Researching contents pages

Contents pages are important because they inform readers of what is going to feature in the magazine and where they can find them. They sometimes include a message from the main publisher telling consumers about competitions and any special articles that may appeal to them along with loads of photos of music artists that are involved with this certain issue. It also introduces the magazine and will determine whether the reader is going to like what they read at an early point, so it is important to attract there attention and include and promote everything possible to keep them interested and intrigued to what's coming up next.



This a contents page from 'Q' the biggest music magazine within the UK and interviews and features some of the biggest artist around the globe such as Arctic Monkeys, Noel Gallagher and Bowie and are known for there simple trademark red background and white 'Q'. The big red banner catches readers attention straight away and stands out from anything else on the page so it makes a statement and is bold and confident and is what consumers will expect to see throughout the rest of the pages. The colour scheme is very much kept the same throughout avoiding confusion and creating a professional feel. 'Q' is known for its bold white font and red background so regular readers will know straight away what it is but for new readers it is simple and stands out so it will attract there attention on to it. Less is more.
The text has been placed along the left and right side with the images in the middle, this fills out the double page spread contents page and there is no gaps or spaces so there is as much information as possible advertising what the magazine has produced this issue. The overall structure looks professional and tidy with the colour scheme being shown again with the same red, white and black which is already showing continuality at a early stage. The photos are of different sizes and shapes which adds edge and shows the importance of the music artist and who is going to be featured in the following pages. The photos represents the articles and provides a insight to consumers so there's not to much of an anticipating and even boring build up.
The subheadings are in a bold font compared to the text underneath so it stands out and the vital part is more visible compared to the detail underneath, it will help the readers find what they are looking for as the page numbers are placed next to the headings to avoid confusion. All of the font is also the same keeping to the consistent and professional feel again.
This is the exact genre and type of contents page I need to be researching to gain inspiration and knowledge of how to create my own successful contents page. This is the perfect example as it keeps to the specific colour scheme throughout and is an eye appealing, bold, informative contents page that is detailed and allows the consumers to go to whatever page they want easily as the numbers are clear to see. When creating my contents page I don't believe its necessary to provide a description under every subheading as I would want keep my readers wondering what the articles consist of and would want to get something from my articles without already knowing what they are going to include.

This is a slightly different layout compared to the above but is the same type of genre and style that I should be focusing on. The bold title NME is in the same recognisable text and font as well with 'Contents' placed next to it, so its obvious what this page will include. The colour scheme to this music magazine seems to be white,black and red with the subheadings in white and black and the rest of the text in black. The page numbers are in red so they stand out from the rest and are clear and easy to see. Unlike Q this magazine has a advertisement at the bottom promoting subscribing and the prices of the magazine, this is a deal that readers can sign up to and receive the magazine at a discounted price, the word 'just' emphasised this and makes consumers believe they are getting a really good deal, this part is subverting to the usual conventions as well as the colour scheme has proven to be red, white and black but have included yellow on the advertisement just so it stands out even more. They have also included there website and number so you can easily contact them and get the subscribe offer as well so they make it very easy for consumers to join.

The main image that is clear and visible to see is of the Arctic Monkeys and the heading and page number is below, NME have also included a paragraph about this article but haven't done this with any others, so this makes it clear that this will be the main feature in the magazine and are proudly advertising it. I believe that its a good idea to widely advertise and entice readers in with promoting a big star featuring in the magazine and keeping the other articles more secretive so readers don't know what to expect.

There isn't as much going on in this contents page and the layout is different compared to the previous Q page, the subheadings are at the right so they are neat and kept together, where as before they were on the right and left side. I believe that placing them together and apart works both ways and still looks professional, I will consider this when creating my music magazine.

I am also going to make sure that I keep to my colour scheme because this enhances the professional feel and keeps to the conventions.

Not all of the pages and numbers have been included and I feel that's vital to keep consumers interested and aware of what's inside and where they can find certain articles that interest them, although its not necessary to write a paragraph underneath everyone, I think that its important for readers to know what's actually inside without giving to much
away.

