Front cover overview

1. It isclear that the targetof both these tyoesof magazines (NME& Q) isthe male gender.Thisis
apparentdue to the people featuringonthe frontcoveres.The majorityof the frontcoversfeature
menina nonsexual manor.If the magazine wasaimedat womenthe menwouldbe posedina
sexual waytoobviouslyattractthe womenandgaintheyre attention.howeverthe menonthese
magazinesare notposedina sexual manor,theyre mainlyposedinaneitherthreatningmanorsuch
as the coversfeaturingKanye andZaynor a more casual way like theonesfeaturingEdSheeranor
The 1975. Howeverthe fewmagaziesthatfeature womenare bothposedinasexual way,Rihanna
lookingatthe viewwithanarguable seductive lookandLadyGaga wearingminimal clothing.Thisis
obvioulsytoattractthe men,gaintheyre attentionandwillgive themaninterestinthe magazine.
The lifestylebeingpromtedwithinthesemagazinesif difficulttojudge fromthe frontcoversalone.
HoweverIcan tell thatthe magazinesare aimedaimedatyougerpeople,possiblyaoimedfrommid
teenstolate twenties.SomehtingIcan alsotell aboutthe liferstyle beingprotrayedisthat3 of the
coversfeautre a band(a groupof peopl) thismaysuggestitisaimedatpeople whohave a richsocial
life andare ofteninthe company forfriend – like the bandfeaturingonthe frontcovers.
There isa cleardifference instyle betweenthe twotypesof magazineslookingpurelyatthe front
covers. Lookingat the NME issuesthe coversare relativly simpleinthe wayof text.Theresamast
head,usuallyapuff andmaybe a main strapline,andtahts usuallyaboutit.The mainimage isall
that isusedto attract the readeranda single sell line.Howeverthisisaverydifferentcase towhat
howQ presentsthere frontcovers,theyhave alotmore text,insome issuesmultiple imagesand
overall the frontcoverjustlooksall rounda lot busierandlesssimple thanthe onesof NME.
3 of the frontcoversI have usedforNME are newerissuesandthe one thatfeaturesOasisisan
orderissue.Thersa diffeemce inthe wayNME have progressedandslightlychangedtheirstyle.
OriginallyNMEalwayshave ared m,astheadwitha black outline butrecentlytheyhave ditched
that. They alsousedto have a lotmore textonthe cover nottoo dissimilarthe covers of Q. However
recently theyhave have changedthe covertobe alot more simple,thisissoemthingtheyhave done
to apeasl toteyre target audiece of menevenmore.Usuallymenlike simplicityandarentsattracted
to brightcoloursand busyfont,soby simplifyingthe alreadyrelativlysimplefrontcoverwill appeal
to menevenmore.
On the frontof the magazinesthere are a few sell linesinformingthe vieweronwhatarticleswill be
writteninside the magazine,of course all the articlesare onesthatyouwouldexpecttobe inthis
type of magazine andarticlesaboputartistsor bandsthat thr target audience of the magazine would
usullybe interestedin.againthisisaway inwhoichtheytryto get a viewersattentionastheyare
offeringinformationinthe magazineaboutatopicof interesttothe targetaudience.
Free gifts/freebeesare usuallyassociatedwithpopmagazines.Thisisbecause the trgetudience fira
popmagazine isyoungchildren,andhavingafree giftina magazine ismore likelytoattract a child
rather thanan adult.As the targetaudiemce of the genre of musicand type of magazinesIam
lookingathere ismidto late teengersandthe youngergenerationof adultsitisntnecacaryfor the
magazine ownerstoinclude agiftwiththrmagazine as thiswont be particularlyapealing tothe
audice of thisage.Chancesare it wouldn’tincreasethe amountof copiessoldandwouldjustcost
the compamnysunnecacarymoneytoproduce.
The magazinesissuedbyQthat I have chosenhaventusedanypuffs,howeverthere isaninteresting
use of puffsinNME. The brand of nme is tryingto expanditsidintityandoffermore thanjusta
musicmagazine (althoughthisisstiulltheirmainfocus).Theyare tryingtoofferotherfeaturessuch
as articlesonstyle,TV and films.Thiscleaverlyadvertisedinthe puff,asitisa small brightfeatureon

2. the cover thatwill gainthe attentionof the readerand ensure theynotice is,howeverchancesare
itisntthe firstthingthe readerwill noticesresultinginthe still remaoningamusicmagazine however
there focushad epndedandtheyalsooffermore thanwhatthe previouslydid.Thisisalso
soemthingthatmayattract a newreaderdue to the fact theyare offering more thanthey
previousluydidreslutingin thisbeinganew sellingpoint.
Both magazinesmarketthemselvesasanindie rockmagazine.Thiswouldladyoutothikthat the
artists/bandsfetureingonthe frontwouldbe those involvedwiththe indierockscene.However
thisisntthe case on kostoccasionslookingatthe coversI am analysing.The magazinesproducedby
Q feautre one recognisedbandfromthe indie rockscene,The 1975. Howevertwoof thr other
coversfeature popartistsinEd SheeranandLady Gaga and Kanye Westfromthe R&B/ Rap scene.
Thisis a similarcase wuiththe magazinesproducedbyNME,as again,indie rockbandThe 1975
feature,oasisanotherindierockbandalsocoverone magazineshoweverthe othertwoare feature
popartists RhiannaandZayne. I feel thisisbebcause bothmagazinesare recognisedtobe asociated
withthr Indie rockgenre,sousuallypeopleinterestedinindierockwill buythe magazine and
regardlessof whofeaturesonthe coveras theyknow thermajorityof the informationwill be about
indie rock.Howevertobrnachout and broadentheiraudienesthe have chosentouse imagesof pop
artistsas fansof pop mysee there favourite artistsonthercoverof an issue of theirmagazinesand
chose to buyit due to that reasonalone.Thiswill helpsell more copiesandexpandthe rederof the
magazine asitr isappealingota largertarget audience.