The document analyzes the front cover of a soap opera magazine. It summarizes the use of design elements like colors, images, headlines and text to attract readers and sensationalize stories. Key techniques identified include the use of bright colors, outlines, exclamation points, puffs and secondary images to make elements bold and eye-catching. Captions and headlines use language and punctuation to dramatize events and intrigue readers. The cover aims to create an entertaining yet consistent brand and attract an audience interested in gossip and drama.

1. Soap Opera Genre –
Ancillary Product
Analysis
Name: Bethany Vaughan
Candidate Number: 4137
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number: 64135
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. Outlines around secondary
images and cover stories
separates them from other
stories and causes them to
appear bold and important.
Masthead ‘informs’ (Katz) the
audience what the magazine is.
The non-verbal code of colour red
is associated with love, passion,
and energy so therefore connotes a
loud magazine, reinforced through
use of exclamation marks
throughout the front cover, and
suggest a love and passion for TV.
Main Headline, bright
yellow with black stroke
causes it to stand out. The
capitalization of the verbal
code ‘KIDNAPS’ signifies it’s
importance and the word
connotes danger and crime.
Use of the verbal code
punctuation to sensationalize the
story and reinforce the sense of
danger.
Use of puffs is eye catching,
draws focus to the content
of the puff.
Date of issue Blue background
(consistently used in front
covers of ‘What’s on TV)
connotes stability, and is
effective in creating a
vibrant design.
Man in background in the non-
verbal code of mise-en-scene
black costume has the
connotation of bad/evil
intentions.
The non-verbal code of mise-
en-scene facial expression
suggests happiness, baby is
obviously comfortable with
woman so contrasts the main
headline, further suggesting
Phil’s negative intentions
through his dissatisfied facial
expression and the verbal code
puff text ‘Phil’s custody
victory!’ which suggests that he
is the antagonist.
Bold text with stroke
stands out, the
capitalisation of the
verbal code ‘EVIL PLAN’
highlights the words
significance and the
language suggests drama
and an antagonist.
Shows logos and text used to inform the audience on the content of the magazine.
The inclusion of a certain show could attract certain readers to buy the magazine.
Main image has no background
so heads appear in front of the
mast head causing it to stand
out, which is reinforced by the
outer glow effect used on the
image casing it to further stand
out against the magazines blue
background, which causes the
image to appear as the most
important image on the front
cover.
Secondary images appear in front
of the main image, framing it, with
a rounded edge bubble effect
causing them to appear attractive,
informal, and eye-catching. As
they appear in front of the main
image they stand out so would
could easily catch the eye of an
audience.

3. The strapline gives the
audience an idea of what the
magazine includes, The verbal
code of “every secret every
story every week” connotes
that there is a large range of
content as the buzz word
“every” connotes the
inclusion of all topics. The
word secret attracts an
audience as people love
gossip and being nosey so
people will pick up the
magazine to see what the
secrets are. The use of the
rule of three creates a
progression causing words to
appear important. The bright
blue, yellow, and white are
eye-catching so would attract
an audience. The colour
yellow is associated with
happiness, blue with stability,
and white with coolness so
these colours together
connote that the magazine is
happy, clean, and constant
which reinforces the verbal
codes of the strapline.
Date of issue
Price
Masthead tells the audience what the
magazine is. The non-verbal code of colour
red is associated with love, passion, and
energy so therefore connotes a loud
magazine, reinforced through use of
exclamation marks throughout the front
cover, and suggest a love and passion for
TV. The white stroke and drop shadow used
causes it to stand out and appear bold while
the san-serif font connotes a casual friendly
feeling to the audience.
Bright whites and reds used, are very
bold and eye catching. The red could
connote passion and anger and grabs
the attention of the reader.
“Revenge!” in the main headline
connotes some form of crime or
something evil which Tanya is
going to do, as well as suggesting
that it is deserved of the person
she is going to hurt as they hurt
her first. The exclamation pint, as
seen in many other headlines
sensationalises the story so causes
everything to appear dramatic and
get attention from the reader,
encouraging them to pick it up and
read inside.
The puff used for this
promotion appears impactful
and therefore catches an
audiences eye.
Tanya’s facial expression of a smile contrasts the headline that goes with the main image, the baby held in her arms connotes innocence and vulnerability suggesting that her
“revenge” will be well deserved. The bald man stood behind her wearing dark clothing makes his presence seem dangerous and his moody almost sinister expression connotes
dangerous intentions. The smiling man on the other side contrasts this, his happiness and the positioning of the men on both sides could suggest an affair and connotes them to
be like the good and bad angel in binary opposition (Levi Strauss) to each other. This is further highlighted through the use of the verbal code “hell” suggesting the devil and the
verbal code “secret” may ‘signify’ an affair in a similar way to the main image.

4. Conclusion
and
In my magazine I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) the use of bright colors and a bold
background color. I would also repeat the use of exclamation marks and language to
sensationalize the story. Another thing I would repeat the use of puff promotions and
secondary images and headlines as they are eye catching and attractive.