I conducted a focus group with 3 people matching my target audience for a new music magazine. They were all 17-18 year old females currently in education. Through questioning them about music tastes, magazine preferences, and ideal magazine content, I learned that they prefer magazines priced £3-4, featuring artists like Jessie J, One Direction and Justin Bieber through photos and articles. Bright colors but not too many would appeal, along with topless male celebrity photos but not unknown bands. This information will help design the magazine to attract this target audience.

2. I conducted my focus group using 3 different people that matched my target audience. I used
the two magazines We Love Pop and Top of the pops as these are both current pop magazines
and are very successful music magazines. They either possessed the same qualities and
personalities as my target audience or they shared common likes and interests. I began my
focus group by explaining to them what it was about and why I needed them there; I then asked
them questions about different music magazines and artists. Some of the questions used were:
Who is your favourite female
artist/band?

3. Name: Ninette Name: Shackelia Name: Zalika
Age: 17 Age: 18 Age: 17
Gender: Female Gender: Female Gender: Female
Occupation: Currently in Occupation: Currently in Occupation: Currently in full
full time education studying full time education studying time education studying A-
A-Levels, but also has a part A-Levels, Has no weekend Levels, has a weekend job in
time job on the weekends. job currently. retail and after school on a
Likes: She loves to read a Likes: Loves a good movie Tuesday.
lot, especially true stories especially comedy. Always Likes: Always listening to
about real life. Always into loves to be around her music constantly loves to
her movies and love a good friends to hang out and for hear about her idols so she
tear jerker. Chocolate is her a good gossip. Likes a good can have a good gossip with
guilty pleasure; but she’s take away once in a while to friends. Loves to be active
more of a healthy kind of just chill with her friends and sporty and does dance
girl. and family and relax. classes outside of school.
Dislikes: She is quite a Dislikes: Horrors, not a big Dislikes: Rollercoasters as
healthy person so does not fan at all as she does not they make her feel sick, not
like too much fast food or like being scared. Creepy a big fan of heights as she
fatty foods. crawlies are her worst fear. had a bad experience.
Favourite Music: Pop Favourite Music: Pop Favourite Music: Pop
Favourite Artists: Katy Favourite Artists: Jessie J, Favourite Artists: Jessie J,
Perry, Cheryl Cole, Little Cheryl Cole, One Direction, The wanted, Taylor swift,
Mix. Justin Bieber. Justin Bieber.

4. All of the people who took part in my focus group had identical or very similar answers
about the questions that I asked them.
Shackelia; “ I read music magazines sometimes, but not frequently. I usually spend about
£3.00-£4.00 on a magazine so that price would be good. I don’t really like un-known bands
that feature in magazines, or when things such a toys are advertised because it makes the
magazine seem babyish; I love articles on bands and artists such as N-Dubz and Jessie J as
they are the type of people I like to listen too. I prefer to see a lot of pictures of male
celebrities top less and posters rather than a lot of writing in and on a music magazine, my
favourite male artist would have to be Justin Beiber and my favourite female artist would
have to be little mix. Typically on a music magazine front cover I would expect to see a lot of
feminine colours such as pinks and purples, and I like these colours so I would like to see
these colours used”.

5. Ninette; “ I read a lot of music magazines on a regular basis. I don’t really mind how much I
spend on a good magazine but I wouldn’t spend over about £4.00 for one. Girlie colours are
what I would expect to see on the cover of a music magazine, bright yellow’s, baby blues
and PINKK!! I love articles about up and coming artists and on my favourite artists and
bands, I like to know what is going on and how they go to where they are now, I don’t like
too many images to feature in my music magazine because otherwise you don’t get enough
information. I don’t like when artists that are not typically pop are shown in a pop magazine
such as ‘you me at six’. I love when hot celebrities are shown in the music magazine
whether its posters, articles or just mini photographs of them. My favourite female artist is
probably most likely Rita Ora and my favourite male group is most like to be One
Direction”.

6. Zalika: “ I love listening to music and different artists my favourite male boy band would
probably be the wanted and I also love one direction. I aspire to be like Jessie J and Cheryl
Cole. I don’t really tend to buy music magazines but if they look appealing and interesting
then I will buy them; but I would not spend more than around £3.00 on a good quality
magazine. I would like most pop artists and bands to feature in a music magazine because
they are what I like to see like, Rita Ora, N-dubs, The wanted, and Justin Bieber. I would
expect to see a lot of articles and feature article photographs on the front of a magazine
and inside a magazine: typical colours the I would expect to see are purple, pink, yellow
and a baby blue more feminine colours. I prefer a lot of pictures rather than the article
because it gives a more visual effect and I prefer to see hot guys and how female artists
dress so I am able to follow their style”.

7. I found that the best price to range my magazine is between £3.00 to £4.00 pound, as they
are still students and some of them currently have no work, so any higher they may not be
able to afford the magazine. I also find that this is a reasonable price to price my music
magazine at. Bright colours will be shown a lot through out my magazine as they liked this
idea, but not too many as they may be to colour heavy and eye sore for the reader and
they may not continue to buy my magazine if I do so.
They also seem to not be too keen on the idea of artists they have never heard of before,
as this puts them out of their comfort zone, they like to see their typical artists shown.
Therefore I have decided to feature a few new artists but not too many as they may not
want to read La Pop if I do so. Sticking to current artists mainly seems to be the best idea.
They loved the idea of Hot bodies and male celebrities featuring either in an interview or
article topless, because it brings this kind of sex appeal that attracts the audience. In
conclusion I will feature posters of male celebrities topless and in various poses to satisfy
my Target Audiences’ needs and interest.
People such as Jessie J, Katy Perry, One Direction and other big solo artists or bands will
feature in my magazine because this is who I found that my focused group liked and
wanted to constantly see in each months issue of La Pop. If I advertise anything in my
magazine it would be best as things such as clothes and make up are advertised because
they do not liked to see silly things such as toys etc. Advertised at it makes the magazine
seem less proffesional and also not too many adverts throughout the magazine because it
makes less room for content in the magazine it also makes it quite boring for the reader.