2. MY BRIEF You have been commissioned by the northern echo to
produce a new magazine or newspaper product. Your product could be
in any style or genre but it must be self financed through sales or
advertising. You must also produce your magazine for a specified
audience segment within the 16-25 age group.
3. HOW I INTEND TO MEET THIS BRIEF To make sure that I meet the
requirements of this brief I have decided to do the following: -
Created a magazine suitable for a young target audience of 16-25
-Made a magazine with a socio-economic group matching that of its
desired target audience along with the Northern Echos target
audience. - To appeal to this young target audience, I created a
magazine within the GAMING genre. - This genre is appropriate as it
is a current part of youth culture while also having a gap
available in the market allowing it to be commercially viable. - I
made sure the magazine was self financed through its own sales and
advertising.
4. NORTHERN ECHO CONSTRAINTS They use local advertising Target
a local target audience Distribution figures The impact of
Newsquest The relationship between Northern Echo and readers
5. WHY GAMING? - I have extensive knowledge on the topic due to
personal hobbies. - I myself enjoy gaming as a hobby and so can
easily write and enjoy writing about the subject, I hope that this
enthusiasm will come come across in my articles - I understand what
the target audience desires within the genre as I am part of that
target audience myself, I also understand that there is a gap in
the market and so it would be a good opportunity to snatch while I
can while also offering a key investment opportunity for you. - I
understand what the current market for gaming magazines are
missing, and I offer to produce this missing content for the target
audience. - It is a vastly growing market with potential to branch
off into other markets appealing to the same target audience.
6. MY TARGET AUDIENCE - The tribe of my target audience is a
mixture of Gamers and Geeks, but due to the now coming
popularization of gaming the target audience is likely to change
and become more - The age of my target audience is between 16- 25 -
Male dominant target audience however room for expansion - C2-A
target audience socioeconomic status - High education status
ranging from College graduates to university students - Due to
student target audience income is likely to be low - -The buying
behaviors of my target audience is to purchase prices between 1 and
5
7. HOW TO APPEAL TO THIS TARGET AUDIENCE Keep a humorous
language tone. Keep a low magazine pricing Provide relatable and
understandable content within DPS Use age appropriate models Use
the same techniques an established publication does Use an
appealing and appropriate colour scheme Attempt to use creative and
inventive imagery Allow the audience to understand the genre of the
magazine Use language techniques similar to that of students
8. CONSIDERATIONS My magazines secondary target audience
includes siblings, friends of buyer and possibly parents. I will
have very little requirements to make sure the secondary audience
is happy with the product, however I must consider what the
northern echos guidelines represent: - Intensity of taboo language
- The inclusion of nudity (none) - Articles understood and
relatable to the target audience and secondary audience -
Minimalizing inappropriate content.
9. CONSTRAINTS The PCC is a government ran company that
regulates rules and laws that all journalistic material must follow
to protect the welfare of others. The rules discussed by the PCC
concern subjects such as article accuracy, children within
journalism, discrimination and harassment. I will have to make sure
that I dont break any of the codes listed and set by the PCC, to do
this I have made 5 golden rules.
