The document analyzes several magazine covers and contents pages. It examines design elements like images, fonts, colors and layouts and how they target specific audiences. Key points analyzed include using popular bands and celebrities to attract readers, highlighting freebies and prices to increase sales, and employing rebellious imagery and informal language to appeal to teenage audiences. Color schemes and mastheads are also designed to stand out and engage readers.

1. Analysing

2. The masthead is behind the main
picture, because they are not trying to
attract a new audience but are
gratifying their already vast audience.
This is because to the audience they
are catering for already know about
this magazine, it is almost legendary.
The barcode is relatively large and
noticeable so that it’s easy to buy,
but the price is really small. The
price is £2.20. The magazine is
aimed at teenagers, and is a weekly
magazine, so £2.20 every week is
quite expensive. This is why the
price is so small.
The banner is placed just about the masthead
and main image so that it is noticeable. This
banner is just to make sure that audience are
engaged. The prize is a small, affordable
festival slot. This also sells the festival, and
says a lot about the soci-economic status of
the working class, given that this festival only
costs approximately £30.
The buzz word is “Exclusive!”
this makes the reader believe
that they are the first to read
this gossip and makes them
feel involved.
The menu strip is used
to make sure that the
reader is pulled in; if the
reader didn’t like any of
the above
bands/stories, then this
is the part that is
supposed to grab them.
The main image is a popular band
associated with the audience with this
magazine. The band members have
their tattoos on show, this has
connotations of rebellion and is a large
part of this audience’s lifestyle. The
target population of Kerrang! is 16-24
year olds however in recent years, the
age of the audience has dropped and it
is more 14-17 year olds who tend to
buy and read it, which is the age in
which rebellion is prime. The front
man of this group (Oli Sykes) is also
known for his looks and is seen as
attractive by a lot of females, this is to
attract females and homosexual males
to buy this magazine as the fan base is
made up of 60% males and 40%
females. The image itself looks dark,
and the clothes they’re wearing also
go with this as they’re wearing blacks,
whites and greys.
The colour scheme is black, white,
blue and yellow. The yellow is used
to stand out from the other colours.
The white is also used to stand out,
but this is because it contrasts so
much with the black background,
which is the most used colour on the
page. This will be because it is
associated most with the fan base of
this magazine. The blue makes the
page seem colourful even though its
so dark.

3. The mast head is big
and contrasts with
the blue background.
The font is also more
“arty” because the
text isn’t whole, it
has chunks missing
from it. The
masthead is also
behind the main
image, this makes
the picture stand out
more and appeal
more to the
audience.
The main image is also a
popular band among the fans
of this magazine. The main
person in the band is Josh
Franceschi, and in this image
he is wearing a t-shirt from his
own clothing line called Down
But Not Out. This band are also
seen as attractive by the fans
(68% females and 32% males).
This is also a large selling point
of this issue.
The banner is to make
sure that the audience are
fully catered for, and that
there is something they’ll
like on the front cover.
The barcode is rather
large so that it’s easy
to buy, but the price
is really small. The
price is £2.20. The
magazine is aimed at
teenagers, and is a
weekly magazine, so
£2.20 every week is
quite expensive.
The feature headline is in
bright yellow so it stands
out and grabs the
attention of people
walking by. It is also
defaced a bit. This may be
to show rebellion, or could
be related to the loud
music that is included in
the magazine.
The text is written in a
childish way, this is to
relate to the age range of
the aimed audience which
is 16-24 year olds.
These are more things to
grab readers in case they
don’t like anything else on
the cover.
The album on this cover is free, and freebies make
people want to buy the magazine ,because with a free
album, it makes the £2.20 you paid for the magazine
worth it.

4. The colour scheme of
this front cover is red,
white and black, which
is a common colour
scheme of the genre of
the audience. The
colours contrast each
other very well and can
be used to help certain
things stand out on the
page.
This list of artists are the
people pictured on the
front cover. This helps
the audience identify
who’s in the magazine if
they don’t know the band
names.
These bands are used to
grab the audience in
case they don’t like any
of the other bands
mentioned, so they get
a bigger audience
These are again
used to grab the
audience in case
they don’t like any
of the other bands
mentioned.
The free things make the
audience believe they are
getting a better deal,
with getting a magazine
AND extra pages AND a
giant ten poster mag for
just £4.50 is a bargain!
The price of this magazine is £4.50
and it is monthly, which makes it
relatively affordable for the teenager
target audience it has, but it’s not
cheap so the price is still small. The
barcode is also at the bottom right
hand corner of the magazine. This is
the typical place to find a barcode
and this makes it easier to buy it.
All of the people on the
front are males, and
this could be to appeal
to females (and
homosexual males)
They are all wearing
dull, plain colours, and
the only person that
stands out is the
middle person with
bright red hair. This
could be to highlight
rebellion in this genre.
Two of the men also
have beards/ stubble.
This could be to
demonstrate
masculinity in the
image.
The masthead is black and red, and is very bright and noticeable.
The freebies and the main image are on top of the masthead, this
could be to show the priorities in which the audience choose the
product.

