Content Analysis: MixMag Magazine

Target audience theory and the music press.

Maddison Bunny Allin

Magazine content

magazine content

advertisement features listing

Space of adverts

How much space advertising took up:

1/4 page1/2 page1 pages2 pages7 pages

Type of advert

what type of advert?

eventsalbumconcertfestivalproduct

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

• 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?

• 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?

• 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.