Contents page analysis

The main colours of the page are red, white and blackThe combination of the three colours featured (red, black and white) are considered chic and appear up to-date and modern. By contrasting these bold colours on a plain white background without leaving a lot of negative space helps the text and the images stand out more. By only using these three colours it creates cohesion over the two pages.

The contents page consists of page numbers, subheadings and mini descriptions and images. The structure of the contents page is split into 3 columns which is quite conventional so that the layout doesn’t look messy.The page numbers are important as they tell us where we can find the articles within the magazine. The different page numbers have different font sizes which gives the impression that the page numbers with the biggest fonts emphasise the importance of the artist and how big he is in the music industry.

The use of photography Jay Z’s image is the largest in size and takes up most of the space on, from the left side, which could be hinting that his article is the most exclusive about him compared to the other top 10 music stars that are going to be talked about in the magazine. The photograph is the same shade of red as the logo therefore it is achieving cohesion with the brand identity of the magazine. By making the page number larger it is showing it is one of the main articles and a longer, extra special feature.

Mise en scene

The clothes which Kanye West is wearing is what you would class as ‘fashionable’ in the music industry or in general. This gives us the impression that Vibe magazine is not only just about music but also things such as fashion, celebrities, art and culture.

Colour scheme

The main colour used in the contents page is grey which could connote that Kanye west as an artist is quite mysterious however the use of the colour red for the heart could symbolise his passion for music and that it means a lot to him as the heart is visible. Not only could red connote his passion for music but his love life in general and the use of the hand could symbolise how he keeps it personal.

The background is a plain grey which draws the readers attention more to the foreground being Kanye. However the use of the letter V reminds the reader what magazine they are reading, also it can show that Kanye West is bigger than the magazine as he’s in front of the ‘V’.

Layout

The masthead is a large letter ‘V’ which is the abbreviation of the magazine name ‘Vibe’. The fact that it is continued on shows the importance of the magazine. This is used to remind the audience of who created the magazine and to make them further purchase the magazine. It is constantly featured on ‘Vibe’ magazine contents pages and is positioned in the top half of the page which maintains the continuity of ‘Vibe’s magazines. The ‘V’ is written in grey which matches the colour scheme and the black and white image of Kanye West.

Language

‘PRIDE ON THE NAME OF LOVE’, ‘DOLLARS TO DONUTS’, ’ A BALLARD FOR THE FALLEN SOILDER’, ‘HEARTBREAK HOTEL’.

These contents also relate to rap and money. They are presented in capital, Times New Roman, which is a traditional formal, neat font, for a traditional, formal, neat magazine. The mode of address is a mix of formal and informal and is aimed at an urban sophisticated audience. It also speaks out to the audience in a casual, friendly way suggesting that this is a friendly magazine.‘ PRIDE ON THE NAME OF LOVE’ reflects that the magazine involves love and that it is loving for the readership and is a friendly magazine where you can find the latest facts about artists, it also links with the heart on his heart. If you can in the contents, there is question mark: ‘What’s the deal with Kanye? Misinterpreted, misunderstood?’ This rhetorical question allows the reader to figure out what the answer is making them intrigued wanting to see the rest of the magazine to find out more.

Image Once again Vibe magazine has obtained its identity by always making the image of the artist the main thing about the contents page.The image is of a male rapper which could suggest that this particular issue of the magazine was targeted at males however since there is skin and tattoos being exposed, it can also suggest they are trying to attract the female readers. The shot used is a medium-close up shot and he is positioned in a violent pose. He is holding his chains towards his face as if he was about to break them. The jewellery also represents the rappers wealth and success as it is very flashy and he is not just wearing on piece, there are several neck chains.The hat is common for rappers to wear and he is following the codes and conventions of R&B by wearing one in the image. The models facial expression is also very aggressive. He looks as if he is growling at the audience at this is to show that he is very powerful and strong

Layout

The way the contents page title is broken is common in all Vibe magazine issues which helps them to maintain its brand identity. Also by the use of ‘V’ behind each artist helps to emphasise the brand and also maintain the identity. The subheadings are in a serif font. It is very formal and looks like handwriting. The formality of the sub-headings contrast with the violence in the image which makes the models aggression stand out even more.The way the text is broken makes it easier for the reader to understand the text and choose the article they wish to read. This shows already that the target audience is of a younger generation who are not fond of reading large amounts of text