Industry Magazine analysis and My own front cover Magazine Analysis
- Lizzie Beadle
- Nov 22, 2019
- 14 min read
The task involved researching past magazine front covers, learning fashion modelling photography then using this development to create own magazine front cover using adobe photoshop. I chose to look up the different representations of women portrayed in women’s magazines.
Research of magazine front covers advertised for women
The denotation of this ‘fashion’ front cover magazine shows a model with makeup on being placed in an edgy angle that would make her look most attractive where the denim jacket fits perfectly to her structure body. She is using body language with hers hands on her hip in a way where she can engage with the audience using strong eye contact.
The connotation is of a successful, young actress modelling makeup, clothes, hair and jewellery. The connotation is the model, Michelle must have worked hard to look the way she does and ‘great style at any age’ is maybe misleading and exaggerated to the target audience. Using a model that is familiar like Michelle from the hit TV series ‘gossip girl’ makes it more suitable for the target audience as they want to be drawn in. The audience gets the impression from this magazine that once you style denim the right way you can look glamorous at any age. Also the idea that the model is wearing denim suggests everyday kind of wear as its what a large percent of the population wear. As the denim is very low v neck it implies to me that this looks definitely is not suitable for the teen category. Furthermore, with the right products your skin will look as flawless as this model and she is wearing makeup which emphasizes her dramatic dark eyes and which gives a glow to her face. The editor does this to make sure all the products advertised will look as good as possible to get future buyers. The photo looks professional in the way her hair is swept back suggesting that this is a massive statement in the fashion society and it makes the clothes stand out more. The model is using strong direct address suggesting that she is confident which then reflects on the audience. This encourages the audience to buy the magazine as the model is making eye contact giving the audience an individual relationship.
The uses and gratification is for women who want to be informed and educated about new upcoming fashion and tips and the purpose would be to satisfy curiosity and general interest on fashion. Evidence to support this is the masthead directly states ‘fashion’ and also the cover lines says ‘great style at any age’ meaning the audience knows exactly what their buying. The public may use the media as a talking point for interaction and discussion as they want to be a part of this new trend. Furthermore, by reading magazines like this they can escape their world of reality into lives of celebrity endorsement where they can be entertained and they would enjoy reading it.
The demographic for this specific magazine is aimed at women and the magazine is interested in being stylish at any age. By looking at the media pack for ‘fashion magazine’ the average age is around 28 and 82% of the readers are female. The reasons why it could attract more their age is because the model is around the same age category. The lifestyle grouping I would class as the mainstreamers aspires and secedes because it’s based on the latest fashion however from research I’ve seen her clothes are in the higher market shops. Also 44% is likely to spend more than $2,500 on women’s clothing and 46% are more likely to look for labels when shopping for clothes meaning it meets with the supposed audience. I feel the social grading is aimed more at the middle class for example the C1, C2 and D category also I know its high on the social grading because from research everything the model wears cost $4585 together. However on this magazine it doesn’t have a barcode this suggests to me that the magazine brand probably thinks it’s too tacky to put on the front.
The seasonal theme for this style would aim at summer preparation as it clearly states it was published on the date May. Also the colours used on the jewellery are brown and gold suggesting its representing the leaves falling off a tree.
As all magazines wants to attract future buyers and publishers so they have to use specific language like hyperbolic language which this magazine uses. This is used to exaggerate on terms to make it very eye-catching for example they emphasise the fact that its ‘great style at any age’ which it may not be. Also adding rhetorical questions like ‘are you turning into your mother?’ makes the reader want to find out if they are and if yes then to change this habit immediately and it addresses the reader directly making the reader feel part of the magazine making them want to read more. This emphasises a point as the audience is mostly the age where they would start having a family of their own where they wouldn’t want to be turning into a mother.
The colour scheme of this magazine has a plain, white background which enables the bold images and text to stand out more. The bold colours pink and black stand out as they complement each other making it look more attractive. Also pink is more of a feminine colour so it attracts more of the target audience. The jewellery is a leopard print pattern suggesting adventurous.
