The document discusses how a media product called Surge Magazine uses, develops, and challenges conventions of real music magazines. It follows many conventions such as using coverlines, puns, a masthead on the cover, and a similar layout for articles and features pages. However, it challenges the stereotype of electronic dance music being male-dominated by featuring a female DJ on the cover and in a featured article, as women in the genre do not receive enough recognition. The magazine was mainly inspired by dance and clubbing magazines like Mixmag and develops some conventions further, such as using 4 columns on a double-page spread instead of the typical 3 columns.

1. In what ways does your
media product
use, develop or
challenge forms and
conventions of real
media products?

2. My product, Surge Magazine, was mainly inspired and influenced by
dance and clubbing magazine:
I followed most
of the codes and conventions which I found from my research into
and other dance music magazines such as
and
However, I chose to challenge the stereotype of EDM being a male
dominated genre. I chose to use a female DJ for the front cover and
in the feature article of my magazine as I feel that the women in the
EDM industry do not gain enough recognition.

3. Front Cover: Masthead
I have followed the codes and conventions of music magazines here as the main
image on the cover of the magazine is
Superimposed over the masthead. I have noticed that this is a common feature
used in magazines, just as it is used in Mixmag above. This superimposition
indicates that the brand is well-known and would be recognizable by the public
however it is displayed. I wanted my magazine to be represented as a confident
and successful brand. Therefore I have conformed to these codes and conventions.

4. Coverlines
Surge
Mixmag
Elektro
I have followed the codes and conventions here by adding a list of artists in a puff
on my front cover. This is also shown on Mixmag‟s front cover and Elektro‟s cover.
This creates a wider audience in which the reader may recognize the other artists
and be more likely to buy and read the magazine. This also fully-defines the genre
of magazine in which these artists will be heavily featured within the magazine.

5. Barcode
I have followed the codes and conventions here by using a
barcode within my product, with a website and a price. However I
have chosen to place this information below my masthead as
opposed to in the bottom left hand corner. This is because I have
challenged the codes and conventions by changing the
placement of my strapline. Therefore having no room for a
barcode in the bottom third of my cover.

6. Strapline
:
I have followed the codes and conventions of using a
strapline on my cover. I was inspired by Mixmag‟s
strapline(above). My strapline is effective and would make
the magazine more appealing to the reader as “biggest” is a
superlative, and so places my magazine at the top of the
hierarchy. It makes the audience feel as if they are getting
the best, most exclusive information there is to offer. In
Surge magazine however, I placed the strapline at the
bottom of the cover, as opposed to the top like Mixmag
does, as I feel it suited better here and did not distract the
attention away from the headline.

7. Contents Layout
I followed most of the codes
and conventions displayed by
Mixmag for my contents page.
I used a dark background, as I
feel the contents page should
be more informative and so
the plain background suited
the busy content on the page.
Like Mixmag, I have used one
main image, and others which
anchor the titles of the
features in the magazine.
Surge
Mixmag
I have followed the codes and
conventions displayed by Mixmag of
placing the page number of the feature
that relates to the picture on the page.
Due to the target audience being
young, pictures would appeal to the
audience. Therefore linking the
pictures to pages would make the
content clearer and allow easy access
to the content in the magazine.

8. Puns
I have followed the codes and conventions of using puns in my
magazine to appeal to a younger audience and make the experience
of reading Surge magazine, more lighthearted and pleasurable. The
puns that I have used mostly require a background knowledge of the
EDM genre to be understood. Therefore my audience will understand
them and feel knowledgeable, this has then resulted in audience
gratification. A consumer is more likely to create brand loyalty with a
product which gratifies them. Therefore this could result in more sales
and loyal consumers.

9. Surge
Mixmag
I have followed the codes and conventions displayed by Mixmag
magazine.. I have used sub-sections in my contents page to break
up and categorize the text. I feel that this appeals to the young
audience as a big group of text may not appear aesthetically
pleasing. I have made these sub-section titles in bright colours to
connote the rave scene in which the EDM genre in associated
with.

10. Here I have featured other artists‟
album covers. These will create a
wider audience as the audience would
recognize these album covers and
then would be more likely to read the
material featuring them. This could
lead to brand loyalty, where the
audience may like the material and
continue to buy the magazine. Here I
have featured my own album cover
which I created using
Photoshop, featuring my artist who is
the main feature of Surge magazine.

11. Here I followed the codes and conventions by placing the issue date, and name of the
brand at the top of the page by the contents title. I have also used the same font for
the name “Surge” wherever it is seen in the magazine. This ensures that the
masthead is recognizable wherever it is placed.
I have used page numbers in the bottom left hand corner of the
pages, this follows the codes and conventions of most magazines
and ensures clear movement around the content.

12. DPS
Layout
Surge
Mixmag
I followed the codes and conventions displayed by
Mixmag, by using 4 columns in my DPS. Which is
unusual, as 3 columns are the generic code and
convention followed. I feel by using 4, more copy
can be displayed. Due to the audience being
mature, I feel they would like to be informed in
detail and therefore this would suit the target
audience. I used one main image, in which the
page could act as a poster page. This follows the
codes and conventions that Mixmag have
displayed. This may appeal to the younger section
within my target audience, who may still cover

13. Main
Image
My main image uses direct mode of
address (eye contact) to draw the reader
into the image. I have used Photoshop to
add shadowing to one half of her face.
This infers that there is another side to
Frankie. The readers may see this and
read the article to find out more about her.
I have used photo manipulation in
Photoshop to add an effect behind the
model. This effect gives a fire-y/electric
look, which links with the genre of music
as well as the brand name „Surge‟ as the
effect looks like a „surge‟ of electricity.

14. Quotes
Surge
Mixmag
I have followed the
codes and conventions
by embedding
enlarged quotes from
my artist amongst the
article and main image.
This anchors the article
and ensures that the
reader understands
what the article is
featuring, in which they
will then carry on to
read the article.

15. Here, I have added extra boxes of information about my
artist. This follows the codes and conventions of music
magazines as more information is provided for the reader.
Due to my artist appearing as aspirational, my audience can
therefore view exclusive information from this, where they
may then purchase the magazine again for more exclusive
information. This process is called creating brand loyalty.