2. LANGUAGE
The font of my mast head is very bold and is the largest font on the cover, which makes it stand out and also reflects the
boldness of the indie rock genre of my magazine. This is a convention I have followed, because the mast head is always the
largest and most bold font on the cover, to allow it to stand out the most and let the name of the magazine be known. The
colour of the mast head is a dark red which follows my colour scheme (continuity) and is eye-catching against the white
background. The artist/band in the main image is usually a big figure in the music genre of the magazine. This is why using
Lucy and creating her to supposedly be a new star on the indie rock scene is effective. My target audience will be interested
in the indie rock genre, so would be a fan of Lucy if she was a real artist in this genre. This is therefore appealing to the
reader and make them want to buy the magazine. I put Lucy in a set pose and she is staring into the camera, this makes the
picture more stylised and creates a direct mode of address with the audience. This is also conventional as it is found on the
majority of magazines, and I followed this because it is very effective and makes
the magazine look more professional as well as making the audience feel more
involved. The plug I used is the chance to win Latitude Festival tickets. Latitude
always has many indie rock artists/bands performing so it links to the music genre
of my magazine and would attract readers in this way, as well as effectively
reflecting the genre. I decided to follow the conventions in relation to feature
stories: placing them along the sides of the magazine; making them fall around the
main image and relating them to the indie rock genre, as it is proven to work for
and look effective on other existing magazines. The main feature story has a brief
summary/title placed in the centre of the cover. This allows the reader to know
what the main and most interesting part of the magazine will be before actually
opening it up and beginning to read on. This is why I followed this convention and
placed my main feature story in a quite central position on the cover and made it
larger than the other features. The main story also tends to be about/an interview
with a big figure in the music genre of the magazine. Therefore, I decided to make
it about Lucy, who is supposedly be a new star on the indie rock scene. The reader
will be drawn to the magazine because they will be interested in the indie rock
genre, so would be a fan of Lucy if she was a real artist in this genre. All the bands
I have mentioned/included on the footer are part of the Indie Rock genre. This
therefore reflects the Indie Rock genre well, and would appeal to the audience as
they would be fans of this music genre, so would most likely be fans of the bands I
have included.
3. INSTITUTION
worldwide. Worldwide circulation of Bauer’s magazine titles amounts
to 38 million magazines a week.
I would want Bauer Media Group to distribute my magazine, ‘Noise,’
because I believe they have a space for an Indie Rock magazine in
their company, as they do not currently own any music magazines
from that genre. They are also a very well-established and
successful media institution, which would allow my magazine to
reach out to a mass audience, rather than just a niche audience like
if I distributed it independently. This would enable a wider audience
to get involved in Indie Rock and give it more coverage. The fact they
have a large budget is also appealing because it means the
magazine could be improved to fit the audience’s needs. As my
audience is initially those on a low budget, aged 16 onwards, the
larger budget would allow me to give more exclusive
plugs/competitions, giving the audience just that little thing extra,
encouraging them to continue reading issues of ‘Noise.’ Bauer Media
Group’s magazines, such as Kerrang! or Q, also link to other aspects
of media. For example, Kerrang! has its own music TV channel. This
would be a great advantage/benefit because it would give ‘Noise’ and
the Indie Rock genre even more coverage across multiple media
types, and possibly bring in more readers.
A media institution is an establishment, which is often profit based, that deals in the production, distribution and
marketing of different media products. E.g. Bauer Media Group distributes Q and Kerrang, and IPC distributes
NME. I did research into a few music magazines, but my main focus in research was Q magazine, which is a
monthly popular music magazine. The distributer for Q was originally EMAP but they sold it to Bauer Media
Group in January 2008. Bauer is a multinational media company, founded in 1875, which operates in 16 countries
4. IDEOLOGY
The main font I used for the features on the front cover, I also used on the
features on my contents page and the pull quote at the top of my double page
spread. This was to help create continuity as well. The colour scheme I used
throughout was dark red, black and white. I picked this colour scheme because
it was bold, attractive and fit well with the genre. I found this because other
existing magazines incorporate this colour scheme, such as NME and Q.
