Identity Construction:Printed Media

Teen Vogue targets teenage insecurities and features popular teenage figures on their front covers to show that what the magazine says is thought to be what popular teenage believe, hence persuading other teenagers to follow along.

Teen Vogue’s target audience is female teenagers.

Winship’s notion of complexity is about being prepared, in terms of audience gratification, to finally recognise the ideal version of ourselves. Teen Vogue have tried to show that by portraying an ideal image of what a female teenager should look like and therefore their target audience will try and change to suit this image. Their constructed audience is ‘made’.

The smile on Vanessa Hudgens has connotative messages of innocence and being ‘problem free’ and she seems to have reached the top of Maslow’s hierarchy and has acquired self-actualisation which the magazine has represented as achievable if their audience follows their advice.

Teen Vogue have attempted to make the magazine more personal to their target audience by getting Vanessa Hudgens to give a direct mode of address.

Richard Dyer said that “Identity is complicated” and Teen Vogue has tried to give a structure of what a popular female teenagers should strive for in order to attain their identity.

Colours used are light and have connotative messages of happiness and warmth. The colour that Vanessa Hudgens is wearing could also been seen as a fashion statement informing Teen Vogue’s target audience that this colour is what’s ‘in’ this or next season. The colours used on the front of the magazine can affect their target audiences to get them to change their identity to be associated with a certain colour. Michael Foucault said that we adapt our collective identities which mediate when we meet other people or have certain interests, in this case it’s fashion and gossip.

The colours used on the front cover on Kerrang are completely opposite to the Teen Vogue magazine. The colours are darker and have connotative of being rebellious but in a certain style. Not being destructive but showing your difference through your appearance.

The picture of Green Day has them give a direct mode of address. Almost as if they are approaching you to ask you if you want to join in and be ‘cool’ with their but serious/crazy facial expressions. They also look intimidating and that maybe seen as something attached to this certain style or look.

Much more emphasis on looking ‘cool’ along with making good music. Each genre of music seems to have their own distinct look and is divided even further but the artists themselves. Michael Foucault theory is supported here as the target audience will mediate their identities to become similar to something like what is portrayed on the front cover of the magazine and may therefore result in a big collective identity.

Richard Dyer said that “Identity is complicated” and Kerrang has given their target audience something to identify with. Some people may be confused about their identity and may want to express it as strongly as Green Day do on the front cover of Kerrang. They may try and copy the identity because they can’t find their own. This links to Winship’s notion about being prepared, in terms of audience gratification, to finally recognise the ideal version of ourselves. Kerrang have given a representation of what their target audience could identity themselves with, Green Day and the whole rock/pop-punk genre of music.

The colour of pink on the front cover seems to only be used to attract the audiences eyes to other band and artist names to promote, not to portray any connotative messages.

Centre of attention possibly suggests that copying this look will make you popular too.

Clothes are colour coded to match logo and even Rihanna’s hair colour matches it. The hair style, being styled by Rihanna, may catch on as ‘sexy’ and attractive so any female consumers may change their hair style to match it, thus mediating their identity.

A direct mode of address is used to make it look like Rihanna is looking at you as if she is welcoming you to look at her.

Laura Mulvey’s theory that women are almost always represented in a sexualised way in order to appeal to a male audience is shown here. This picture clearly supports her theory and does appeals to the Male Gaze. Rihanna has only some very short shorts on and even the zips has been pulled down on that. This magazine will most likely appeal to man male consumers rather than females.

White background has connotative ideas of a purity and virginity along with an orgasmic image as it’s all around Rihanna………………………………………………….Miss will think I’m sick in the head -_-

The idea of Winship’s notion can be used here. This magazine has used popular singer Rihanna on the front page of their magazine and isn’t blocked by anything other than at the bottom left (which is out of sight). Their target audience may think that the ideal look for them should be do dress provocatively and attempt to copy this sexualised look.

Looking at Maslow’s hierarchy, we can see that Rihanna has her hands covering explicit parts of body. This could signify her need for belonging and love needs. This may make their target audience believe that even celebrities still need love and attention.

Michael Foucault ‘s theory is can considered here. The target audience may start dressing like this to get people’s attention and become part of a collective identity who likes this ‘look’ which is represented on the cover of the magazine. Putting yourself into this collective identity could result in negative effects such as being called desperate for attention.

Richard Dyer’s theory could be applied here as this magazine has given their target audience a portrayal of what is ‘sexy’ and ‘attractive’.

 How far do you agree with this statement?"Identity complicated, everybody's got one" - David Gauntlett

This statement is saying that identity is complex and can be expressed in many different ways and that everyone has their own identity.

Everybody has their own identity which is mediated when we meet new people and as we grow older according to Michael Foucault. We adapt our basic identity into what we see fit. If our personalities, interests and such are similar to others, we tend to develop a collective identity. Identity is a complex thing because everyone has their own reasons for being the way they are. Some people, however, cannot figure out their identity and may see media coverage of their idols or people they like, and attempt to copy their idol’s identity, whether it is physical or attitude. Printed media coverage has such an impact as we can see from the analysis of Teen Vogue, Kerrang and GQ.

Collective identities are something that evolves from having an identity and give you a sense of belonging and even an embodied experience according to Merlau Ponty. When reading printed media about our idols or favourite people, we can then share the information online and thus feel the embodied experience as we share information to others and their responses. Henri Jenkins said that we are constantly updating our profiles, pictures, personal interests which results in the make-up of our identity and when similar to others, a collective identity and sense of belonging.

On printed media, target audiences are swayed to think that what they are portraying as ‘new’, ‘sexy’ or ‘cool’ is actually new, sexy or cool. They do this by the way they represent certain popular figures and design of the front covers. Fans of these famous people will want to show their interest for them and mediate their identities.

I agree that everyone has their own identity but sometimes people are put into groups. An example of this is the London 2011 riots. The media portrayed all youths around the ages of 10 – 25 as violent and out of control when in fact not all youths were involved.

Some people think that to have an identity, you have to be different, so many people may seem rebellious and from this we have seen sub-cultures and counter cultures such punks, goths, hippies, modes etc.To conclude, I agree with this statement as far as identity is complicated. However I think that although everyone has an identity, some identities may be copies of others because they are influenced by the media.