The masthead immediately catches the audience’s attention as it’s large, bold, bright, in capital letters and summery but not too elaborate therefore it makes it very eye-catching. A reason why the masthead is not covered by the model is because the editor may want it to stand out more by not blocking the international big name which will attract future buyers. The reason why the magazine is called ‘fashion’ is because the publisher wants to make a clear, obvious statement to the target audience so the audience knows exactly what their buying which is popular or the latest style of clothing. The style of the font looks professional, classy and feminine and i think this is done to attract upper class. The cover lines are important as it states the subject like ‘great style at any age’ and ‘what’s cool’ and by doing this it will incise the audience into buying it. Also the rhetorical question makes the reader want to read the magazine to find out how to do this. This also addresses the reader directly making the reader feel part of the magazine and makes them want to read more. Also the description uses alliteration on ‘sexy shine, sophisticated’ emphasising this amazing new look. Important information is placed on the left side third in case the retailer uses a horizontal shelving system.
The shot type is a medium shot and taken at eye level. She is using direct address to create eye contact with the audience. This suggests she is very confident and quite intimidating. The lighting is high key lighting because firstly it needs to be able to attract the audience more in what she’s wearing and it needs to be free from dark shadows. Having a White background is very effective as it brightens up the mood of the magazine.
Mis-en-scene of this the leading story theme is how to look sexy and sophisticated in denim which then links to the model as she’s modelling the clothes.
The denotation of this fitness magazine shows shay Mitchell jumping up in the air with one hand behind her head and the other in front kind of like she’s running in the air. The photograph is directly related to the feature article.
The connotation of this magazine suggests to the audience that if you keep to this 15 minute routine you will hopefully have the same skinny body image as shay who is in a hit TV series called ‘pretty little liars’. Having an extremely attractive celebrity as the main image makes it more appealing and gets women in a competitive spirit. This image was used to go along the lines of keeping fit by not just staying in a tight position but freely moving in the way that you would do when you’re running as you would never be staying still. And her position suggests that she is confident with the way she looks. However, it exaggerates a bit because shay may not even use this 15 minute gym sessions. The way she’s holding her posture suggests a sense of strength and good stamina and her figure suggests
The uses and gratification is the magazine wants to inform and self educate the world about how to lose weight. I know this as it states it in the cover lines that you can ‘burn 300 calories in 15 minutes’. The readers may use the media as a talking point for social interaction and discussion about how fitness is so important into keeping our society motivational and why it is relevant to keep a healthy lifestyle routine. The public would want to enjoy having a conversation about how to look fit, healthy and beautiful, for example, they want to aspire to be like these celebrities like shay for instants.
The Mis-en-scene of this magazine is that the main image is of a bubbly young model that’s jumping up in the air as if she’s running and she’s wearing brightly coloured sports clothes. The publisher may have done this to make it seem like she has a kind of spark in her running techniques as if to say this is the best advice I was ever given and she’s celebrating that it worked for her. The editor is attempting to appeal the audience by having this additional image and this is the only image on the magazine. Although, there is a small little yellow flower that may convey summer.
The demographic of this target audience is for women of all ages who want to start or improve their running maybe to train for an event, to lose weight, to get fit or just to look good. Nowadays some women could be lacking in self confidence so they want to feel good about their body. Although, it could just be for those people with a busy lifestyle as it’s only 15 minutes but they still want to juggle their busy life with relaxation time and they could want to combat their stress through regular exercise. Also it will attract people who are obsessed over pretty little liars as she is one of the main characters so she could be an inspiration to others. From research on similar fitness magazines I’ve seen an average age is around 32 and 91% spend holiday abroad each year suggesting they keep to these routines as they want to look good for that bikini body. The lifestyle grouping I would class as secedes and aspires as they want to overcome their body image. The social grading would be placed more in the category B or C1 because it is an expensive priced magazine for £4.99 on the barcode and it has a very sophisticated sporty cover which will appeal to those of a higher income. However anyone can use these training plans no matter what your salary is.
