Analysis of

We Love Pop

We love Pop We love Pop is a new monthly music magazine which launched in September 2011. Each issue contains 68 pages and its target audience is teenage girls aged between 13-15 years old. Egmont saw a gap in the market after another pop music magazine ended called Smash hits in 2006. Smash Hits had a similar target audience to the now audience of We Love Pop and therefore when they closed there was a gap to fill for the benefit of this age group. The reason the magazine stopped was due to social media and websites gaining in popularity. But ironically it was social media at their disposal that helped to launch successfully We Love Pop and similarly they have Facebook and Twitter pages as well as a website in order to provide access all areas to the latest music. We Love Pop is published by Egmont UK and has circulation figures of around 115,000.

The typical content of a We Love Pop issue are articles on artists/bands, interviews, features on film, fashion, technology, and beauty and advertisements from companies also aiming at the teen audience such as Universal Music, Boohoo and So Fragrances. For more information about We Love Pop visit http://www.welovepopmag.co.uk/

Analysis of We Love Pop Front Cover

The masthead looks bold, bright and quirky as it is slanted and the black and orange are strong colours that stand out. Black normally has quite negative connotations however here it could simply be used to make the masthead literally “pop”. Similarly the neon orange has connotations of happiness and energy which sparks from the colours used to make it (red and yellow). This could be a representation of the young teen audience. Orange also has connotations of heat which could link to how the young female audience find the cover male “hot”.

Medium Close up of a male looking flirtatious and suggestive but in a “watershed” way due to the audience only being 13-15 years old. There is a direct eye contact which pierces through to the reader and create a real intimate feel as its like he is looking at the reader. He is part of a very popular band (One Direction) extremely popular with teenage girls so having him on the cover can attract the core audience as well as passers by. What is interesting is how the magazine only has one member as opposed to the whole band, however they actually have produced five different front covers including this one with each member and his story on. They are encouraging their target audience to buy them all or as they call it “collect”. This can show the magazine going the extra mile to satisfy their target audience. Also it may have been that having a long shot of the band would mean that the female audience wouldn’t be able to have a proper look at their idols. Therefore the solution is doing separate copies!

Main Coverline

Footer explaining some of the content which are free posters of stars (mostly males for the female audience). Its sort of like a covermount.

Cover lines, including features on fashion, beauty and also about boys, dealing with bullies and the X Factor, all of which are very key elements in the target audiences lives.

There are supplementary images used which are crucial for this age group as they are attracted to an image led magazine.

Flasher in the black and orange creates a house style and attracts the target audience to the fact its a new magazine. It being new can perhaps make the audience feel they are getting not only the latest gossip but the newest magazine, hot off the press.

The pop of yellow in the flasher and in the “poster perfection” lexis adds variety, links to the happiness the audience feel when they see the magazine and its content and draws the readers eye to what the magazine are selling this month. Including that its a “The Boy Band Issue” which suits the young female audience.

Rule of thirds used creating a smart and modern layout which can reflect the content and the audience

Price/barcode/ issue number/ link to webiste/ name of publsiher

Liam, on the cover looks quite casual and can create a relaxed feel to the magazine that appeals to the audience who want a fun and informative magazine that entertains and is not too serious even though its about music which is a discipline. Similarly the background is simple making the cover star , the supplementary images and the copy stand out.

The yellow arrow can link to the band (One Direction) as an arrow can denote direction.

Analysis of We Love Pop

Contents Page

The masthead is continued but with a different colour. The colour is still bold and the red has connotations of love which can link to the heart in the masthead, how the audience love pop music and also how the girls love the females and males who not only bring them entertainment but also something to aspire to be like.

The colours in the fonts and the background pick up colours in the mise-en-scene such as the red of the masthead picks up one of the costumes and backgrounds in one image and the blue background links to one of the flashers and some of the cover lines. The blue colour is also quite a playful colour and can link to some of the stories such as about the boy band who have smiles on their faces and also the two females with the bag.

Editorial

The majority of white creates a simplicity and balances the busyness that is due to the many cover lines and remaining copy.

There are many images that link to how the younger audience respond more to an image led magazine. The main image is a medium long shot of the boy band which the cover star is in.

There are further flashers like on the front cover with similar shapes which are fun reflecting the age group. Similarly one of the flashers is in contact with the main image and is about how the magazine want you to collect all magazines. The way they want you to collect can make its almost like a hobby which links to how music is also a hobby.

There are many quotes which engage the reader, especially teenagers who want to get stuck into the music and features straight away. It can lure them in.

Page number in similar fonts to other copy creating a consistent and smart style.

The font, like on cover is basic and simple as the music and other features can do the talking. Similarly their is an informal feel with the way the editors note looks written almost like an autograph which can link with how magazines have close relationships with their audience.

There is quite a busy layout which is still smart and can reflect perhaps how this issue is packed full of amazing things to benefit the target audience.

