Task 2 – Creating for an AudienceHayley Roberts

Red MagazineRed magazine is mainly a fashion magazine which also includes articles and information about food, shopping, homes, beauty and travel. It’s readers are mainly a female audience which are middle aged and the median age is around 43 years old. It’s print circulation has 202,463 readers and it’s digital circulation has 3,445 readers and this makes their overall circulation 205, 908. It attracts a middle-class audience (ABC1) and the overall percentage of the women audience in this sector is 77%, making it nearly ¾ of the audience middle-class. These figures were carried out by the ABC, which calculated the overall circulation and NRS.

ImagesOn the front of the magazine, they have used an image that takes up the whole page. They have also used a well-known actress to attract the audience. This contrasts with the bright red used and makes the image stand out on the page and not be too crowded with all the writing. They have used an actress which is slightly younger than the median age but this also is used so the audience can relate to her and look up to her. But they have used a younger actress because on the front cover it explains about looking good, so if they use a younger actress the audience then have someone to look up to and try and want to look like her. They have used an image of a woman as they audience is mainly woman so this helps link the reader to the magazine. Kate is wearing quite a plain and pale coloured top and because she has blonde hair it helps her stand out even more in her own way and she is no being made to look too overly stereotyped like some fashion magazines do and makes her look very natural because this attracts women more than puts them off knowing they wouldn’t be able to look like her.

Inside the magazine, each page or article has their own style. This page keeps to the style as being vintage and the pictures are quite calm and not too crazy and loud. This then compliments the style of the writing and the colours used on the page. The white background helps the images stand out and makes the page layout more structured and even though there are quite a few images, the different sizes and placement of them helps them stand out and makes the more important images more appealing. The title of the article relates to the images and has the festive theme throughout the article. They are high quality images as the main focus of the magazine is the images on most of the pages so they use high quality images to present them as some take up a full page on their own. They have used women models throughout the images too because that’s their main target audience.

WordsOn the cover, they have chosen their words carefully as this appeals mainly to the audience and if they like the sound of what’s inside the magazine, this makes them buy the magazine. The main theme of the wording is based on how to look good and to do with styles which attracts to women because they are always wanting to look better because they have low confidence. It explains how they can get a beach body in 30 minutes a day and this is what women want to do as they want a body just as good as they can get and by doing less work and by having ‘more toned, less tired’ in a large font, it attracts women who want to do this easier. This is important for the reader to see first because women will be happy to see that they get to tone up without doing as much to look good and having this bold and bright to grab their attention will encourage them to buy it and read it.

In this article, they relate the title to what is being said in the magazine and they use the same colour purple to link it to the picture. They have quoted some of the text and changed the colour to purple so it links with the title and stands out more than the rest of the article. They are normally the parts that get read first, so that’s why the words that they have chosen need to be something which encourages them to read the article. They have a direct tone to the audience and in the title this helps having ‘your’ and making it personal because it then makes the title sound more exciting how it WILL be their last new year diet which people want as they may not want to be dieting constantly. They add some humor into the article by saying ‘if you put a few pounds on in a couple of weeks (and over Christmas who doesn’t?)’. This makes it more amusing for the reader and doesn’t make it as much of a serious article and this makes it have a more chatty and conversational style. The left page contains more writing compared to the right which has the image and this shows where the main article is.

ColourThe main colours on the cover is a bright red which entices the reader more as it’s a bright colour to attract the reader. With the red and black writing, this shows that it’s aimed at a more middle aged audience because they aren’t too overpowering but they grab your attention, and keeping it to one main colour makes the cover more appealing and not too random and out of control. The pale and cream colours make the red writing stand out a lot more off the background. The white font for the name of the magazine contrasts really well against the red. With the bright colour and how bold it looks on the page, when a woman walks by a and sees this out of sight it would attract them to read the text and see what it says. The orange in the text also works well with the red and is more of a washed out colour which also fits in well but doesn’t jump out as boldly as the red does.

Inside the magazine, there are feminine colours used in the text which helps appeal to the audience. Pink is a colour which is associated with women and this is a colour which stands out to them. It’s reflected in the article as well as in the title and in the title when it says ‘festival’ they use capitals to help the word stand out from the rest of the title and this shows the audience what the article is mainly about. The highlighted words on the page are also highlighted with a more softer shade of pink unlike the pink used in the title which is a more bold pink that stands out more to the reader. The colours used in the main, bigger images have more bright colours that attract the reader to look at the images before the article.

FontThe font used on the front cover needs to be eye catching like this one for example and really needs to get the readers attention and show what the magazine has to offer. They have used a bold and large font where it says ‘more toned, less tired’ to make it the first thing that the reader sees on the front and even though it’s quite bold it’s got soft edging on the font so it’s not sharp and rigid it’s quite soft. The title of the magazine uses a really feminine and a joined up font which attracts to females more than males because of the feminine element to it. The main stories being shown in the magazine are all in capitals to make it stand out from the rest of the magazine and then more information on that article is a different colour to the main article and more in lower case so that the main focus is still on the points that are wanted to be said. Some of the font on the front cover is smaller than some and the larger fonts point out the information that wants to be read and seen first by the audience.

