Diary Entry - Week Four: 21st – 25th February 2011

Half Term

Diary Entry - Week Three: 14th – 18th February 2011

Two lessons this week were taken to finish the thorough analyses of the covers, contents pages and double page spreads as these are the three elements I will need to produce for my coursework. In the remaining three lessons, we turned our focus to audience research. For this, I created a questionnaire which covered every aspect of front covers, contents pages and double page spreads for the target audience to give their opinions and preferences on. My focus group consisted of older teenagers (16 and 17 years old) as this is the slightly more mature audience at which I am aiming my product. I chose to ask 20 questions as this corresponds to the number of questions and I feel this is a big enough number to get an accurate result with a wide variety of opinions. Once my questionnaires were returned to me, I used Microsoft Excel to create bar charts to present my findings in a professional and easy-to-interpret way.

Audience Research - Questionnaire Results and Evaluation

After twenty people who fit my demographic had filled out my questionnaire, I was able to put the results into graph form so they could be easily analysed. Following are the results for each question individually along with the conclusions I have drawn from them:

1.  What genre(s) of music do you generally listen to?

From this question, my focus group were given the option of writing more than one genre, and I have been able to discern that a wide variety of genres are popular among teenagers. Recurring answers were pop and alternative music, with indie also a popular choice. Therefore I have decided to create a magazine which covers a range of genres but specifically popular/ slightly alternative music, and could feature a run-down of the current singles chart in response to the popularity of this answer.  

2. How often do you think a new issue of a music magazine should come out?

By far the most popular answer in this multiple choice question was monthly, with weekly coming second and no-one voting that a music magazine should come out less frequently than once a month – therefore I have decided to create a monthly music magazine for my final product.

3. What do you think is a reasonable price for a music magazine?

From the results of this graph I have decided to charge £2.99 for my music magazine, given that most people were willing to pay £2-3 than any other value – this is affordable but would still ensure a profit if the magazine actually were to be produced and sold.






















4. Would you like the magazine to feature a run-down of the current singles chart?

Almost three quarter of people said that they would like the magazine to feature a chart update, which is unsurprising given the number of people who said they listened to current chart hits in Question One. In response to this I will definitely be including this feature in my magazine in some way, possibly on the contents page.

5. Would you like to read concert/gig reviews?

An overwhelming majority said that they would like it to feature concert and gig reviews, so I will be including this feature in my magazine as I feel it will be a very popular section and would help to sell the product to a wide audience.

6. Should it feature a list of upcoming gigs/ tours?

Again, the clear outcome of this question was that most customers would like to be presented with a list of upcoming gigs and tours as part of a music magazine, therefore I will include this in my product.

7. Do you prefer a music magazine to feature a wide variety of artists or similar ones?

In this case, the results were not unanimous, but it seems that a good 3/5 of the participants would rather it featured a wide variety of artists, and I will take this into consideration when choosing which artists to feature in my magazine.

8. What colours do you find stand out on a front cover?

Again, people were given the option of listing more than one colour for their answer, and the answers that cropped up again and again were black, white and red – these were also popular choices in my analysis of existing magazines, so I am considering using this as a colour scheme for my own product. Other popular colours included Purple, Blue and Gold, all of which are quite unusual for a magazine cover and would make it more individual and unique, so I will take this into careful consideration when choosing my final colour scheme.

9. Would you rather one large image or several smaller ones on a cover?

 The majority here said that they would prefer one large image on the cover, however there were some who said smaller images can be effective so I am considering using small images in addition to one main one on my cover.

10. Do you prefer a plain or fancy font for the cover, or a mixture of both?

The results were spread fairly evenly here, however the most popular choice was to have a mixture of fonts used – therefore I will feature a variety on my front cover and this will cater for all tastes.

11. Should the images on a front cover look natural or posed for?

Three quarters of my focus group stated here that they would prefer an image that looked like it was from a photo shoot as opposed to a natural photograph on the cover, therefore I will work on planning my photo shoot and poses and making the shot look as professional as possible.

