ANALYSIS OF EXISTING MEDIA TEXT Nº 2

ANALYSIS OF EXISTING MEDIA TEXT Nº 1

I have chosen to analyze the front cover of Vogue magazine, as I find the treatment of women quite similar to the way they will be treated in my magazine.

The size of the masthead dominates the page, providing a bold accent to the cover. The use of Serif style font and uppercase letters gives an elegant touch, and at the same time makes the cover assertive. The use of black, red, and dark blue colors transmits a classy, exquisite and elegant magazine. The colors combine well together and emit an overall professional look. The masthead ‘Vogue’ suits the genre of the magazine because the term ‘Vogue’ literally means fashion in French.

As a well-established magazine with a recognized layout the actress on the cover can boldly block part of the masthead. The readership will easily recognize the familiar layout.

Moving on to the image: the camera angle used, is known as a medium shot, whereby everything from the waist upwards, is in view of the shot. We have a clear picture of the woman’s face, which is conventional for a magazine’s front cover. The use of a simple green floral environment in the background transmits the purity, innocence and elegance of the magazine.

‘Blake Lively,’ the cover star in this case, wears a black dress, tied with a gold belt around her waist. She poses confidently, yet modestly and unostentatiously by placing her hand on her hip. The 80’s inspired her wavy hair, along with her burgundy lipstick (make-up). Her apparel allow her to appear feminine and ladylike, and the use of a subdued color scheme does not distract attention from the model.

Furthermore, the use of direct mode of address, with her looking at the camera, makes the magazine appeal even more and makes the reader feel more involved and drawn into the magazine.

Sell lines and headlines: One of the magazine’s headlines states ‘BLAKE LIVELY. The Gossip Girl starts new look…’ This sell line refers to the woman on the front cover. The magazine places emphasis on her name, ‘Blake Lively,’ as the use of celebrities helps the magazine appeal to certain target audiences. The American, teen, drama, television series, named “Gossip Girl” made her famous as an actress.

The main headline stands out amongst the other headlines, sell-lines and features, because it is the second most important content after the masthead and the reason for buying the magazine.

Most sell lines are allocated on the left hand third because it’s the first area of the page that grabs the readership’s attention. The front cover is not cluttered with too much information. It is strategically organized and tidy. The layout suggests and indicates the traits of the TA, whom are also likely to be neat and tidy.

The issue features sell lines, such as, ‘Daring jumpsuits,’ ‘Smoldering makeup,’ and ‘Plunging necklines.’ The use of these adjectives gives the magazine a sense of sophistication and composure. They are complex and dazzling adjectives, which catch the reader’s attention and draw the reader to purchase the magazine.

Serif font, the font style used for the majority of the sell-lines and conventionally used for formal writings and records, suggests a demure, decent and somewhat prudish fashion magazine.

The use of distinct types of font, such as ‘Sans-serif,’ within the sell-lines, differentiates parts of the text and makes the content stand out. On top of that, the diversified use of colors on the sell-lines creates an attention grabbing effect. For instance, some of the sub headings of the sell-lines juxtapose blue and red font to catch the reader’s eye.

Finally, the date and the barcode are very significant and conventional of these media texts. The date, keeps people on track of which monthly or weekly issue they are reading. The barcode is an essential convention for technical reasons.

Vogue magazine doesn’t vary its layout. It always follows the conventional layout. It maintains the same masthead and font. However, sometimes the color may vary, depending on the issue. By maintaining the same features in all issues, it creates a positive and consistent brand identity. 

CODES & CONVENTIONS ON FASHION GENRE

The magazine features typical conventions found in fashion magazines, such as articles about fashion and numerous pages on new trends, styles, designers and what’s on the catwalk. 

Each issue focuses on high fashion and practically 90% of the time a celebrity or an icon belonging to the fashion industry. Designers and top-models appear on the front cover. Typically fashion magazines offer the reader interviews on celebrities, making them the centre and primary selling point of the magazine. 

