Creating a clear brand identity on my contents page

1. All articles featured in my contents page will have some connection to the hip-hop genre. This helps to form a clear brand identity by continuously reminding the reader of what my magazine is about. The main articles will consist of interviews with artists featured, reviews of albums and singles and also information on the latest tours and shows.

2. All the articles in my contents page have been well-organized to keep it in a neat order and also keep the reader interested. I have chosen to put all the new and important articles at the front or in the middle of the magazine and have put all the ‘usual’s’ at the back. This helps to create a brand identity because, if a regular reader picks up the magazine and wants to look at the ‘competitions’ or the ‘usual’s’ they will know strait away to flick to the back of the magazine, rather than having to look at the contents.

3. Most of my main articles are two pages long. They would mainly consist of one or two main images and a small section of writing. The reason for me choosing this layout is because the majority of my target audience will have a short attention span and want diminutive precise answers. It is likely that my reader will look at the contents page for inspiration, then read one or two of the main articles on their favourite artists featured, then will have a brief flick through the rest of the magazine.

4. The main genre of music in my magazine is Hip-hop, but there are also a few other genres represented, such as Dance-hall-reggae and Rap. Most of the artists will be well established, because that is what the majority of my readers would like to see. But I have got a small part of my magazine dedicated to new artists. This is a very big part of my brand identity. Hip-hop is what my magazine is called and that is what it represents, so this has a very big affect on my brand identity.

5. My contents page has a very clear set of house colours. The main colour used is purple, but I have also used a small spectrum of colours that could be considered as part of the house colours. These are yellow, white and black. I have used these when colouring text, outlining text boxes and in other small, but important areas of my magazine. This Is one of the most important parts of creating a brand identity. The logo and colour of my magazine should be seen on the shelf of a shop, and even if the customer dose not read Hip-hop magazine they would associate it with my magazine. This is due to the familiar layout and colour scheme.

6. The layout of my contents is one that makes for an easy read and an attractive, well structured appearance. This helps to attract my readers and encourage them to read more. I have used plenty of lures and pull quotes, to catch the attention of the reader and also to direct them on which part of the magazine to look in, after looking at the contents page. This helps to create a clear brand identity by the familiar layout, which readers will become accustomed too after a few reads of my magazine.

7. The mode of address in my magazine is of a semi informal. This allows the reader to feel close to the artist featured and also, still be formal enough to notify them on the important information. This also makes for an easy read, but still retain enough information, that you go away from the magazine feeling as if you know more about the artist than you did before. This helps to create a brand identity by the reader recommending my magazine to others, saying that it is a reliable and good way of finding out about new music. In other words it will be spreading compliments through word and mouth.

8. Setting out to make the reader feel as if they know the artist is all part of the brand identity, but my magazine strives to make the reader feel comfortable and as if they are actually speaking with the artist featured. I have used first names and nicknames of artists to make the reader feel familiar with them.

9. All the text used on my contents page is sans-serif, this is to keep it informative and also help to make words easy to read. I think that a sans-serif font style also looks neater and gives more structure to the page. This helps to create a brand identity by using a well recognised style of writing. This helps to associate the reader with my magazine.

10. I have a very clear and bold logo on my magazine; this is located in the top right or left hand corner of each page. On my contents page, it is located in the top left hand corner. I have also used a punchy and bold mast head. This gives a clear precise answer to what page the reader is looking at. This is also another key part of creating a brand identity, when a potential customer is looking to find a magazine, your magazine has a matter of seconds to catch the customer’s eye, and make them want to read. A good way of doing this is by making a well recognised logo.

11. The photography done for my contents has been done in a number of locations, giving a unique feel to each photo. Each photo has its own unique way of representing the artist. For example the artist “Chicago”, featured in my magazine has been made to use indirect address for a number of shots, but for a few, has used direct address. In the middle of the contents page are four images, the bottom, left hand corner image is of my artist “Chicago”, in this image I asked her to lay down, and look away from the camera. This is a high angle shot, giving “Chicago” an innocent look, and leaving her to my reader’s imagination. This creates a brand identity, by reassuring my readers that they are not going to come across the same boring style of photos and makes them want to read more.

12. The images and text have been positioned on my page to create a recognisable layout. This helps provide a familiar feel too the magazine and create a clear brand identity.