3. The Top 1/3
• The top 1/3 is the first par of the magazine cover that the potential market will see first.
• This is because magazines are often laid out, in store, in a way that allows browsing customers to see their
titles.
• It is therefore important to use this space to sell the magazine as effectively as possible.
• This issue of Empire does this by making the title as noticeable as possible as well as including the cover
line in this area.
• You can also see part of the image, over the top of the magazine title. This allows browsers to see a small
part of the content to encourage them to take the magazine of the shelf.
4. The Left 1/3
• It is also common for retailers to arrange magazines in such a way that
the left 1/3 is visible.
• It is therefore important to makes sure that this area also helps to sell the
magazine, and not leave it empty.
• Issue #231 does this relatively effectively as the space is filled by one of
the characters from the main image.
5. Masthead
• The mast head is large making it stand out to browsing customers.
• It is also very bold in font and colour.
• It is clearly designed to grab as much attention as possible.
• The image being in front of the title suggests that the brand is not the main selling point of this magazine but
the content is.
• However it also suggests that the brand ‘Empire’ is well known enough for it to be recognised even when
obscured by an image.
6. The Cover Line
• In this case the cover line is a bold statement that is designed with the sole purpose to sell the
magazine.
• The font is bold and bright yellow, designed to catch a browsers eye.
• The cover line is also located above the title of the magazine suggesting that it is intended to be the
first thing that the audience will see implying that it is the main selling point for this edition.
7. The Main Image
• The main image takes up the whole of the front cover.
• All the text is either laid over the top of underneath the
image.
• The image used matches the main feature of the
magazine, a first look at the film ‘Watchmen’ and
therefore plays a big part in the marketing of the
magazine.
• The image may even be the first image many characters
see of the characters of the film and may therefore attract
them to buy the magazine.
8. The Main Cover line
• The main cover line directly addresses the main selling point for this issue of empire- Watchmen.
• People are more likely to buy a magazine if the main feature advertised is something that they are interested in.
• The cover line also points out that it is the first look making the magazine more exclusive and therefore more
attractive to the consumer.
• The font is similar or the same to the font used by the producers of Watchmen and the fleck of blood on the M is a
trademark and a feature of the movie.
• The description of the film as ‘the Citizen Kane of superhero movies’ also helps to sell the article and in turn the
magazine.
9. Cover Lines
• The additional cover lines provide more information on the contents of the magazine.
• This will help to sell it because a customer may not be interested in the main cover line
but still interested in the additional cover lines.
• The more content that is advertised on the front cover the more likely the magazine is
to sell as the customer has more evidence that the magazine is worth the money as
well as more pull factors.
10. Puff
• The puff helps to sell the issue to a different type
of audience, those who are more interested in
the technical and historical side of film
production and distribution rather than future
high concept cinema releases.
• The broadens the market for the magazine and
again makes it more likely to make it off the
shelves.
• The puff is designed to look like a sticker this
makes it stand out and also suggests that it is a
special additional feature.
