The document provides an evaluation of a student's magazine cover and contents by their teacher. The student analyzed an NME magazine cover that influenced their design. Their cover includes conventions like the masthead, images, headlines, and puffs. The contents page layout is simple yet attractive. Images of both genders and a variety of stories aim to appeal to a wide audience. Typography, colors, and design elements were chosen to represent the target genre and age group. Feedback from peers found the magazine appeals to and is aimed at 16-25 year olds interested in indie/alternative rock music. Most said they would purchase this magazine.

1. Evaluation
Natalie Jackson

2. This NME magazine cover
highly influenced my own
magazine cover as I think even
though there's lots of writing,
its still very simple. The colours
are like the ones I want to use
and it’s the same genre as my
magazine.
Its got all the conventions of a
front cover, masthead, main
image, secondary images, sub
headings/stories and puffs.
I like the fact they’ve used the
same font for everything and
just made the important things
bigger.

3. In what ways does your media product
use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?

4. I’ve challenged the typical
convention of direct mode
of address by taking a
picture of someone who
has indirect mode of
address this is because she
is a ‘new’ artist so the
readers will have to read
the magazine to find out
about her. Also it goes with
the cover story line ‘I am
one to watch’ as she's being
secretive by not looking at
the camera.
Cover lines/stories stand out
because of the white
background. Also their famous
indie/alternative rock artist
which attracts the right artist.
Also there's a pun on words ‘we
bug Jake’ as his names Jake
bugg this will make the reader
more interesting as it’s a
persuasive technique
Skyline is a typical convention of
a magazine and this also includes
a puff as Its advertising ‘Free
posters’ this will attract the
audience because everyone likes
free things also it’s on a white
background to make it stand out
more against the main image.
Main story is bigger than all the
other writing to stand out, its
continues with the colour
scheme. It goes with the main
image as she’s a girl and its says
‘princess’ also ‘she's the one to
watch’ and she's hiding behind
a tree being secretive to attract
people to find about more
about her, also you want to
know why she's so special to be
the ‘one to watch’
Short catchy bold
masthead to stand out
against the main image.
Also because it’s a short
word it will be remember
by the readers and its
catchy. Its called tune as
this relates to teenagers
and music as it’s a popular
word to use by younger
people when talking about
songs. I’ve put it in the top
left and not covering the
image which is a
development of the
convention.

5. Title of the magazine on the contents page,
which is a typical convention of a magazine.
Makes it clear what the purpose is. Also has the
date so the audience know which addition it is.
Magazine name present on every page.
Different pictures, of both genders to
attract both females and males, they
big and they all have something to do
with the genre and the this shows the
audience an alternative look at what's
going to be in the magazine.
Page numbers on the
pictures to make it clear
what page this articles
which makes it easy for
the reader to just to flick
to the page that they
want most.
The contents is in columns to make it clearer to
read which I developed the convention from Q
magazine
Main picture is
bigger than the rest
to attract the most
attention.
Separated away from the text in the
corner away from all the features of the
magazine as they’ll read this last. Its to
advertise the magazine at a cheaper
price if they subscribe. This a typical
convention as they want to get more
customers to but it’s a week
The layout is simple
and attracts buyers
and readers as they
can clearly see what
is in the magazine. I
took the convention
and developed it
from NME and Q
magazine layout.

6. Title of magazine is
put on every page
throughout the
magazine which is a
typical convention.
Main image is on
the left hand
side as this is
where someone
firsts looks.
There's the
Union Jack
behind the main
image which
goes with what
the article is
about him
touring the uk as
well at making
the image bright
and attractive to
the reader.
Pull Quote from the text which draws in the reader as
they’ll want to read more. I picked out something
interesting and funny as they’ll want to know the rest of
the story. Also its big and bold to stand out against the
picture. A pull out quote is a typical convention that I
have developed.
Big, bold bright headline to attract
the reader, typically seen a the top
of the page which is what I’ve done
Page
numbers
are
present in
magazines
The text is in
columns of three to
make it easier to
read and to follow.
This is a convention
of real media
products. Also the
white contrasts with
the black
background making
it eye catching.
The drops cap shows
readers exactly where the
article starts. And where the
sub text below heading
finishes.

7. How does your media
product represent a
particular social group?

8. • The person on the front of my magazine is 18 therefore representing
the social group that I am aiming to attract as the majority will be aged
between16-25. Also the pictures inside the magazine is of another 18
year old but this time male, this represents this social group in two
ways as there young and of both genders resulting in my magazine
targeting these groups.
• Throughout my work I have used fonts and colours that are ‘grungy’ as
well as fonts and colours that are ‘fun’ and bright, the interest
represents the people who are into alternative rock/indie music as this
music often has a fun but grungy feel to it therefore I reflected this into
my magazine to attract this social group who are interested in this
music.
• I've focused my two page spread on a young 'artist and his tour, this
represents the social group because their young themselves and are
heavily involved in going to gigs so they would like to know about his
tour.

