Codes and Conventions of Pop Magazines

Codes and conventions are a system of signs which can be decoded to create a meaning, and it is what you expect to see in a specific genre. For example, in a pop magazine you expect to see bright and girly colours.

One of the conventions for a pop magazine is for the main image to dominate the front cover. This is to attract the audience’s attention and to be able to persuade them to read the magazine. This is a way of luring the target audience in and convincing them to make a purchase of the magazine. In a pop magazine, cover mount is used to sell more copies of the magazine. Cover mount is an item/s that are attached to the front cover of a magazine as a gift. For example, the image on the right is a Top of the Pops magazine and has free mascara, four eyeliners and a style guide. This is to persuade the audience to buy the magazine and also gives them an additional prize. This is another way of convincing the target audience to make a purchase as they are being provided with free gifts. Posters are also often given away in a pop magazine, to give the audience another reason to purchase the magazine, other than articles and gossip. If the poster includes an image of an artist that a pop fan is fond of, they are more likely to buy the magazine as it is a free poster. It is also given the impression that the young girls should be decorating their rooms and making it look pretty and stylish, instead of being out and about.

It is common music magazines to use beautiful women on their front covers to sell copies as this attracts readers and catches their eye. Pop magazines do this to persuade readers that they are able to be as beautiful as the artist on the front cover. Furthermore, it is also attracting readers as they may have a role model as the cover which will immediately make them want to purchase the magazine and find out more information about them. For instance, take Cheryl Cole, many teenage girls find her as a role model, beautiful and successful which makes them look up to her. Top of the Pops use the beautiful Cheryl Cole on their front cover to give young girls the idea that they can be just like her. They also give readers this view as the magazine has the sell line “you can be Cheryl”. This links to one of the conventions of a Pop magazine as the sells lines should have a link to the featured artist of the magazine. This is another way pop magazines attract young girls to read the magazine.

Both general and music magazines are passionate and serious about what is inside their magazine, as each feature is very important. This is because everything in the magazine

must attract the audience and maintain them from purchasing and reading the magazine. Moreover, it is important to be certain that the reader does not get bored uninterested in their magazine, but entertained and inspired. If the target audience find a pop magazine boring, this will immediately stop them from making a repeat purchase of the magazine in the future. Magazines have the ability to become like to friend to their readers, as it allows them to escape from reality and enter an enjoyable and soothing world. This is creating a bond between the magazine and reader which has a result of the reader continuously buying the magazine.

In each music magazine, colours are used to reflect and celebrate the musical tastes and cultural identity of the reader. Pop magazines continuously use a variety of young youthful colours as this matches their personality. For instance, the magazine on the right uses a lot of pink used in the layout and text. It also has a good use of purple which both come across as girly and feminine colours. This links to the target audience as they are girly girls, who like to wear stylish clothes and wear make-up. As the main sell line “The Wanted” is outlined in yellow, this will draw in the attention of the reader, especially for fans who love the boy band. “The Wanted” is in bold and pink which attracts the audience. Furthermore, the colours that are used in pop magazine give the impression of innocence which links well with young female readers. It gives the remembrance of an upbeat and fun personality. As a genre, it is a convention for Pop to have bright colours as it represents a positive vibe and fun. This convention must be met through magazines, as well as music videos. The male artists presented on the front of the magazine will aim for girls to learn about the boys in order to be able to date them. Unlike Kerrang magazines, they use dull and dark colours which immediately make use think off aggression and masculinity.

Another convention of pop magazines is the clothing of artists on the front cover, as they wear modern, fashionable clothing. This is to stereotype the clothes teenagers wear and attract the readers with what artists are wearing. The artists are always smiling and enthusiastic as this connotes they are happy and enjoying life. This also links to the personalities of the artists as they are bubbly, fun and happy, just like the target audience.

Pop bands and artists Pop also wear bright colours and are always looking playful and happy to create a positive image, instead of an image of sex, violence and creating a sense of non-offense towards people. Hair and makeup are a major role in pop as they give the effect of beauty and intelligence. Young teenage girls like to wear make-up, dress up and style their hair, which links to the way pop artists are represented.

There are a number of different codes and conventions used generally across magazines as a whole. For instance, the use of a mast head is the title of the magazine. This is usually bold and bright to attract the target audience’s eye. The masthead becomes recognisable and seen as a brand. This makes the target audience recognise the magazine anywhere they go.

Another general codes and conventions of magazines is the main image. This image is dominant; usually takes up the whole front cover page and will have an image of a popular idol represented within the particular genre. This increases the interest of readers and is more appealing to the audience. The main image is dominant

Inspiration

A Pop magazine that exceedingly inspires me is ‘Top of the Pops’. The image shown on the right is a front cover that inspires and encourages me to extend the level of success I would like to achieve in my coursework. There are a number of features I like in this front cover that give me ideas for my music magazine and makes me aware of how to set out my front cover. For example, the use of the colour pink attract the target audience and gives the immediate attention towards teenage girls. The long shot image of the girls inspire me with their body language and facial expressions as it links within the sell line and their personalities. They are making it obvious they have a secret to tell which is effective as it is luring the target audience in and convincing them to read the magazine. The front cover stands out as they are all beautiful, well-known and stylish women, which attracts young girls to think they can also be as beautiful as them.

I also like the way the font is used as it is in bold and captures the audience’s eye immediately, which is also another way to lure in the audience. It is in bright pink and white which shows the target audience are young, innocent, girly girls. I would like to use this when making my magazine as it is appropriate and attractive.