Magazine Front Cover Analysis

Ben Holmes

Masthead

Barcode

Cover Lines

Left Third

Selling Line

Model Credit

Main Image

Date

Mix MagMixMag’s average reader is 24 years old (mostly male). They target their magazine at middle aged males who enjoy socialising and clubbing with their friends at the weekend. MixMag believes that most of their readers have a high disposable income and enjoy spending their money on going out clubbing and new trends. MixMag is an expensive magazine (in comparison to others) and due to this they say that most of their readers don’t spend money on other magazines and don’t really watch TV at the weekend.

Masthead & Selling Line

The MixMag masthead is the same on every issue although they have been known to change the font colour to suit the theme of the front cover. The selling line - “The worlds biggest dance music and clubbing magazine” – informs its readers of exactly what the content of the magazine is. This selling line uses the word “world”, this leaves MixMag with a broader target audience and does not target a specific genre or age. The use of simplistic lettering appeals to a male audience as they are less likely to buy a complicated magazine.

Main Image The main front cover image shows the drum and bass duo known as Chase & Status. The image is very simple and has a plain green background. However the man on the right hand side is wearing a full suit and the man on the left is wearing casual clothes. This is subtly distinguishing the difference between the two members of the group. One has a more underground, old school style. Whereas the other member brings new sounds and ideas to the table. Chase and Status are featured on the front cover of MixMag due to their new album being released at the time of this issue being produced.

Cover Lines & Main SellsThe cover line of this magazine is simply “Chase & Status” and goes straight across the middle of the front cover much bolder than any other text on the page. The colour of the cover line is split in half, one side uses a sky blue text whereas the other uses a white text, I feel that this could be a way of distinguishing between the two different personalities of Chase & Status. The cover line is layered over the main image to make it as clear as possible to the target audience what magazine they are buying. The style of language used on the front cover is informal and also some ‘slang’ words are included, this will help the target audience to relate to the front cover as they will use similar language themselves. All the text on this front cover is related to electronic dance music or clubbing, there isn't any other topics included which makes it the perfect magazine for anyone interested in Music/Clubbing.

The target audience of The Rolling Stones magazine has a slightly higher demographic age range of around 16-50. As more people are more interested in the rock and roll life style over the Electronic Dance Music scene. This front cover is very different to the MixMag cover I have just been analysing. For example the front cover text and image are both black and white and not colour. However the mast head “Rolling stones” is a vibrant red colour which is their trademark. The main image is also layered over the masthead which is different on the MixMag front cover. Furthermore there is only writing down the left third

ComparisonsThese two magazines are completely different styles. The MixMag magazine is a lot brighter and more colorful probably due to its target audience demographic being younger than the desired target audience of the Rolling Stones magazine. In relation to the colour used, the rolling stones magazine has used a black and white theme leaving only the masthead in their original red colour which helps the title of the magazine to stand out on the page . Another difference between these magazines is that the rolling stones magazine only has information down the left third and leaves more space for the front cover image to be seen. Whereas the MixMag magazine has information on both the left and right third as well as a banner through the centre naming who the magazine features.

Ideas for your own magazineAfter looking at these different styles of magazine I have decided to carry forward a few techniques into my own magazine front cover design. For example both these magazine display the masthead behind the main cover image; although it is still visible I feel that the masthead is being restricted and made un-clear to the readers. I will have the mast head straight across layered on top of the cover image making it as clear as possible to my target audience. Also I will have text down both the left and right third of the front cover including key information.

On my magazine front cover I intend on including colloquial language that will make it easier to read for my target audience and allow them to relate to the slang words included in the cover. I plan on using the same font for all the text on the page but may vary the colour pallet.