contrasts against
background
Magazines that use this convention are Rolling
Stone, Q and NME
10. ANCHOR TEXT
Name – entices fans – anchors
image – insight into main
article – bold – shadowed –
stands out against image –
encourages fans to buy – links
with house style
The majority of magazines follow this
convention
11. PULL QUOTE/MAIN COVER
LINE
Common convention made to contrast
against image and anchor text – stands
out – links to house style – what's 'all
on her' – creates hermeneutic question
– hypodermic needle – powerless to
find out more – position beneath
anchor text to show connection
between the two
●
●
The majority of magazines
follow this convention
13. DATE/ISSUE NUMBER
& COLUMNS
Show recent information –
informative (uses and grats) –
regular readers kept up to
date – positioned top right for
first viewing – contrasts so
stands out but smaller font –
less important
Common convention –
split into 2 columns –
framed perception for
professional finish –
not crowded or
overlapping
Magazines that follow
this convention
Magazines that use
variations of this convention
14. FEATURES
Bold feature title – eye catching – short & simple
– contrasting font size and colour – breaks down
text – easy navigation – 1st
left column,
conventional placement. Short description of
feature – entices reader – informative (uses and
grats). Variety of features – entices all.
Alternating colour blocks – breaks up text – easier
navigation
Magazines that use
this convention: Rolling
Stone & Q
15. SOCIAL MEDIA &
NUMBERING
I didn't see this convention in
any of my research however, as
my target audience is between
the ages of 16-20 I thought the
addition of social media links
was necessary as it allows the
magazine to relate with the
target demographics. As it
encourages the audience to get
involve it creates a personal
relationship (uses and grats)
Large & bold – stands out –
easy navigation – meets young
audience – allows shortcuts –
convenient – links with
feature/image – informing
about what's on page (uses
and grats) – links to house style
Magazines that use
this convention
include Billboard, Q
and Rolling Stone
16. EDITOR'S NOTE
Similarly to the social media
links, I never found this in my
research. However as it's the
first issue of my magazine I
thought it was important to
establish a personal relationship
between the reader and the
editor (uses and grats). As well
as this I've found that in quite a
few fashion magazines (which
have a predominately female
audience) there is an editors
note, hopefully, adding this
feature will help attract my
female target audience.
17. IMAGES
Two images – variety –
direct mode of address –
creates personal
relationship with reader
(uses and grat) – same age
as target audience – able
to relate to them – no
overlapping – organised –
One bigger than the other
– shows importance (cover
artist)
Q uses these
conventions
19. LAYOUT
I used the convention
commonly used by Q
magazine and had the whole
left page of the double page
spread taken up by the image.
This is because I wanted the
image to be the most
intriguing and important part
of the spread. The article is on
the right page and is laid out
with three columns to stop it
from looking messy and
overcrowded.
Q tend to use this layout
20. ANCHOR TEXT
Anchors name to image – introduces
article – entices fans – informative
(uses and grats) – bold – keeps to
house style
Other magazines that use this
convention are Q and NME
21. TEXT & DROP CAP
Common
convention of
Q&A layout –
variations in
font size and
colour –
separates
paragraphs –
'Calibri' font –
simple and
realistic – black
stands out on
white – blue
questions link
with house style
Introduces article – bold –
stands out – entices
audience to read
Magazines that use this
convention include Q, NME
and Rolling Stone
22. PULL QUOTES
Insight into the rest of the
article – creates questions –
entices readers (uses and
grats)
Magazines that use this
convention include Q and
NME
23. IMAGE
Full A4 page – body shot –
no direct mode of address –
unconventional – lack of
facial expression and eye
contact creates hermeneutic
question, who is she? –
entices readers – powerless
to resist finding out more
(hypodermic needle model)
24. COLUMNS, MONTH & PAGE
Article neatly
arranged – 3
columns – looks
organised and
professional – large
'A' stands out and
entices readers
Q magazine
regularly uses
this convention
Bottom right hand
corner – informative
– links with contents
– visible but not the
main text
Q magazine and
Rolling Stone follow
this convention
25. WEBSITE
Bottom left hand corner –
reinforces brand awareness –
allows reader to find out more
– regular typography – small
font – not main text
Other magazines that follow
this convention are Q and
Rolling Stone
26. WEBSITE
Bottom left hand corner –
reinforces brand awareness –
allows reader to find out more
– regular typography – small
font – not main text
Other magazines that follow
this convention are Q and
Rolling Stone
27. HOUSE STYLE
My house style of blue, white,
black and grey runs
throughout the magazine and
challenges the conventional
red, black and white. I did this
as the common conventional
house style seems to attract
males more than females. I
chose my house style as it's
less 'in your face' and a bit
more delicate. It appeals
more to females without it
being stereotypically
feminine.
