Connor Wood created a magazine aimed at younger classic rock fans aged 16-25. He targeted this group because typical classic rock magazines appeal to older audiences. The magazine would be distributed by Bauer Media, which also distributes similar magazines. For the cover, Connor featured a new artist representing the magazine's target demographic. He used styles of dress and posture emulating classic rock icons to appeal to readers. Through the design process, Connor learned to use tools like Photoshop and Publisher effectively and improved conventions like bolder text and clearer formatting compared to his preliminary work.

1. Name : Connor Wood
Candidate Number : 3115
Centre : Aquinas College
As Media Studies
OCR G321: Foundation Portfolio

2. Q1)Who would be the audience
for your media product?

3. Who is it aimed at?

My magazine is similar to Q magazine
and Mojo, as it is aimed at people in
their 16-25 and the genre is classic rock.
I thought this would be successful as my
magazine is aimed at a younger
audience than typical classic rock
magazines and will have a number of
new bands that fit the taste of my target
audience. It is aimed at younger people
(16-25) because of this.

4. Mood Board + Spider Diagram
Read
similar
magazine
s like Q
and Mojo
Men
Target
Audience
Aged
16-30
Likes
bands like
pink Floyd
and led
zeppelin
Like
Classic
Rock

5. More Audience

My magazine is aimed at a gap in the
market that is younger people, 16-25 who
enjoy listening to classic rock music. As
Typical listener of this genre would be
someone a bit older, 30s-40s. My
magazine aims to take both of these target
audiences and combine them together with
one magazine. In my opinion there is a
potential gap in the market as there are no
classic rock magazines aimed at people
younger than 30.

6. Defining Primary Audience

My primary audience would be males from quite a
young age range from 16-25. This is different to
magazines such as Q and Mojo as they both have
older primary audiences. The younger audience for
my magazine would dress like the classic rock stars
in the magazine, and the older readers would
replicate the fashion they wore when they were that
age. My primary audience would be interested in
bands such as “Led Zeppelin”, “Black Sabbath” and
“Pink Floyd”. These bands are very influential in the
world of classic rock and most younger readers will
have discovered these bands through old Vinyl's and
CDs, this will help the readers feel as if they are
breaking the mould.

7. Defining Secondary Audience

My secondary audience would be the older age
range of people aged 30-40. This is typically a
classic rock magazines primary audience, but I have
found a gap in the market as no classic rock
magazines are aimed at the younger audience of 1625. These older readers like to think they are still
young and the music will be reminiscent of their
teenage days when they would listen to these bands
and music. This would provide a good feeling around
the older readers of the magazine as they would
enjoy feeling younger and listening to music that
made them feel nostalgic.

8. Q2)How does your media product
represent particular social
groups?

9. Social Groups:
Clothing

The Cover star I have used is supposed to
summarise the sort of social groups that I
am addressing. For example the choice of
guitar, this make and model of guitar were
previously made and sold in the 70s and
80s and has quite a classic look to it. The
combination of a suit jacket and a hoodie is
quite a smart/casual clothing combination
and this is what stars from the 70s and 80s
used to wear and this is what my target
audience will wear themselves. My cover
star is what I imagine to be a stylish icon
for my target audience.

10. Social Groups:
Stance + Expression

My cover star is standing in quite a
relaxed and rebellious stance as he has
his hands in his pockets, hood up and is
leaning against a wall. The Expression
on the stars face is also portraying a
look that he doesn’t care and his
slouched body language emphasises
this. The stars stance and expression
are contrasting to his quite classy suit
jacket and smart t-shirt.

11. Similar Artists



My cover star is trying to represent a
typical classic rocker who has quite a
retro and smart/casual look about
him/her.
Similar Artists and icons are people like:
Matt Bellamy, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van
Halen and Simon Neil

12. Why?

My cover star is wearing a suit jacket and hoodie
as they contrast against each other as a suit jacket
is very formal and the hoodie is very casual, most
rock stars try and achieve this smart casual look
and so do the readers and target audience. My
cover star has achieved quite a smart/casual “I
don’t care” sort of attitude. This is due to the
stance of him being slouched against the wall, and
having quite a straight face. The red jeans also
suggest that he is quite different and likes to stand
out and enjoys being the centre of attention, which
also adds to his quite a “Bad Attitude”.

