Planning & Research

Rhiya Heir

Central image

Masthead

Barcode

Star appeal

Cover lines

Faded colour scheme

Conventions of a music magazine

• Bold masthead• Appealing colours• Large central image• Star appeal• Taglines• Cover lines• Barcodes• Busy front cover• Puff/promotion

I have decided to use ‘VIBE’ for my research. I have chosen this magazine as I think it’s a successful music magazine that targets a wide range audience, and it suits the genre of my magazine, RnB.‘VIBE’ is a music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. ‘VIBE’ was purchased by the private equity investment fund intermediary partners and is now issued every other month with double covers, with a larger online presence. This magazines targeted demographic is predominantly young, urban followers of hip-hop culture. In 2014 the magazine moved online only.

Targeted audience

• My targeted audience varies from the ages of 15 up to 25, in the 21st century the younger generation are become more familiarized with rappers and song writers such as drake and Nicki Minaj, the two most famous singers and rappers who are both apart of ‘Young money cash money billionaire’, the founder is Dwayne Michael Carter, JR, also knows as Lil Wayne by his rapper name.

• The R&B music can relate to the older teenager due to the meanings of the songs, for example Drake is famously known for his love songs therefore the older generation can relate to this therefore build a personal relationship with the artist.

From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the images on the front cover, as they are high quality images. The R&B magazines such as ‘VIBE’ choose the best artists/entertainers to represent their magazine so that they get the best buyers. They also use both male and female representatives, which allows a wider target audience. For example this front cover has a central image of drake the singer and rapper artist. He is well known and has millions of fans internationally, therefore this targets a wide range audience which is beneficial as the magazine ’VIBE’ will have many buyers. Just because you have a male representative on the front cover doesn't’t man it will appeal just to girls because he's a good looking guy it also appeals to the male audience as well as drake has fans of both genders.

To look for inspiration for my front cover I researched into ‘VIBE’ magazine. The reason I chose to research this magazine was because I have similar interest into the type of music they write about and promote which is R&B and hip-hop music, I'm also familiar with all the star appeal they promote on their front covers. I also like the way they style their front cover, the main image on just 1 celebrity which is bold and appealing to the buyers, not only this but the colour scheme they use, often mix between bright colours and dark colours, I like the dark colours in particular as it brings a ‘cool’ atmosphere to the magazine and makes it more appealing, the magazine looks ‘sassy’ therefore supports the needs and purposes of this particular genre. They use both genders to represent their magazine which is positive as both genders can relate to the magazine. For example this image in particular it portrays women as being sexy and confident and allowing them to show off their sexy curves this shows women are powerful, and the readers can relate to this, and the male audience would find it appealing.

The ‘VIBE’ magazine layout is very simple and presented neatly this is an attractive way of presenting a front cover as its not to busy and you can actually focus on what's going on. I have decided to have one central image of a female character that is appealing, the masthead placed at the top of my magazine and have it really bold and spread across the page so that its attractive. And down the sides around the pictures I will include the cover lines and extra conventions such as the barcode, issue date and the price I will also include institution logos to represent my magazine.

Contents pageFrom my research I can tell that ‘VIBE’ contents page also has a similar layout, with a central image in the middle. The simple use of colour just stands out and highlights a focus on Kanye West.

It works well as the colours on the front cover are either bright or really dark therefore just having a blank white background is clever as it makes the magazine look simple and you can focus on the image more.

In what ways will your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real products?

• I know that the outcome of my music magazine will relate to other existing magazines such as ‘VIBE’ magazine. My magazine will use certain conventions of ‘VIBE’ magazine and will use the similar layout and structure in a way that will attract the targeted audience.

• My music magazine will challenge other magazines on the market, for example ‘VIBE’ target their audience at both males and females, however my magazine will be mainly targeted at the female gender this is because I have chosen to use Beyoncé as my figure for ‘Star Appeal’ therefore this will attract the female genders. To make my magazine appeal to women I will include an eye catching image on the front cover and will also have written about a personal experience from a famous/iconic music artist/entertainer that young girls and older women can relate too, to show that women are empowering and they are important.

How will your media product represent particular social groups?

• My magazine will represent young women aged 15- 25.

• My representations of females in my magazine will be positive and will influence girls in the right way.

• My magazine will represent women as being strong, classy, sexy and confident. I will portray this throughout the magazine by using certain images and quotations.

Conclusion • Due to my secondary research I’m aware of what genre I'm focusing

on, which is R&B this is because I specifically take a like towards this type of genre of music. On the other hand my secondary research has helped me realize the wide expansion of R&B music itself, there's soul R&B, slow R&B and then we have todays R&B this makes me aware that there is a wide targeted audience due to this genre of music.

• I researched ‘VIBE’ magazines in particular this was because I likes there specific style of there magazine I also took like towards the ‘star appeal’ they portrayed I was familiar with the stars, therefore I was attracted straight away. This then became my magazine of inspiration, and I did replicate the ‘vibe’ magazine however I was original and had my own input in how I created my front cover, contents page and double page spread.