Choosing My Artists Genre

There are a range of different music genres that music artists are categorised into such as pop,rock, indie and rap. I have decided to create a pop/indie male music artist inspired from real artists like Tom Odell and Bastille.
The magazine I will be creating will be a pop based magazine like blender and billboard and my aim is to ensure I create a professional looking front cover, contents page and a double page spread.
My target audience age will range from 14-21 and will appeal to boys and girls, the girls will look up to him and 'fancy him' like they do with Justin Bieber or Usher and the boys will enjoy his music and can relate to him as a person and what he says.


Tom Odell is the exact inspirational artist that I will aim to create my artist like. He writes his own songs and plays a variety of instruments and is a pop/indie artist. I will be researching a lot into artists like Tom to give me an idea of how to portray my music artist.

Analysing magazines further

I believe that it is important to look at different types of magazines in order to understand the conventions that run through all genres and for how to make my magazine professional and effective.
Even though I am creating a music magazine I have also been looking at fashion and health magazines to inspire me and by doing this it has made me aware that all magazines do stick to familiar conventions, for example a consistent colour scheme, main image of model/artist and a the title in big bold font at the top.

 

When looking at this magazine, the first thing I  noticed was the big green title 'Health' at the very top, straight away i am aware of what the magazine is going to be about, what the colour scheme will consist of and by having the colour Green on the front cover it very much supports the message of 'health' as it is a fresh colour that people refer to relate to nature and fruit which very much relates to the genre of health. The skyline is also been used in a persuasive way to draw consumers in, by saying they can lose weight without dieting will appeal to lots and many people hate dieting and many consumers buying this magazine will be interested in loosing weight or eating healthier. Many people will look at magazines from top to bottom so its important to catch there attention straight away and attract there pockets immediately, that is generally why the bar code and price is at the bottom because that information is less appealing to customers.

 

 The image on the cover is a mid shot of an attractive young women, the magazine company will have purposely used this lady as they want other women reading to believe that with 'Health Magazines' help they can be fit and healthy like her. She is also wearing a green vest top which sticks to the colour scheme of green, pink and white which are pure, feminine and healthy colours. Even though black is used and this contrasts these colours as its a more darker and unhappy colour, this cover is therefore going against the conventions for part of the colour scheme. Most of the time, the colours used together have a meaning or support the same message that is being portrayed. The model is also smiling and looks very comfortable in her own skin and looks pure, healthy and happy. This will make consumers want to be like her and aim to get to how she looks, she isn't heavily made up and she looks more natural which sticks to the idea of being 'Healthy and Natural'

 

The subheadings are again placed around the image like most magazines do. This keeps the image on show and having the headings placed with the model makes consumers see loads of words and lots going on so they think there will loads of content inside, when realistically its mainly advertisements and photos. Most of the text is in black which stands out and is easy to see the main one that stands out to me is 'GET A FLAT BELLY FAST' this has been placed directly under the main title on purpose so it is the next thing the consumers see and is exactly what they would want to see, the whole subheading is in big bold font with the word 'FLAT' slightly bigger just to emphasis that the consumers can be flat and slim fast. Many magazines are clever with there words and it is important to tell customers what they want to hear without being untrue and not telling the truth. Other subheadings '45 foods that burn fat' this is also appealing and short so it doesn't take up the whole page and doesn't give to much away. If they was to tell consumers what the foods were, they wouldn't need to buy the magazine so they need to prolong it as much as possible so they will buy the magazine and then read through and discover what the foods are.

 

From my research of looking at different magazines i have discovered that all genres follow the same conventions and use the same techniques to appeal to consumers and to get them to buy there product. By doing this it has helped me and taught me that i need to include persuasive and eye catching subheadings and big bold title, a short and snappy skyline and an image of someone that represents all of this and sells what the magazine is trying to say. In music magazines most of the time, the artist on the front of the cover has a big double page spread inside that is advertised on the cover as well.

I am feeling positive about creating my own music magazine and am aiming to make it professional and to include all of the usual conventions.

Magazines in General

The main function of any magazine is to sell product. It will include a big recognisable title, a big eye catching image of the star/artist or whatever the magazine is about and big noticeable font with catchy sub titles to draw the audience in.

The Title/Name of the magazine is normally stated at the top so it’s the first thing consumers see and normally has a recognizable symbol or font that target audience members will be familiar with. In ‘ELLE’s’ case they are known for long thing font that takes up the top of the page and the colour depends on the colours used on the cover.

