Magazines - Conventions

Mastheads

Function

• The masthead is a piece of branding, providing instant recognition & gratification. Anchorage?

• As branding it also provides ‘factual’ & ‘emotional promise’. What is this?

• The masthead (and cover) is the first point of contact and represents a series of emotional connections for the target audience.

• The masthead gives the magazine a personality and an identity – it must stand for something (at least in marketing terms). But how?

Codes & Conventions

• Font style: serif or san serif (connotations)• Size: point and case (meanings)• Kerning: space between letters/proxemics• Visual codes: colour, shape, etc.• Language: meanings of words – metaphor,

symbolism, polysemy. Nouns? Adjectives?• In pairs/groups decode some of these

mastheads and feedback to class.(15mins)