13. Q3: What kind of media
institution might distribute your
product?

14. Bauer Media


To distribute my magazine I would use a publishing
company like “Bauer”. I would use “Bauer” as they
are already a well established distribution service
and they have been doing so for a very long time.
They also distribute Kerrang, Q and Mojo, which are
all similar to my magazine so this would compliment
my products. Bauer also own a 50% share in the
British TV company and music show “The Box”. This
is perfect for my magazine as “The Box” could be
used as a platform to promote my magazine to my
target audience. Another advertising opportunity is
that Bauer also own Kerrang TV and Radio. Bauer
Also owns 4Music and Planet Rock, which is the
perfect place to advertise my magazine.
http://www.bauermedia.com/

15. How To Find The Product



As we are currently in the age of social media and
technology, my magazine would use social
networking sites like twitter and Facebook to keep
fans updated. I could also use Instagram to upload
user generated content and create a community
around the magazine, which helps give the
magazine a good reputation and following.
I would also offer a subscription off that overall
achieved a saving for the customer and can come
with a free piece of merchandise, which also benefits
the magazine as it is free promotion if people begin
wearing the magazines T-Shirts.
As Previously stated there would also be adverts on
TV channels owned by Bauer.

16. Promotion








To help promotion BDG could have its
own…
App
T-Shirts
Festival Stage
Mug
Wristband
Special compilation CDs and Albums
Adverts On Kerrang TV and Radio and The
Box

17. Promotion
BDG
BDG
BDG Magazine

18. Q4) In what ways does your
media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions
of real media products.

19. 
My Media product uses a lot of the conventions of a typical
magazine in its sub-genre (Classic Rock). I found out what the
typical reader would like by doing audience research. I have used
typical conventions of magazines like “Q” and “Mojo” which are both
in the same sub-genre as my magazine is. My magazine features a
very large amount of the standard conventions of music magazines,
for example, a short and snappy title, which can appear in a large
font on the front cover of the magazine, which provides my
magazine with a strong brand identity. My Magazine also develops
and varies a bit from the usual conventions of a classic rock
magazine, for example on a classic rock magazine, they wouldn’t
usually have a new artist as a cover star, but my magazine features
a new artist that has the produces music that the typical reader of
my magazine would enjoy listening to. I have made this decision
based on the audience research that I had taken out to try and
achieve typical conventions and musical tastes of the audience for
my magazine.

20. Front Cover Conventions And Comparison

My Magazines front cover uses a lot of the conventions of a typical
magazine in its sub-genre. On this slide I have picked out the main
conventions of a music magazine, and shown where they are
featured in my magazine, and a popular magazine that is in the
same sub-genre.

As you can see my magazine uses lots of the conventions of a
magazine within the same sub-genre. I Think that it also develops
the conventions as typical magazines would have a well known
cover star, but in my magazine I am introducing a totally new cover
star to an audience. I have done this because the star is supposed
to sound like the typical sort of music that a reader would like/enjoy
listening to.

21. Contents Page Conventions And Comparison

Similarly to my front cover, my contents page also uses a lot of the
typical conventions of a Classic rock magazine, like “Q” or “Mojo”.