Magazines always have a colour scheme they follow to make the magazine look neat and professional and not just a random explosion of colours. This issue of Elle has gone for a selection of light purple, black and white even though the yellow makes quite a statement on her outfit, none of the font has been written in yellow and I think if there was it would become to overpowering and bright. The blend of colours works nicely together and they background is quite clear and empty so the page doesn't clash and look over complicated.

The subtitles are purposely put there to attract consumers attention and is the magazines perfect opportunity to advertise what is going to be inside and they need to make sure the subtitles are eye catching and persuasive . A lot of the time consumers will read the cover to see what type of stories and products they can expect to see and if it can appeal to them. The more well put and appealing they come across the more consumers will buy. So it is vital that they use the space and word the sub titles to entice the reader as much as they can.

 
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The image magazines use depend on what genre the magazine is. ELLE is a fashion magazine so a close up shot or mid shot would be used to emphasis the makeup or hairstyle on the model or the clothes they are wearing. In this particular issue Victoria Beckham is wearing a yellow and violet sexy dress with the top of her boobs on show, her hand on her hips connotes power and independence and another hand placed on her head blocking the sunlight out of her face, she is looking to the side and slightly pouting not looking into the camera at all this shows her dominance and vanity as she is clearly posing but looking away intriguing the reader because by not looking into the camera she is not 'inviting them in'. The background is usually a studio with props and screens placed behind the model and the shot is normally focused on the article that they will be featured in, in the magazine.
The color of her dress fits in with the color scheme and she is holding a clutch bag and on the cover one of the sub titles say 450+ bags, clothes etc ideas inside, there will most probably be a clutch bag very similar to Victoria's and that will appeal to young girls and women as they can be like her and be gaining fashion advice at the same time. 'How she keeps her hard body' is also written by her photo this will intrigue many readers as she has had children and still looks amazing for her age and many girls will aspire to be like her and want to find out her secret. This is a perfect example of how to draw consumers in.
 A lot of magazines have a slogan that makes them
 unique and gives them a quote to make them recognizable. ELLE is a very well known fashion magazine and doesn't have one but doesn't necessary need one as in different issues they include a statement about what the magazine is going to do to help you with your fashion. 'The personal style issue, find your fashion personality' it gives a personal edge and will make the consumer feel special and unique. Also by saying they will find YOUR fashion personality makes them feel like they are being helped and are in good hands because Victoria Beckham is on the front of the cover and she is a role model that is married to hunk David Beckham.

Some magazines use a variety of fonts to make it more appealing, sometimes though it can turn out looking tacky and it looks like there is to much going on. Elle has the same long thing font on the cover but also includes a more chunkier bold font which just makes the necessary text stand out.


























 

Researching Music Magazines

  Here is a music magazine i have found called 'Vibe'. Its a music and entertainment magazine founded by Quincy Jones and focuses on RnB and hip-hop music artists and is issued every other month. The magazines target audience is young people that are fans of urban music. On the cover of this issue there is Rap sensation Trey Songz and he is pictured on the centre of the cover showing he's ripped body and tattoos. A mid shot has been used here to show off the relevant part of Treys body which is predominantly his Abs and muscles as this is very appealing to young girls. Its a very seductive shot with his body language open as Treys arms are slightly apart 'inviting the girls in'. The tattoos are also on show to signify him as he is recognisably known for his unique tattoos and his name in bold next to the image lets other consumers aware of who he is. The colour scheme that has been used on this cover is red and white, red can be seen as a 'dangerous and sexual' colour and that definitely supports the image that has been used from the water that is running down his body and face and the chained wire behind him. This supports the dangerous edge that is trying to be portrayed and he also in his boxers which creates an explicit and naughty feel to the photo, he is seen as a 'sex symbol' by many girls so the photo would need to make him look that way to keep there target audience interested in buying the magazine. The title of the magazine 'Vibe' has been placed at the top of the cover which is where consumers will look first, its big bold and easy to see what magazine it is and although Trey's head is partly covering the 'b' its still clear what magazine it is. Also by making 'Vibe' red it sticks to the colour scheme and also supports the dangerous/sexual message that is being portrayed. As the image of Trey is very provocative it will make young girls eager to see what else is inside ' The hardest in RnB' is a short sub title that gives consumers an insight into what may be inside, it doesn't give to much away but informs them of what subject will be covered. The word 'hardest' could mean many things so will make girls curious as to what it means and there will most definitely be more topless photos inside and that is what will appeal to them. In contrast there is a story featuring in the magazine about the disaster in Haiti, this would be completely different to any storyline focused about Trey Songz so there is a wide variety of stories included in the magazine so it will attract more peoples attention. Other music artist names have also been included above the main title which is called a skyline, this informs the audience of some other stars that are featuring in this issue and that will hopefully attract more consumers attention as having a variety of music artists will appeal to more people. The other subtitles are placed are Trey so he is clearly on show and is easy to see and then the subtitles are in red and white so you can easily read what they say against the dark background without taking any limelight away from the seductive image. The barcode and Vibe logo has also been included, so it is professional and can be scanned through and recognised and the website has been added so that consumers can go on the website and get involved with what's going on and look and possibly order the magazine from the website.

