The document discusses how the creator of a music magazine challenged conventions from existing music magazines like Billboard in developing their own magazine cover, contents page, and double page spread. Specifically, they centralized the masthead on the cover, placed it above the image instead of following the color scheme of the logo. On the contents page, they vertically wrote the heading on the left instead of the top right. For the double page spread, they placed the text on right, left and center of the spread instead of just left, and used a band image instead of an individual artist. Overall, the creator sought to challenge placement conventions while maintaining consistent color schemes to develop their own magazine for a target audience of teenagers and young adults.

1. By: daniyal sattar

2. Q1. How does your product
use or challenge
conventions and how does it
represents social group or
issues?

3. I think that the cover page of a Music Magazine is
the most important part of any music magazine. It is
because it gives the audience the know how of what
to expect from the magazine and interests the
reader into buying it.
Which is why I have paid a lot of attention to what
goes into the cover page of my music magazine.
Consulting various examples of magazines such as
Billboard, Rolling Stones,Vibe etc. I used, developed
and challenged various codes and conventions of a
music magazine.

4. Considering that I kept “Billboard” as my ideal in the
process of development of my music magazine it is
only just to prove my uses, development and
challenges of the codes and conventions of a
magazine by comparing it to one of the Billboard's
own magazine.

5. In this particular comparison between the mastheads I have to say
that I have chosen to CHALLENGE the convention of an existing
music magazine.The difference is clear.The mast head of my
magazine’s cover page is much more centralized as compared to
the Billboard’s magazine's cover page.The font chosen is
obviously different but the one of the most important convention
that I have challenged is the placement of the mast head with
respect to the main image on the cover page.I decided to take the
mast head of my magazine’s cover page above the image. And
one other convention that I have challenged is the color scheme
of the mast head. It can be seen that the Billboard magazine’s
mast head follows the color scheme as per their logo, where as I
decided to keep my music magazines mast head fairly simple and
one compared with the image.

6. In this particular comparison between the features of
the magazine, I have decided to DEVELOP the
conventions of the existing music magazine. As it can be
seen, the arrangement of the features remain the same,
however the quantity of features are lesser
comparatively. Also the additional features such as
bonuses are also present in both the magazines however
the placement is something I CHALLENGED.The
placement of additional features of an existing music
magazine are placed in the top right corner of the cover
page where as in my music magazine they are a little left
and below of the cover page.

7. In this particular comparison between the
cover line of the music magazine, I have
decided to CHALLENGE the convention of an
existing music magazine. In the existing
music magazine the cover line towards the
right of the cover page whereas the cover line
of my music magazine is on the left side.

8. In this particular comparison between the
placement of barcode and issue date of my
magazine to an existing music magazine, I have
decided to USE the convention as it is i.e.
towards the lower left of the cover page to
occupy less space and does not appear
prominently to the reader.

9. The main image of a music magazine cover page is
the main attention grabber and one of the most
important convention of a music magazine.
Although the placement of the image is the same
in this comparison however I have CHALLENGED
the camera shot of the existing music magazine.
The camera shot used in the existing music
magazine cover page is a close up where as the
shot I decided to take is a long shot, and without
replacing the natural background with plain white
background as done in the existing music
magazine cover page.

10. In this particular comparison between the
convention of direct mode of address in the
magazine, I have decided to USE the
convention as it is. However one of my models
is wearing shades preventing the reader to
know exactly where he looks but I have
positioned his in a way (behind the other to
models) to make it less attention grabbing
point.

11. In this particular comparison of color scheme
between my music magazine and an existing
music magazine in term of consistency, I have
decided to USE the convention.As it is a sign of
professionalism to keep a color scheme
consistant.

12. This here is the contents page of my music
magazine.This page hold a lot of significance
because it lets the reader know what there is in
the magazine.
Which is why I have paid a lot of attention to what
goes into the contents page of my music
magazine. Consulting various examples of
magazines such as Billboard, Rolling Stones,Vibe
etc. I used, developed and challenged various
codes and conventions of a music magazine.

13. Considering that I kept “Billboard” as my ideal in
the process of development of my music
magazine it is only just to prove my uses,
development and challenges of the codes and
conventions of a magazine by comparing it to
one of the Billboard's own magazine.

14. In this particular comparison between headings
of the two magazines I have chosen to
CHALLENGE the convention. In an existing
music magazine the heading “Contents” is a
little more toward the top right of the page
where as in my music magazines contents page
the heading “contents” is vertically written on
the left side of the page.

