The document outlines Leila's plans for developing a music magazine targeted towards female teenagers aged 15-18 who enjoy R&B and pop music. Some key points include:
- The magazine will be called "Turn It Up" based on feedback from a poll of target readers.
- Features will focus on interviews, artist profiles, and gossip/news based on another poll of readers.
- Example story ideas were presented focusing on new artists, awards, and music events.
- Marketing strategies like social media, billboards, and posters were proposed to promote awareness of the magazine among the target audience.
- Sample front cover and contents page layouts incorporating magazine design conventions were displayed.
2. In the research process, I analysed different types of magazines
from gossip magazine to rock music ones. They were all unique in
their own differing ways and appropriately targeted to their
audience by featuring articles they would want to read.
From recording my vox pop and talking to pupils in my school
year, I have decided that my music magazine will be R&B/pop
based as this proved to be a favourite genre from my target
audience who will be female teenagers aged 15-18 and like this
genre of music. I want my magazine to appeal to this particular
target audience as but I don’t feel there is a music magazine out
that targets this audience specifically, and therefore I want to
produce a magazine that suits this target audience who like this
popular genre of music.
Looking at existing magazines that are currently in the market
gave me an good idea of how the layout of my pages should look
like, (e.g. most of the music magazines used one artist as their
main cover image) and also ideas on what to include that will be
appealable to my target audience. I also discovered what features
my target audience would want to find in a music magazine
including the latest gossip on their favourite artists and exclusive
interviews. Later I conducted an online poll to find out what type
of feature I should use and will be later explaining the results.
3.
4.
5. My magazine will compete against magazines including Billboard and Top of
the Pops. However my magazine will differ because it will be based on the
two music genres of pop and R&B combined together as they link
together well and are associated with each other. R&B
I believe the combination of these two music genres will make my POP
magazine appealable to a large segment of teenagers who like both these
similar music genres.
The publishing house I have chosen to design a magazine for is Bauer
Media. They have around eighty of more media brands varying from
magazines to radio stations such as Heat, GRAZIA, Closer, FHM, Magic
105.4, Kiss 100, 4Music and many more. I believe my music magazine fits
well within their product portfolio and is a suitable publishing house for my
genre of music.
6. The USP of my music magazine will be that readers will be able to win a £5
iTunes voucher with each issue to download their favourite songs.
Each issue will have a printed code and readers can put this code into the
magazine’s website to see if they have won the £5 voucher.
The chance of winning a prize will encourage people to buy my magazine
and makes my magazine unique and stand out compared to others in the
market who don’t offer such prize.
7. This is Rebecca Hui. She is 17 years old and is a student currently studying for her A
Levels at 6th Form. She likes to spend her spare time going out with friends, socialising
with other young people and listening to music on her iPod and some of her favourite
artists include Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj and Drake as her favourite genre of music is
R&B/Hip Hop but also likes to listen to dance music when she is out. Rebecca also likes
to go see her favourite artists at concert venues like The 02 Arena and Wembley. When
she watches TV, she often watches teen drams such as 90210, Gossip Girl and Vampire
Diaries. She also tends to listen to music channels such as MTV, Kiss and 4Music
Her fashion sense is quite girly and stylish as she likes to follow the current fashion
trends but also adds her own quirky touch to make it her own. Her favourite clothing
items would be skinny jeans and dresses that she can wear casually as a day outfit or
dressed up with high heels for night time when she goes out.
She tends to buy magazines every few weeks when she has time to and her favourites
include Heat and Look as she likes to read up on celebrity gossip and see what her
favourite celebs are wearing as she is interested in fashion. She doesn’t buy music
magazines on a regularly basis but if she was to purchase any she would buy Billboard
or Top of the Pops as they are the magazines that include her favourite artists but she
feels as if there isn’t a music magazine currently out that stands out to her.
The target audience for my magazine will be teenage girls aged 15-18 who listen to
R&B/pop music as I feel that there isn’t a particular magazine out currently that targets
this specific target audience. Taking into consideration the age of my target audience, I
have decided that my magazine should be priced around £1.50-£2.00 as they do not
earn much money as students and therefore the magazine must be affordable for them
to be able to purchase on a regularly basis. I have chosen Rebecca to be the main basis
for my target audience as I believe she reflects the stereotypical teenage girl who would
want to read my magazines as it would appeal to her interests and likes.
