2. Target Audience Review
My primary audience are male,
teenagers ages 15-19 roughly,
who live student lifestyles and
would very much appreciate a
modern, detailed, sophisticated
rap magazine for the masses.
This means I have to directly
attract them to my production,
through specifically chosen
elements that make up the
magazine. They must convey
certain messages, represent
certain lifestyles and appeal to
every need my audience have.
3. Colour
With my primary audience still being very much youths
at heart, I had to include a bold, highlighting colour to
draw their attention to certain aspects. It just so
happened that the colour gold also conveys a
sophistication that would appeal to a more mature, older
audience, who are perhaps fans of Golden Age Hip Hop.
What’s more, the use of gold differed throughout the
magazine, and I didn’t need to use the second bold
colour of red, which stood too far out from the
production and clashed far too much. This meant it drew
attention away from main sell points.
An example of gold variations.
The use of this strict colour scheme gave my magazine a slick, well thought out
appearance, that both age groups of my audience could appreciate, and therefore
would be more inclined to purchase it. What’s more, it linked directly to Golden Age
itself, which addresses the Golden Age fans directly.
4. Language/Tone
Since the age for my magazine starts at a student level, it
indicates that they will have enough reading skills to
understand effective types of language like humour and
sarcasm.
This means they can appreciate personality in a text, rather
than a boring and bland informal tone that some more mature
audiences look for. However, in saying this, I have kept my
tone on point and sharp enough to appeal to that older
audience as well.
I feel that in order to draw the reader in to specific articles, I
had to utilize as much alliteration, puns, and catchy phrases as
possible. This way, the text jumps out at them, with the help
of colour and sizing, just as much as any imagery or graphics.
It is this balance, between friendly, down to earth writers, and
relevant, detailed information that I hope I have captured, to
attract all members of my audience, whether they fall into the
primary or secondary, whether they are a student or not, or
whether they are 15 or 40.
5. Social Media
It is very common now amongst magazine companies to cram their productions with as much
media rich extra content as possible, and this is only a good idea!
It offers their audiences much more of an experience rather than simple reading articles. They
can ask their favourite artists questions directly, watch videos and even write reviews. This helps
them feel they are part of the production, since they are the reason it is there in the first place.
What’s more, it expands my magazine’s reach and can gain new audience members overseas
where a printed copy might not get published. Again, it also ensures the magazine doesn’t get
lost in this world of technology and people constantly being on the go.
It’s one thing actually telling the audience about new music, but another providing them with
opportunities to listen to it. This is why Youtube channels are such a great idea for these
companies, as it allows them to round off the musical experience for their audiences.
I feel this is why I have used my social media. It makes sure my audience, who I know love
downloading and surfing for new music, have a full experience when using any form of my
production. This goes across the bored to my secondary audience too, as they too indicated
strong use of internet when it comes to new music. It also gives the impression to my audience
that this magazine isn’t simply a quickly created printed version to make a profit. Instead, the
£3.99 gives them a network of different ways to experience their favourite music, and shows the
magazine itself to have a true passion for the rap genre.
6. USP
• I feel the design and composition of my magazine is quite
unique, in the way that it uses a huge variation of imagery, to
the point of having the artists backs to your face in one case.
The overpowering side profiles are another example of this,
and these different elements help the magazine stand out,
but also appeal to the audience by offering them a different
visual look to the usual types of page layouts they see in
every other magazine.
• By using buzz words such as Exclusives, New and
Competitions, it appeal to the audience in the way that it
makes them believe this magazine provides information no
other one production can, and even offers them chances to
win products that they themselves have an interest in. This in
particular draws the younger audience in, who may not
necessarily have the money aside to spend on these luxuries.
7. Genre Conventions
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Colour
Expressions
Connotations of
Imagery show
attitude
Brand Identity
Props/Outfits
Font Styles
Background of
images
This list shows elements of my production that would suggest my magazine was rap based without a
viewer even knowing. This means that rap fans and my target audience would jump out at the sight of it
on a shelf.
All of these things show or convey a sense of the rap music industry. For example, the colour links to
wealth, riches, egos and Golden Age Hip Hop itself. The expressions further emphasise the huge egos
associated and idolized by rap fans. The stance of my artists are defiant and almost rebellious, linking to
traits present in both my target audience themselves and rap stars. This makes the product relatable in
that respect. The housestyle and brand identity created is common in all other successful rap magazines
such as Vibe, XXL and Complex. This again shows it to be of a high quality standard, and will therefore
appeal to my audience, who are looking to get their money’s worth from this magazine, as 100%
indicated in response to my initial survey. Props such as gold chains and guns link again to rap stars and
their rebellious, aggressive side, that can come out in my target audience, even with the likes of violent
video games that they love to play. Finally, the font styles and background are also very urban or rap
related. The iconography of Young Kings is associated with gangsta rap. Then other fonts, link the
masthead font and main sell line fonts are either very futuristic, to convey the modern side of rap music,
or quite derelict or worn down, symbolizing the urban culture that created rap itself.
8. Types of Imagery
A variation of shot types, angles and effects were used throughout my magazine,
all for different reasons, but all to attract my audience in some way.
This direct mode of
address, medium
close up captures
enough emotion yet
shows off the models
outfits to not only
lure the audience in
on looks, but almost
dares them to read it.
The defiant, careless, turned
back pose again reflects their
attitudes as well as challenging
the audience to read on. It also
gives the audience something to
relate to in the way that they too
will have this side to them. The
grey scale effect also shows no
emotion or personality in the
artists, which is sometimes how
both the artists and teenagers
are stereotyped.
The side profiles almost suggest a
criminal side to the artists, and that
by reading this article, the
audience may feel the adrenaline
that comes with these shot types,
as if they might be breaking a law.
However, these serious images are
then balanced with humorous
idiotic facial expressions and poses
which reflect the harmless and fun
side to my target audience.
9. Other Artists Featured
• In response to the audience
questionnaires I received, I also
specifically chose the most popular and
upcoming artist to include as well as my
features artists. This way, my audience are
given new, unheard talent, as well as the
veterans they absolutely love like Kanye
or SchoolBoy Q.