As this genre targets a female audience, the color scheme employed resembles that used in similar fashion magazines. Psychedelic, colorful, vivid colors prevail, adapted accordingly to the theme, subject and model of that month's/week's issue. A fancy and polished font style gives the magazine a high-class touch.

These magazines give you advice on how to dress, what’s in fashion and also involve high-class photo shoots taken by the world's finest photographers.

The codes and conventions of fashion magazines provide their readership with guidance on style, and they shape their image. They flow throughout the issues, providing consistency.

Fashion magazines often feature on their front cover a medium-shot of a model/celebrity. They do not employ, for instance, a long shot.

ANALYSING RESULTS OF RESEARCH

Below: Questionnaire results and graphs

TARGET AUDIENCE RESEARCH: QUESTIONNAIRE

As part of my TA research, I have produced a 10 question survey with a mixed variety of open and closed questions to collect useful information and find out about what my target audience is looking for.  

MISSION STATEMENT

My magazine places fashion in the world where we live- how we dress, how we take care of ourselves, etc. It always leads readers to what will happen next, and to what they must have. It is a trendsetter. It is a thought-provoking, relevant, prominent, and appealing magazine, which simply defines the growth of fashion and fashion conventions.

A number of open-minded, fashionable, self-sufficient and aesthetically appealing young women will define the content and star in the pages of this fashion magazine.

Newsagents, supermarkets, fashion stores and boutiques will receive ‘Haute’ on a weekly basis and it will sell at a price of £3.50. The premium target (upper middle class women aged 17-25) can easily afford £3.50. The magazine’s readership can also subscribe to the magazine via the official website, ‘www.haute.co.uk,’ or access content through the app for both iphone and android.

The use of certain illustrative and representative fashion codes and conventions position my magazine as a fashion magazine. The readership will enjoy reading profiles of their favorite fashion role models, such as designers, stylists, top models, and fashion icons.

As part of the business model, my magazine will treat its readership in an elegant manner by rewarding them with certain store discounts, free event tickets, new beauty samples, etc. 

TARGET AUDIENCE PROFILE

My magazine, Haute, focuses first and foremost on fashion, engaging with young women aged 17-25, and it centers on the genre of women’s fashion and beauty.

The female target will admire the singularity, exquisiteness, and versatility of women portrayed in the magazine. The Haute woman lives intensely each of the changing seasons and the latest trends in the fashion industry. She hunts for emerging trends each season and she displays the latest fashion trends in everything she wears. 

Many of the women who read this magazine, who are not regular readers, will aspire to the ideal that it portrays and use it as a way to escape from their day-to-day life. Readers must have a high disposable income to afford both the magazine and the exclusive fashion and beauty products advertised in the magazine. 

The reader of the magazine believes in keeping her physical appearance to the highest and finest standard. People describe her as a stylish woman that exudes politeness, confidence, sophistication and elegance in her manners.

She enjoys dressing with the current fashion trends, just as if she walked off the pages of a magazine. However, she has her own original and chic style and looks for specific products, which will help her to create her own unique essence. She may like to adjust garments of clothing and accessories to make her style truly unique. For her, she expresses her distinctiveness through fashion, conveying leadership in her attitude and refusing to have her choices imposed on her. She conquers new fashion territory and establishes her own ‘vogue’. She evokes femininity and others feel attracted by her aesthetic beauty. Lastly, as a single, independent woman without children she can focus on herself.

She shops at Zara, Gucci, Massimo Dutti, Topshop, Bimba & Lola, Jimmy Choo, Etro and Louboutin whilst also shopping in ‘petite boutiques’ to find one-off eye-catching pieces and extras. She always attends fashion events, such as ‘Fashion Night Out,’ and during her weekends she enjoys going partying and meeting up with her friends. She loves photography and continually takes picturesque and arty snaps.

In conclusion, this magazine aims to nurture self-esteem and advise its juvenile audience, bringing out the best in them.