The document provides an analysis of the front cover design for a magazine media product. It summarizes how the cover design both conforms to and challenges conventions of real music magazines. It conforms by using colors and layout elements typical of indie/rock magazines like NME. However, it also challenges conventions by using a less crowded layout between the styles of two example NME covers. The cover is meant to represent and attract teenage audiences interested in music and culture through the image of a teenage girl and use of music-related language.

1. First draft – Front cover analysis:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
My media product conforms to a conventional structure of a magazine, as it has a masthead,
cover line, a main image, bar code, date line, main cover line, model credit and left third.
What is more it that my media product conforms stereotypical to the indie/rock genre as it
uses the conventional colours of red and white. This was inspired by the magazine ‘NME’,
this is because it use the colour scheme of red and white, which are the 2 main colours
portrayed by this screen shot of many ‘NME’ front covers, as the colours of red and white are
the main wash of colours. This colour scheme does not only relate to a conventional
structure yet also establishes a lifestyle (will be mentioned in more detail later).
On the other hand my media product challenges the layout/structure of an indie/rock
magazine (NME) as it meets a borderline area of the 2 layouts in which ‘NME’ usually follow.
The majority of ‘NME’ front covers follow this chaotic/crowded layout such as...
1 2

2. My media products layout is not as crowded and chaotic as front cover number 1 however it
is not as simplistic as easy as front cover number 2. My media product does not completely
conform to the conventional layout of both NME front covers highlighting a developed,
creative and individual product as it meets middle ground in-between both magazine covers
and it also has a sense of creativity due to the unzipped zipper concept.. This convention
also relates to the reader (will be mentioned in more detail later). My media product
highlights an original concept in which I consider ‘NME’ not to have much or. I consider
‘NME’ as original but not as creative as much due to that concept.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The main cover image demonstrates that my product is aimed at teenagers due to the
teenage girl on the front of the cover. The front cover also suggests that this product is
aimed at teenagers who have a general interest in music hence the band T-shirt/amp and
through the use of cover lines and the left third as they all establish something music related
e.g. recording contract.
Furthermore the colour scheme also relates to the conventional reader. These colours do
not only relate to the genre yet to the public audience, as red connotes passion and desire in
which the majority of aspiring musicians and even teenagers will have. Conversely it may
also connote danger and recklessness, the trap in which many rock stars and teenagers can
find themselves in.
The main image establishes the assumed appearance a reader should have: rather dark
clothes, tights/skinny trousers, band t-shirts (or in terms character tees) and ruffled/edgy
hair. The model looks directly into the camera, giving this endless, not caring glare alluring to
the conventional image of a reckless, ‘I can do what I want’ mentality of a teenager.
Additionally for its crowded/chaotic structure whereas my product follows more of a simplistic
structure, again mirroring the susceptible lifestyle of an audience member as an indie/rocky
person are according to their stereotype to lead very simplistic and easy-going lifestyles.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
My audience for my media product is aimed mainly at teenagers, aged 13-19.
Teenagers who have a general love for music and a desire to pursue a music career.
Teenagers who are interested in the party lifestyle.
Teenagers who go to musical festivals.
The teenagers who read this are likely to be in a band.
Easy going and easy living teenagers.
Teenagers who are of a working class.
Wealthier teenagers are unlikely to read my media product, as it is not aimed at
them.
The price of my magazine is £2.00, as it is aimed at school/college teenagers and
students who are not going to have much money therefore it has to be reasonably
priced according to my audience.
How did you attract/address your audience?
My questionnaire results featured as an enablement tool for me to attract my target
audience. As the majority of my candidates whom took the questionnaire were teenagers,
this allows me to address and attract my audience directly and where they are at and
according to what they think.
The results stated that competitions would appeal to my target audience, so in which
I added a cover line stating a competition in which a recording contract could be won
e.c.t.

3. The majority of the votes when asked what the target audience wanted to feature in
the magazine rocketed stating that the target audience would mainly want the
magazine to feature articles. I appealed to my audience by addressing this via the
main cover line, which runs ‘exclusive interview with Code Red.’
The main image of a teenage girl also addresses my audience as the majority of
them are teenagers. Also this issue I believe will attract a balance of female and
male readers, as the main image being a female relates to many girls just simply
because she is a female. Whereas it will also address many males due to the young
and attractive girl on the front.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full product?
Looking back at the preliminary task, I believe I have learnt a lot according to how a media product
and why it needs to relate to the social group, also the different features magazines are made up of.
This is shown evidently as the preliminary task was made on Microsoft Publisher therefore was not
as professional as my actual task, which was made on Photoshop. My skills have developed as my
preliminary task was highly rushed and not well thought about or even planned out; this is shown
through the un-cropped image, condensed/squished images and unaligned text. However it does
conform slightly to the typical layout of a newsletter, following an article on the front page
accompanied by images. It also has a big, bold and contrasting masthead. Similarly, my actual media
product also follows these conventions e.g. masthead, main image and cover lines e.c.t. However
the quality of the photographs have progressed in quality this is due to the difference in quality of
camera’s yet it is also due to the editing tools available in Photoshop e.g. airbrushing, contrast e.c.t.
Also the layout is presented more professionally and not rushed, the colour scheme and
organisation of text and size/font highlights this.