EVALUATION.

EVALUATION.

My magazine is called “mixture”, it is a music magazine dedicated to a variety of different genre’s, from rock to hip-hop to dance. Though for our magazine, we decided to focus on a different genre for each month, so it allows the consumer of the product to enjoy their specified choice of music genre without the hassle of other genres filling the magazine up. The aim of changing the genre each month is to attract a wider spectrum of audience, mainly teenagers from the age of 16-22, to relate to the content of the magazine.

My music magazine, though it is not the same as a real magazine, tend to follow the same set of conventions as a real music magazine. For example, it uses the same concept, to entice the audience, to make the magazine appeal to the target audience. To do this, is usually dependant on the front cover, the front cover must capture the audience’s attention. Perhaps this is why the front cover of a magazine seems to be the most important. My music magazine cover tends to use a simple layout as much magazine covers use also. It has a simple colour scheme with the main themes being orange and white. Though it differs from real music magazine, as the outline of the font in my magazine, is highlighted in a yellow colour, something a real magazine usually wouldn’t do. This, is one way, my magazine breaks traditional magazine conventions as the layout of the magazine (also with the background of the magazine being black) differentiates that of a real magazine cover. Furthermore, the use of costume and body language the “model” uses conforms to typical conventions of magazines as it complies to the genre that the magazine is focusing on (in this case, hip-hop & r&b). The “model” is set out in an urban way, projecting an image that will appeal to the desired target audience. Also, the languages, promotional offers, genre of magazine are very similar to that of a real music magazine, as they derive from the real thing; it’s what we used to set an example for our magazines. Things such as “Free Mix tape CD” and “Exclusive Interview with...” are all examples of what appear to be in real music magazines, therefore to make our magazine seem more realistic.

Though, my music magazine cover aims to appeal to all social groups, it is inevitable for it to appeal mainly to one particular group. Especially for the genre I’m doing (Hip-hop, R&B) it would understandably appeal to a social group who mainly listen to Hip-hop and R&B music. I chose to do an urban theme, as I thought most people, though generalising who listen to hip-hop and R&B music would be interested in urban lifestyle. His body language, appears to have a nonchalant feel, suggesting that the reader also, has a laidback, carefree lifestyle, which perhaps, appeals to those who are similar, it isn’t too posed for, or initimidating so it reaches out to a wider audience. Also, our location was limited, so we decided to take it in the college and crop the background out, so it’s only the “model” that’s left.

Ideally, my magazine would be distributed by a popular, well known media institution such as IPC as it is a well known magazine publisher. Also, by having it distributed by IPC, I’ll be reassured at the fact it is reliable, as it also distributes other popular magazines such as NOW, LOOK, NME and Marie Claire, all of which also appeal to different age and social groups, so it would be suited for my music magazine. It being distributed by IPC also means that my magazine will reach a widespread and further audience, perhaps around the country, or international.

The audience, as stated before, would mostly be the younger generation, who are interested in the new hip-hop/R&B music out there. So it would mainly target people aged 16-22.

I attracted my audience by means of the layout of the magazine cover. Though the front is black, i used an array of bright colours to attract the audience. The magazine name “MIXTURE” is written in bold, capitals and a bright orange colour to capture the audiences eye, to make the magazine known to them. Also, the use of language “exclusive interview”, “win a chance..”, “FREE” are quite persuading, furthermore enticing the audience to go and buy the magazine as it contains such exciting contents. The choice of cover star, is young, “hip” and “urban” which aims to appeal to my target audience of the younger generation. I addressed the genre and the contents of the page, it being Hip-hop and R&B by mentioning other known Hip-hop/ R&B stars.

By creating this music magazine cover, I have learnt a variety of different technologies. This includes, the Mac, which I have used for the first time, thoroughly and also different photoshop techniques that I didn’t quite know before such as feathering, and using the duplicate stamp. Also, since I haven’t used the website Blogger before, it was also a first for me, to find my way through the site, change the font, size and colour, then posting the actual post.

If I were to make another front cover, I would’ve suggested that our group plan more, as we didn’t have enough time; we rushed straight into the work without much planning as to what we were doing. Also, the photographs were limited; we didn’t have much choice as to who would be suitable for our cover, who would suit the genre etc. So if we had more time to take photographs, perhaps the front cover model could’ve been a bit better rather than rushed.