12. Should the tile of a magazine be long or short and snappy?

Fourteen out of twenty people said they would prefer a short, memorable title such as Q and NME to a long and complicated one, and I will take this into consideration when deciding on the title of my final product.

13. What information would you like to find out from a contents page?

-Page numbers

-Article summaries

-Section headings

-Whereabouts I can find the articles and features on the cover

-The regular features of the magazine

-A letter from the editor

This information I found I could not put into graph form as I was faced with such a variety of results, but I have listed a selection of popular responses to this open question and I can ensure that all of this information is provided on my contents page of my finished magazine.

14. Do you prefer a blocky or scattered format for images/text on a contents page?

The results for this question were split almost equally, suggesting that these two choices are both very popular – I will therefore try to create a contents page with elements of both layouts, which will look unique and interesting while still easy to navigate and which clearly presents information.

15. Would you like the colour scheme to relate to that on the front cover?

Only one participant here stated that they would not like the colour scheme to relate to that on the front cover, therefore I will definitely use similar colours on my contents page and my cover to give it a professional and linked effect.

16. Would you rather one large image or several smaller ones on a contents page?

Again, the results here were not skewed in favour of one choice, so I will take this into consideration and use images in a wide variety of sizes on my contents page.

17. Do you prefer a written up interview or straight Q+A?

As a result of these opinions I have decided to combine a written up article and Q&A for my double page spread, in order to cater to all tastes and make the piece as interesting to read as possible, as the results were almost even.

18. Would you rather the article header be the artist’s name; song lyrics or a headline?

The two most popular choices here were for a creative headline or some song lyrics to introduce the piece as opposed to merely the artist’s name, therefore I have come to the decision to feature song lyrics on the double page spread, but come up with an original headline for my front cover  - this will keep the magazine varied and please all of my target audience.

19. What do you look to read about in articles in a music magazine?

Answers included:

-Interviews with featured act

-Whether they have any new albums or singles coming out

-Their personal life

-How they started out in music

-Who inspires them

Again, the responses given to this open question were very varied and could not be put into graph form; however I have included a selection of popular answers which I will carefully consider when choosing the contents of my article for the double page spread.

20. Would you prefer one large image or several smaller ones to accompany the article?

Aside from having both, the most popular choice here was to have one large image with seven votes compared to two – the solution to this I feel is to go with the majority and include both a large image and possibly some smaller ones to accompany it in the double page spread of my final product.

Audience Research - Questionnaires

Here is a sample of three of the twenty questionnaires which were completed by 16 and 17 year olds as part of my audeince research - from these I was able to compile graphs to represent my results for analysis.

Product Analysis: Q Magazine

                                                                Cover:

Undoubtedly what stands out most about the Q cover is the colour scheme: almost exclusively red, white and black, it is bold, eye catching and makes this one of the most recognisable music magazines on the market. The plain white background means that the images stand out, particularly as each of the artists is wearing black to ensure high contrast. The image itself is positioned slightly off centre, but features all three artists in a full body shot and looking directly into the camera so that the photograph has an almost menacing feeling to it and causing the reader to be in awe of these people. The text on the cover is written entirely in capital letters, almost as though the reader is being shouted at, and the very crowded page gives the impression that the magazine is full and therefore worth the customer’s money. Emphasising this is the box in the right hand corner which, like NME, features a “+” sign rather than the word “plus” for individuality and to appear modern. No information is given in this box apart from very high-profile artists’ names, having the effect of almost teasing the reader so they are forced to buy the magazine and look inside. Similarly, quotes from the three “headline” acts are given underneath their names, to intrigue the reader and catch their attention. Key facts that the creators want to get across to the reader are circled, for example “42 Pages of Reviews!” and “Exciting People” – this use of shape adds variety to the page, along with linking to the distinctive circular of the title of the magazine itself: Q.

