This document analyzes the front cover, contents page, advertisements, and feature page of a student-created magazine. It discusses how each element uses, develops, or challenges conventions of real media products in various ways. For the front cover, conventions like direct gaze of the model and sell line are used, while color scheme and masthead placement are developed. The contents page follows columns and numbering conventions but adds an unconventional ending. Advertisements minimize text against convention but focus attention on products. The feature page layout appeals to young adults with multiple images and text placed unconventionally. Overall, the magazine both conforms to and innovates on conventions of real media.

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

2. MY PRODUCTION

3. FRONT COVER

4. Masthead
• Large, bold, serif-style font for an
older target audience due to
sophisticated connotations
(Barthes).
• Positioned at the top middle of the
page to draw the eye of the reader-
this is a new magazine so the title of
the magazine needs to be clear.
• Placed behind the image, so the
model is the main focal point and
indicates that the title of the
magazine is well-known and easily
readable.
Typical existing
media products
that use similar
mastheads:

5. Main Image
• Medium close-up of the model is conventional.
Also uses direct mode of address to create a
relationship with the reader (Uses and Grats).
The black eyeliner on the model emphasises this
further.
• High key lighting is conventional.
• Mise-en-scène: red dress and red lips connote
passion (Barthes) and sexualises the model
(Mulvey).
• Image suggests that the model is an
icon/celebrity- StarTheory (Dyer) promotes an
image of a person as a selling point in a
production.This will appeal to hegemonic youth-
they may feed into this ideology as they are
stereotypically more interested in celebrities.

6. Sell-Line
• I chose to use a conventional sell-line- it
relates to my production by informing the
reader what content is included in my
magazine (uses and grats).
• I used a contrasting colour to the
background- it stands out to captivate
attention.
• Using a different font and colour relative to
the masthead follows further codes and
conventions deliberately differentiating
them from each other.This follows the
expected generic norms, so therefore
conforms to my target audience’s beliefs as
the text is relatable and familiar to them.

7. AnchorText/Language
• “The Style Issue”- some regional/lifestyle
magazines have issues particular to a topic, and
style is a common issue (see left for examples).
• “Exclusive”- makes the reader feel that they are
getting more with this issue and creates enigmas
(Barthes).
• Continues the red, black and white colour scheme
for consistency and professionalism.

8. House Style & Colours
• Use of bold colours throughout (particularly red and
white) will appeal to my target audience- the red
reinforces bold and daring connotations (Barthes),
which a hegemonic young adult may relate to.
• Colours are not gender specific so can appeal to both-
the target audience I was intending to hit.
• Follows conventions of using contrasting colours
overlapping image.
• White text against a red background is a common
convention- my production challenges this by having
red text on a white background. Also uses this
convention by having the model’s red dress as a
background for white writing.

9. CONTENTS PAGE

10. Fonts & Features
• Short and snappy insights into articles offered- allows for
a range of needs to be covered and informs reader (uses
and grats).
• Genre headings highlighted to draw attention and title
headings in serif font for sophisticated connotations
(Barthes). This would appeal to the middle-aged adults
in my target audience as it reflects their ideologies, in
turn reflecting their preferences and beliefs of how a
contents page should look.
• Title placed at the top-left- conventional positioning.
• Although the way that I have ended the page is
unconventional (using a line with the web address, date,
page number and logo) I feel it further reinforces the
brand name and therefore the producers of the
magazine (brand awareness). However, it would have
been just as unconventional to have text reach the
bottom of the page- this was therefore an effective way
to end the page.

11. Rows & Columns
• Organised text allows for easy reading- clearly
accessible information can lead to fulfilment of
individual and informative needs (uses and grats).
• Tabs separating each section conventionally larger
which I went on to replicate in my own production
as it clearly distinguishes articles from each other.
• Three columns of text is typical of contents pages
so this follows conventions.
• Columns separated by headings: Art, Fashion and
Life. This gives an indication as to what content the
magazine offers so fulfils informative needs (uses
and grats) and continues the genres in the sell-line
of the production for consistency and
professionalism.

12. Numbering
• Numbers lay on the left of the page, in a
structured vertical line, which is
conventional as seen by the examples (see
left).This allows for easy navigation to fulfil
individual’s needs and informs them (uses
and grats).
• Page number on bottom-right of page is
conventional for ease of navigation.
• The number at the bottom of the portrait
provides informative and navigational needs
so that the audience can find the article
associated with the image.