Therefore, because it was already proven to be an effective colour scheme, I
felt it would be the best one to use. This was another way I created a house
style, as it created continuity in the style of the product. The artist I used on all
three parts of my product is Lucy, who is supposed to be a new singer on the
Indie Rock scene. I used her in all the main images of my product because this
also showed continuity. It is also a convention in magazines for the person on
the front cover to be the main image on the contents page and then on the
main double page spread. This is because the main feature in the magazine is
about this artist, so they should be featured throughout to reinforce this to the
audience. In addition, all the page numbers I used with my feature stories, I
took into consideration when matching them up with my double page spread.
For example, on the contents page I state that the ‘Lucy: Exclusive’ is on page
17, and then on the double page spread I have the page numbers ‘17’ and ‘18’
in the bottom corners. This was to show attention to detail and make my
product more professional, as well as once again show continuity.
I ensured I followed conventions in the layout of my product, such as the
placing of my mast head in the top left corner, as well as making it the largest
font on the page. This was to also get across the professional appearance I
wanted the product to have.
I used continuity throughout my product by creating a House Style. This house style included the same fonts throughout, a set
colour scheme, the same artist in the main images and page numbers, etc. all linking together/matching up. The continuity is very
important because it allowed me to create a professional, bold and stylish product which is the ideology I wanted to put across for
my product.
My mast head has a set font which is found in the top left corner of my front cover and contents page, as well as being used on my
double page spread in the bottom corners. This was the first way I created a set style to my magazine, as this would establish
continuity and a recognisable logo if I was to create a full magazine and go on to distribute it in shops.
5. AUDIENCE
All the bands I have mentioned/included on the footer are part of
the Indie Rock genre. This would attract my audience because
they will most likely be fans of these bands as they are interested
in Indie Rock.
I used the plug to appeal to the audience specifically. It is
exclusive for my audience, being on a very low budget, so it would
be a great treat for them to win. Latitude is a music festival that
also comprises elements of theatre, art, comedy, dance and
literature, which is why it is so popular amongst students in
Britain. Many Indie Rock artists/bands perform at Latitude, such
as Foals, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Alt-J (all linked in on my
magazine), who performed last year. This is why it would appeal
to my audience.
From my Q&A with a focus group made up of members from my
target audience I found that it was important for my main feature
to be directly about a band/artist, their music, and their life, as this
is intriguing for their fans who might read the magazine.
Therefore, my ‘exclusive talk with Lucy’ would attract the audience
in this way.
In order to appeal to Casual/Lowest Grade Workers (students) I
ensured the price of my magazine was reasonable and in their
price range, which is why I decided to price my product at £2.00,
as this would be affordable on a monthly basis.
The mast head is bold and the largest font on the cover. This makes it stand out, making the name of my magazine
known. It addresses the audience because it will catch their eye. It is also obvious that ‘Noise’ is a music magazine,
and the vibrant colour and unique font portrays the Indie Rock genre clearly so my target audience will be attracted
to it. The features I included are centred around the Indie Rock genre, as the audience for the magazine would be
reading it because of their interests in this music genre. Therefore, the features will appeal to them.
6. REPRESENTATION
The main image on the cover is of Lucy, who as I previously mentioned is meant to be a big new star on the indie
rock scene, which adds to the target audience being attracted to buy the magazine as she would be well known, and
have many fans within the indie rock genre. This represents my product as being ‘in the know’ and trustworthy
because it shows exactly who is currently a major part of the indie rock world and knows who to promote in order to
attract readers. This is reinforced by the bands included on the footer, such as Arcade Fire, Peace, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
and Alt-J, who are also major players in the genre of indie rock.
This knowledge of the indie rock genre and also the love for music is
shown through the features I have included as well. All the features
link to indie rock and music, such as ‘Holy Fire Album Review’ and
‘Upcoming Gigs This Season’. This reflects my product’s
commitment to the music world, and shows that indie rock is truly the
central figure of the magazine. The plug also emphasises this
because ‘Latitude’ is a popular British festival at which many indie
rock acts perform. This is appealing to the audience, especially
students due to its indie and youthful vibe.