I believe the seasonal theme is publishes in spring because women want to shape up ready in time for summer. Also the fashion sense is more bright and colourful suggesting summer. The date the magazine was published was April 2014.
This magazine uses hyperbolic language as it exaggerates on a lot of key points to make it more persuasive. An example of this is ‘burn 300 calories in 15 minutes’.
This magazine uses some puffs to entice the audience into buying the magazine by stating the main exclusive stories in a highlighted circle which includes the bonus feature.
The colour scheme of the background has a mixture of light grey and white and I believe it symbolize the clouds suggesting that people should run in any condition. The magazine in general has a mixture of bright, summery colours. The strap line is in red suggesting you will look more attractive as red indicates romance. Blue suggests a feeling of confidence so the audience can have trust and strength in this magazine. Also it represents cooling and calm which maybe indicating that running is kind of therapeutic. The dress code is neutral colours like green, blue and white. The bright yellow puffs suggest that the editor has associated it with joy, happiness and energy. This creates imagery of sunshine meaning women may like to get a head start on their body image for summer.
The masthead is extremely eye-catching as it’s big, bold and blue and out there which says ‘women’s running’ stating clearly it is a fitness magazine. Also the masthead is covered up by the model suggesting that the brand is well known and confident in their magazine. The cover lines are very important as it’s in black and bold font which makes it very snappy and memorable. This will persuade the audience and make the people want to know how to lose that much weight as it’s unanswered. The majority of the cover lines are on the left side third so when they would be stacked on the shelves they would be visible to the audience. However it does include some other topics so it can attract more people. The strap line is in a yellow textbox which states ‘spring shape up special’ which is promotional information that attempts the reader to think highly of this magazine.
The shot type used is a long shot as its of her whole body making the audience get a general impression. It’s effective as it shows her figure being perceived as amazing. She uses direct address but has to tilt her eyes to one side more suggesting she’s confident. Also its a way the magazine tries to create an individual relationship with the audience. The lighting is high key so it’s light and bright which is suitable when wanting to attract the fitness side. This conveys a youthful, open, and happy mood to suggest that being healthy will give you such a happy life. The grey tones in the background make the image stand out more which makes it look very effective and tends to give their characteristic upbeat look.
My front cover magazine analysis
The denotation shows a model showing off her clothes, her arm are above her head holding a check jacket above her head which is a very unique pose. Also she is focusing her eyes to the side of her which makes it a lot more mysterious. The additional image detonates a sunset shining through the autumn red leaves on a tree. There is also a massive lake in the background.
The connotation implies if a model can rock out this edgy autumn style look so can you, (the audience). The beautiful model will attract the audience because she wants to come out of inner shell and unleash the beauty within her which will hopefully inspire students to do the same who are the target audience. The audience gets the impression from the editor of the magazine, that if you follow the craze of the season then you’re automatically fit in with the crowd, be popular and have an amazing season ahead of you as you have the right essentials. The connotation of the background depends on the reader and the emotions they may provoke. For example it could covey peace, calmness and nature which the audience may find relaxing and therapeutic. She is stereotyped as she’s thin and beautiful and she is wearing natural makeup which emphasizes her lips and eyes. Her radiant big smile creates a positive atmosphere. The whole of her front teeth is showing implying that she is beaming with excitement over the new craze. She is looking away from the audience which suggests that this is not false advertisement it’s all natural and she’s not posing for the camera.
The demographic for this specific magazine called ‘craze’ is aimed for around the 14 to 25 category. The reason why it’s aimed for this specific age category is because the outfit the model is wearing is for a special occasion which you would wear to parties or events which mostly this age group attends to as they are still students. Also females are generally more into make-up and fashion especially teenagers as they want to fit in more. Also people may be interested in this if they are interested in heating healthy and has passion for different seasons. The lifestyle grouping I would class more of mainstreamers because they obviously want to follow more of the latest trends and they are promised good fashion sense for autumn. The social grading of this magazine is classed around c and b, I believe this category because the model is in the student age category so it will attract more that age. Although some students may not be able to afford it however they always want to read up about some gossip and there are always their parents. This magazine has is priced at £2.99 and it states that at the slanted at the side of the barcode. The magazine uses a barcode to show clearly where the price will stand but it would be hidden when shelved as it’s on the bottom right.
