AS Media Coursework: Pop Magazine Research: Page Analysis

Front Cover Analysis

I'm looking at two different covers of pop magazines because this is the genre that I am most appealed by to focus my magazine on. The two that caught my eye the most were from TOP of the POPS and WE LOVE POP, these two particularly intrigued me because I feel as if they have similar target audiences therefore they are similar in what they feature throughout their magazine and the colours that run through the magazine. These two covers show that pink is definitely a dominant colour for their target audience, which is a very stereotypical outlook on the younger female audience as they are regularly associated with liking the colour pink, this is therefore something I will probably do on my magazine too as it fits my target audience too. The font type across these photographs is most commonly sans serif font as the audience is a younger audience therefore aren't usually associated with the classier and more sophisticated look that serif font gives. The main model is also an important feature of the magazine as they are one of the things that are most appealing to the audience as they often feature their favourite artists so I want my magazine to reflect the same concept. The coverlines throughout the magazine often relate to the same kind of thing, commonly revolving around popular music artists with interviews, gossip and information from them as well as things such as fashion and make up being included because of the fact the magazine is aimed at young females and that also fits with their target audience as well as their music taste.

Contents Page Analysis

These are two different contents pages from 'WE LOVE POP' and 'TOP of the POPS' both are very colourful and bold, however the colours involved are very different to eachother, in 'WE LOVE POP' the common colours are shades of blue and orange which is very different to the usual use of pink, however in this case it still relates to the magazine because of the fact it is relating to guy crushes that girls have as the page is primarily revolving around the teen crushes with many boys appearing so in this case even though it's blue and orange it is still relative to the target audience and works to the content. 'TOP of the POPS' however is is primarily revolving around the colour pink which is a far more predictable and relevant colour as it is the colour associated with the target audiences age group. I think contents pages can afford to have a wider variation of colour which is proved by these two covers as it makes it look busier and more fun which is good for the age group. I think also both contents pages are really heavily revolved around photographs as this is much more of a attracting way to entice the audiences and bring them to certain pages. I think another convention is definitely to have a lot of page numbers and articles summed up as this gives a sneak peak therefore these are definitely elements which I want to include when I do my contents page.

Double Page Spread Analysis

These are double page spreads from 'We LOVE Pop' and 'TOP of the POPS'. I think both show a very popular way of presenting interviews with popular celebrities, with one extremely large photograph of them on one page, and a really large title with a pun or pull out quote, something really catchy or enticing so that it draw people in so they want to read the article. I think from these two double page spreads, colour is quite key in these too as they have to match and compliment each other. I think another thing which I've picked up from the text is the use of colour and the way the font changes as well as the colour which separates it and makes it easier to read, this is something which I think would be key when I do my double page spread as making it easier to read is really important as my target audience aren't the most sophisticated therefore it is far more well suited, this goes for the magazines too as they have to suite their target audience.