The magazine cover uses design techniques to attract its target audience of students. It features the band Niki and the Dove using direct address to appeal to readers. Bright colors like pink, purple, and yellow are used to grab attention, as is black text that stands out on pale backgrounds. Informal fonts and scattered cover lines featuring other bands aim to interest fans. Strategic placement of design elements follows principles to guide the eye to key information.

1. Salford City College
Eccles Centre
AS Media Studies
Foundation Portfolio
Masthead
The masthead is positioned at the top of the page; it Colour
is in a bold font and large letters, this makes it The colour used in the main image is bright with
attention grabbing for the target audience. The text mainly pink, purple and yellow. Black is used on the
Comment on how the design of the magazine cover attracts the target audience:
is in black and stands out well against the pale masthead to draw attention to it. Pink text boxes are
background. Doing this makes the magazine used for the cover lines and main cover lines with a
recognisable for the audience. The name ‘The Fly’ contrasting white text to make
gives connotations that suggest this is an
informative magazine as the word ‘fly’ is associated
Typefaces
with the saying ‘fly on the wall’ meaning that a
The text used is in a simple and easily read font. The
person has a lot of knowledge about something.
font style used for the cover lines is informal and
therefore suggests the magazine is targeted at a
Main image
younger audience that are probably students ths
The main image is of the two band members using
would relate to the fact ‘The Fly’ is a free magazines
direct address, this will appeal to the target
and would appeal to students more than an older
audience as it will make the reader feel intimacy
audience who would easily be able to afford buying
between them and the band. Intersexuality is used
magazines often.
in this image due to the equipment the man is
holding in his arm as this shows the audience the
genre of music the band make. Photography Lighting
The lighting used in the photography is high key to
Model credit emphasise the band on the cover and draw the
‘The vivid vison of’ implies that the band have a readers attention to them. The lighting used is used
clear idea of what music they intent to create. in purple, red and yellow to fit in with the bands
Audience familiarity is used because the music they image. This lighting creates shadows on the bands
create is very image driven this will appeal to the faces and contributes to their quirky style.
target audience. ‘Niki and the Dove’ is the name of
the band and it has been placed in the centre
underneath the band image in a large size to grab Design Principles Used?
attention. In terms of the Guttenberg design principle the circle
with ‘free’ inside has been places on the top right
Coverlines corner, in the strong fallow area meaning that this is
The cover lines are scattered around the outside of the section that gains the most attention from the
the cover. Each one names a band name that is reader. The designers have placed the word here so
featured within this month’s magazine. This will that it will grab the attention of the student
appeal to the target audience as they may be a fan demographic they are targeting and will appeal to
of one of these bands and want to purchase the them. The mans face is in the primary optical area so
magazine to find out more information about them. that the reader will instantly look at the cover band
and want to buy it if they are interested in the band.
The cover line ‘PLUS: The Essential Festival Guide’ is
Main cover line
in the terminal area because it isn’t the main feature
The main cover line reads ‘Niki and the Dove’ half
in the magazine and is just an add on, this mean that
way down the image of them, the text is in white House Style
it will be the last thing the reader sees and may
contrasting against the bright pink box behind it. The house style contributes to an overall informal look that would appeal to a young
convince them into buying the magazine.
This will grab the audience’s attentions. audience. The colour palette used is mostly purple, pink and white, this range of bright
colours are associated with this band and will be instantly recognisable to a reader of the
magazine who is a fan of the band.

2. Salford City College
Eccles Centre
AS Media Studies
Foundation Portfolio