Initial Inspiration for Regional Magazines

Initial Inspiration for Regional Magazines

Whilst researching for existing regional magazines in the area, I found three which have given me ideas and inspiration. All are lifestyle magazines, the same genre as my own will be. It covers a wide range of features such as health and fitness, tourism, leisure, fashion, decorating, or culture in various areas of the North East.

Living North

Living North

Living North describes itself as “celebrating much of what is excellent about the North of England, from its glorious coastline, small niche businesses, heritage, food and numerous other attractions, from boutiques to bistros and much more besides”. This magazine projects quite a mature image, suggesting it is aimed at adults living in the North East with an interest in the above. It appears to be quite gender neutral in many senses, as it creates articles that would appeal to both gender stereotypes, for example its articles showing photography of different areas of the North East. However it may be directed slightly more at women, for example using pink as a theme colour for the March 2015 edition. In addition there are extensive fashion and beauty pages within the magazine. I think the layout of the front cover is quite clever in appealing to its niche target audience – the colour scheme used is different in every issue but matches the image projected. This creates a smart, professional appearance.

ETC (Everything That Counts)

ETC (Everything That Counts)

ETC describes itself as “a luxury lifestyle magazine for the North East and beyond”. It is predominantly aimed at women – for example by having Pixie Lott as its cover star, who would probably attract teenage and young adult women. It also features articles on interior design etc., in which flowery patterns and colours such as pink are used. This would stereotypically appeal more to women than men. However, as it is a lifestyle magazine some features are more gender neutral, for example reviewing bars and restaurants. The language used is quite colloquial and familiar with the target audience, reaffirming the idea of it being in close relation with its audiences and their lives.

Luxe

Luxe

Luxe describes itself as “regional, relevant and entertaining, the region’s newest and finest downtime magazine celebrating the best things about life in the North East”. It is more gender neutral than other similar magazines – both men and women feature and colour schemes of black and white are used often. In my opinion it is also aimed at a more mature audience – ages around 30+ - due to the content featured within it, such as articles about the region’s dairy industry. All of the articles and features are about local people, which helps to bring a sense of community to the magazine. It has a very simple design, however this is effective in setting it apart from its competitors. It’s slogan ‘regional, relevant and entertaining’ also serves as a constant reminder of the magazines focus and creates a more informal tone with the reader.