15. In this particular comparison between the
subheadings of an existing music magazine and
my music magazine I have chosen to USE the
convention. Firstly the color of the of the
subheadings is different than the rest of the
text but placement is somewhat not the same
i.e. my page placement is toward the right of
the page but that magazine’s placement is on
the left side of the page.

16. In this particular comparison between the
images of an existing music magazine and my
music magazine I have chosen to CHALLAHGE
the convention . I haven’t used subsidiary
image. Secondly the main image, rather than
putting it away from the line of pictures, I put
them along the line differentiated by the
outline and size of the image.

17. In this particular comparison between
placement of page numbers I have chosen to
CHALLENGE the convention of an existing
music magazine.The page number of my music
magazine is in the bottom left corner than the
right corner and in a bubble to stand out.

18. This here is the double spread
page of my music magazine.This
component of the magazine is
really important as this is the main
highlight and main attraction, in
terms of text, in the magaizne.

19. Considering that I kept “Billboard”
as my ideal in the process of
development of my music
magazine it is only just to prove
my uses, development and
challenges of the codes and
conventions of a magazine by
comparing it to one of the
Billboard's own magazine.

20. In this particular comparison between the heading
of the double page spread on an existing music
magazine and my music magazine I have decided
to CHALLENGE the convention. Firstly the obvious
difference is that along with heading the entire
placement of the double spread page is different
i.e. the text of my music magazine is on the right,
left and above center and image on the middle of
the double spread page where as that is not the
case in an existing music magazine.

21. In this particular comparison between the image
of the double spread page of an existing music
magazine and my music magazine I have chosen
to CHALLENGE the convention.The first
difference being its placement, image in my
magazine is on the middle of the double spread
page but not on the right page. Secondly the
image I put up is of a band and not an individual
artist.Thirdly, the editing of the picture is
completely different as I have kept it more
realistic.

22. In this particular comparison between the text of a
music magazine of an existing music magazine
and my music magazine I have chosen to
CHALLENGE the placement. I have chosen to
place the text on the right page, left and on the
center of the double spread page rather than on
the left plus I have not added any text behind the
image. However I paragraphed the text in the
same way as it was done in the existing music
magazine.

23. Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock
music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Hard
rock had been established as a mainstream genre by 1965.
From the end of the 1960s, it became common to divide
mainstream rock music into soft and hard rock, with both
emerging as major radio formats in the US. Soft rock was
often derived from folk rock, using acoustic instruments and
putting more emphasis on melody and harmonies. Major
artists included Carole King,Cat Stevens,The Hollies, James
Taylor and Bread. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on
themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre
tends to make heavy use of acoustic
guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes saxophones.
The electric guitars in soft rock are normally faint and high-
pitched.

24. The target audiences for my music magazine,
as mentioned before, are teenagers and
young adults firstly because of the selection
of the genre. Secondly because of the
content of the magazine. Lets see each
component one by one.

25. Starting off with the main image of the cover page
of my music magazine, the model and his “style”
seems more appealing to a younger audience.
Given the changing fashion trends of today, the
leather jacket, the posture of the model and his
clothing is reaching out to a larger number of
younger audience rather than grown ups.
Secondly, the color scheme of the magazine cover
page i.e. black, white, yellow is representing a
social group that is neither for professional grown
ups, nor is it too childish and hence, young adults.
The price of my magazine is in the reach of an
ordinary person, I have kept it in a reasonable
price limit to attract a larger “price conscious”
audience, but another reason is that my target
audience is willing to pay within his limit of price.

26. Starting off with the color scheme of the
contents page, again these colors i.e. yellow,
black and white are more appealing to a
younger generation.
Secondly the content is all about the latest
music, parties and interview with the young
band (that too falls into the same age
category as that of my target audience) and
so the content attracts teenager and young
adults.
Thirdly the image, the main image is again of
the person that fall under the same age
category as my target audience. Plus the
gesture of the model is somewhat attractive
which also shortens the list of admirers of the
magazine to a younger audience.

27. Starting of with the image of my
double spread page, the models
and their get up is representing a
particular social group that not only
likes soft rock music but is
somewhat a admirer the back
ground image.This along with the
fact that the models fall under the
same age category as the target
audience for my magazine it is
easier to reach out to them.
Secondly the content again is
attracting teenagers and young
adults that are fans of the band and
want t o know more about them.