1. 2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

3. The social group that my magazine is aimed at is a young/teenage, middle class audience. I think that the magazine would appeal to both male and female audiences, however probably slightly favours a female audience as female models were used, although I don’t think this rules out a male audience as much as it would if it were another genre magazine e.g. fashion. To suit my target audience, I have also used teenage, middle class models. I have chosen to compare the artist I am representing on the front of my cover with Florence Welch, from Florence and the Machine. Although there are several obvious differences between the two, the first being that Florence is the lead of her band and therefore is often represented on her own, whereas the models on the front of my magazine are together and I have aimed them to both have equal parts of the band that they are in, rather than one getting more attention than the other. Florence is often the only member of Florence and the machine, and therefore is seen as the ‘face’ of the band and is likely to be seen on a magazine cover on her own (As shown on the slide before) whereas my models appear together. However, I have chosen to compare them to Florence, firstly because of facial expression. On the majority of music magazines I researched with Florence Welch on she had a serious expression (but not off putting or over serious), looking straight into the camera, which is the look I wanted to achieve on the front of my cover. My models both have stern faces but not so that they look unpleasant and put an audience off. Secondly I chose to compare the two because of outfits and inspiration from Florence. I think that Florence’s style represents the genre of my magazine well and I think that I have done well in achieving a look that would not look out of place if she were to wear it. I looked at images of Florence and her fashion earlier in the project to make sure that the outfits I were to use would match the magazine target audience and magazine genre. I carefully chose my models outfits with Florence Welch’s style in mind when dressing my models. I think that when looking at my finial front cover, contents page and double page spreads the outfits do have a good effect and represent the style of clothes that my audience would be wearing, I also made sure to use popular brand clothes e.g. Topshop, H&M to appeal to the middle class audience through that way as well. Another similarity I think that the two share is that when Florence is on the cover of a magazine, it makes it striking due to her pose and particularly hair colour, so the magazine stands out. Although my models images are in black and white on the front cover so the colour does not play a part I have still tried to create a magazine cover that will be notice and I think that the black and white goes towards this. I think that Florence has a ‘presence’ when images of her are used, not only colour but black and white too and this is what I have tried to achieve with my models. I think that when looking at the cover of my magazine also, it would not be hard imagine Florence as my model as she would not look out of place, whereas a Goth, Rock band/singer would.

4. I think that Florence has an appeal to a similar target audience and age range of my magazine. I have aimed my magazine target audience to a teenage/young adult audience who are interested in indie rock/pop music and this is also the audience that Florence and the machine appeal too. Florence and the machine have become more mainstream as their popularity grew so therefore has a certain appeal on the front of a magazine, which works because it will help it too sell as well. Also this relates to the interview on my double page spread as it is introduced saying ‘as they become more and more recognised…’ so The Like and Florence and the Machine are both represented in that way. I think that my artist are more understated and less ‘out there’ than Florence so therefore the artists have differences. I also think they differ in the way that the poses of the two artists are different – however this is due to the magazines photographers and editors rather than the artists. Over all I think The Like and Florence Welch are very similar where audience is concerned, and represent their audience, through clothes, music taste and also even the small details such as hair styling and make up etc. I think that my media product represents this social group again through these things and also through colours and the style of the magazine, if the magazine was pink and used purple font, then this would not be appropriate and represent the social group that I have aimed my magazine’s audience at.