Analysing ‘FourFourTwo’ MagazineIn this presentation I will be analysing the front cover, contents page and a double page spread inside the magazine the ultimate football magazine FourFourTwo.

Masthead is a very big convention, red font colour, sans-serif font and covers up the top third of the magazine front cover. This denotes the masthead names ‘FourFourTwo’ and its very attention-grabbing as it’s big and bold.Puff, this is the selling line slogan that goes near or around the masthead. There is a puff across the word “two” on the masthead, this denotes “THE ULTIMATE FOOTBALL MAGAZINE” capitalised sans-serif font. This convention is used to convince the target audience that it’s the best magazine to do with football, convincing you to purchase the magazine.

Cover lines along the bottom right hand side, this leads us into a story that will be developed inside the magazine. White background with black sans-serif font, this gives the magazine a slight newspaper appearance, this represents the magazine in a formal and official manner.

Main Image, this denotes a good looking, talented and popular professional footballer known by every football fan all over the world. He has won many titles, trophies and competitions in teams, for his country and based on his own performance. This main image, attracts all target audience eyes as he is a role model to most of the footballing industry, the figure is giving direct address and he is wearing a business suit. Representing himself and football in a mature, intelligent and serious business class way. Colouring is fairly simple, white background with the figure wearing a black suit, this is so that other things around the image will stand out too.

Pug, this works like a sticker and is designed to look as though it was stuck on after the page was printed. Any lettering should therefore not stick out of the pug. This convention denotes bright blue, yellow and white to match and introduce the colour of the team it is talking about. Eye-catching sans-serif font in vibrant colours to stand out from the simple black and white background.

Website, Date Issue and Price. In white, thin, sans-serif small printed font above the barcode. These conventions are in small print because it isn’t an important convention in the footballing industry, all people want to see is the football information. Also the price is in small print as it is an expensive magazine, pricing at £4.50 every monthly issue, therefore they don’t want the target audience to notice how expensive it is. Barcode, this is used so they magazine can be sold in stores all over the country, or internationally. It has to be black and white otherwise the code will not scan. This feature is really easy to blend in as the main colouring and main image is black and white. Banner advert, along the bottom of the magazine, dark black background denotes white sans-serif font that promotes an upcoming derby that is a big football game in England. Kicker and explanatory line, used the footballers name to attract fans, along the left hand side to stay visible, noticeable and clear on the newsagents shelf, this convention denotes information about the main image and tells us there is an exclusive interview inside. This appeals to the target audience as the main image figure is someone everyone is reading about, therefore potential consumers want and are convinced to buy the magazine.Subsidiary coloumn, this feature denotes bold bright vibrant coloured sans-serif font on a big red background in the bottom left hand corner of the magazine. This convention also has a thin white border and a drop shadow, this is so it’s not simple and stands out from the other conventions.

Basic black, white and red colour scheme makes it easy on the eyes, consistent with the front cover and fitting the genre, reuse of the male figure ‘Messi’ on the front cover, synergises with the front cover. The writing on the contents page is set out in coloumns, the main text which have their own category blocks labeled with titles and numbers next to them. This feature denotes what is inside the magazine and what pages to go to. Main text is dominantly thin small print sans-serif font because it’s a modern, masculine and intelligent magazine. There is always a main image on the contents page which links to the main story of the magazine, in this case the main image is a photograph of a professional footballer called ‘Messi’ and the interview ‘FourFourTwo’ had with him. Smaller images on the contents page link to other stories featured in the magazine, these smaller images mentioned are the ones underneath ‘Messi’ and on the right hand page. There is no deal for subscription convention on this contents page as the magazine is a fixed monthly price of £4.50 with no deals. FourFourTwo are a formal, official and strict magazine towards football therefore this type of magazine does not include a editors note convention, this is because editors notes give the magazine a personal touch which FourFourTwodo not like. The reuse of page numbers and captions linking to stories in different fonts and colours to make them stand out to the reader, the page number always comes before the text and follows with a few words about the article. On the contents page the website is featured at the bottom left hand corner next to the page and issue date as its least important to the reader. However, this convention is still used on the page to promote the magazines website and show recognition to the brand name.

This Double Page Spread is known as a bleeding DPS, we know this because the main image and border is crossing the centreline of the two pages, this shows that it is a DPS and not two separate pages. This DPS is a fairly simple Double Page Spread as it doesn’t have many conventions on the two pages. This is because the main image is so powerful, amazing and detailed that it still catches the eye of every consumer reading or flicking through the magazine. This main image is completely spread over the two pages, this convention denotes players from an amazing football team called ‘Barcelona’ playing with a dolphin in Miami. The main image is an indirect address action shot photograph taken while they were playing with the dolphin. We can tell they are playing together as the dolphin is taking shots at the goalkeeper, this feature is so breathtaking as it’s a once in a life time opportunity. The vibrant, flamboyant and spectacular colouring of the hot tropical weather brighten up the photograph, making the double page spread more impressive. The five professional footballers in this main image are Victor Valdez, Pedro Rodríguez, Xavi Hernandez, David Villa and Sergio Busquets. They are wearing sweat suits with their teams crest on it, this is recognition to their team name and recognition to Barcelona’s company brand name. Also on their sweat suits is the name and logo of the aquarium they are at, this is recognition to the aquarium and the aquariums brand name which is ‘Miami Seaquarium’. Another convention on this DPS is the pull quote in

the top right hand corner, this is also a standfirst convention as it is in a different font and introduces the article. The pull quote denotes big bold black sans-serif font that says “LOOK OUT, IBRA’S BACK…” this will appeal to the target audience as they will immediately understand what the quote means and will want to read on. The main text denotes information about the photo and informs readers of the story to this photograph. Overall this Double Page Spread represents the footballing industry and Barcelona’s team in a fun, happy and appreciative manner.

By Ross William Georgallides