Magazine Front Cover Analysis

Alyx Entwistle

Masthead

Dateline

Main image

Model credit

Cover line

Main cover line

Left third

Bar code

Cover lines

Q

Target Audience: The original Q target audience was for people who are between the ages of 30 and 40, although in recent years its content has made it available for people who are younger too (which is why Cheryl Cole is on this front cover)

Type of music: Originally it focused on the more alternative type of music, such as Indie Rock. It has since changed to cover more of a varied range of music.

Number of sales: *Unable to find information*

Masthead & Selling Line

The Q logo fits with the sophisticated style and content of the magazine. It is very simple but the white text over a red background is very effective as it stands out.

The selling line does it’s best to encourage you to buy the magazine as their claim makes them come across as better than any other competitive magazines, the best in fact. I cant be 100% sure but I think that it is based on a fact (with their selling figures) – rather than a arrogant boast.

Selling line

Masthead

Main Image

The image suits Q very much as Cheryl Cole is dressed in black, her hair is darker because of rain and her eye makeup is black too. Her lips are the most distinctive part of the image as they are red. She is almost a human version of the Q logo in a way.

Cover Lines & Main SellsCover LinesThe cover lines are located by the side of the main image. In this edition of Q, the cover lines offer content aimed toward the older generation. They are promoting artists that aren't exactly current or relevant anymore, but still have a solid enough fan base for people to be interested in them. The examples are U2, The White Stripes, Paul Weller, John Lennon and others.

Main SellThe main sell in this edition is Cheryl Cole. The choice to have her as the main sell plays a part with the cover lines. As she is very current, it pushes out the older generation to the side to make way for her. This shows how Q are a magazine for a variety of music lovers as they have music of several generations all sharing the front page. Cheryl Cole is a good choice as men and women alike are interested in her. The women for her music and the men for her good looks.

NME

Target Audience: Males between about 15 and 35

Type of music: The dominant genre for NME in the 1980’s was the hip-hop/R&B/dance genres but since the birth of ‘Britpop’ in the 90’s the mag has focused on indie rock. They still try to incorporate other genres into the magazine though – this front cover featuring rapper Jay Z proves this.

Number of sales: The year-to-year circulation for 2012 saw NME record an average circulation of 23, 924 – which is a dramatic slide of the circulation they used to have.

Masthead & Selling Line

Selling line

Masthead

The logo for NME is fairly similar but so different to the Q logo – if that makes sense. Both logo’s are very simple, with the dominant colours being red and white, but the difference between the two are the styles. Q is very sophisticated whereas NME isn’t. The logo is a good choice though because it fits the magazine’s content very well, as the Q logo does too.

The selling line is quite redundant though. It seems to be a boast rather than a fact. It doesn’t exactly fulfill its purpose either because according to the sales figures of the mag – its not encouraging many people into buying it.

Main Image

The image is quite a fun one because Ian Brown’s facial expression almost mirrors the facial expression the readers will have when they see the front cover. It’s one of slight shock and big interest over the fact that Jay Z is featured in the mag. Also the culture clash between the two stars is huge so the expression also applies to that, too. Ian Brown is a normal working class Manchester lad whose talent got him to earn a lot of money but you’d still expect him to visit his local pub all the time. Jay Z on the other hand, although having a rough upbringing in Brooklyn, is seen as someone who lives the high life – a pop star wife, millions in the bank, mansions all over the world, etc. Even the fact that Jay Z is wearing sunglasses and a chain while Brown is in a plain jacket with slightly messy hair.

Cover Lines & Main Sells

Cover LinesThere arent many cover lines on this specific issue, which is unusual for NME but the main sell probably plays a bit part for this because it is quite a big deal having Ian Brown and Jay Z together for an interview and photo-shoot. The few cover lines that are there are simply placed in a line at the bottom of the cover, out of the way of the main attraction. They do have a couple others though, such as the two circles, one on Brown’s jacket and the other next to Jay Z’s head. This is good technique because it makes the cover lines have a bit of a design to them. It also has one other big cover line at the top.

Main SellThe main sell is a good representation of NME because it mixes the old NME with the new but with a twist. Ian Brown is in The Stone Roses, an indie band big in the 1990’s who have recently reformed. Jay Z is a world renowned rap superstar, still at the top of his game despite starting in the 90’s. The twist is NME used to be about Jay Z’s genre, and is now about Ian Brown’s genre – but Jay Z is the one who is still a current and relevant artist while Ian Brown isn’t anymore although he still has a huge core fan base.

Comparisons

There isn’t actually many comparisons between the 2 magazines I have analysed, this may be because they are very similar in content as the genre’s are the same. Here is a few though.

First one being the fact that the logo’s, although slightly similar in colour, have very different styles to them. Q’s is sophisticated, NME’s isn’t.

The mastheads are very similar though. They both sit in the top left of the corner, not stretching across to the other side like many other mastheads.

The cover lines on the two magazines are also different. On Q, there are a lot of cover lines, in two neatly stacked columns to the left and the right of the image. There aren’t many cover lines on the front cover of this NME magazine, just a line each at the top and bottom as well as two circles scattered about the page as the main image is so large.