13. Images
• I followed the conventions of using images to break up the
text on the page- easier to focus for the young adults in my
target audience (as they have a stereotypically lower
attention span).
• The images themselves conform to the conventions, using a
variety of shots.The close-ups use direct mode of address
which establish a relationship with the audience (uses and
grats) and the long shots allow the audience to identify with
the image.
• Product shots aren’t common in normal regional magazines,
but in style issues of regional magazines, product shots,
particularly of clothes, accessories and cosmetics, are
conventional.
• High-key lighting in photographs follows conventions.
• The images allow the audience to visualise the relevant
article, creating more of a meaning and relationship with the
audience.
• The front cover image is unconventional in a contents page,
but I included it in order to remind the audience of the
producers- this reinforces brand awareness.
• The fashion images (see bottom-right) are from London
Fashion Week- I included these to mimic how a real
magazine would work and to tie in with the magazine’s date
and “style issue” title.

14. ADVERTISEMENTS

15. Text
• Minimal text- only the logo present.This keeps the
focus on the image- and therefore the product- as
well as the brand that the audience can buy it from.
Because of this focus, I think that these adverts are
effective, even if most advertisements use more text
e.g. a sell-line, contact details or address (challenges
conventions).
• Positioning of the logo is unconventional- typically it
would be at the top, but I wanted the product image
to be the dominant focus of the page.
• Used a serif font which would appeal to my target
audience and reflects the product- quality, cared for.

16. Image 1 • In order to appeal to the audience, I followed the
conventions of high-key lighting in my image.This allows the
audience to clearly visualise the product offered, and
therefore receive the preferred reading (ReceptionTheory,
Hall) of wanting to buy into the product.
• A mid close-up is conventional for a jewellery advert on a
model, as it is positioning (Hall) the audience to admire the
potential product that they are buying into.
• I enhanced the colours in post-production so that the image
is more vibrant- it catches more attention so more people
will be attracted to the images, and therefore the product.
• The pose of the model draws the attention straight to the
jewellery, and I avoided the convention of using direct mode
of address as I wanted the focus to be purely on the product
(challenges uses and grats theory).
• I wanted to encourage diversity and culture, which is why I
have included models of different ethnicities in my
production- this contradicts typical conventions (and also
Alvarado and Hall’s theory on the representation of ethnic
minorities) but makes my product accessible to a greater
range of people.

17. Image 2
• The image uses dismemberment (Goffman), as only a
certain part of the women’s body is shown in the
frame- her eyes are not featured, therefore
dehumanises the model.This is something I would not
usually like to encourage, however I thought that by
involving eyes and using direct mode of address, I
would be detracting attention away from the product
(as it would be creating a relationship between the
model and the audience- uses and grats).
• I edited the colours in post-production- the main part
of the image is in black and white, leaving the product
in colour to alleviate attention.The only other part of
the image in colour are the model’s lips in pink/red- this
sexualises the model as it connotes (Barthes) passion,
corresponding to Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze.

18. FEATURE PAGE

19. Layout
• My layout was inspired by Marie Claire’s feature
page (see left). Because this is a fashion
magazine, my feature page does not follow
ordinary regional magazine conventions, but
fashion ones.
• Multiple images and minimal text appeals to the
young adults in my target audience because of
their stereotypically lower attention spans.
• Name of magazine in top-left corner reinforces
brand image and awareness by reminding the
audience of who produced the magazine.
• Unconventional layout- usually a split half
image, half text layout- jumbled format appeals
to stereotypical rebellious young adult.

20. Text
• Serif font used in order to appeal to the middle-aged
adults in my target audience (subtle, less intrusive on the
page, reflects themselves).This is different to the sans-
serif font in the real media product, I challenged this
convention as I thought that the serif font suited my
audience more and was visually appealing in the
composition.
• Contrasts directly from background and follows colour
scheme used throughout the page (black on white and
white on black text)- stands out and captivates attention.
• Although the title can be argued to be in an
unconventional position- below text, typically top of the
page- I think that it works well in conjunction with the rest
of the page and product.
• Smaller text for bulk compared to title- alleviates
importance of title and conforms to the convention of
having a variety of fonts used to differentiate texts.

