Vibe Front Cover Analysis

The layout of this page is appealing we found. By having the image in the middle we think it makes the page look more appealing. This is because of the models skin tone. The colour of her skin tone is pale much like the Vibe masthead. I think that this compliments the tone of the background colour as it is a very strong blue. By the background being a blue colour and having the white and yellow text on top it shows the audience that this magazine has a summer theme thorughout. The model’s make up and clothing is very plain and simple, however I feel this is very affective because having too much going on would cause confusion for the reader, and it would perhaps not look as appealing. The sub headings around the image have parts that are in bold and parts that have no weight, by having parts of the text in bold it signifies the importance of that part of text. The font used on this ford cover is very big and bold, which will attract people into buying it. Moreover the over all layout links together very well as the page does not look too crammed with information and it pleasing to the eye due to the contrast of colours complimenting each other.

Analysis

AppearanceThe image of the model we feel is very simple. She is wearing no clothing that is visible for the reader, and you cannot see her eyes. In addition she has sunglasses on and only red lipstick. I feel the producers of this magazine have dressed her in this way because it is a summer theme, and by her wearing sunglasses and a minimal amount of clothing it represents the warm. In addition I feel that she has red lipstick on to make her look less plain. The lipstick brightens up her face along with the front cover.BehaviourI feel like the behaviour of this model in this picture shows that she is being submissive for the enjoyment of men. This is shown through her having her mouth open along with her hand on her face. This pose compliments the fact that she does not have any clothes on and that this cover would attract men to go and read it.

We think that the representation of gender on this cover conveys that this model is trying to be submissive towards men. This means that she is posing the way she is and wearing what she is for the attention of males. In addition this signifies that the female gender is being projected as submissive and perhaps sexualised.

Stereotypes

HegemonyHegemony is the approach that argues media industries operate within a structure that produces the most dominant ideology (a belief or view that gets the most exposure).Hegemony projects the fact that the worlds views are controlled by white, middle class, middle aged, heterosexual men. For this front cover hegemony fits in well because it is a pretty much naked woman on a front cover posing in a submissive way, which realistically, any heterosexual man would like to look at, as they would find it attractive.PluralismPluralism is when someone can perceive something how they want to. For example, in contrast with men looking at this image thinking that the model looks attractive and submissive, some may have an opposed view and think that she looks independent and almost idolised.

Hegemony, Pluralism and Ideology

I think that the editor of this magazine has put the Masthead behind the model to prove that they feel confident that their magazine will sell without the masthead being full on show. Moreover I think they have put the image right in the middle of the page because it is an attractive woman it will attract people into buying the magazine. In addition I think that they have put the stories to the side of the image because it won’t take the attention off of the main image.

Mediation

I think that this magazine is for a mass market as it is aimed at everyone who likes R&B music, which is their target audience. Their target audience I would say would be the ages of around 18-30. I think this is aimed at a younger target audience because of the images that they have used along with the content of the stories around the side of the main image. I think that by the magazine being called ‘Vibe’ it represents the target audience as this is a very youthful word which will appeal to them. Moreover the stories on the side are not aimed at a younger target audience. This is because there is a side heading that says “60 year old prostitutes, still grindin’”. This is not something that someone underneath the age of 16 should be reading about as it is inappropriate and is not something that they should publicise to someone that is young. Moreover the stories are more aimed towards adults as the contents are not something that someone who is young would want to read about as they would not find it very interesting.

Audience Theory