Case study

Blender Case Study

Background Details Blender is an American music magazine. It is published by Dennis Publishing. The magazine was started in 1994 as the

first digital CD-ROM magazine by Jason Pearson, David Cherry & Regina Joseph, acquired by Felix Dennis/Dennis Publishing, UK.

It published 15 digital CD issues, and launched on the web in 1997.

Owner Alpha Media Group closed Blender magazine March 26, 2009, going to an online-only format.

One of Blender’s first magazines!

Blender’s colour scheme has changed from dark colours to vibrant bright colours.

The main image still represents RnB music like it does today. The artist Janet Jackson is featured on one of the latest issues.

The artists featured are not RnB artists but at the time popular artists.

More Background Details

Though most magazines have suffered from steep revenue declines due to falling print readership and the ad recession.

Blender's final print issue was the April 2009 issue.

Ad pages at Blender fell nearly 31% last year, compared with the industry's average decline of nearly 12%.

Blender Today! Blender is only issued online today as

the last paper copy was in 2009. Frequency; 10 times per year. It follows the standard layout

conventions on an RnB magazine consisting of images and snippets of text relating to the articles.

Its published in 4-page increments. Approximately 80 pages, with high

gloss coloured paper.

Inside Blender Today...

Target Audience Blender music magazine is targeted

at young men and women aged between 16 – 19.

The statistics are high with the amount of women and men that read Blender magazine but its more or less equal.

This is because of the use of young music artists.

The individual who would buy this magazine will normally be passionate about music and the RnB genre.

Content The content inside of the magazine is

based on music artists, groups, concert information and reviews. Occasionally, posters, flyers for upcoming events given away to entice customers.

Artists that are frequently featured are; Rihanna, Beyonce, Janet Jackson and Alicia Keys.

This is a flyer that is found inside of the magazine.

Style Blender features iconography, which

allows the target audience to be able to identify the genre of the magazine.

Throughout the magazine is displays a variety of images to make it more visual rather than text heavy.

The colours that are used are bright, vibrant colours like red, blue and yellow. Gives it a more of a teenage feel and look.

The magazines features small, readable lower case font. This makes it more special and intimate so when reading articles you can as if you know them personally.

Strong use of yellow and blue.

Content of the magazine is related to the RnB genre. The artist is the most obvious signifier.

The only exception of large capitalized font is on the front cover.

Mode of Address Formal, but phrases that the

particular target audience will use in their everyday lives.

Those that enjoy RnB use phrases that are established through the target audience.

The use of personal mode of address is strong with the repetition of ‘you’ and ‘your’. This gives the reader the impression that the magazine is speaking to them individually.

The use of ‘you’ ...

Different spelling for words, which is understood the target audience...

Another use of misspelling...

Mode of Address

Examples of Mode of Address; ‘Its $$$ time as Bollywood flies

abroad.’ ‘SCOOP! RnB’s hottest property

heads up our summer special.’ ‘... And the 100 most sizzling stars,

gadgets, bands and booties in music today.’

‘I’m letting out all my ghosts.’

Ownership

Owned by Alpha Media Group. Alpha Media Group also owns

Maxim. Which is an international men's magazine targeted at heterosexual adult males and based in the United Kingdom.