Here is a BBC opera music magazine that has been produced especially to share the music awards results to consumers. The image is of a man that looks stereotypically like an opera singer, he is dressed in a smart suit and has also been captured in a mid shot as well. Although this image is completely different to the one above as they are both trying to convey certain messages to there target audience. This cover connotes no sexual or dangerous themes about it and is a cheerful looking man smiling at the camera with his award, this also relates to what the magazine will be about. There is a clear light background that seems to be in a music room and the font is easy to see and is also again placed around the figure in the photo. The colour scheme again consists of 2 colours which is black and gold and these are quite classy colours and would appeal to the older generation as younger consumers would be interested in bright and loud colours. The BBC logo is also at the top of the page as its the first thing people will see and informs the straight away of what type of magazine it will be and that the information inside will be correct and is trustworthy as the BBC is one of Britain's biggest TV companies, The skyline above also tells consumers straight away what it is they will be looking at it also has the words 'souvenir issue' which sounds very appealing and is a one off issue that has been produced especially to announce the winners of the Music awards. In comparison to the magazine above it is easy to see how important the image is and how depending on what the image is it will attract different attention to it. If the artist is looking 'sexy' it will grab the attention of girls as they will be attracted to how he looks. It works the same if a women is looking ' flirtatious' it will attract men's attention as they will want to look at the images of the women. This is called the Male Gaze as photographers capture images that men want to see and what women want to be. In the BBC magazine its clear to see that is not important for them and the type of consumers purchasing that magazine will be interested in the content not the man on the front page and how he looks.


                     
This last music magazine I found has American Pop Sensation Justin Bieber starring on the front of the cover. BillBoard is an American music magazine located in New York City and is owned by Prometheus Global Media and the first issue was published in 1894 making it one of the oldest magazines in the world. The magazine focuses on songs and artists that are in the charts, and what is being played on the radio. Its a very current magazine and is aimed at young teens/adults and can vary on consumers depending on what music they like but focuses on chart and pop music.     
Immediately its the colours that stand out to me with yellow and blue being the main dominating colours that are featured on the front, normally the colour scheme will be consistent throughout so the inside of the magazine would probably have yellow and blue running through it. Billboard are known to have different colours in the gaps in there title. They normally would have different colours in the gaps of the 'B, A and D' this adds a element of consistency throughout again and would be recognisable to consumers. The image of Justin is quite an innocent looking shot in comparison to the vain quote over his name 'everything I do, I do to be the greatest' this will interest the target audience because they will want to know what Justin has said and the latest news about him. The quote over his name has been purposely put there because everyone knows who Justin Bieber is so his name can be covered as he will still be recognised from the image, his name could be removed completely and it would not decrease the sales as his is constantly in the news and has millions of fans worldwide. In a sense its reflecting on his popularity. An explicit image wouldn't be suitable as a huge amount of his fans are young girls and if he was posing half naked it wouldn't convey a good message to them and parents wouldn't approve. Although he is grabbing at his top and looking straight into the camera ( the consumers eyes ) this comes across as flirtatious and seductive but younger girls wouldn't necessary realise this. His photo dominates the whole page and the text and subtitles have been placed around him again like in the other 2 covers. Some of subtitles include Ellie Goulding and Lady Gaga who are both very famous singers in the charts at the moment and this supports the artists that BillBoard normally include. The font is clear and easy to see which is obviously very important because if people cant read then they wont buy. The font is also relatively the same except for the Title and I think this looks better because it looks professional and when you include loads of different fonts it begins to look tacky and random.