My magazines contents page uses lots of conventions of a classic
rock music magazine, for example a very bold logo in the header,
giving it a strong brand identity, it also features specific segments
in the contents column, which is a feature of most magazines, all
of these are given some anchoring text to provide a brief
description on what the article is about and give a page number for

22. Double Page Spread Conventions And

My magazine
classic rock
Comparisonalso follows the typical conventions of a magazines
magazines double page spread. I have compared my
double page spread to “Mojo’s” double page spread on Neil Young.
Text
introducing the
reader to the
article
Very Large
image of the
cover star,
filling up a
whole page
and not
crossing over
onto the other
page (Same
with the text)

Large Pull
Quote,
Drawing The
Readers
Attention
Very large
single letter
Text
introducing the
reader to the
article
Large Pull
Quote,
Bringing The
Readers
Attention
Piece of
information
regarding the
star, used to
break up the
text
Very large
single letter to
break up the
text
Very Large
image of the
cover star,
filling up a
whole page
and not
crossing over
onto the other
page (Same
with the text)
Small piece of
text anchoring
the image to
the article.
My magazines double page spread shares a lot of the same
conventions with this magazine, but I have developed those
conventions by adding a box of text in the middle of the article to break
up the text, as if this wasn’t here, the reader may be put off by a very
large wall of text. This small text box also provides the reader with some
extra information about the star. Both magazines have a very distinct
and quite dark colour scheme. Something my magazine has that “Mojo”
magazine doesn’t have is a large header across the top of the page
referencing the magazine it is from, and giving a band name and tag
line. I have decided to do this on my magazine as my star may not be
as recognisable as someone in “Mojo”.

23. Q5) How did you
attract/address your
audience?

24. Front Cover

25. Gender, Age And Genre
Gender:
My magazine is aimed primarily at males, as it is mostly males
that listen to classic rock music, although a small majority of
my audience could be females.

Age:
For my magazine I have decided to target quite a large age
range, from about 16-35. I have chosen a younger age
range as there is a gap in the market as not many classic
rock magazines are aimed at a younger audience.

Genre:
My Magazine falls under the ‘classic rock’ genre. This is
portrayed by the clothes and stance of the cover star, it is
also portrayed by the artists that the articles are about.


26. Colour Scheme And Fonts


For a font I decided to use a font that is
quite simple, looks good bold and is
quite formal. The font I decided to use
was “Copper Gate Gothic Bold”.
The colours I used in my colour scheme
were Grey, White, Black and Red. All of
these colours all work well together and
compliment each other so that the bold
red and black text stands out.

27. Attracting Attention


To attract fans of classic rock I
have summarised the contents of
the issue in the header, the words
“Classic Rock” instantly tell the
reader what the magazine is
about.

The use of a bold and the colour
red help to attract the potential

reader to articles they may want
to read about. The red text also
fits with the colour scheme and
stands out against the light
grey/white background.
I have also added a pug that is
advertising a chance to win a
classic guitar, I chose to use this
guitar as it has very significant
links and connotations with classic
rock music, so fans of classic rock
will remember and like to win one.
The masthead stands out as it is
in a very large and bold font. This
can help to create a strong brand
identity so that wherever people
see that large text they will think
of the magazine.

28. Q6) What have you learnt
about technologies from the
process of constructing this
product?

29. Adobe Photoshop:
Cover Star


I have used Adobe Photoshop to help remove the
background from the images that I have used in my contents
page, front cover and double page spread.
To do this is simply used the “Quick Selection Tool” and
drew around the outline of the image, I then used the
“Subtract From Selection” tool to draw around the inside of
the image (Parts I wanted to keep). When I was happy that
the outline wouldn’t cut out any of the image I wanted I
pressed “Delete” and the background was removed.

30. Microsoft Publisher:
Magazine Design


To put together the actual design for my magazine I used
Microsoft publisher. To help make sure my design was well
organised and that all of the text boxes lined up I used the
ruler tool to make sure they lined up. I also used the stock
Microsoft publisher font as my magazines primary font.
For my double page spread I needed to make sure I added
in a box of text that split up the main block of text that
covered most of the right hand page. To do this I used the
“Text Wrapping” tool to make sure that the text flowed
around the edge of the text box with fluidity.

31. Pugs and Sub-Headings

To complete my front covers pug I used a
combination of adobe Photoshop and Microsoft
publisher. First of all I created on black circle that
was the size I wanted, I then created a grey and
red circle and aligned them so that the next colour
was on the bottom right of the previous circle. I
then saved this as a .png file and imported it into
publisher using the import tool. I then simply
added a text box with invisible edges and typed in
the text that would occupy the pug.