7. LANGUAGE
The title introduces the contents page and initially marks the beginning of the issue. It tells the audience that this
page is going to be their guide to where specific feature stories are in the magazine. This is why I followed
conventions in relation to the title, and placed the it at the top of the page, as it is makes it clearer for the audience
and is a much more effective and professional layout than placing it towards the bottom of the page. The title is also
the boldest font on the page which makes it stand out to the audience. I also placed the title next to the masthead
of my magazine because this reinforces the name of the publication and makes it more well known. The use of bold
colours which follow the colour scheme of dark red, black and white, also makes the title more eye-catching and
creates further continuity in my product, which is conventional and makes the product look professional.
I used subheadings for two sections of my contents page so it clarified to
the reader what section the features under the headings come into and
makes information easier for the audience to find and understand. I also
made them bolder than the text underneath them by using a different font,
putting them in red boxes and making the text white. This makes them
stand out more to the audience, further making information clearer and
giving it a more professional look. The features I included allow the
audience to get a feel of what the magazine is going to be like and the
actual things it will contain. They also link to indie rock. This is appealing to
the audience because they will be fans of this genre as they are reading a
magazine based on indie rock, so if the features relate to this they would
find them interesting and enjoyable to read. I also included multiple images
which relate to the features, which give the audience a visual insight into the
content of the magazine and makes the page look more attractive. The
largest image I used is of Lucy and it links to the main story/feature of the
magazine, this is conventional and reinforces that this is the most exclusive
and interesting feature in the magazine, which will draw the audience to it.
8. AUDIENCE
I used the same bold font as on the cover to reinforce the Indie Rock image/feel of the magazine to the audience,
so it would continue to appeal to them. Like on my front cover, all features on the contents page link to the Indie
Rock genre. This will appeal to the target audience because they will have an interest in Indie Rock so want to
read on and find out more about the features. Also, other interests of students aged 16-24 (my target audience)
tend to be things like films, blogs, etc. (stereotyping again). This will address/attract the audience as they will feel
as though the magazine content conforms to their interests, making them feel more included in the product.
I included images from live shows/gigs which will attract the audience.
This is because they are interested in Indie Rock, so they would most
likely appreciate live music and will want to see their favourite bands live.
This also gives them a taster of what is to come in the magazine and will
therefore intrigue them to keep reading. I also added links to social media
to the contents page, such as the magazine’s Facebook page, Twitter
name, and web address. This will appeal to the target audience, as
stereotypically, people aged 16-24 have constant and easy access to
social media/networking sites. Therefore, this would allow them to stay
connected with the magazine, past the monthly paper copy, keeping them
up to date with the latest news in ‘Noise’ magazine and the Indie Rock
world. This builds up a rapport and a closer connection between the
audience and the product, making it more likely for the audience to stay
loyal to the publication.
9. REPRESENTATION
The main image I used on the contents page is of Lucy (like on the cover and DPS), who as I previously mentioned
is meant to be a big new star on the indie rock scene, which adds to the target audience being attracted to continue
reading the magazine as she would be well known, and have many fans within the indie rock genre. This further
represents my product as being ‘in the know’ and trustworthy because it shows exactly who is currently a major part
of the indie rock world and knows who to promote in order to attract readers. The other images I included reinforce
this because they are from live performances/gigs of indie rock bands. This shows the extent of the publication’s
knowledge on the indie rock genre and represents it as being active in going out and seeing the bands included in
the product first-hand. This also reflects the love for music which is part of my product’s ideology as this is the main
foundation of the indie rock genre. The knowledge of the indie rock genre
and the love for music is also shown through the features I have included,
which are the same as the ones I have included on my cover, but with a
few extra. All the features link to indie rock, music and my target audience,
such as ‘Holy Fire Album Review’ and ‘Upcoming Gigs This Season’. This
reflects my product’s commitment to the music world, and shows that indie
rock is truly the central figure of the magazine. The competition I included
(which is the plug on my cover) also emphasises this because ‘Latitude’ is
a popular British festival at which many indie rock acts perform. This is
appealing to the audience, especially students due to its indie and youthful
vibe.
