Media Magazine

Cover Analysis

The brand identity of NME is effective because every issue has it’s masthead in the top left in the same font and size and has been doing so for decades. So it is recognisable.

I like the way the cover lines are very concise and informative. The graphics of the large “&” sign also draws in the reader and gives a simplistic stylish aesthetic edge that I would like to incorporate in my magazine cover

The layout is effective as the price, date and issue details are all In small print around a boarder of the photo, meaning they don’t detract from the photo in the centre.

The Kicker is effective as it uses a larger font than any of the cover lines and is placed where the reader is most likely to first look at. It doesn’t detract from the the image either as it covers none of the main person in focus and only over one man who is out of focus in the background.

The masthead is effective as it is a very clear, simplistic and easily legible sans-serif font that is large enough to grab the readers attention and stand out. It also has stylish graphics, that explains what the abbreviated letters stand for in an attractive way.

I really like this cover of NME because it is minimalistic and stylish. It knows what it wants to attract the readers with, and does not overcomplicate and overcrowd the page like many magazines such as Kerrang do.

Because this is a very old issue of NME the images used have a very vintage feel to them which I think I prefer to many magazines today, which have images that are oversaturated in colour. This colouration is not overstated even with the addition of flowers in the background. I will attempt to mimic this style of vintage colouring when using Photoshop to edit the photos of my cover.

I like how this cover is ironic. Them band are all wearing dark coloured smart suits and have very serious expressions on their faces yet they are sitting in a park full of colourful and free flowers. This creates a very fresh and quirky feel to the magazine and does a good job of drawing in the young and trendy readers who is their target audience.

I will attempt to create a cover that is equally quirky and ironic as this is the kind of image and target audience I would like.

The brand identity of Q magazine is very effective as each issue has a large, bold and recognisable masthead in the top left corner over an image of the main feature artist. When looking over a rack of magazines, this one stands out as the logo is so large and brightly coloured (red).

This issue of Q is less effective in the fact that there are no cover lines to entice readers with various features and interviews.

This issue is clearly very focused. The kicker is effective in one sense, as It is extremely concise, and bold. The readers know what they’re going to find inside. However, I think the sans-serif font used for this issue is not as stylish as it could have been, it feels slightly unprofessional. This kicker is also so large that it distracts from the image behind which is much more interesting and stylish and is nearly the same size as the logo. I think this kicker should be at least a third smaller to allow the reader to acknowledge the artist used in the image and so that the cover isn’t completely covered in quite bland fonts.

The layout of the page is quite effective as the barcode is placed in an unnoticeable place and doesn’t distract from the image or the text. The date, price and web address fit in well with the logo without being unnecessarily sized.

The image used in this cover is effective for drawing readers in. It is a modern magazine issue that is focused on a genre from history and so has used a vintage photo taken from that date. Being in black and white gives authenticity and style to the image and the fact that the artist isn't in front of a white screen in a studio or wearing smart clothes gives it a laid back and cool feel.

Using an iconic figure in music such as Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols in their cover is very effective for drawing in their target audience as most readers are around 30 or 40 and older and will be familiar with this artist and the era he was most influential in.

This is an old AS Media student’s magazine cover. I have decided to analyse this piece of work to make notes on some easy mistakes that could be made by a beginner and thus avoiding making the same mistakes myself.

Cover Lines: These cover lines are effective in attracting the readers attention with their bold font. However I think some of the that cover the persons legs are less effective as they distract from the image in the background.

Masthead: The masthead is clear and recognisable, however it is poorly positioned. If this magazine was placed on a rack full of other magazines, a shopper would not see which magazine it is because it would be covered by other magazines beneath it.

Strapline: Attractive strapline; targets readers and is concise in explaining what it is about. However it is also poorly positioned on the print.

Pugs: This cover lacks any pugs. The date is also vague, which could confuse a potential customer.

Colour Scheme: I think the colour scheme is too bland and may be ignored when placed on a rack of other colourful magazines. It also lacks the colour you would expect for a magazine intended for young people to be inspired by religion.

Photography: The image used is effective as it is in your face and remains slightly mysterious, may entice readers to find out more. However it has a feel of sadness or neglect to it, something that would not appeal to a potential reader.

Brand Identity: Recognisable by the colour scheme and Font used however It is not a particularly attractive brand identity, the fonts used are not clear or aesthetically pleasing.