2. Brief
You have been commissioned by the Northern Echo
to produce a new magazine or newspaper product.
Your product could be in any style or genre but it
must be self financed through sales or advertising.
You must also produce your magazine for a
specified audience segment within the 16 to 25 age
group.
“
”
3. My Idea
Name: SYNTH
Genre: Alternative Music Magazine
Gender: Male and Female
Age: 16 - 25
Type: ABC1
Tribe: Indie
4. How I Intend To Meet My Brief
To be able to meet my brief I have done the
following:
Created a magazine that has the same target
audience as the Northern Echo. ABC1 - 16 to
25.
Created a high quality magazine which is of the
same standard of the Northern echo.
Find and create a magazine that has a unique
selling point.
Have a commercial viable product. Self
Financed.
5. USP - Unique Selling Point
Providing reviews, interviews and everything that is
to do with local alternative music. SYNTH uses this
and focuses mainly on the regional area of the North
East of England. Something that no other music
magazine could be offerening.
6. IPSO - Independent Press Standards Organisation
The IPSO (The Independent Press Standards Organisation) is the regulator of the magazine and
newspaper industry. The IPSO is the current regulator and has been in this position since the 8th
September 2014, replacing the PCC (The Press Complaints Commission). They ensure that the Editors'
Code of Practice is followed by the various publications. They do this through filing complaints and taking
action. They have the power to fine publications when necessary. This is why I have created a set of rules
to stick by so that I don’t violate this.
7. Client Constraints
The following are rules that I am going to abide by:
1. Copyright - I will be gaining any permission
over copyrighted information, so I don’t go
against any laws.
2. Photography - I will be taking all of the
photography myself to avoid any copyright
laws. I will not be using any models under the
age of 16.
3. I will not be including any inaccurate
information in my magazine. All the
information that is included will be accurate.
4. I will also be ensuring that all information is
9. Things to Consider
Secondary Audience.
As well as having a primary audience my magazine will include
a secondary audience. The secondary audience will consist of
Northern echo readers. It could also be those who aren’t within
the age range. Therefore I will be avoiding:
● The use of taboo language
● Any forms of nudity
● Inappropriate content
10. Audience Appeal
To appeal to my audience I will need to:
Articles:
The articles will be related to
Audiences interests
Typical readership
Imagery:
Related to the audiences
Gender
Age
Colour:
Relates to the audience by
Genre
Gender
12. Genre Research
Simplistic layout
Variety of fonts
Branded colour scheme
Catchy sell lines
Use of quotes
Relatable model
How it has affected my design:
Colours
Fonts
14. Genre Research
Imagery - Editing
Image to text ratio
Simple layout
How it has affected my design:
Imagery - Editing
Layout
15. Audience Research
From my questionnaire I have found that:
Readership:
NME
DIY
Kerrang
Articles:
Interviews - Most Interesting to the audience
Reviews
Music Genre:
Indie
Rock
Alternative
Pop
16. I have decided to choose one flat plan and create
two mock up versions of it. I have also received
constructive feedback from both of them in the form
of a focus group.
Focus Group:
Age - 17/18
College Students - 4
Tribe - Indie/Alternative
Gender - Mixture
Mock Ups
17. Mock Ups
1Positives:
● Breakout box
● Color scheme
Negatives:
● The image can be seen as
overpowering.
● Quotes - Bold
● Imagery - Location
19. Why SYNTH? How is this relevant to my magazines content? What does this mean?
Relates to music
A sound that can be generated from a pedal
A pedal can be used when playing a guitar
Generating a synth effect when playing the guitar.
Generally used in more alternative music
SYNTH’s features predominantly alternative music.
I feel that this is therefore relevant to the magazine's content.
20. Product
Front Cover - SYNTH
Contents
DPS 1 - Who are DOSE?
DPS 2 - Top 10 local venues
DPS 3 - Indie as a music genre
21. Flat Plan
Front cover - SYNTH
Imagery -
Male model, DPS related model, young, age range, TA.
Layout -
Large masthead across the top of page.
Model fills page. Sell lines down the left hand side.
FREE on the left. Sticker in top right. Mid to close up shot.
Fonts -
Mixture of fonts. Bold san serif fonts. Main sell line is in white font to
contrast the blue
Colours -
22. Flat Plan
Contents
Images -
Taken from DPS with a link in corner.
Layout -
Text bottom right. Image above. Magazine masthead in top left
corner. Text down the left hand side. Focal point.
Fonts -
Mixture of fonts. Bold san serif fonts. Same masthead font as the front
cover.
Colours -
23. Flat Plan
DPS 1 - Who are DOSE?
Images -
Cool, relatable, young, band member,
music, guitar.
Layout -
Simple. Not busy.
Fonts -
Bold san serif fonts. Mixture of fonts.
Kicker/bar line in bold. Breakout box - white text
contrast the blue, more readable.
Colours -
24. Flat Plan
DPS 2 - Top ten local venues
Images -
No models, High key lighting, connotates a
positive venue.
Layout -
Full page image on left of NO.1 venue, Headline
at the top right. Including kicker/bar line.
Two columns.
Fonts -
Bold fonts, san serif. section at bottom with
white text. Large numbers, counting down.
Colours -
25. Flat Plan
DPS 3 - What is Indie?
Images -
Three images, looking at the indie style.
Music scene. Mixture of male and female models.
Layout -
Three images across the DPS. Article begins at the
top left. Page number in bottom left. Headline in
the center of the page (blue and red).
Fonts -
Bold san serif font. The main article isn’t in bold.
Colours -
27. Brand Identity
Colour:
Use of a simple but effective colour scheme.
Blue, Black, White, Red, Yellow
Name:
Simple
Effective
Genre related
Content:
Music - Alternative
Local/regional
28. Commercial Viability
Journalist: £40
Photographer: £67
Models: £100
Subeditor: £50
Researcher: £18
Lighting assistant: £30
Makeup assistant: £20
Sourced from research
Studio hire: £20
Cannon stills 350d camera: £40
Props: Guitar, Amplifier: £55
Additional lens hire: £20
QE indemnity insurance: £100
Flash lighting studio kit: £90