The font inside is more feminine than the one used in the front cover and not as bold as the ones on the title. It’s more feminine because the letters with this font are more rounded off and this font is sans serif font which creates a more feminine font and this font is used mainly in women based magazines. The titles font size is larger than the rest of the article and this is to attract the readers attention and so they see the title first to make them read the article. They have also used an italic style to the font to add that extra feminine touch to the style as it’s not bold and chunky, it looks more delicate and elegant. The font is separated into sections by some of the images which take up a large amount of space so it isn’t too crammed with a large article and is spaced out right.

LayoutThe covers layout is very neat and in proportion which makes it more feminine as it’s got a certain look to it. The actress is posed more to the right but this is so the title of the magazine doesn’t looked crammed on the page and gives the actress her own space. The main point that wants to be put across is the ‘more toned, less tired’ and this is put in the middle of the page and at the bottom half because then this is what the audiences eyes are drawn to and this is what is seen first. Then some of the other articles which are in the magazine are placed all around the edge and spread out evenly so that it’s still noticeable but isn’t too tight around the actresses face and so that she is still seen as the idol on the page. They have also photographed her looking really relaxed and happy and it doesn’t look posed it looks more natural so that the audience know that it’s really relaxed and that she doesn’t look uncomfortable.

Inside the magazine, they have a more vintage and messy theme which makes it look relaxed and more comfortable for the reader and looks more informal. Some of the images are placed on a slant on the page which looks like they have just been thrown on like that and creates an informal look. There is an equal amount of writing and images on each page so it gives the reader something to look at as well as read. It’s not all crammed on the page and it’s easy to see and read and has enough spacing between everything. Pictures are overlapped and the models are cut out and placed over the top of some of the images which makes it look messy and more like a layout of a scrapbook which gives it that down to earth and relaxed feeling for the audience.

CaptionsOn the cover, for the image the caption is ‘Kate Hudson’ and explains a quote she says in the article which acts as a caption for the image. Around the image is little captions and these are describing what will be in the magazine. This then gives the reader a quick insight to what is going to be in the magazine. Also at the bottom it has captions of what the magazine contains overall so then people can see what the magazine contains mainly so people can quickly read the cover and see what the magazine is about and this then grabs their target audience. Where it says ‘more toned, less tired’ this is a caption of the main article or theme across the magazine.

Inside the magazine, the images in the magazines have captions underneath or on the picture so this then backs up the image with some detail about what is being displayed in the image. This also links in with the text in the article to help provide visual information about what’s being said. Also under the title of the article, there is a little caption underneath that is the introduction to the article and this acts as a caption for the title and the article in the magazine.

AnchorageThere isn’t a lot of anchorage used on the front cover but they have mentioned some of the articles inside which are to do with looking ‘less tired’ and ‘how to look better’ and then they have Kate Hudson gleaming and she doesn’t look tired and has no bags under her eyes and a big grin. Having the writing which has been used gives the image meaning as it shows the audience how they can look by doing what the articles are saying. Having ‘Kate Hudson’ written on the cover backs up who the person on the front cover is and not having it as quite faint and a pale colour makes it not as noticeable as people should already know who she is.

Also in the magazine there isn’t a lot of anchorage again but having the word ‘Paris’ next to the model who is posing outside what looks like part of the Eiffel Tower helps the reader identify where she is and gives the image more of a meaning than just having the image placed on the page without having some caption to give the reader an idea of where she is.

Colour SchemeThe main colour scheme for the front cover is mainly a bright red and an orange which makes both colours contrast together. The background is white and a pale cream which makes the colours stand out more on the page. The colour of the red also links in with the title of the magazine which is called red. The blacks and whites are used to add different colours to the cover but to not make it look too overly coloruful and to attract the target audience. Where as if it was an audience of young teenagers, bright colours (pinks, greens, yellows) to attract them as it stands out more to them.

Inside the magazine, they use softer and less vivid colours unlike the bright colours used on the front. They have used a white background again to make the images and the writing stand out against the background. The images have quite neutral and calm colours and has quite a vintage style to it which attracts women more than men and this appeals to their target audience. The pinks used throughout the article adds colour because of all the writing used and this then breaks down the writing a little and also contrasts with the title of the article.

PhotographyThe image used on the front is a high quality image which is taken professionally. This is what appeals to their audience, as they are paying a fair amount for the magazine, it’s important the images are at a high quality. Where as if the images were taken for Heat for example, they wouldn’t be as such as a high quality as it has a target audience mainly of a lower class so this means they don’t expect as much for a lower cost of the magazine. There is a lot of detail in the image used which needs to be captured right and you can tell it’s been taken for the magazine and not been reused, where as for Heat it would mainly be paparazzi who take the images just to make money from it.

The photography used inside the magazine keeps the same high expectations like the front cover and they are at a high quality. They use a wide range of different images to interpret the article in different ways through photography. They use models in some of the images to pose for the images and also use different images to support the captions. They have a soft and vintage look to them. As it’s mainly a fashion magazine they show their unique styles through the catwalk images and this shows that the images have been taken at a high standard to be taken at a catwalk.