The mode of address for this contents page is informal as the masthead “We love this” is quite conversational and quite personal and similarly it links to the masthead as We love this is like We Love Pop. It creates a consistency within the lexis which makes it smooth and funky. Similarly words such as “quid”, “Snuggly”, “full on” and “pricey” all help add to the informal approach this magazine provides for the benefit of its audience. Also there is informal language in the editorial such as “mags” and “twinkle toes” which again helps to create an easy to read feel for the target audience who just what to get stuck in!

The footer is exactly the same to the front cover which not only creates a house style which makes for a smooth publication but also having these posters featured again can remind the audience of what they will be gaining as well as all the music.

Analysis of We Love

Pop Double Page

Spread

Large medium close up of Liam, large enough that it could be cut out, as suggested by the scissor lines as a poster. He is smiling and again like on the front cover he is staring right at the reader making them feel special and close to the star.

The pull quote is interesting , comical and lures you in as you are intrigued. Similarly the similar fonts from the contents page create a house style that is quite modern and funky.

The blue used in the fonts and in the mise-en-scene is quite a soft and calm colour which can link to how the interview focuses on his girlfriend and love. Similarly it can link to how calm and friendly he looks. Also it can link to him being a male as blue denotes males. But it being a light blue adds femininity to bring it back to the target audience of females. The soft and innocent blue is contrasted with the yellow that highlights certain part of Liam’s answers showing their importance . It can add to his playful side which is revealed when he admits to picking up a “glass of water” and lobbing all over a fellow band mate and also about receiving love bites from his band mates as well as being like the nerd in ‘Inbetweeners’.

The slanted images add an informal feel as its almost like they have been placed on so its not too serious. Similarly the rule of thirds makes for an interesting approach that is informal and creative.

The standfirst provides an introduction and the ellipses at the end leads the reader in nicely as there is a flow.

Instead of perhaps a drop capital used they have an arrow to open the interview. It can link to the bands name (One Direction). Also its quite chunky and modern like the font in the headline creating consistency.

Page number/website address Caption Tag on the main image

Masthead is small in the corner which allows for the image and the story to take the full control. There is a sophisticated font next to the masthead in the left hand corner which can add a maturity and seriousness to the article.

Analysis of the written article

The article itself is an interview with Liam from One Direction. Its a personal one which touches on how Liam had a girlfriend before he even joined one direction and kept it a secret. Also about him snogging fans, his body image, why the boys call him Daddy Direction, and about dares he has done. It is an interesting interview that is informal and provides the reader with the feeling that they are there in the conversation which can again link to the intimate relationship between music readers and their magazines. There is also a moment when Louis, from One Direction comes in and attacks playfully Liam which helps link to the informality of the interview.

The mode of address is informal in this interview as there are words such as “snogged”, “dump”, “wimpy” and “neardy” This informality really helps to present the band as just normal boys which like “We love Pop” removes any barriers for the audience who adore their stars.

There is an interesting headline about the Inbetweeners which will suit the audience as most will be able to understand this as the Inbetweeners is a teen drama. It is a drama for eighteen year olds which is older than the target audience of “We Love Pop” however the reference can still be understood by the definition of Inbetweeners overall so even if the audience don't get it from the drama they can still relate! Rule of thirds is used to create a clean and smart layout and also the questions and answers are quite short so that the audience can gain as much information as they need but in digestible and understandable chunks. The text also wraps round the images.

Methods used to attract the audience

Bold and bright orange and black are eye-catching and stand out over the white background and the blue t-shirt of the cover star.

Supplementary images of stars, beauty and fashion lure the audience in! Pull quotes add a personal feel and an exclusivity as the audience get to know things about their idols.

“Love bites” is quite informal and eye-catching as the audience are intrigued about the One Direction antics

The circular shape for one of the cover lines is soft and helps to present the content creatively and cleanly for the benefit of the target audience.

There is information as part of the masthead about the content: “gossip, fashion, Boys” as well as the word “uncensored” which can lure the readers in who are excited about having the chance to learn about pop music and also about other things they find interesting.

The lack of capital letters in cover lines looks relaxed and informal and makes the magazine seem welcoming!

Target Audience

Price £2.99

Frequency Monthly

Circulation 115,000

Launch Date September 2011

Target audience females

Age 13-15 years old

Social class Mostly likely the ABC2 demographic (this is based upon parental income and demographic) as young girls at this age will likely have pocket money to spend.

Musical interests/favourite artists include people such as One Direction, Cher Lloyd, Tulisa from N-Dubz and Rihanna.

The launch price of the magazine was only £1 which for the young target audience with pocket money is inviting and cheap. But now the price is at what it was meant to be which is £2.99 which is still accessible for this age group.

There are a lot of females of similar and just older ages used on the cover which can support that the audience is female as the music stars are there to be admired and used for aspiration from the young girls. There are similarly males on the cover for the young girls who find these boys attractive and appealing both in their musical talents and appearance. Features on fashion, film, technology and beauty link to the young female audience also especially when at this age girls are discovering who they are!