Brand Identity and Mode of Address Analysis

Front Cover

Typography

The typography on the font cover portrays the mode of address as quite masculine. This is shown through the mixture of bold serif and sans serif fonts. It also makes the brand identity seem more authorative and aimed towards the male gender.

Layout

The layout of Billboard magazine is quite ordered. Therefore, this represents the mode of address of the magazine as quite classy and sophisticated, also quite well established.

Colour

Within the masthead of Billboard there are little pops of red, green, blue and yellow. We also see the vibrant hair of Lady Gaga and the slightly mauve background. This connotes the brand identity and tone of Billboard magazine is quite fun and reflects the pop genre it is aimed at.

Images

The images on the cover of billboard magazine can help determine the magazine’s mode of address. Lady Gaga is photographed from a mid-shot and her bright purple hair is the centre of attention. Our eyes are immediately drawn to the pops of colour and the hints of colour represent the mode of address as quite exciting and jovial. Lady Gaga’s body language and facial expression in the image is quite unconventional as she’s conveyed as aggressive and quite fierce. She’s also wearing black and quite a lot of crucifix jewellery which we tend to associate with rock music.

Language

Billboard use their language to signify the magazines mode of address. For example, they use the cover line ‘rockers start your engines’. This links to the magazines genre of pop/rock genre as they are openly addressing their audience. Otherwise the majority of the magazine is written in a formal language which connotes that the brand identity of Billboard is very official and proper as well as appealing to older people.

Conventions

The conventions of the pop/rock genre in Billboard magazine are all present on the magazine cover. They have all the elements of the pop genre: use of bright colours, language. They also use elements of mise-en-scène to display the rock side to the magazine.

Contents Page

Typography

The typography on the contents page is written in a mixture of both serif and sans serif fonts. A majority of it is written in sans serif which would appeal to males as opposed to females. This creates a unisex tone to the magazine as the feminine and masculine style fonts are balanced out on the magazine pages.

Layout

The layout on the contents page is similar to the style of the front cover. It follows the route of the eye and the rule of thirds which is a conventional way to layout the items on the contents page within a magazine. The headings ‘No.1 on the charts’, ‘contents’ and ‘home front’ also mimic the liveliness from the masthead on the front cover. This creates a basic and slick feel to the brand identity.

Colour

The colour used on the contents page also uses the colours featured within the masthead on the front cover. This again, represents the mode of address as enjoyable and cheery.

Images

Images used on the contents page are taken in high-key lighting and use lots of colours within them whether it be through the use of: setting, costume or lighting. This presents the mode of address as quite happy and relaxed whilst appealing to the target audience as the colours make it seem more energetic and youthful.

Language

The language used on the contents page is very formal and they don’t use colloquial type language. For example, one of the headings is ‘the beat goes on’ which clearly portrays that it is a music article written within the issue. This use of formal language signifies that the mode of address is very classy and sophisticated. Despite this, in other issues they have used abbreviated language such as ‘BRKLYN ROCKS’ which will appeal to the younger part of their niche target audience as they are supposedly associated with contracted and abbreviated ‘text talk’ language.

Double Page Spread

Typography

On the double page spread there is a lot of text and this can sometimes put people off reading the articles as there is a lot of text and it can be slightly overwhelming. However, this shows that Billboard’s mode of address is to be interesting but informative. The fact that they have also highlighted ‘only I can do’ in a completely different colour to the rest of the article signifies that it is quite significant and it portrays the mode of address as reasonably authoritative.