10. 5 GOLDEN RULES (AS MENTIONED IN CONSTRAINTS)
11. ORIGINAL FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK After Briefing my product I
continued to explain the target audience, genre, content details
for one of my DPS, this is the feedback received:
12. GENRE RESEARCH Active imager y with many action shots Dark
colour pallets with many blacks and reds Sans serif fonts used
Inviting sell lines with questio ns and promis es
13. GENRE RESEARCH - Magazine type matches my target audience -
Has a similar colour scheme to my desired one - Shows me the
importance of imagery on front covers - Teaches me to avoid colour
on colour text (white clothes on white text) - Genre matches my
magazine - Strong colour scheme colours match my desired effect -
Magazine sell lines inspire my own articles - Magazine layout is
fast paced and clear - Include language to appeal to the target
audience Front Covers
14. GENRE RESEARCH - TA matches my own - Strong imagery use
within articles, taking up over half of page - Large amounts of
white space, gives clear layout - Eye-catching and creative
headlines - Inventive kicker location - Lack of font colours allow
imagery to stand out more - Genre of magazine matches my own - Very
strong imagery to text ratio - A set colour scheme throughout the
article matching the games and magazine appeal - Eye-catching
headline - Active imagery
15. MY 5 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1) Produce a successful
entertaining and interesting product 2) Provide content that can
inform about and expand the readers gaming hobby 3) Engage the
audience in the content of my magazine by using a verity of
techniques appropriate to my target audience 4) Successfully
establish a noticeable brand image for my first issue of the
product. 5) Receive a profitable return upon the sales and revenue
of my product
16. WHY PLAYER? - To establish a fast paced branding title - To
allow instant recognition of the genre - To connote the gaming
related content inside - To appeal instantly to my target audience
- To stand out among competitors - To ensure future success through
branding - Its a simple, memorable and well recognised word
17. CONTENTS - The Esports dream - Our zombie survival guide -
Featured game review - Blast from the past - Tech to get - Monthly
top 5 and low 5 - Gaming news - Hot or not - Mod of the month
18. Masthead fonts EA font Sell lines font SLANT Headline fonts
Goodtimes Sub header fonts - Square Deal Main body font - Prototype
FONTS
19. QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS Average age of viewer 18 Most of
audience unemployed (pricing) 100% of responses had some form of
gaming platform Facebook and YouTube are widely recognised social
media sites Many now watch shows through online. There is a lack of
trust for reviews within the gaming community E-sports is popular
through-out the gaming audience Shooters, multiplayer and fighting
games are most popular My TA do purchase magazines and also
specifically gaming magazines People do watch game streaming
websites.
20. - Aged 17/18 - 3 college students - 2 male 1 female - A-C1
status - Mixed tribe status but mostly gamers MOCK UP FOCUS
GROUPS
21. MOCK UP 1
22. MOCK UP 2
23. MOCK UP 1 COMMENTS The aim of mock-up 1: Positive response
Negative response The idea of quick information is good for the
target audience The use of logos at the bottom right give a
professional appeal due to others also doing similar methods. The
article layout is easy to read and simple, the only let down is the
game name titles Breakout boxes work well - The game name headings
do not appear to breakout or be massively readable - The breakout
boxes positioning needs improvement to be more easy to follow - The
colour co-ordination for the bad and the good content needs to be
changed to add clarity to the article - Sentencing too long as
interest can be lost
24. - The use of a community opinion is a good idea if
implemented different - The article reads a lot better then in mock
up 1 - The magazine appeals to the target audience successfully -
The article is interesting due to its explanation into opinions -
The inclusion of jargon and game detail appeals to audience members
who know the subject MOCK UP 2 COMMENTS The aim of mock-up 2:
Positive response Negative response - The genre of the magazine is
not a serious topic, so a formal writing style is not really
appreciated - Way to much white space - The layout appears to be
unprofessional in terms of imagery positioning, it looks very
scattered - Background colouring too dark - Main body font may be a
bit too bland - Overall the layout is what is unappealing
25. PRODUCT INFORMATION Cover Imagery: active, full body shots
with model center framed Layout : clear, simple, spacious with sell
lines enticing and entertaining Colours: active colours connoting
action, dark shades combined with the black, red and green colour
schemes, white possibly used to embolden the imagery and other dark
colours Fonts: fonts for each aspect mentioned within fonts slide,
needs to be striking, eye-catching, entertaining and most all needs
to instill action into the reader.
26. PRODUCT INFORMATION Contents Imagery: active, connoting
action within the product, strong full body poses Layout : simple,
well paced, large imagery used, numbered page system for clarity of
use. Colours: strong colours, dark shaded, red black green whites
colour pallet. Fonts: Title will use masthead font, Subheadings
using the square Deal font with possible use of the slant font,
main body uses simple Prototype font All connoting gaming and
technology.
