Analysis of Professional Magazine

Front Covers

XXL MAGAZINEMastHeadBold, Eye-catching, Bright colour, Branding of the magazine

BARCODEWEBSITEPRICEDATEISSUE NUMBER

ANCHORAGE TEXT/COVER-LINERelates to the photo, gives more information behind the cover story, slang appropriate for audience – ‘Bangin’’.Bold clear font.

COVER-LINEGrabs your attention, Bright Colour, Catchy, drop shadow used

COVER IMAGEHigh Quality, Fills the page, Overlaps Masthead. Famous stars= more likely to attract buyers. Black and White makes the cover-line and masthead stand out more.

BRIGHT COLOURThe only colour used on the cover, used in specific areas tograb the reader’s attention

FEATURED ARTISTSBig name artists you can find inside the magazine, people are more likely to buy this issue if an artist they like is featured.

POSITIVES/NEGATIVES OF XXLPositives:This magazine cover is very clean, with specific information conveyed, such as the feature article on Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa. The layout of this magazine works really well because there isn't an overwhelming amount of information, which you get on some, mainly gossip, magazines. The cover has a modern feel to it, the font used is sharp and easy to read, meaning that someone glancing at the cover can clearly see the information.

Negatives:I think this front cover is missing some elements, for example, a slogan. A slogan is part of the branding of the magazine, a catchy phrase that people can remember. Also there are no ‘Buzz Words’, words like ‘EXCLUSIVE, PLUS, and ALSO’ draw the readers attention and make information stand out.Considering that this is a monthly issue, there is very little information on any features or what to expect inside the magazine, which may put buyers off.

What ideas I would like to incorporate in to my own front cover:I think making my image black and white will benefit my magazine, as it allows other information to stand out more. Also, I like how all the basic information (Issue no, Date, Price) is displayed within the barcode, freeing up more space for other elements.

VIBE MAGAZINEFEATURE ARTICLEBuss Word: ExclusiveBehind the scenes feature, attracts buyers. Use of colour and Italic to make certain words stand out.

MASTHEADBold Font, Branding

ANCHORAGE TEXT/COVER-LINERelates to the image, variety of text and colour, short and snappy- ‘KANYE WEST “I AM RAP”’ Page number lets you know where to find this article.

BARCODEDATEWEBSITE

COVER IMAGEFamous Star, Close Up, HQ, Collar of jacket in keeping with colour scheme

FEATURE ARTICLEDramatized wording – ‘Battle, Legacy’Use of colour, clear bold font

FEATURED ARTISTS

COLOUR SCHEMEStereotypical Unisex colours, attracts both gendersBright, Eye-catchingFresh, contrastingUsed throughout the cover, in text, on the image.

‘BEST MUSIC’LOGOShows that Vibe is Sponsoring/supporting the event

POSITIVES/NEGATIVES OF VIBEPositives:The cover is eye-catching with lots of information displayed, the use of bold colours and Buzz Words grab the reader’s attention and can persuade them to purchase it. The layout is clean and information is nicely spread out. Language, such as ‘10 songs to delete’ makes the magazine seem more personal to the reader. The colour scheme works really well, as the contrasting colours break sections of information up, making them easier to read and also more attention grabbing. Overall I think this cover is more successful than that of XXL, as it is more likely to catch someone’s eye and make them want to purchase the magazine. However, Vibe magazine is targeted at a wider audience than XXL so this is a contributing factor.

Negatives:No slogan on the coverNegative space towards the bottom of the magazine, could have been filled better.

What ideas I would like to incorporate in to my own front cover:I think using pink and blue on my cover is a perfect idea as it will automatically make my magazine more targeted at a unisex audience. I am also going to word my Cover-Lines so that they directly talk to the reader ‘You, Your, etc’