Today in media studies, my class was looking at different magazine covers and the reason why magazine editors use different strategies to make their audience what to buy the magazine. As for homework, I was set the task to look at the connotations of two magazine cover and the reason why they use these strategies.
Take a look at this Kerrang magazine, the Kerrang have used effect that will make their target audiences want to buy the magazine. Their main cover is the Paramore singer Hayley Williams, this could be a way for the Kerrang editors to attract more of the female audience because there isn't a lot of rock groups that has girls in them, Kerrang can use that to their advantage. Also, they have used airbrush to make it look like that Hayley Williams is perfect and that constructs an idea that she beautiful even without allot of make up and because of this, the Kerrang's audience will use her as an aspirational figure and wishing that they had her life.
Keeping along the line of Hayley Williams, they have used anchoring text to give the picture a meaning on why they have Hayley Williams as their front cover which suggest that is a special reason for her to be on their page. The anchoring text that the Kerrang editors have used is "Paramore Hayley Answers Your Questions" the key words that are highlighted are "Hayley" and "Your" and the reason they they just said only her first name is to make it seem like that Kerrang are her friend, also by adding "Your" it construct that she is the audience friend (not Kerrang's) and that she is here to help you; you meaning the target audience who are her fans.
Kerrang's masthead of the way the letter all look like it has been rough up and cracks inside the letters shows that this magazine is all about living the loud life of music and reflects the personality that the Kerrang wants which is people who love living on the edge and being rebels. Also letters the reflect on that this magazine is all about rock. Even their name "Kerrang" just by saying it sounds like a guitar which is associated rock.
The colours that Kerrang has used for this cover is really effective because the uses of the black, white and yellow makes it bright and eye catching because it stands out. Also, when I look at this, it makes me think of on of theses caution sign like this magazine to all the Kerrang readers that when you read this, you should be careful because when you look in side this magazine it will blow your mind. You can also say that it links to the reason why Hayley Williams is at the front at this issues of Kerrang because she wearing the same colour top and hair because it all about her answering the question for her fan; which they need to notice.
When Kerrang is talking about the new Bullet For My Valentine album, they are being sycophantic because they called it the "best album you'll hear all year". This is will make the audience want to by their album and also for fans of that band see the reason why they should buy their album and why its the best in the year. Stick on the lines with artist, on the bottom of page, there is a whole bunch of artists that are all in that magazine which come show that this is a big issues that the audiences need to grab on to.
Unlike the Kerrang magazine cover, the Shout magazine cover is mostly aim for teenage girls. The reason why we know this because of the colours that Shout have used are black, white and red. The colour red makes the front cover of Shout stand out because red is a sign for being alert and associated for being a girly colour. The black and white colours show that this issue of Shout indicates that it's about being relaxed. This is effective because of the simple layout of colours makes it easier for the audience to quickly get the information and the colours tells the audience that they should read it hen they have a lot of time on their hands.
The masthead "Shout" colour is black because its a contrast against the grey background it makes it easy it for the audience to catch their eyes and the font of the masthead and the sub-headlines smooth block writing that suggest theses article are the main things that we are talking about. E.g Selena Gomez article. In addition to the font for "Inspirational teen" is all joint up and cursive as this could reflect how teenage girls having perfect writing and having a fun handwriting.
The main image that shout have used is a mid-long shot of Selena Gomez because it give the fans an idea how she dresses like and use as aspirational figure because of the airbrush they have used, she looks very stylish and perfect. The anchoring text would link with the way she looks because the text says "We want your hair, your boyfriend...and your wardrobe" it creates a voice in the audiences mind that they are talking to her and want everything she has. That construct the idea in the audience mind that she has everything that audiences want and having that perfect life.
Unlike the Kerrang magazine, Shout magazine has human interest stories with examples like "I have my own TV show" and "I'm a showbiz journalist". By putting these stories at the front page is effective because when the audience see it, it makes the audiences think that amazing things happens to normal people like themselves and "inspirational" to some of the audience.
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