27. PRODUCT INFORMATION Top 5 and low 5 (title to be changed)
Tone upbeat tone with humor written within, however inside has an
informative style to interest the readers while they are
entertained by the articles tone. Language 3rd person narrative
voice with large use of jargon and gamer talk while maintaining a
written style that will allow new readers to understand the
content, humorous intro. Imagery large imagery taking up about of
the DPS, active models within the same age range of TA, standing in
animated positioning and poses while portraying the content
appropriately. Layout very simple layout clear and readable, most
likely with the use of breakout boxes separating each point made.
Colours red, blacks, whites, greens colour pallet followed
through-out Fonts the mentioned fonts will be used within the
article with the headline using the good times font and the body
text using prototype DPS 1
28. PRODUCT INFORMATION Our Zombie Survival guide Tone a joke
article with upbeat tone with strong humor within, this is an
article based upon entertaining the audience. Language 2nd person
narrative voice talking to the audience, possible use of taboo
language or slang to add to comic effect. Imagery large use of
imagery specifically active and creative with possible humor
instilled into these images Layout simple layout written with a
creative style although with the formal article written style kept
in place to allow it to be clear and readable Colours red, blacks,
whites, greens colour pallet followed through-out, however a vast
range of dirty colours could be used to connote the undead feel of
the article. Fonts a possible introduction to a new font that will
connote an undead feeling to the audience to add to the overall
feel and comic effect of the article, meanwhile maintaining a
readable font will be required. DPS 2
29. The popularization of zombies within film, TV and gaming
has been massive within this generation, here are some that you may
know of yourself:
30. PRODUCT INFORMATION The Esports Dream Tone This will be a
much more serious article with inclusion of an interview with a
person who is part of a gaming team, the interview within however
could include some humor Language a 3rd person writing style with a
narrative voice will be most appropriate for this article Imagery
large use of imagery specifically active with images of the person
being interviewed included, possible extra images can be added with
other members of the interviewees team. Layout simple layout
written with a creative style although with the formal article
written style kept in place to allow it to be clear and readable
Colours colours connoting less about action, and more about a
technological feel with colours such as gold, silvers and red
connoting the competitive nature of the article within Fonts: a
stronger use of more technological fonts while maintaining the
house theme fonts within the DPS to continue the brand imagery of
the magazine. DPS 3
31. FINAL RESEARCHED FRONT COVER ANALYSIS Branding of products
and of magazine combined taking over of the page. Competitive
pricing. Red, black, white, green colour schemes.Good example of a
budget gaming magazine active imagery with left centred model
Enticing eye catching sell lines. Overall clear layout, no clutter
with large levels of white space. Separated sell lines make the
magazine appear clearer
32. CONCLUSIONS SO FAR - Budget magazine about 60 pages
altogether - A4 paper size with a low pricing between 2-4 pounds -
Target audience has been appealed too while maintaining the
guidelines set by both the secondary audience and the Northern Echo
- The detail of the articles and magazine content hopes to prove
overall high quality and entertaining for the target audience -
Research has given clear advice on certain aspects of my own mock-
ups and of professional established magazine and how to improve Now
lastly I look into the profitability of the product, as money is
one of the 3 mentioned points that are most important. Please note
these are estimates with chance for change depending upon certain
features.
33. PRINTING COSTS These are a variety of printing costs
depending upon the delivery dates of said printed items, if written
production of the article is slow, printing costs will increase due
to a later delivery date required, however if completed at the
right time, the magazines printing costs will be quite low.
34. PERSONNEL COSTS Total Expenditure of: 4382 pounds
35. EQUIPMENT COSTS Total Expenditure of: 2100 pounds
36. TOTAL EXPENDITURE Total Expenditure of: 7499.76 pounds
4382+2100+1017.76 =7499.76
37. ADVERTISING RATES Total income of: 13000 pounds
38. PREDICTED SALES INCOME 1.99 * 11000 = 21890 +13000 taken
off from wholesalers and distributers .