10. LANGUAGE
I did a smaller, more discrete official title at the top left corner of the page which states ‘Exclusive: Lucy Interview’. This was to
introduce the article so the audience knows who it is about, but I also wanted to break conventions and use a pull quote (the
same one that is on the front cover in relation to the article) as the boldest and biggest font on the page, and essentially use
that as the title. This was because first of all it reflects the indie genre, which breaks the conventions of mainstream music, so I
wanted to put this across to the audience. I also thought it gave the audience an idea of Lucy’s personality and what the article
will be like. As the quote is ‘artificial pop stars make me sick’ it relates to the audience because the hatred of mainstream/chart
music is stereotypically shared amongst indie rock fans, so this will create a rapport with them and would be more effective in
getting them to read on than if the title was simply ‘Lucy’. The main image is conventionally placed of one of the pages of the
DPS, and in most cases it overlaps onto the other page as well. I decided to follow this convention because it reflects the
importance of the artist/band featured on the DPS in the particular genre the magazine is about, like Lucy is meant to be in the
indie rock genre. The image is always of the artist/band featured in the article, clearly showing to the reader who the article will
be centred on. This is why I continued to use Lucy in the main pictures throughout my product as well as on the DPS because
the article is all about her. This works with the title on the DPS to appeal to the reader and make them want to read on.
I placed the article in columns to look more professional
and it provide structure to the article which makes it
much more appealing than if there was bits of texts
randomly placed across the page. I also included a drop
cap to indicate the beginning of the article which further
creates a well structured and professional look to the
DPS. I also included a stand first which is placed at the
beginning of the article. It gives a brief
summary/introduction to the article and the artist/band
featured in it without giving to much away so it hooks the
audience and encourages them to read on and find out
more. I added links to social media (like on the contents
page) at the end of the article, as stereotypically social
media sites are important to my target audience and they
have easy/ constant access to them. It also promotes the
magazine and encourages the reader to link to it on
social media level.
11. AUDIENCE
The article on my double page spread is centred around Lucy, who is meant to be a big new star within the Indie
Rock genre. It is all about her music (e.g. her debut album success and tour), her life and her outlook on other
music, such as chart music. From my focus group Q&A I found that this kind of piece is what my target audience
want as they like to find out about bands/artists from their favourite genre, which in this case is Indie Rock, so this
article will effectively appeal to them. Her supposed views towards chart music, which is very negative, is also the
stereotypical belief amongst fans of Indie Rock, so this will also create a rapport with the audience.
Furthermore, by stating that the article is an ‘exclusive’ in the title of my double page spread, I reinforced that the
audience of the magazine are the only ones who will have access to this article on ‘Lucy.’ This makes them feel
important and included in the magazine, therefore making it more appealing to them.
Also, the subject of the article (Lucy) is a
true lover of music, like the audience of the
magazine would be, as the basis of Indie
Rock is all about the music rather than the
typical culture and lifestyle that comes with
it. This creates a further rapport with the
audience. Therefore, the product is
attractive and appealing to them in this way
too.
I included links to social media again, like
on my contents page. This highlights and
emphasises the importance of social
media/networking in my target audience’s
life, and I use this as a way to then create a
closer relationship between the audience
and the product, which means the
audience are more likely to stay loyal to the
magazine and buy more issues if it was
actually to be published.
12. REPRESENTATION
The main image I used on the DPS is of Lucy (like on the cover and contents page), who as I previously mentioned
is meant to be a big new star on the indie rock scene, which adds to the target audience being attracted to continue
reading the magazine as she would be well known, and have many fans within the indie rock genre. This further
represents my product as being ‘in the know’ and trustworthy because it shows exactly who is currently a major part
of the indie rock world and knows who to promote in order to attract readers. I also styled Lucy to look like a
stereotypical indie rock artist. She is wearing dark clothing, and both her top and the shorts incorporate/are velvet.
This gives her an edgy, alternative look, which is the image most indie rock artists go for, as they are not conforming
to the mainstream style of everyone else. Her natural hairstyle and limited makeup, apart from red lipstick, also add
to the edgy look and show her style is effortless. This reflects the idea that creating music is more important to her
than image, which is the basic ideology of the indie rock genre.
