Main Task - Evaluation Essay - Question 4

1. Question 4:
Who would be the audience of your
media product?
Name: William Hennegan

2. In this project, the briefing was to create a magazine front cover,
contents page, editorial and double page spread for the chosen genre,
Indie Rock. The denotations of the magazine’s stereotypical target
audience using the conventions of Hartley’s Seven Subjectivities are
late teenagers (ages 16-19), young adults (19-24) and students
because the genre is seen as a symbol of progression and change and
the loud sound is also seen as a symbol of rebellion from the
‘establishment’. The target audience mainly consists of boys and men
with fewer female fans of the genre. This allows the conventions of
‘Uncut’ magazine to be used in ‘Unplugged’ magazine to appeal to
their target audience, as they are extremely similar to each other. The
genre’s target audience is primarily towards those in the C, D and E
socio-economic class as the genre is less ‘mainstream’ and more
‘underground’. Stereotypically, ‘underground’ music is associated with
these socio-economic classes. Stereotypically, the target audience
would not have a large amount of disposable money on hand so they
would be less able to purchase new music releases and magazines.
Stereotypically, the target audience has developed more of an
understanding of the genre.

3. ‘Unplugged’ would appeal to ‘social climbers’ (Maslow) meaning the
target audience is stereotypically driven by social change, therefore, it
can be confirmed that the target audience would read the magazine to
‘keep up to date’ with the genre and their favourite artists. An example
of this would be on the double page spread. Will Hennegan is
interviewed and comments on the genre and his personal life, “George
has a wife and daughter now, I doubt he would want his kid to be
exposed to the music we did in the past or the stuff we do now.”
‘Survivors’ (Maslow) could become interested in the magazine, as they
may become interested in the well fare and economic worth of the
artists/groups featured in the magazine. ‘Survivors ’, stereotypically,
would also only read articles, relating to their own situations or ideal
situations and ‘Explorers’ would be the category within ‘Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs’, which the target audience would best represent.
This is because the idea behind ‘Unplugged’ is the artists/bands and
their music, progressing and changing over time, which ‘explorers’ are
driven by.

4. The stereotypical target audience of ‘Unplugged’
primarily consists of male fans, aged between 16-24 years
old. Due to this age range, and majority male target
audience, a red and black colour scheme has been used
as the two primary colours in the house style in magazine
pages, to appeal to the target audience more. Red is
stereotypically associated with the male gender and
stereotypically, power. These connotations relate to the
stereotypical themes of the target audience and the
genre of focus. Because of the fact that the subject of the
main image is male, this can be a form of ‘female gaze’
(Laura Mulvery) as the image on the front cover may
stereotypically attract more heterosexual women to the
magazine.

6. The audience of the magazine has the ability to
create a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz) with the
editor of ‘Unplugged’. This personal relationship
between the editor and the audience is formed
through the language used in the editorial section
of the contents page. An example of this would be
the verbal code “we” as if addressing the audience
more directly, personally and as a collective. Within
the editorial the editor tells the audience about a
fan who was anticipated for the latest issue. By
saying these specific buzzwords and phrases it
allows the audience to build a personal relationship
with the editor and other fans and readers.

7. In terms of psychographics, I would consider the
majority of the target audience to be ‘Strugglers’
because stereotypically the target audience are
less fortunate, rebellious or suffer from
addiction and abuse depending on which
subgenre and alternations of Indie Rock.
Therefore, ‘Unplugged’ magazine will appeal
most to these people in particular because my
magazines artist and content is reminiscent of
the connotations of the genre and
psychographic analysis. The target audience can
range from young to old but the primary age
group of the genre is 16-24 year olds.

8. The target audience of my magazine would
stereotypically shop in less popular shops like
local charity shops. Only a few items of clothing
the target audience wear may be considered
mainstream or popular, for example, the brand
of shoes ‘converse’. Because the shops are lesser
known or stereotypical to the target audience,
they can be considered staples or trends of the
genre.

9. In conclusion, the target audience could
stereotypically be depicted as part of a younger
generation, where in the majority seem to be
interested in a wide group of subgenres rather
than other genres of music outside of ‘Rock’.
Therefore, this connotes that ‘Unplugged’
magazine appeals to the target audience.