1) The document discusses the design choices for magazine mastheads and logos for several music magazines. 2) It analyzes why the magazines chose bright red for NME, plain white for Kerrang, and an exclamation point for Kerrang, noting how these design elements appeal to readers and catch their attention. 3) The analysis also discusses how Q magazine uses just a single uppercase letter for its unusual yet memorable masthead, and how the name "Kerrang" represents the sound of a guitar being played as a clever joke for music fans.

1. EXISTINGC NAMES
Lois Evans

2. The colour of the masthead is In a bright primary red. This
is the only real colour to NME, as the rest of the magazine
is supported through shades, where as this bright yet
basic colour not only catches the idea, but gives the
magazine a basic form of simplicity, that will ease the
reader. The simple colour red connotes Danger as well as
love. This could suggest to the reader that the danger
quality appeals to the stereotypical view of men (of
which is the majority readership for this magazine), as
well as the fact that NME loves and cares for there music,
the reader recognising that the magazine shares the
same love, compelling them to approve of the
magazine, and possibly resulting in purchasing the issue.
The font for the masthead is of a thick
and stocky, this being exemplified even
more by the basic three letters. The
thickness, I think, appeals to the average
perception of a male reader, for thin and
slanted writing can often be associated
through females. Yet the thick font is an
oddity on the front cover, highlighting
itself apart form the rest of the text,
helping to illuminate itself to the browsing
reader.
An acronym, a technique used by many magazines,
which is to encapsulate, the initials of the actual
product. So NME music magazine, stands for
‘National Music express’.

3. The masthead shares the bright primary colour of red, as well as the
shade of a plain white, highlighting the Q (the logo as well as the
masthead) so as to easily reveal to the reader of the name of the
magazine as well as highlighting its importance through the use of the
urgent primary colour that is red due to the extreme contrast in colours.
The masthead is again an acronym, yet having just one letter for the
masthead for a magazine is slightly odd, as well as the fact that no one
knows what ‘Q’ actually stands for. Yet speculations can stem for just a
single letter as words begging with ‘Q’ are mostly positive such as Q for
quality. So as the single letter catches the attention of the reader, this is
helped even further for the letter being uppercase, as well as standing
alone, both these details hold a sense of power and importance, of
which the average reader will recognises and immediately be
attracted to magazine that is so unusual that it only has one upper-case
letter for its masthead. I greatly appreciate the cleverness of Q
magazine as not only have they created a masthead that is so simple
and easy to remember, but they have also created there logo as the
same thing

4. Kerrang has chosen to elect its masthead in the
simple shade of white. Not only does this
generate the positive approach of purity and
simplicity, but generally Kerrang will have a
black background, therefore having a white
masthead will really brighten the masthead to
The use of the punctuation that is the exclamation mark the reader
is rarely seen in the masthead for the magazine, this
being unusual it will catch the readers eye, them
noticing the magazine, beyond any other issues that are
in the shops. Yet also the exclamation mark indicates a
sense of urgency as well as a non-caring rebellious
attitude, of which are the themes for the ‘hard-core’.
Magazine that caters to both genders when it comes
down to readership. Because it has such a wide
audience, and continues to attract new readers, the
exclamation mark is of a great advantage to really
highlight itself amongst the many other music
magazines.
The masthead is conative, meaning that the
unusual name ‘Kerrang’ is seen as being the
noise of someone playing a guitar. Yet with this
imagery, we gain the idea that Kerrnag
themselves have made a cleaver joke that
only music fans would recognise. By only a
certain group possibly figuring out the
conundrum as to what exactly Kerrnag means,
then realising that is in fact the sound of the
picking of a guitar, the reader immediately
feels accomplished at having successfully
figuring out the task, and thus result sin them
feeling good about themselves, even so good
that they would wan to buy the magazine and
see what else that the could learn from the
issue.