8. Track- when you think of this word you Exclusive- this masthead name will make the
associate it with music tracks/songs and therefore magazine look important and stand out from
is relatable to the whole concept of my magazine. existing ones as we associate the word exclusive
The simplicity of this title makes it memorable for as being elite and unique. However it doesn’t
readers. However it doesn’t particularly stand relate back to the whole music concept of my
out from my other ideas and doesn’t reflect the magazine which I think is important that my
pop/R&B vibe that my magazine is aiming to magazine title does in order for my readers to
present to my young target audience. remember it.
Turn It Up- reflects the exciting and fun aspect
Base – relates to the genre of music I am basing of my music magazine. Unlike the other names, it is
my music magazine on. When the word is said you an actual phrase and people may be more likely to
can almost hear the sound of it which makes it remember this as it is different from other
exciting for readers when they hear about it. magazine titles out. Relates well to the concept of
Readers associate this word with music and pop/R&B music being enjoyable and cool. However
therefore is suitable to use as my magazine title. the only negative point of this name is that it is
Quite unique and catchy which will make it perhaps a bit too long in comparison to other
memorable for readers. However it may sound a names which tend to be short and snappy but this is
bit plain and unoriginal. what makes it unique from other standard names
9. I created a poll at https://app.zoomerang.com/ and placed in on my
yolasite. I then asked people on my twitter to vote for which name they
preferred to give me an indication of what my target audience would
like the magazine to be called and one they’d be appealed to buy.
Results – Out of the 16 people who voted in my
poll both ‘Turn It Up’ and ‘Base’ received the
most votes ‘Track’ didn’t receive any votes and
therefore I won’t be using that name.
Between ‘Turn It Up’ and ‘Base’ I have decided
to choose Turn It Up as my magazine masthead
as I believe it relates well to my magazine
concept and is unique in comparison to existing
magazine names. It has also received good
feedback with people saying the name is
memorable and catchy.
10. Using www.dafont.com I chose 5 different font
styles that I could use for my front cover masthead.
I have written about the good and bad points for
each one and at a later stage I will ask a group of
individuals who belong to my target audience of
which particular font they like the most.
The typography is quite simplistic but this makes it memorable to the
readers. The bold lettering also makes it eye catching. However I
think this font is a bit too plain for my front cover and it doesn’t
reflect the magazine’s loud and exciting vibe that I am aiming for.
The typography connotes a fun and girly feel which would suit my
magazine that targets female teenagers. The positioning of the letters
looks artistic. However I feel this typography doesn’t really suit the R&B
genre of my magazine and doesn’t relate back to my masthead of ‘Turn
It Up’ of being loud and exciting.
I like the ‘worn’ effect of this typography and makes it look artistic and unique.
The bold lettering makes the title stand out and emphasis on each word makes
it suitable to use for my title. However I feel that this font doesn’t relate to my
music genre well and would suit more to perhaps a rock theme.
The style of this font looks artistic and unique compared to other fonts I
have looked at. The creative look to this typography makes it attractive
to look at making it suitable to use for the front cover masthead.
The curved and bold effect of this font makes the masthead look
exciting and fun which relates back to the title of ‘Turn It Up’. I like
the way in which all the letters are in the same size which makes it
different from other fonts I have looked at
11. After analysing magazines, I noticed the features of the
magazines and the ones which were most popular were:
Interviews
Artist features I created another poll which featured on the
Latest gossip on artists
research page of my yolasite. I posted the link
onto my twitter page and asked my followers to
Fact files
vote for which feature they would like to see in a
music magazine to give me an idea of what my
target audience expect and want from my
magazine.
Results – Both interviews and latest gossip
received the most amount of votes which is what
I expected as they are popular common features
in magazines. Therefore the feature on my
double page spread will either be an interview
style one or one that covers the latest
gossip/news. This information is of use for me
when I come up with my possible story ideas.
