Case Study:

Amelia Skill

Kerrang has been publishing weekly magazines since 1981.The magazine was initially originally devoted to New Wave of British heavy metal. In the 1980’s and 90’s, Kerrang rose to many thrash and glam metal acts but discarded them and lost popularity through rising to new musical trends such as, nirvana when it rose to fame. However, the magazine was criticised for doing this. NME is quite alike to Kerrang as both target people interested in the rock genre.

The shot used here is a close up. The effect of this on the audience comes across as personal. That the main feature (artist) wants and draws the reader in to buy the magazine.

Although the information is not separated in various colours, it is separated with a subheading in yellow. The effect of this towards the audience is that its clear and bold, thus easy to notice. However, the text is only one side so when stacked it may covered leaving the reader with no direct information to then persuade them to buy the magazine.

This stands out from the rest of the magazine, making it clear to the audience. This is also effective as it informs the audience who is in the image and what the situation is.

Layout is conventional to the typical rock magazine.

Textual Analysis

This could be used to persuade the reader to buy the magazine due to the additional content – Posters. Effective due to it being a different colour to the rest of the magazine helping it stand it out to the audience.

All colours are consistently used o the front page to demonstrate house style and make the text stand out to the reader.

Textual Analysis

Colours used are consistent to the whole double-page spread.

Images used are used to indicate the subject of the story. They also give the reader a clear image of the band and what the subject of the article is about.

The images take up most of the double page spread. This is a good main feature; the reader is drawn in straightaway. I think when planning and creating my double page spread I will use this as it indicates to the reader what the article is about, thus achieving the bet possible context of reception.

Comparable Products:

NME stands for New Musical ExpressFounded by Theodore Lloyd-Jones. The magazine has been published weekly since 1952.NME also targets people i.e. adults and teenagers. Like Kerrang, NME is a rock genre magazine. However, it also is based on indie. The magazine has a total circulation of the magazine of 23,924

Textual Analysis: Comparable Products The effect of the main artist covering the masthead portrays the public having brand awareness of the magazine. The artist being well known is appropriate to the genre of music the magazine is based upon is and the artist is the center of attention to increase sales in the magazine.

Both texts provide information, however, both are in different colours to demonstrate that that they are separate features ‘LILY ALLEN’ is seen in a bold, direct and white font demonstrates that she is the main feature on the magazine – stands out through the use of a dark background.

This is conventional to the Rock Genre through its particular bold colours: Red, Black and White.

The effect of the mast head being in red, suggests it having a link with the artist on the main page. The colour of the title of the magazine stands out from the rest of the other features as it uses a much brighter red and has an outline of white to make it stand out even more. The masthead being at the top is also effective as immediately it tells the reader that its ’NME’ and when placed on the shelf, covered by other magazines you can see the magazine’s magazine and recognise the title. Like Kerrang, the title and the headline ‘Lily Allen takes on the world’ is also a clear indication of house style throughout, for example, the double page spread also uses the same colours: red, white and black.

The colours used are aimed at a non-specific gender as red, black and white can be perceived as unisex colours. Also the colours on the artist, Lily Allen are used to alter the magazine with the same colours. Suggests this is done for effect.

The effects of the features of the magazine in yellow stand out from the consistent colours – red, black and white. Portraying that they are of some importance to the magazine but separate to other information.

Textual Analysis

The slight quirkiness of the title represents the personality of the artist, informing the reader that the article may be written to demonstrate the personality of the subject i.e. Lily Allen.

The important things that the reader will would need or want to see are coloured red, this is used to be effective so that the reader has complete knowledge on who has written the article, who is the article about and where to navigate further through the magazine.

The red text, black text and white on black text correlate with the colour of the artist’s shirt. Consequently this makes the double page spread more aesthetically pleasing due to the colours not clashing but matching.

Having the title take up ¾ of the double page helps the reader become drawn in instantly. However, in my opinion this would disorientate the reader away from the main article and only read the title due to it being a bigger size than the article. Therefore, I don’t think I will be using as big title and picture as I would like the article have more significance.

Case Study:

MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the growing interest in classic rock music.MOJO was first published on 15 October 1993, the first issue had Bob Dylan and John Lennon as its first cover stars. While some criticise it for its frequent coverage of classic rock acts such as The Beatles and Bob Dylan, it has nevertheless featured many newer and "left-field" acts. It was the first mainstream magazine in the UK to focus on The White Stripes, whom it has covered as zealously as many older acts. MOJO regularly includes a cover mount CD which ties in with a current magazine article or theme. In 2004 it introduced the Mojo Honours list, an awards ceremony which is a mixture of readers' and critics' awards.

Textual Analysis

The central image overlaps the masthead, this illustrates the effectiveness of the reader having brand awareness. This portrays the artist being a well-known figure at the centre of attention. This then implies that people may be more interested in the artist than the magazine itself.

A free CD would persuade the reader to buy the magazine, either because they already like the artist or they are new to the genre of music and would like to sample the music. The positioning of the CD demonstrates to the reader that the artist and the CD are linked.

The background consists of pink shadowing further downwards. The masthead lies on the lighter pink, the masthead is in black. This is effective as it uses the pink to make the black text stand out.

The text to both sides of the magazine are coloured differently but both colours are consistent all over the front page. This shows the reader that the text is separate and should be read separately. Having text on both sides means when stacked on the shelf and the right or left side is covered by other magazines, text can still be seen to inform the reader what is included.

Unlike Kerrang and NME, Mojo do not use contrasting colours to make thing stand out, such as, ‘FREE CD’. This could suggest that readers may not need thaat to stand out as the CD on the front cover is a clear indication that it is included but may not know it is free until sight is made on the information at the top.

Textual Analysis

Although the image takes up one side of the double page spread, the article is however the significant feature due to the title being smaller and the article being a big piece of writing.

The images present in the text are links from the text giving the reader a clear understanding of the text.

The colours present are not consistent on the page but are successful in the way they are used to catch the readers attention.

Personal Identity: People could read this and be influenced by the artist to be like her, dress like her, look like her. Including Kerrang and NME, this also could link in with the theory of the audience being a mass, as all readers are reading the same thing and all have affections from the text