The document describes the conventions and design elements used in the magazine cover and layout, including: 1. Features on the cover like the masthead, date, bar code, and main image associated with the headline story. 2. Design choices for the cover like using red for the background and outlining some text to create a brand identity. 3. Elements included on the contents page like the cover images, date, coverlines, and descriptions of stories. 4. Conventions followed for double page stories like font size, inclusion of facts, more text than images, and photos from interviews.

1. The following list of elements is the
conventions of that I’ve followed:
1. Skyline – guarantee the quality and trustworthiness of
my product
2. Date of issue – basic publishing information
3. Font of masthead – house style [stay constant]
4. Pug – free ‘gift’ with the product
5. Splash – relatively larger font to stand out from other
coverlines
6. Bar code at the bottom
7. One main image associated with the headline story
8. Other coverlines – other articles and contents

2. At the same time
1. The background colour is red
- Stands out from the crowd
- As most of the existing products make black or white as background which
audience may find them a bit boring and thus reduce their interest in picking them
up amongst the chunks of magazines.
- Connotes the confidence of the subjects and their passion towards the music
which has make them excited about getting into the music industry in Europe.
2. ‘aK’ is coloured, whilst ‘Zone’ is only outlined
- ‘aK Zone’ sounds like a ‘united nation’ that everything about Asian pop are
gathered in this magazine.
- However as the masthead is quite long, by colouring ‘aK’ which distributes it as a
relatively more important icon of the magazine, may create a brand identity with
just the 2 letters – ‘aK’ .

3. • 3. Besides the ‘normal’ date of
issue
- I also put another translated version
underneath (it may be any Asian
characters, but I used Chinese on
my product because this is my
nationality)
- This connotes the genre of my
magazine – Asian pop and a united
international approach to pop
music.
• And also, (in my opinion) I think
most foreigners will always be
attracted by Asian characters such
as Chinese, Korean and Japanese
when they appear in a particular
‘thing’ like magazines, films or
graffiti.
• Therefore by adding a few Chinese
characters (especially they’re at the
top corner), my target audience will
be attracted and check out what
magazine is that as it is my USP.

4. Coverlines
- They are distributed in
different ways
- Some relatively minor ones
are just listed out with their
main characters
- A few more special or
interesting ones will be
associated with a short
description
- This can make the front page
looks less wordy but still
informative.

5. Conventions that I’ve followed on the
contents page
• The image of the magazine front page at the top left corner
• Date of issue at the top right corner
• A list of coverlines with short description underneath each
• Main story will be in a relatively larger font
• ‘Free’ in the pug is bolded and in red to catch audience’s attention
• However, in comparison to the usual layout especially English magazines
• There aren’t many ‘proper’ photographs, but the cut-ups of the main characters of the
headlines story, which connotes their energetic approach to start the Asian popular music in
Europe
• In this case there are no direct address, which connotes the bands are carefree - it’s a very
youthful representation
• ‘What’s hot’ may sound less boring than just literally ‘Content’, connoting it’s important to be
in fashion

6. Conventions that I’ve followed on the
double page spread
• Font size is 12
• Fact file of the subject
(especially when they’re
new to the audience)
• More texts than images
• (this is conventional in any type of Asian magazines) extra information of make-
up, styling or photographing at the top corner
• Usually a quote as the title of a paragraph
• A few extra photographs of the subjects
• (this is conventional in any type of Asian magazines) photographs of subjects
during the interviews which can make the article more realistic to the audience as
if they’re ‘watching’ the interview.