32. Q7) Looking
back at your
preliminary task (Aquinas College
magazine), what do you feel you
have learnt in the progression
to the full product?

33. Practice Front Cover Compared To
Current Front Cover

34. Practice Front Cover Compared To
Current Front Cover



As you can see my preliminary task looked very empty as
there weren’t too many pull quotes and subheadings and all
the text is generally too small and doesn’t really stand out.
The pug is also very small and hard to read.
In comparison the text and pugs on my finished front cover
are a great improvement as they stand out against the
background and are very bold, also the largest text is in red,
differentiating it from the rest of the text.
The background also has quite a drastic gradient which
means that it is hard to keep a common house style across
the magazine, as some font colours clash with the black or
red. As you can see I have learnt from that mistake and
made the gradient a lot less striking in my final front cover as
I made it light grey and white. This worked better as I can
keep a good house style throughout the magazine.

35. Practice Contents Page Compared To
Current Contents Page

36. Practice Contents Page Compared To
Current Contents Page


My preliminary magazine’s contents page had the same
problem as the front cover, the colour scheme didn’t really
work and was very weak, the background clashed with the
colour scheme and the only letters that were clear were
those in white, and even towards the bottom of the page they
started to look weaker and weaker. There was also a distinct
lack of information that was anchoring the images and
contents.
In comparison my final contents page has improved lots as
the text is a lot larger and bolder, so its easier to see and
clearer for the potential reader. There is also anchoring text
that is underneath the contents text and headings and under
the images which gives the reader a bit more information
about what they’ll be reading about.

37. What have I learnt in this process and
how has it affected my creative skills?

Throughout the process of creating my preliminary magazine
and creating my final music magazine I feel that I have learnt
a lot of publisher and Photoshop skills and these have
helped me to improve my magazines. I have also learnt
about competition between magazines, like Q, Mojo and
Classic rock magazines, I have also learnt about media
distribution agencies like Bauer, and how they have
branched out of producing magazines to help promote their
own magazines. I feel that this has positively affected my
creative skills as I have been influenced by these magazines
and companies and I have taken what I think to be the best
bits of these magazines and compiled them into my own
classic rock magazine that my audience research has
proved that there is a need for as there are no magazines
like it.

38. Choosing A Cover Image


To choose a front cover image first of all I made an image contact
sheet which help me pick a shortlist for the best cover images. The
contact sheet shows images that I will not be using (Crossed),
images that I could potentially use (Ticks) and the finals images that
I will be using (Starred).
To decide which images to use I thought of typical cover stars that
would be in a classic rock magazines and fitted the criteria that the
star had an instrument, had a smart/casual look, looked rebellious
and had an appropriate facial expression. I also wanted the cover
star to be looking into the camera as this would break the fourth wall
and this gives the impression that the cover star doesn’t care very
much about people looking and judging at him, it’ll also create a link
with the reader and the reader will feel connected with the star. This
helped me determine my final images.

39. Choosing A Font To Use

40. Choosing A Font To Use

To choose a font I used a similar process that was used to
determine which cover image I would use. I decided my final text
based on the one which fitted the conventions of a typical classic
rock magazine, the final font I chose was “Cooppergate
Gothic Bold”. I decided to use this font as it looked good bold
and stood out well on the page. It also fitted the conventions of a
classic rock magazines font, but also had quite a gothic look to it
add to the “Rock Music” effect. I didn’t choose any of the fonts like
“04b03rev”, “Terminal” and “Superdanger” as they didn’t work very
well as large fonts as the text stretched and became very pixelated.
They were also relatively hard to read on the first glance, which isn't
good as when most people buy a magazine the will look at which
one is the most appealing, and if they cant read the font, then they
won't read the magazine. Fonts like “Leelawadee” and “Myriad Web
Pro” are also not fitting for the magazine as they are just too small
and quite thin and look very boring. I decided that “Coppergate
Gothic Bold” worked well as it was very attractive and looked great
bold.