The uses and gratification is for teenagers and mid 20s women who want to be informed about the latest new trends to ear for the upcoming season. The sort of people who would pick up this magazine would be interested in makeup, fashion, diets, healthy skin and hair and lastly celebrity gossip. The purpose is to satisfy the needs of the audience who are interest in the topic fashion. Evidence to support that this magazine is on the topic fashion as it clearly states on the cover lines ‘autumn fashion starts here’. The public may use this as a talking point for discussion as they want to be part of this new trend.
This magazine uses a pug which is located on the right hand top corner and quotes ‘smart shopping’ which gives the audience advice to how to shop properly and stress free and it approaches a modern take. The puff states ‘win a Calvin Klein dress’ which will attract a lot of the audience as who doesn’t want to win something for free. This is an interesting style to get the audience attention as it stands out, bright and eye catching.
The seasonal theme for this is aimed for the autumn. This magazine is clearly very obvious on showing that it’s this season from the autumnal reddish background and it clearly states at the corner ‘autumn fashion starts here’. Also the date the magazine was published was ‘October 2015’ which is autumn time when leaves begin to fall.
The shot type used is a medium shot as it shows her full body up to her hips and it’s taken at eye level. She isn’t using direct address but instead looking to the side which implies the model wants to be original and her own self not just posing to the camera. The lighting used is high key as it shows the model clearly which creates a happy and overall cheerful mood. The background is slightly darker which makes the model stand out more. This is effective and the model is more the subject of the magazine.
This magazine uses hyperbolic language meaning its over exaggerated however this make the magazine a whole lot more persuasive and will hopefully get a lot of future buyers. For example it uses persuasive language on ‘must have’ as it may not be relevant to all the audience. It also has a formal tone added as its advertisement.
The colour scheme is based around autumn so it shows intense colours like red. The colour red is associated with energy, power and strength suggesting the writer wants to convey the model as being sophisticated. It also symbolizes passion and love suggesting the model to be very friendly towards the audience. The autumnal background also complements the models outfit as she’s wearing a bold red dress which matches in with leaves. This is effective as it describes to the audience why it’s in the autumn style category. The texts used are written with 3 main colours which are white, black and a reddish pinkish on the masthead. The reason why some of the cover lines are written in white is because white implies purity and perfection which makes the audience feel inspired. However the other text colour is completely opposite meaning as its black which implies that you’re hidden from the world, mysterious and secretive. This suggests that the model is trying to set a trend to teenagers to come out of your shell and be your own kind of beautiful and it also shares the secrets of handy fashion tips.
The masthead is light pink with a stroke of red on the outline of the font, this makes it stand out more and it collects a good impression to the audience as the target audience is for girls and it gives of a very feminine side. The reason why I decided not to cover the model above the masthead is because I wanted the magazine name craze to stand out more as it gives the audience an idea on what their buying. I called the magazine ‘craze’ because it’s a synonym of fashion and the meaning of it is an activity or object which appears suddenly. Also, it achieves wide-spread and is very popular but it is a short lived popularity but that’s correct for this magazine as it’s only a season style. The style of the font is very appealing as it’s a popular feminine advertising font which is bold and uses colours suitable for teens and the season. The cover lines I decided to use were very eye-catching as they talk about more than one topic which gets more attention from the audience. Some of the examples include ‘fashion to flatter every figure’ which is very memorisable as it uses a bit of alliteration. This is also a good as the audience is around teenagers so they all grow at different pastes and it just says you’ll perfect just the way you are. I decided to use the area of the left side third for important statement cover lines as it will receive future buyers if the audience can see all the persuading technique words on the shelves when they are stacked.
The mise-en-scene of the main image shows a young model exploring in the woods for an autumn walk around a beautiful lake. She is using her checked shirt as a prop to suggest it’s the season when it’s half cold half not and also to suggest there’s so many fashion choices either casual or party night out and she can’t decide so she mixes it up.
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