Writing Style and LanguageThe writing style used and the language used to relate to the target

audience is important when creating a magazine. It needs to be chosen right for the target audience to understand. The language used in the article, is a more highly educated tone and this is because the magazine is aimed at more of a middle class so the tone needs to reflect on how they would speak. If the product was aimed at a younger audience it would be more simple words, easy enough for them to understand and because they are less educated, they need something at their level of understanding. As it is aimed at a more older audience, they use quite long and lengthier paragraphs which contain a lot of level of detail. Where as if it was aimed at a more younger audience, it would contain a lot more images and shorter paragraphs to support the images so they don’t get bored of reading. But having an older audience they may have time to sit down and read longer paragraphs. On the cover and in the article ‘your’ and ‘we’ are used a lot and this makes it a more informal and colloquial magazine. This grabs the audiences attention more because they feel as if they are being spoken to instead of being reported to. Unless, if it was a newspaper, they often use a more formal and indirect tone as they are reporting to the audience. The article focuses on a more feminine topic and this is noticed by the model in the image. The magazine is aimed to mainly females so having fashion and weight articles intrigue the audience more because it’s something that interests them. Where as if it was a newspaper, the articles are focused more on the daily news and aim for both genders as an audience.

Text and Picture RatioThe image on the front of the magazine is the main focus

and is what is wanted to grab the readers attention. The image is supported by only a small amount of text as it just wants to give little detail about what is in the magazine so that it doesn’t look too overcrowded as this would put off the reader. This then can show them an insight of what is in the magazine and what kind of articles it will contain. By having a large image of someone who is well known and popular can attract the reader even more than having it all full of writing.

In the articles, the writing is separated with different sized images. This then helps break down the writing into little paragraphs so the reader doesn’t get bored of reading long paragraphs. The text and picture ratio is equal and has the same amount of writing on both pages and quite a few images to back up the article and also to give the reader a visual insight of what the article is expressing. By doing this it helps the reader visualise what is being said and it also makes the page less structured and more informal.

FontsThe fonts used in the red magazine are very feminine and use a lot of italics and use an elegant and joined up writing. This appeals to females more because it looks a bit like writing from a woman and this then intrigues the audience which is mainly females. The front cover uses quite large and bold fonts to attract the reader to show them what they have in the magazine. They have used a large font because this is what women like to read about and will find interesting so when it’s larger it springs out at the audience and makes it easier for them to see. Using italics makes the writing more elegant which is what the reader likes because of the higher class they are unlike if it was a gossip magazine it would mainly be bold and chunky writing which doesn’t look as elegant and looks heavy on the page. In the article inside, one font is used throughout to make it simple and not as messy on the page and the title which is filled in with the pink colour is also in capitals to make the reader see the title of the article as it’s the main focal point in the magazine. Having a bold, yet still italic and feminine font for the titles fits in with the style of the magazine and doesn’t look out of place.

Modes of AddressThe front cover has an informal tone and mentions ‘your’ in quite a large font which makes it more direct to the reader and makes it quite conversational. On the cover, it is presented with just bullet point sentences to make it relaxed and easier to read which then also sounds quite colloquial. This also makes it sound less formal and this also makes it feel as if the reader is linked to the magazine and adds that personal feel to the magazine and gives the connection between the reader and the publisher. This will appeal to the target audience more because for the style of the magazine it doesn’t need to sound formal or reported, it needs to be relaxed and direct.

Inside the magazine, there is a lot more direct language as ‘your’ straight away in the title of the article to show it’s personal. They also use language to engage the reader which makes them feel as if they are in a conversation by using ‘we’ a lot and this feels as if there is a relationship between the reader and the publisher. This gives a relaxed tone to the article and makes it a lot more colloquial than formal. There is (in some places) humor added to also make it an informal piece and this then engages the reader more and makes it less of a serious article which would appeal to the audience more.

Audience Feedback

There are a range of ways which publishers can use to get feedback from their audience. It isn’t guaranteed that the chosen target audience will be pleased with the product created and to improve this, audience feedback is vital. The ways which can be used to get the audience feedback are:

Complaints

Focus Groups

Audience Panels

Trialing

ComplaintsSome people might not like the product which is aimed at them and the way they like to give their feedback is by complaining. Even though it’s not the best or most reliable way to gain feedback, they test the reaction to change and how this effects the audience. Social media is now a big impact when it comes to complaining about a product and it allows consumers to give feedback to the media producers in different kinds of ways.

Focus GroupsThis method is used before the product is actually made. It involves getting a group of people and if they were testing the layout of a new magazine (for example) they would look at the layout they have chosen and feedback on what they think. Their ideas are being recorded and then this gets played back to the designers and then they can start designing their product.

Audience PanelsThis involves a large group of people or proportion of the public and are contacted every so often about a certain product or service. This allows them to get feedback off a reliable proportion as they are used every time they want the feedback. They will be used monthly or yearly.

TrialingBefore the product is put on the shelves, they have a trial with the finished product first to see what the group think. So if the group don’t like some parts of the product or don’t agree with some parts, they can then get sent back and then change the parts needed and then after that, it can be officially be made seen to the public.