An analysis of three contents pages from various music magazines

1. Main Image: The mainimage on the contentspage isclearlyan enticementstrategyasthe model isanattractive womenwho
isrevealingpartsof herbody,thiswill attractthe attentionof anyone whoisattractedto the model.Atthe veryleastthe
readerwill see the image andbe intriguedasthistechniquewill attractthemto readthe magazine as theywill be interestedin
readingon.Thistechnique basicallyexploitsthe sexual side of everyhumananditworksas it isa basic needandinstinct for
everyhumanwhichisdescribedinMaslow’stheoryof needs. Inaadditionthe directmode of addressisusedtoentice the
audience asthe model islookingatthe audience withaseductive lookwhichisclearlytoentice the readertoreadon. The
mise enscene of the image isclearlyorganisedtoworktogetherwiththe backgroundcolourasthe model iswearingsimilar
colouredclothing
Target Audience: The target
audience isclearlythe male
audience asgenerallywomen
wouldnotbe interestedinthis
style of image.The image exploits
the male gaze as most maleswill
lookto the image ratherthan
women.The image will mostly
entice aman rather a womanso
clearlythe targetaudience is a
male otherwise the magazine
wouldnotbe able to entice many
others.
Camera Shot: The camera
angle andshot of the image
isdone so we can see the
model’sentire body.Thisis
a technique toallowthe
image to entice the targeted
male audience toreadon
throughthe magazine.If the
camera angle wasa close up
of the model’sface,thennot
manyreaderswouldreadon
as the image wouldnot
entice the readertoread as
there isnot muchbeing
revealed.
Colour Scheme:The colourscheme
ismainlybaseduponthe style of
the model or vice visor.The
backgroundcolourmatchesthe
colourof the model’sclothing
whichenhancesthe magazines
style andlook.Aswell the choice of
the colourscheme allowsthe text
to be easilyreadbythe reader
whichallowsthe readertoeasily
answeranyquestionstheyhave.
Headlines: the headline of
the contentspage ismade
to standout, the white text
on blackbackgrounddraws
the reader’sattentionafter
once they’ve hada pretty
goodlookat the model.As
the textiswhite onblack
thenthe readerwill be able
to readthe textfareasier.
Overall,thiscontentspage uses the male gaze highlyas the maincentre price of the page ismade to attract the male’sgaze
whichisused to entice the reader’sattentiontoreadon. Now as the textisverysmall,thistellsusthatthe model iswell
knownas there isno introductionsandthe textdoesnotcentre onherbut side-lined.Asthere isnointrothe model mustbe
well knownandgoodenoughtoentice the readerstoreadon throughthe magazine,thistechnique isveryeffective inthe
worldof musicmagazinesbutinsixthformI believeitisnotso thistechnique will notbe able tobe usedby me inmy final
product.

2. Main Images: The mainimagesthatappear onthe magazine are all the same size butthe use of mise enscene inthe imagesis
whatdraws the reader’seye tothe ‘main’image onthe page.The topleftimage iswearingabrightwhite shirtcomparedtothe
othermodelswhoare wearingdarkerclothing,this choice of propsandclothinginthe image matchthe colourscheme of the
contentspage.Thisshowsthe readerthat thisimage isthe ‘main’image andthat itshowsthe readerwhois goingtobe
mentionedinthe magazine thusenticingthemtoreadon. As well the image isamid-shotthatbringsequalitytothe readerand
the image as the model inthe image isverystylishandneatwhichismainlyperceivedas a verygoodway to lookintoday’s
societysothe readeris thenenticedtoreadon as theywill begintothinkthatthe magazine containsdetailsonsalesor
informationaboutstoresthatsell thissortof ware.So throughthe mise enscene the ‘main’image islinkedinwiththe style of
the page andattracts the reader’sneedtoknowmore about‘lookinggood’asthismusicmagazine isclearlylookingatfashion
as well asmusic.
Direct Mode of Address: All the
imagesonthe contentspage
have modelslookingdirectlyat
youwhichare a technique to
entice the reader.The models
that lookgoodare looking
straightat you whichbrings
allure orenticinglookwhich
makesthe readerwantto read
on throughthe magazine butit
isthe mid-shotthatenhances
the enticinglookasit makesthe
readerbelievethatcouldlook
thisgood.
Headlinesand ColourSchemes:The
headline isakeyfactorin keeping
the style of the musicmagazine as it
isa trademarkforthe magazine but
alsoto readersas thisheadline has
appearedinthiswayon everysingle
magazine theyhave produced.This
helpsmake the readerfeel more
comfortable astheysee familiar
sightswhichwill make themfeel
comfortable aboutwhattheyare
reading.Inaddition,the colour
scheme the headlinesandtexthave
usedare enhancingthe lookof the
magazine asit isblack textonwhite
whichisclearlythe colourscheme of
the magazine.The colourscheme
usedbythe headline sisnotonlyfor
keepingthe style of the magazinebut
alsofor practicality. The blacktextis
easyto see bythe readerso the text
and informationiseasilytakenbythe
readerwhichmakesthe readerable
to see keystoriesandanswertheir
questionsfaster.
Advertisement: Atthe bottom
of the page there isan ad for
the magazine’swebsite which
enhancesthe magazine’sbrand
and customersasit widensthe
reader’s accessto exclusive
stories.Thisisa technique used
by the magazine toretainand
capture more
customers/readersona
differentplatform.
Furthermore,the technique
here isadvertisesmore
informationontheirwebsite
than theycouldintheir
magazine sothe readerwill go
to the website andthe
magazine will make statements
sayingthat the exclusivecanbe
onlybe found‘inthisweek’s
issue’. Adssuchas thisare
commonin mostmagazinesand
commonlyfoundonthe
contentspage as itis one of the
firstpagesthe readerwill see
and readso the ad will mostly
be read bythe majorityof the
viewership.
Overall,the magazine contentspage uses mise en
scene,props,adsand the continuoususe of the
magazine’scolourscheme toentice the readerto
readon throughthe basichumanemotionsof
need,curiosityandgreedasthe anglesof the
mid-shotandthe mise enscene isa lure forthe
readersto believe theycouldlookthisgood.This
enticesthemtoreadon throughthe magazine.
These techniquesusedare veryeffectiveas
throughsimple editingorthe cleverthinkingof
the strategyof whatthe modelsare goingto wear
whichenticesthe customerinmore waysthan
one. These techniqueswill have tobe usedinmy
final productas theyare cleverandveryeffective
inwhat the magazine setsoutto do,entice
readersto readand attract more readersto the
musicmagazine.
Target Audience: The target
audience here isclearlythe male
audience asthe modelsonthe page
are all male.Asstatedbefore,the
magazine almostluresthe male
audience whoare interestedinhow
theylookas the modelsare well
dressed.A female wouldnot
generallybe enticedtoreadthrough
these meanssothe male audience
whotry to lookgoodare the
primaryaudience of the contents
page.