12. From my research, I found out that my target audience were looking for
features that included the latest gossip or exclusive interviews.
Therefore the story ideas that I have created are all based on either a
gossip style or as an interview feature. At a later stage of my planning, I
will conduct a poll to see which story people prefer the most and would
want to read about it and then develop my chosen one into further
detail.
School girl turned R&B’s latest young artist. The story looks at a young teenage girl who has been given a signed
recording contract and the magazine covers an exclusive interview with the young artist. Readers will be able to
read on this new artist on the scene and may start to listen to her songs and become fans of this artist.
Boy band who have just finished touring with R&B artist Rihanna. My magazine will cover an exclusive
interview with a pop boy band who have just finished touring with the hugely successful artist Rihanna.
Readers will be interested in such story as it features an artist they like and will make them aware of this
upcoming band who are at the start of their careers.
Pop band winning a BRIT award. The feature will cover the pop band who have won a BRIT award and
include information about this band. It will also cover other news of the BRIT awards night. This story will
appeal to my target audience as it includes the latest gossip on their favourite artists/bands.
New Girl reaches number one! This story looks at artist ‘New Girl’ whose debut single has gone
straight to number one. The feature will include an interview with the artist herself and gives the
readers information about the artist that perhaps they didn’t know before
Does Goffs School have the X-factor? The feature looks at what’s happening in the music talent show at
Goffs School and includes a few of the finalists as they prepare for their final performance.
13. Marketing is an important tool in creating awareness of my magazine and I have suggested a few
ways in which I can market and advertise my magazine:
Billboards-
The front cover of my magazine will be
advertised on billboards around the area which
will be noticeable to my target audience as they
go past. In by doing this it will create awareness
and attention for my new magazine. Leaflets-
A4 or A5 sized leaflets can be
made and handed out to
MARKETING groups of people who fit my
target audience and are
interested in the idea of a
Internet new music magazine for
Social networking sites such as Twitter teenagers.
and Facebook. This is an effective way Posters-
of marketing as the majority of my these can be placed in many places
target audience use these websites such as schools and public halls
regularly. where they will be noticeable to
my target audience.
14. To create awareness for my magazine and to use cross media marketing, I will make
a Facebook and Twitter page for ‘Turn It Up’ which will be updated regularly on
release dates and information about the magazine. Readers of the magazine will be
able to follow the magazine and be kept updated on the latest news and when the
next issue will be out to purchase.
Marketing my magazine on such social networking sites is a suitable way for my to
advertise my product as the target audience I am aiming for use these types of
magazines and therefore I can target my magazine to them effectively and use
websites like Twitter to involve them in the magazine. I am also able to build an
online community by making my magazine established on the internet.
My magazine will also have its own website where readers can enter competitions
and have a look at what to expect from the next issue.
15. Here are two designs for the layout of my front cover that I have come up
with. From my previous research, I was able to design two front cover
layouts which I think are suitable for my magazine. I have included
common conventions of a magazine front cover including a main image,
pug and the date which are all things that readers will expect from a
magazine.
SKYLINE
PUG
MASTHEAD
MASTHEAD
DATE AND ISSUE
BARCODE
PUG
COVERLINE
MAIN IMAGE
COVERLINE
MAIN IMAGE
COVERLINE
COVERLINE
MAIN COVERLINE
SUB IMAGE SUB IMAGE
BARCODE
MAIN
COVERLINE AND AND
DATE AND ISSUE
HEADLINE HEADLINE
16. Here are two layout designs for my contents page that I have come up
with. From the research I undertook, I was able to identify the codes and
conventions of a magazine contents page including the editor’s note and
subscription, and have included them within my own layout ideas. It was
important for me to use these conventions in order to make my layout
look as realistic and professional as possible.
LOGO LOGO
CONTENTS CONTENTS
SMALLER
IMAGE OF
MAIN IMAGE COVER
TEXT MAIN IMAGE
SUB
SUB IMAGE
IMAGES TEXT EDITORS
NOTE
SUB
EDITORS NOTE IMAGE TEXT
SUBSCRIPTION
17. Thank you for listening to
my pitch and I welcome
any feedback!
Leila Alimadadi