Holly Sheldon has conducted research on various magazines ranging from those targeted at younger to older audiences and feminine to masculine interests. She is using an "inductive research" method to look for patterns across magazine types. As part of a school project, she analyzed a school-based magazine called "Pinch of Salt" and a music magazine called "Top of the Pops". The school magazine aims to inform and advertise to parents, using imagery of happy students and references to encouragement, progression and achievement. The music magazine targets tween girls age 8+ to inform and entertain, using feminine colors, imagery of pop stars, and language appealing to readers.

1. Research on Magazines
By Holly Sheldon

2. Magazine Research
I have investigated a wide variety of magazines
ranging from a younger to an older audience
and from a feminine to masculine appeal. This
method is called ‘inductive research’ to see if I
can find a pattern in the range of magazines. As
further into year 12 we will be investigating
school based and music magazines, I have
decided to construct one of each category.

3. School Based Magazine
I have investigated further into the ‘Pinch of Salt’
magazine which is aimed at parents who are
interested in sending their children there. The
purpose of this magazine is to inform and advertise
the school.
The central image is a mid shot of two
students looking happy and welcoming
surrounded by school work. This shows
the parents reading the magazine that
Titus Salts School makes learning fun as
feelings of ‘fun’ yet images of school work
are combined on the front cover.
The colour palette which
involves the use of
various shades of blue
represents the school as
it identifies with the
school uniform.
There is a slogan situated at the bottom of the
magazine and in the context of 3 simple words
associating with the school –
encouragement, progression and achievement.
This shows parents that this is an effective way
the school uses to influence the students to
get the best outcome in their future.
The masthead is in large blue font to
attract the readers attention but also
can also be identified with the school
logo.
The Masthead ‘Pinch of Salt’ is an
effective play on words which catches
the readers attention. As the school
itself is called ‘Titus Salts’. The language
used ‘Pinch of Salt’ insinuates that the
reader is getting a ‘pinch of information’
about Titus Salts School. ‘Pinch’ makes
the reader feel as if they are getting the
information first hand so its new and
exciting as they feel only they know this
new information.
The fact that there is a
white boy and an Asian girl
on the front
cover, initiates that the
school welcomes ethnicity.
The fact that there is no barcode
situated at the bottom right hand
corner of the page initiates the idea
that this magazine is not for sale as
the aim of the magazine is more for
publicity.

4. Music Magazine
I have decided to investigate further into the theme of ‘Pop’ music
magazines. From analysing a popular pop based magazine ‘Top of
the Pops’ I have discovered the target audience is tweenies'
(fashion conscious girls 8+). The purpose of this magazine is to
inform as well as entertain.
The colour scheme of the
magazine is pink and
purple contrasted onto a
white background. The
white background
initiates pure and
innocent, and the colours
pink and purple are
feminine.
The central image is a mid shot
image of Cher Lloyd looking
directly at the readers’ in order
to make it more personal and
engage the audience more.
The use of images down the left hand side
are all of famous singer that are currently
popular. There is an action shot of 1D
being natural and silly to come across to
the readers’ that they are down to earth.
This makes the audience feel they don’t
have to be of a higher class etc in order to
purchase this magazine.
The language used “our experts to
the rescue” makes the tweenies’
aspire to this particular magazine
as the producers of this magazine
want to build a relationship with
them. They do this by making
themselves trustworthy to the
readers’ by being there to help
solve your ‘crisis’.
The masthead is in large pink font
with the unimportant words ‘of
the’ inside a circle centred
between the title. This is in order
to highlight the main words and
attract the readers’.
The main cover line is an
advertisement on its own as the
language used ‘the real Cher Lloyd’
suggests there is a different secret
side to Cher that no one knows
about and will be interpreted in
this magazine article.
The magazines feminism is made
obvious through the design on the
front cover as the use of pink and
purple give the denotation of
feminism, passion and nurturing.
There is also a bonus of posters of
the newest hottest boy band at that
period of time so it is associated
with the topic ‘music’ and
particularly attracts a female
audience buy advertising close up
pictures of popular males.