Contents Page:

Unlike the other magazines I have analysed, the contents page in Q magazine is spread across two pages, allowing more room for both images and text to be in equal measures. For my final product I will produce just one page for the contents, however it is easy to see this magazine’s motivation for doubling up: It has the ability to be both image and text-dominated due to the extra space, with a blocky format ensuring a simple but effective layout. The images used in the bottom left are screenshots of the articles themselves, so that the reader knows what to look for, while the large-print page numbers also ensure it is easy to navigate and understand the order of the magazine. The dividers between sections of text also contribute to this. Although very organized, there is still a variation in size both in the images themselves and the page numbers, and this prevents the contents page from being dull and uninteresting to look at; there is a big variety. The colour scheme is once again red, white and black as it is on the cover, and this is a running theme throughout the magazine which links the different sections and adds professionalism. The text itself is laid out in columns as is the convention, and below the article headings there is a small taster of what each contains, but gives little enough away that the reader is still desperate to read on, for example: “Brandon Flowers – Pasta and beard chat with the freed Killer.” This indicates that there is an interview, but the small amount of content given is random and intriguing to ensure the customer’s maintained attention.

                                                                                    Double Page Spread:

One of the most common conventions of double page spreads, I have noticed, is one full page being taken up by an image and the other being text-dominated, and this is perfectly adhered to in this case. Once again, the red, white and black colour scheme applies, so that immediately the reader could identify this as a Q feature – the red is very eye-catching when against the white background which is the magazine’s in-house style. The first thing that catches the eye, in fact, is the large red capital “A” that spans an entire text, and draws attention to the article indicating that above all else, this is what we should be concerned with. The simple layout here is very effective, with the headline relatively small but positioned centrally and seeming to epitomise the down-to-earth character we are reading about. The text is laid out simply in columns; however it is still kept bright with the oversized drop-capital. The image in contrast, uses quite muted colours, but still manages to be effective in the cleverness of the shot. The figure of Brandon Flowers is positioned centrally, and is looking straight down the camera in a very relaxed pose as if to indicate that the interview is as frank and honest as he can be and that the reader will get an impression of the real him. The background is slightly out-of-focus and seems quite desolate and run-down, further adding to his vulnerability while indicating that he alone is what we should be focused on. The article itself describes Flowers’ hometown of Las Vegas and his experiences there, depicting it as a bleak and somewhat desolate place – and once the article has been read, the image seems to take on a whole new meaning, evoking sympathy within the reader and giving the artist a likeable, vulnerable edge.

Product Analysis: The Word Magazine

                                                                  Cover:

This magazine cover, similar to other such as Q, features a predominantly red, black and white colour scheme, along with a bright yellow – these are all very eye-catching colours and would make the magazine stand out from others. It seems to have a quirky edge, as can be seen in the slight angles at which some of the images are placed, and the informal language used such as “Decent free CD!” and its self promotion: “Music Magazine of the Year – Again! The use of exclamation marks here suggests enthusiasm. The demographic seems to be a slightly more mature audience, evident in the feature about Kate Bush, who is likely to be more familiar to an older generation of music fans. The central image is in black and white, accentuating the almost vintage style, and having the artist in a medium-shot and looking directly down the camera help the reader to feel a stronger connection – it is a seemingly very confident photograph. The old-fashioned feel is also represented through the stamp-like edge of the text box on the right hand side, which also gives the page a very organised feel. The text in this box is much smaller and packed closer together, which gives the impression that the magazine is full to the brim of articles and is worth the customer’s money. In addition to music artists, the cover also promotes the fact that the magazine features reviews of DVDs, with a promotion of a film review which again would be suitable for older audiences – this is evident through the choice of a film with a 15 rating and the use of the words “classic lineup back together”.