3. Main Image: The mainimage isthe
drummerfroma featuredband
whichshowsusthat the band may be
knownforepicdrum solosor massive
rock musicfeatureslike drumsolos.
As the mainimage iseditedtobe in
blackand white,thistellsusthatthe
bandhe belongstomaybe alternative
or rock in theirmusicgenre.
Furthermore,youcouldgetthe
feelingthatthe bandisrock or
alternative fromthe mise enscene of
the image as the drummeriswearing
a cap pulledbackonhishead.Thisis
not a commonstyle fora mainstream
singersothisleadsto the reader
thinkingthatthe bandcouldbe
alternative orrock.Aswell,the main
image istakenat a lowangle shot
froma distance whichshowsusthat
the drummercouldbe verytalented
and lovedforthisreasonwhichcan
leadto the assumptionthathe isvery
well knowntohisfansand that he
couldbe above us and manyother
musiciansatwhat he does.
Article Title: Asthe article title isinlarge and
above the mainimage,itimmediatelytellsthe
readerthat the twoare relatedandlinked
together. Inaddition,the article title gives
enoughinformationtoconfirmthe reader’s
questionsbutitalsointriguesthemheavilyas
there isno explanatorytextgiven.Astheyare
intriguedandcuriousof the magazine theywill
readon.
ColumnEffect: The smaller
setimagesbelowthe main
image helpstocreate an
organisedfeel thatthe page is
setup ina column.Thishelps
create an aestheticfeel tothe
page as the readerwill feel
more comfortable readingit
and the page won’tseem
disorganisedorall overthe
place to the reader.
Headlines: The headlines
alongwiththe page numbers
use the same colour scheme
and fontwhichkeepsthe
continuityof the magazine
style.Thiscreatesa better
lookto the readeras the
magazine keepsitsstyle all
throughthe magazine which
makesthe readerfeel more
comfortable asthe magazine
isnot shakingthingsupat
everyturnof the page.
Direct Mode of Address:There is no
directmode of addresson this
contentspage as the drummeris
lookingawayfromthe camera.This
reinforcesthe lowangle shotof the
image that the drummerisabove us
on musical talentconcerningthe
drums.The smallerimagesatthe
bottomof the page use directmode
of addresswhichlevelsthe unequal
feelingof the mainimage.The side
imageshelpmake the magazine feel
more openand comfortable tothe
reader.
Background Colours: The
backgroundcolouriswhite so
that the page numbersand
textstandout more.This
makesitfar easierforthe
readeras there isso much on
the page buttheyare able to
findwhattheyare lookingfor
easilywithoutwastingtoo
much time lookingthrough
all the texton the page.The
backgroundcolourbeing
white alsoappliesmore
emphasise onthe imagesas
theystandout more to the
readeras theyare the only
objectsonthe page providing
real coloursto the page.
Overall,Itrulylike thisdesignasitappliesmore
emphasise onthe imagesonthe page andallows
the textto be easilyreadbythe reader.The
magazine’scontentspage designalsogivesthe
readerwhathe/she wantsuponfirstlookasthe
page numberswithboldtextandclearlyread
able onthe imagesallowsthe readertolookonly
for secondsandanswertheirquestions. This
designisveryeffective atmakingiteasierfor
theirreaderstoread theirmagazine andlook
aestheticallypleasingatthe same time.
Target Audience:The target audience
here isgenerallythe fanbase of the
featuredbandsasthe mise enscene
enticesnoone butthe fansof the
featuredbands.
Denotation: The denotationof thiscontentspage
isthat the page isabout alternative/indie rock
bandswhichcan be concludedthroughthe
imagesof the contentspage.
Connotation: The connotationis that thiscould
be an exclusive interviewinside the magazineas
there isa lot of emphasis onthe drummerwhich
isconcludedfromthe article image andtitle and
howthe dominate the page.