Content Analysis: MixMag vs. NME

Target audience theory and the music press.

By maddison Bunny Allin

Magazine content: MixMag

advertisementfeautureslisting

Space of adverts: MixMag

How much space did adverts take up:

1/4 page1/2 page 1 page2 pages7 pages

Type of advert: MixMag

What type of advert:

eventsalbumsconcertfestivalproduct

What demographics of the readership can be assumed based on the data you have produced from MixMag

magazine?• Demographics are the statistical characteristics of human populations.

From my data which I have collected, I can suggest that ‘mix mag’ is mainly aimed at a much younger age group of about 18-30 due to the types of adverts which are in the magazine. The most common advert is product which includes things such as mobile phones and DJ equipment. This suggests that the target audience is young adults who are very social and are interested in going out to clubs and parties. The magazine does not target a particular audience however. This is shown through the types of adverts as they have chosen unisex clothing brands which are spread across at most, 7 pages. There is no specific race or religion put across except most of the adverts included pictures of white, British people. The magazines tend to use their adverts to focus the magazine to an audience who don’t necessarily work as it is mainly about going out to clubs.

What comments can you make about the potential spending bracket of the target audience?

• You can tell from the adverts used in the magazine that the target audience is very wealthy and is probably middle class. This is due to the amount of events and products which are advertised, encouraging the audience to spend money if they want to go to the events and buy the products being advertised which they will because the magazine has been targeted at those types of people.

What uses and gratifications are being fulfilled through the features and articles of MixMag magazine?

• The audience are able to find out what is going on in their area so they can potentially go and are also able to look at the adverts to know whether they want to buy the thing which is being advertised or not by looking at the magazine such as a new mobile phone. The articles in the magazine are all linked with the adverts such as articles about different clubs and raves.

What types of people can be assumed to be reading this publication (MixMag)?

• You can figure out what type of person is reading this particular magazine partially through the use of adverts. You can tell that the ideal target audience are people whose psychographics are similar to ‘the mainstream.’ This is because the use of products which are advertised include mobile phone adverts such as blackberry which is a quite a big established brand along with other things advertised such as corona and Samsung. They are a much more social type of person and their life choices are ‘we’ rather than ‘me’ which is why the adverts also include many social events such as clubs and festivals.

Magazine content: NME

Content of magazine:

advertsfeatureslistings

Space of adverts: NME

How much space did adverts takes up:

under 1/41/4 page1/2 page1 page2 pageover 2 page

Type of advert: NME

Sales

eventsproductalbumconcert

What demographics of the readership can be assumed based on the data you have produced from NME

magazine?• From the data which I have collected for this magazine, I can see that

NME magazine is mainly aimed at people aged 21-30. the types of advertisements in the magazine prove this as they are mainly album and concert adverts which are quite expensive and therefore, the audience will have to have a steady income unlike young teens. There is also many festivals and concerts which are advertised where most of this age group attend. NME, like MixMag, I think is aimed at both Male and Female. This is because none of the adverts shown are aimed at one gender in particular and they are all things which I think that both genders would enjoy. This magazine is not aimed at any particular race. I think this magazine is mainly aimed at people who enjoy a different style of music rather than mainstream due to the types of articles which don’t seem to follow current trends such as POP.

What comments can you make about the potential spending bracket of the target audience?

• Because this magazine is aimed at 21-30 year olds who enjoy going out to clubs etc. I would expect the potential spending bracket to be quite high. This is because people in this age group tend to have just come out of university and may have there own job/car/houses and flats. This means that they now have there own money unlike a younger audience. 35+ also have there own responsibilities and therefore will not be spending it on things advertised in the magazine.

What uses and gratifications are being fulfilled through the features and articles of NME magazine?

• In this case the two magazine NME and MixMag are quite similar as they are both able to show what is going on in the area through the different adverts. However NME has a larger space of adverts taking up products such as albums. This is a good way of getting different types of music and seeing what there readers react best to.

What types of people can be assumed to be reading this publication (NME)?

• From the adverts in this magazine, I can tell which type f person is reading this magazine. You can tell that the psychographics would be similar to ‘The Explorer’ this is because the adverts are mainly albums and concerts and these things are things which have an instant effect however they are not ‘mainstream’ people as difference is what they seek which is what NME is trying to show through there magazine.