The document discusses the design elements of the front cover, double page spread, and contents page of the magazine "MSL". Key elements included on the front cover are the masthead, sell lines, main image, barcode, and price. For the double page spread, conventions like stand firsts, captions, and pull quotes are followed. The contents page includes headers, subheaders, and continuity of brand identity from the front cover. Feedback was mainly positive but suggested some areas could be less busy.
2. The front cover of „MSL‟ contains: a mast head, sell lines, main image,
barcode, banner, price, date and a main image showing the main feature of
the magazine. Through research I was able to understand magazine codes
and conventions. Mainly looking at other music magazines I have been able
to see what appeals to the targeted demographic. They use these
components to catch the Target Audience eye and persuading them to buy
it. It is simple and image heavy, bright and bold „simple‟ colours to attract
attention and to stand out over other competing magazines. NME has a bold
red mast head. This is similar to my magazine, as it has a bright pink/purple
mast head. Theses colours are chosen especially for my TA. Also my front
page consists of a main image where the model is looking at the camera, and
the image is right underneath the mast head. Some magazines have the
main image covering the mast head, but as my magazine is not an
established one, it shouldn‟t have this style for a front cover.
3. My magazine and Kerrang
For my double page spread, I have stuck to codes and
conventions, as a DPS consists of: A stand first, captions,
body copies, smaller images, a pull quote, main image
and a box containing facts about the featured artist. I
took this into account when developing my DPS.
However, what makes each DPS unique is the layout.
Some may have the main image as the background,
whilst some may have the smaller images in different
places and there maybe less or more of them. In my
double page spread I have a „banner‟ type display of my
smaller images above the text. The way in which the body
copy has been placed may be unconventional but still
holds pull quotes and text which is appropriate for the TA.
4. My Contents page includes: Headers and sub
headings, original images, brand identity as it the
same design follows on from the front cover. The
idea of continuity is important in MSL as I feel the
audience should be able to identify with the
magazine throughout The text stays towards the
left hand side with the images on the right; it also
includes Twitter and Facebook icons to show that
you can follow them online. I feel that the use of
Twitter and Facebook gives the reader more.
They are able to find out information about my
magazine in a modern way. It makes it easier for
other people to be aware of the magazine. A
contents page from a magazine such as „Q
magazine‟ has the same colours as the front page
and another main image to continue what the
main feature of the magazine is.
5. Gender was important when carrying out my magazine project.
Music magazines generally have more male readers, for
example NME. My music magazine is aimed at girls within the
age range of 16-24. I felt this was important as rock and indie
are not mainly aimed at girls. This magazine would allow a
whole new demographic to be targeted.
Most music magazines are aimed at lower class to low middle
class readers, by using such selling tools as discounts for their
favourite shops, freebies and cover mounts. This is all to do with
how much money the TA makes and how much money they are
willing to spend on the things they want. My magazine is similar
to this class but again mainly aiming for middle class girls,
offering such freebies as discounts and free vouchers to their
favourite fashion shops.
British youth is represented throughout magazines by bringing
to light their likes and interests which feature throughout the
magazine such as drinking, partying, relationships etc...
6. NatMag owns my magazine as it mainly holds
women‟s lifestyle magazines. They focus on woman‟s
magazines and women‟s lives in general. A new
edition to this chain of successful magazines would
broaden their diversity and the age of its readers. This
will help it deliver the magazine properly as they
have experience in distributing magazines of
such, also knowing what marketing strategies work
best for their target audience.
Natmag owns magazines such as
Cosmopolitan, Company and Comso bride.
7. The target audience for MSL is 16-24 year old females
of a lower to low middle class demographic. They like
to go out with their friends and have committed
relationships; but their main passion is music and what
the latest news and greatest up and coming bands
are. Music is their life and not many outlets for their
passion are available to be used by them. This is
where „Mic Sound Lights‟ is available for them to use.
8. My magazine would successfully appeal to my TA due to the sell lines
on the front cover. The sell lines cover a wide range of topics such as
music, fashion and relationships.
This will appeal to the readers as it shows how diverse the magazine
is; although the sell lines are mainly based on music, as it is a music
magazine. The magazine is different as it is a rock/pop/indie
magazine aimed mainly for girls which is rare in the music magazine
industry. The Mode of Address to which the target audience interprets
it is appropriate as it speaks to them directly, making them feel part
of something bigger. An exclusive magazine for a small demographic
will be widely received in a positive way as this is a magazine that has
been created for a sub group that has been ignored and can now be
more interactive with others that listen to the same genre of music as
them.
By creating msl.com opens a new and social network site.
9. Post production feedback consisted of mainly positive
reviews although some areas need of improvement to
fully appeal to my target audience:
“ the double page spread is unique and
digestible, definitely some thing I would sit down to read”
“i love the images on the contents page, the details are
really attracting”
“it looks a bit too busy, too many things going on at once”
for more information look at my post production
feedback sheet on: www.nicollesbroderick.blogspot.co.uk .
10. Technology skills that I have learnt are :
Blogger.com and movies maker linked to YouTube.
Photoshop was time consuming and in some aspects
confusing. However it helped me to create my practical's
in a fast efficient way , being able to create the look that I
wanted.
Blogger helped me keep track and analyse my on going
work and being able to publish my finished work. Using
blogger was difficult at first as you had to design what
you wanted to look like and being able to transform word
documents into online pages.
However once over coming these problems blogger was
very accessible and easy to understand
11. I have been able to develop a number of different things
since carrying out the preliminary task . These include
being able to create multiple tasks at once using different
programmes. I am now also able to brainstorm and
create new ideas for a different types of magazine and
have learnt how to explore different types of styles and
replicating them to create conventions with in the
magazine industry. By being able to carry out these skills
my magazine will look authentic.
I have improved creating a front page by researching
more on conventions making my front page seem more
like others in the industry therefore yet making MSL stand
out.