Contents Page:

This contents page seems predominantly text dominated, using just one quite large image and one smaller one. The photographs used, however, are in very strong contrast to each other and as a result are intriguing: the first, a seemingly unposed-for shot in a military situation and the second what appears to be a glamour shoot. This emphasises the wide variety of artists that are covered in the magazine and suggests it has a wide target audience. The colour scheme, once again, is black, white and red but this time with blue. Red and blue, being two of the simplest primary colours, seem to suggest that perhaps the magazine is about music going back to basics instead of being over-complicated. Being text-dominated could suggest that the magazine is aimed at quite intellectual people – emphasises by the inclusion of a letter from the editor which gives it a more personal touch. Significantly, the contents page is divided into sections, for example “On the Cover” and “Columns” – this makes it seem orderly and very easy for the reader to locate the features they want within the magazine.

                                                                                    
                                                                                    Double Page Spread:

In contrast to the cover and contents page, the colour scheme on this double page spread is almost entirely monochrome, with black text on a white background and even the artist wearing black and white clothes. This again gives off a very stripped, “back-to-basics” feel and the reader gets the impression that it is a very frank and honest interview. The artist’s name is boldly printed to catch the reader’s eye, and it is cleverly integrated into the headline, which uses the technique of posing questions that the reader can only find out the answer to if they read the article. The use of “Drugs?” at the very start suggests once again that it is definitely aimed at a mature audience, along with Lily Allen’s reputation and non-child-friendly song lyrics. It is heavily text-dominated , with one half-page image and one much smaller one, and this suggests again that its key demographic is more mature and possibly slightly older. The large image depicts Allen looking directly into the camera, but positioned slightly at an angle, as though she has been caught off-guard – she does not want it to appear posed for, although the quality of the image and clever use of light indicates it was definitely taken in a professional photo shoot. The smaller image, in contrast, is of a very young Lily Allen with her father and brother, and has a much more personal feel as we are getting an insight into her childhood – this is a technique to make the artist connect with and appeal to the reader.

Product Analysis: Mixmag Magazine

                                                     Cover:

Overall the cover of Mixmag has a very loud, garish feel to it – in particular, its use of bright, eye-catching colours such as pink and turquoise which demand the reader’s attention. This is very appropriate in that it appeals to the young, lively demographic that a dance music magazine targets. The artist on the cover is in a very confident pose suggesting a defiant attitude, with bright clothes which both look suitable for partying (linking to the genre of music the magazine is focused on) and which match the colour of the text on the page giving the product a very professional look. The repeated use of bright pink could suggest that they are targeting a female audience, however the use of an attractive female cover star could also appeal to a male reader. There are several different fonts used which vary in size, and this gives the page a somewhat chaotic feel which fits in well with the fast, hectic nature of dance music. At the very top it reads “The world’s biggest dance music and clubbing magazine”, a very bold statement which demonstrates confidence and arrogance, both of which would appeal to their younger target audience of people in their late teens/early twenties. In addition to this, a number of shapes are used such as arrows and circles to highlight certain phrases and headings, adding to the crowded, hectic feel.

Contents Page:

Interestingly, compared to the front cover the colour scheme of the contents page is fairly muted, with an entirely black background meaning the white and yellow writing stands out – this could be reminiscent of a nightclub, with bright lights standing out from the dark. The page is quite image-dominated, with a large photograph taking up the majority of the page and, because it is not immediately clear what is being shown, catching the eye and intriguing the reader so they want to find out more. The other image used is the same as that on the front cover, a clever technique as often when a customer opens a magazine the first thing they are looking for is the cover story having been drawn in by it. The page numbers are displayed in the corners of the images for easy navigation, and the page number for the “VIP” section as the magazine titles it, is larger then the rest as this is the article they are keenest to promote. The layout as a whole is fairly simple, with clean straight lines and angles, and the language used in the article summaries is informal and cheeky, for example: “What to buy for the dance music lover in your life. Or yourself.” This suggests a relaxed attitude and it is easy to read, which links to the party lifestyle of their target audience.