5. Double Page Spread
Kerrang The image
takes up more
than half of
the double
page spread.
This suggests
that image
itself is a
rather large
part of how
Corey Taylor is
presented. In
the image,
Corey has
stubble, this
presents him
as largely
masculine. The
leather jacket
and flat cap
also suggest
the same.
Corey also has
his wedding
ring very much
on show. This
shows that he
is a mature
and older man.
There is a colour
scheme of black red
and white. This is a
common colour
scheme used within
kerrang and other
rock magazines. This
also makes it easy to
make words stand out
using these colours.
The doodling
effect on the
page relates to
the age of the
target audience
which is 14-17
(of studying age.)
This also links in
with the idea of
Corey Taylor
wanting to be a
history teacher.
The article itself
also has a back
ground of a lined
paper effect. This
again relates to
the article.
The amount of times Corey Taylor’s
name is on the page suggests that
he’s really popular.
The language in
the article itself is
relatively
informal, to
appeal to the age
group 14-17 year
olds, with such
phrases as “chilly
Saturday” and
“what a pro”
A quote from the article is used as the title.
This tells the reader what the article is
about more than an actual title would be
able to.

6. The graffiti style
text depicts the
rebellious
stereotype
about this
particular
audience/ social
group.
As does the lead
singers shouting
face. It shows
the supposed
anger that this
social group are
supposed to
demonstrate.
The use of the word “exposure” suggests that this is a rare
opportunity.
It also makes the band sound vulnerable and “exposed”, thus
meaning that the audience can relate to them. This fits with the uses
and gratifications model (Denis McQuail) as it creates a sense of
belonging.
The “know it all” box
gives the audience
quick information on
said band so that
they can find out
things they need to
know without
having to read the
whole article if
they’re not too
interested. This
shows how much
the audience need
instant gratification.
The bit of highlighted text gives the reader a little bit of information with should
either satisfy the audience (if they’re not too interested) or make them want to read
on (If they are). This serves the same purpose as the know it all box. It is highlighted
so that it’s one of the first thing the audience will look at.
Double Page Spread
Rocksound.

7. Double Page Spread Metal Hammer
The quotes
give
information
about the
article so
people can
find out what
it’s about and
decide
whether or not
to read it.
These
pictures have
an almost
collage feel to
them. This
makes it feel
homemade
and raw, and
given the
topic, it is
fitting.
The amount of
writing and the
small size of it
suggests that it
is for and older
audience,
however, it is
an interview,
so we can’t
generalise
from one
double page
spread that all
of Metal
Hammer’s
dps’s are like
this.
These pictures break up the texts
a bit.

8. Contents page Kerrang!
The colour yellow stands out
massively on this page. This
is why it’s used for all of the
titles and important
information.
A picture of the artist that is
featured on a page and
putting the page number
underneath brings attention
to the artist themselves, but
also gives even more
information. And just in case
someone still wasn’t
interested in the magazine
after the front cover, it just
sells it a little bit more.
The Author’s column in this
magazine with the picture
makes the magazine a little
more personal, in the fact
that the audience can see
who’s talking to them
almost.
The signature also does this,
because you can tell a lot
about a person from their
handwriting.
The red here again stands
out, so you’re instantly
brought to the only red on
the page (this).
It is advertising the
subscription of the
magazine.
The image is very dark. This
can represent the genre of
music as a whole, or make
the colour stand out more..
Or in this case, both!

9. Contents page Rocksound.
The amount of pictures
on this contents page
suggests that it’s for a
younger audience as
the ratio of text to
images is approx.
50:50
Music With Attitude;
Suggests that they embrace the stereotype
associated with the rock genre.
The amount of text on this
side of the page and the
size of it juxtaposes the
amount of pictures on the
other side of the page.
The headlines are in red
so stand out from the
white background so that
attention is drawn to
them.
The graffiti stars re-enforce
the idea of secondary school
as they look almost doodled.
Again being red they stand
out from the background.

10. Contents page Metal Hammer
Stereotypical “rock”
image. Almost
ironic in a sense
given the title; “Evil
Music Wins”
This shows the kind
of humour that is
depicted in these
magazines.
The white
background makes
the black and red
writing legible.
The red writing is
coloured so to
foreground that
writing.
The plug is almost
a convention of
rock magazines. It
is red and looks like
a blood splatter. So
whilst
foregrounding the
text, it is also
maintaining the
“rock” theme.
Advertising things
in the magazine e.g
reviews.
The colours again
work to highlight
certain things.
The picture and
signature of the
editor again makes
the magazine a
little more personal
as you can make a
connection with
them.
The woman swearing not
only removes and idea of
gender bias in terms of
“rock is for men” as a
general stereotype, but as a
stereotype in the magazine
thus making women feel
more welcome.