MARKET RESEARCH - COVER PAGE ANALYSIS

Plain, bright background. Studio lighting

Studio shot photograph – Very simplistic composition. Subject is in vertical centre third with face in horizontal centre third – almost resembling a mug shot. Large shadow adds a sense of depth to the photo

Masthead spaced out across entire header of the cover. Custom sans serif font

Very minimalist style –lots of ‘white’ space

No puffs on cover – fits with the minimalist style of the magazine

Issue number in bottom right hand corner where the barcode would usually go

No barcode – free, independent magazine

Only two main colours – blue and white – plus grey, browns, skin tone colour

CRACK MAGAZINE

Appeals to the audience – artsy, stylish look

Two columns of cover lines, text centred within these columns. This draws the reader’s eye in a more artistic way – vertically rather than horizontally

No plugs – minimalist style

Nothing in top stripNo tagline, nothing in top strip. Minimalist.

Everything is arranged in thirds – very effective composition. Reader’s eye is deliberately drawn to different areas of the cover

All fonts are sans serif – fits with the house style throughout the magazine. Adds a sense of continuity and style

Large article splash looks similar to masthead (same colour, blocky, sans serif) but lower case letters and italics show the difference between the two

Do not need to massively advertise articles and content as not as concerned with selling copies and making money as a corporate magazine would be

Logo in top left hand corner – European convention. Magazines are stacked so the left third is most visible

Plain black background of photograph

Studio shot photograph – can tell this by the plain background and studio lighting

Minimalist style – only one article splash

Issue information below logo in top left hand corner. Draws attention to the fact that the magazine is free

No barcode – free, independent magazine

Three main colours – white, black, pink

People in photo wearing black/dark colours – compliments background. Allows pink to be used as a feature colour. Use of flowers and pink colour could be representative of the femininity of the woman in the band – very stereotypical

Rack focus photograph – draws attention to people in photograph (especially the woman who is the focus point of the photo – most attention drawn to her) whilst still having depth. One person in each third with faces to the top of the centre third. Very simplistic composition

Main article splash in bottom third of cover

Lots of ‘white’ space

Flowers in photo framing the people – the flowers mimic the positions of the people. The central flower, representing the woman, is most focussed.

DIY MAGAZINE

Nothing in top strip

Very small tagline – ‘set music free’. Fits with the independent nature of the magazine, freeing music from corporate control

Magazine clearly organised into thirds – draws the reader’s eye to particular areas of the cover

Masthead fills entire header of cover

Photograph with coloured background on white main background- unconventional but visually pleasing.

Four main colours across background and photograph – white, black, pink and blue

Small amount of yellow – feature colour

Minimalist style – appeals to the aesthetic preferences of the target audience. This would not be possible in a corporate magazine as the designers are not given full artistic control

Cover lines arranged into columns – very organised style

No barcode – free, independent magazine

Issue information beneath masthead, top left of cover. Strategically placed so that the reader can see that the magazine is free when it is stacked in the conventional European way

Studio shot photograph – studio lighting

LOUD AND QUIET

Appeals to the audience – artsy, stylish look

Cover lines on left third for ease of viewing/effective stacking. Very conventional

Subject of photograph in vertical centre third – very conventional composition.

Small tagline underneath masthead – ‘The alternative music tabloid’. Appeals to the target audience as it covers a range of alternative music, as well as the magazine being an alternative to the more readily available non-independent music magazines