9. What kind of media institution
might distribute your media
product and why?

10. • I think that Bauer media would be the prefect
distributer for my product as their a large
company who publish different genres of
magazines for different ages groups and social
groups.
• I think my magazine would fit in as its similar to Q
magazine which is distribute by Bauer media, but
this magazine is aimed and bought by 75% men
and 25% women so I think my magazine could be a
contender as its aimed more for both genders and
my magazine is aimed at younger age group.
• Also as my magazine is similar to the popular NME
magazine which is distributed by IPC media, my
magazine distributed by Brauer would be a great
competitor.

11. Who would be the
audience for your product?

12. • My media product would attract people with a main interest in
indie/alternative rock.
• The magazine would be aimed at 16 – 25 year olds as this age
group are usually the ones to listen to music all the time and
want to read magazines about their favourite bands. Also
knowing about ‘tour dates’ is also a typical thing a young
‘student’ will want to know as they like to go to gigs. Also the
layout is quite modern and mature as this audience will not want
to read a magazine which looks childish
• I think that my magazine is aimed at a 50/50 split between both
genders as they can relate to the female on the front and aspire
to be like here and males will be attracted to her and vice a versa
with girls liking the male artists in my magazine and males
aspiring to be like them. Also I think alternative rock/indie is
becoming even popular with females over the years.

13. How did you
attract/address your
audience?

14. • I attracted my target audience by using bands which are to do with the same genre and that
are popular with the people in the target age group and colours which would attract you
teenagers/young adults rather than older generation.
Front cover
• I have used phrases like ‘free posters’ and ‘time for a new tour’ to attract the audience as
students and young people usually want to have posters to put on their walls and its popular
for them to go to gigs as a pastime.
• the colours, red, blue and white attract the reader because their youthful colours which relate
to the genre as there not too dark to represent ‘rock’ and not to bright and girly to represent
pop so these colours attract the audience as the represent the correct genre of
indie/alternative rock.
Contents page
• I used the same colour scheme and I used images which are to do with the genre of the
magazine which attract my target audience. With a mixture of males and females to attract
both genders to read.
• Also its got a sophisticated look to it as the audience are young adults so don’t want a look to
the magazine where its all cluttered and like a child's magazine.
• I've address and attracted the target audience by putting famous band names of the same
genre in the contents page ‘biffy clyro’ ‘Jake Bugg’ ‘The Vaccines’ and then ‘tour dates as it’s a
hobby for students/young adults to go to gigs. As well as ‘100 top songs to download’ as young
people are always listening to music and want to know the next top songs so this will attract my
target audience.
Two page spread
• I created a story about touring and mentioned Leeds festival as I feel this will attract the target
audience I would like to appeal to, as this social group are involved with tours and gigs and are
wanting to go to Leeds festival and so will interested in reading the article.

15. What have you learnt about
technologies from the process of
constructing this product?

16. • Before starting the media course I had never used Photoshop, and I had no
knowledge on how to manipulate my pictures using it. After learning a few
things on Photoshop I was still nervous on using it. However I used tools
such as the lasso tool and the crop tool to crop my raw image and I
became organised in using different layers in creating professional looking
images for my magazine.
• I learnt how to create different images using the lighting when using a
professional camera, using this technology enhanced the quality of my
pictures compared to when using a phone camera.
• Using publisher to create my magazine enlightened me into how simple
shapes and texts can create professional looking magazine so easily if you
have the skills and knowledge. Learning how to delete the background of
things and change the density and transparency of objects made for a
better magazine.

17. Looking back at your
preliminary task, what do you
feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full
product?

18. • I feel that my design skills have improved
since the preliminary task. The main image
is very edgy and the background is plain
resulting it not standing out and being
attractive to a reader.
• The front cover is plain which is a good but
in this case its too plain and doesn’t have
enough ‘secondary stories’
• The fonts don’t stand out, so wouldn’t
attract anyone to read it but the fact I
used the same front throughout is good
and took this good point to my main
media product.
• I feel I am now able to create a magazine,
that looks professional, looks appealing
but also simple and effective compared to
my preliminary task which look
unprofessional and doesn’t stand out at all
because its poorly designed and didn’t
have a full understanding of the
technologies used.

19. 1)What gender do you think my magazine is aimed at?
25% said men
25% said women
50% said men and women.
2) Do you think that this magazine would appeal to 16-25year olds?
100% said yes
0% said no
3) What music genre do you think is the main influence for this
magazine?
90% thought indie
10% thought rock/alternative rock
0% thought Pop
0% thought Dance
4) Would you buy this magazine?
85% said yes
15% said no
Audience Feedback