This document analyzes the front covers of two magazine issues - Kerrang and PC Gamer. It discusses various design elements used on the covers including prominent figures, cover lines, positioning statements, fonts, images, splashes/incentives. For both magazines, the main goals are to attract attention, stand out from other publications, and incentivize readers to purchase the issue through prominent features, eye-catching designs, and free offers.

1. Media: Magazine Analysis
Front Cover
By Declan Cook

2. Front Cover: Kerrang
Well Known Figure used to take up
the majority of the front cover
with faces kept clear. It is used to
attract attention to people who
recognise them.
Cover lines used layered over
the main figure head to not
take any attention away but
still be visible. These hint at
what articles are used in the
magazines issue.
Positioning statement at the top of the
page to get the point across without
taking away from the main picture. It’s
used to attract readers quickly with a
snippet of info about a feature or article.
Unique Headlining font used bold at the
top of the magazine and is used so that
font and things associated with it are
products of kerrang and customers will
recognise this.
A splash is used in this instance
as extra posters instead of a
unique offer and takes up quite
a large portion of the lower
page instead of being small.
However it is used, it still is an
extra incentive to buy this
magazine.
Key words are in bold so they are
brought to the attention of the
reader.
There are only 3-4 text fonts
used as not to make the page to
busy and so they are
recognisable to this brand.
The main image is contrasting in
colour compared to the block of
colour in the background. It is also
photo shopped/edited in a way
where the hand is layered making it
look slightly 3D again adding to the
eye catching affect. This is also due
to the rule of thirds and geometric
shapes drawing your attention
somewhere.

3. Front Cover: PC Gamer
Well Known Figure used to take
up the majority of the front
cover with faces kept clear. In
this instance it is a very
recognisable screenshot from
the Skyrim promotional advert
which many Skyrim fans will be
able to relate to.
Unique Headlining font used bold at
the top of the magazine and is used
so that font is associated with the
products of PC Gamer.
The main image is all one photo
however edited so the ain character
and focus of the picture is layered
above the text and splashes.
Therefore it does not need to
contrast as much.
The splash in this instance is
offering a free and exclusive tf2
hat and a free trial to a
programme which may excite
people who are interested in
Skyrim and other articles
published in this magazine. This
offers incentive to purchase.
The cover lines are quite large and
intruding to grab the focus of the reader
however not to intrusive to take the focus
from the main image. This is backed up by
the fact large important cover lines and
titles are in bold and larger text.
There are only 3-4 text fonts
used as not to make the page
to busy and so they are
recognisable to this brand.
The positioning statement in this
magazine is a circle near the top
showing that there are “196 pages
biggest issue this millennium”. This
shows that this issue will be better
than all the others.