                                                                                    Double Page Spread:

Similar to the David Bowie article in NME, the two pages are almost entirely separate, although effectively linked by the black strip along the top which informs us that this is the “VIP” section and one of the most important features in the magazine. The image on the right hand page is very striking because of its creative use of colour in context – it seems to demonstrate that Fatboy Slim is in fact an artist in more sense than one. The mix of colours is disorganised but catches the eye because of its boldness, and having the artist positioned in the very centre makes him the focus. Interestingly, he is posing very casually and is not wearing fancy clothes – there is no pretence about him as there are with so many other public figures and the image has a very honest feel about it. The left-hand page, in comparison, has a very basic layout, with four plain columns of text in a straight Question and Answer interview – this again indicates total honesty and a sense of reducing things back to basics. The text (including the headline) is in plain black and white in a very simple font, excluding the name of the artist which stands out boldly in bright red – this is one of the only elements of colour on this page and stands out as a link to the creative concept behind the photograph.

Product Analysis: Mojo Magazine

                                                              Cover:

Similarly to Q and The Word, the colour scheme on this cover consists of black, white and red. However, in this case the black seems to be the most predominant element where in other cases the red stood out the most, perhaps indicating a more serious tone to this over other magazines. The most striking aspect of this cover is the main image of Paul McCartney, as it is positioned directly in the centre – interestingly, they have chosen to use an old image is the artist as opposed to a recent one, and this demonstrated his staying power as an artist; reminds the reader of how long he has been in the industry and what an important figure he is. The photograph dominates the page to the extent that it even overlaps the title, as is common in music magazines – this displays both the significance of the artist and the magazine’s opinion of themselves, that they are a big enough brand to be recognisable even without the whole masthead visible. The text on the page is arranged in straight columns, and is packed closely together to give a busy effect and indicate a lot of good content to encourage customers to buy the magazine. The names of artists are in white block capitals, to stand out against the dark background and demonstrate their importance, while techniques used to try and sell the magazine include short phrases such as “Exclusive Interview!” and “33 Pages of reviews!” – These are outlined in red and attract attention, similar to those on the cover of The Word.

Contents:

The format of this contents page is very similar to that of The Word and Mixmag, despite them being magazines of very different genres. It uses a blocky layout, with a host of images down the left hand side and the text in a column on the right. What is different here, however, is the “This month’s Contributors Include…” section, which seems to be unique to Mojo and indicates that their demographic is an intellectual, a mature reader who knows the music industry well and would be able to identify an impressive contributor to the magazine. The text itself has a very simple layout, with the different sections of the magazine such as “Albums”, “Playlist” and “DVDs” clearly separated for easy use by the reader to find what they are looking for. The language used is relatively informal and is attempting to appeal to a wide audience, for example “What goes on!” and “Hot News” have a very young sound to them. The images used vary in style, with two very abstract and eye-catching pieces being used alongside straight-laced, monochromatic band photographs, and this could perhaps demonstrate that there is a huge variety in the content of the magazine and there is likely to be something to appeal to most readers.

                                                                                     Double Page Spread:

This double page spread, like several others I have analysed, uses the format of one entirely image-dominated page and then one focused on text. The style of this spread is very similar to that of the cover, in that it is almost entirely black and white, which gives it a very classic, aged feel – significant as the artist in question has been in the industry for decades and would look out of place in a modern, brightly coloured garish spread. The image used here is natural-looking and has not been edited, giving the impression that this is a realistic view of the artist and an honest interview with no holds barred. His facial expression is relaxed and happy, and he is looking directly at the reader which puts them at ease; makes them comfortable and want to read on. The headline takes up almost half of the right-hand page, and emphasises the fact that Herbie Hancock has been a significant part of music from the ‘60s right up to modern day by highlighting his name and the years (for example ‘60s, ‘70s, 2008) in a different colour so that the reader’s eye is drawn to them. Also crucial is the use of a quote by Corinne Bailey Rae - a significant figure in modern music - complimenting him and insisting his importance in the business – this would attract the attention of a younger reader who was unaware of Hancock, and perhaps make them understand that just because an artist has been active for generations, they still hold an important role in today’s music industry.