21. Language
• I conformed to codes and conventions through the use of
sensationalism. I did this through using exaggerated words
which would directly impact my audience e.g. “inspired”,
“reason number 2,354 to love…” etc.This creates a buzz
around the text further on in the page, which keeps the
audience keen and allows me to go on and create further
editions to the piece, which would satisfy readers.
• I used a formal style of register to create a sense of
relationship to the audience, in turn allowing them to
engage with the article.This would also appeal to the
middle-aged adults in my target audience as formal
register is associated with being more mature
(connotations= Barthes).

22. Images
• I used a mixture of long shots and close-ups in my feature
page- this is unconventional as there are usually less
images and more text in a feature page.
• However, I think that the array of images is effective as it
not only shows the variety of content, but also covers a
wide range of needs. For example, the close-ups using
direct mode of address creates a relationship with the
audience (uses and grats), and the long shots give the
audience a sense of location so that they can identify with
the image.
• High-key lighting is conventional.
• I wanted to include a diverse representation of people in my
production, my models are both male and female,
teenagers and adults, and of white, black and Asian
ethnicities.This makes the magazine more relatable to a
wider range of people of different genders, ages and races,
so therefore more accessible.

23. WEBSITE
Home Page
About Page
Articles Page Gallery Page

24. Layout- Home Page
• I conformed to typical conventions of having the
masthead at the top-centre of the page- this allows
the audience to clearly recognise who the product is
produced by (promotes brand awareness).
• The tabs at the top-left is conventional as it allows the
audience to seek specific details about a topic
(cognitive needs, uses and grats).
• The red, black and white house style colour scheme is
continued from the printed production for consistency
and professionalism.
• The social media icons at the top-right, side and
bottom-left appeal to a young adult target audience,
this with the subscribe sections at the side and
bottom, corresponds to conventions as it allows the
audience to keep up-to-date.

25. Images- Home Page & Gallery
• The image of the front cover along the right-hand side
reminds the audience of the hard copy- this may
appeal to the middle-aged adults in my target
audience as they are more likely to prefer a physical
magazine than an online one.
• The images of the two adverts along the right replicate
how a real website would work (by making money
through advertisements).This also creates continuity
within the production, as these advertisements are
also in the hard copy.
• The images in the gallery page show an array of
content, using a wide range of models- this will appeal
to a wider range of people. It includes landscapes as
well as portraits, close-ups (using direct mode of
address which creates a relationship with the
audience- uses and grats) and long-shots.The
landscapes and long shots create a relationship with
the audience as it gives the audience a sense of
location- they can identify with it.
Home Page
Gallery

26. Language-Articles
• I wrote four brief articles for my website as a way of
showing possible content.These articles fit into the
sub-genres of my magazine: Art, Fashion and Life, and
are also mentioned in my contents page in the hard
copy of my production, for consistency and
professionalism.
• I used facts and figures from London Fashion Week,
this makes the article informative (fulfils informative
needs- uses and grats).
• “Ruby red rings”- I used descriptive language to
connote (Barthes) luxury in accessories.This appeals
to the aspirational young adults and financially
comfortable middle-aged adults in my target
audience.

27. BILLBOARD

28. Layout • As there are few billboards made for regional magazines, it
was more difficult to design a piece relating to codes and
conventions.
• Because of this, I chose to stick closely to The Resident’s
design, as this design seemed efficient in attracting
attention, e.g. with it’s consistent bright colour scheme. I
replicated this in my production, as the colour red continues
throughout my production.
• I also replicated the billboard’s minimal use of text, as well
as the layout of having the title and sell-line to the left of the
images.
• Using three different platforms of access to my magazine is
conventional- this shows the magazines accessibility
throughout different media.
• Conventional layout- the plain image stretches across the
length of the billboard (although on mine I left a white
border around the edges to make the composition more
visually appealing).
• App store logo and web address appeals to a young adult
target audience, due to their stereotypical interest in and
frequent use of technology.

29. Text
• All text (apart from the App Store logo) is serif-
sophisticated connotations (Barthes) appeals to the middle-
aged adults in my target audience.
• Masthead at the top in conventional positioning, and larger
than the rest of the text to alleviate importance.
• Sell-line continued through from front cover- this also gives
an indication of the content of my magazine (fulfils
informative needs, uses and grats).
• Web address appeals to a hegemonic young adult target
audience, due to their stereotypical interest in the internet.