This document provides instructions for analyzing a magazine cover using semiotics. It explains that semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, and how it can be used to understand media. The instructions describe inserting the magazine cover into a slide and annotating it to point out elements and their meanings, or cropping parts of the cover onto separate slides. The goal is to convey the key information learned about the target audience and identity of the product from a semiotic perspective.

1. Semiotic Analysis
• You are to type up your analysis of the
magazine cover in order to show how useful
semiotics is in media studies.
• Follow this guide to presenting your work
using it as a template:
• Follow the instructions and delete them as
you complete your own piece of work.
• Design your slides however you please.

2. Semiotic analysis of a magazine
cover
Liam Paterson

3. Introduction to semiotics
• What it is
• Why it is important in media studies

4. Magazine cover
• You are to present your semiotic analysis of your
magazine cover. You can do this in one of two
ways:
1.Insert your magazine cover photo here (find
correct one on portal.)
Using text boxes and arrows you can present your
detailed semiotic analysis of the cover.
2. Alternatively you can crop certain parts of the
cover and create a new slide for each section.
• See examples of layout for more guidance:

5. Bold bright colours. The
colour pink is a girly
colour this contrasts the Barcode
main audience of the
magazine witch is mid
aged males (18 – 35)+.
Along with the masthead
the same colour is used
throughout the front
The models name is
cover pink white and
displayed in big bold
black to suttle colours
writing so the reader
with a outstanding
knows from the start that
colour to grab the
this issue is about her this
readers eye. The colour
will target both male and
pink is a reprsetion of
female readers
wealth and calmness this
makes the reader feel
upper class in some
cases. The central image is model
Kelly Brook wearing linger this
straight away appeals to the
target audience of a middle
aged man. The way she is
The puff, these usually have posed instigates sexual
extra information in or meaning as she is looking
chances to win prizes. This straight at the reader this
one is a girly puff talking attracts the reader straight
how not to get a beer belly away the copy is large and
this will appeal to self there is no writing over her
conscious women or who face or breast`s the two things
care about there the reader will see.
appearance

6. Conclusion.
The target audience of FHM (for him magazine) is mid aged men ranging from 24 – 35 FHM readers read the magazine for the content of half
dressed women and the latest gossip on computing and gaming and the full range of clothes and fast cars. This magazine can appeal to the
female population but this magazine is prodomtly male, FHM magazine is a modern magazine and covers every point the modern reader wants
(male) women, cars, football and alchoal.

7. Conclusion
• What key information has a semiotic analysis
given you?
• Target audience of product.
• Type / identity of product (in terms of content
and delivery.)
• How useful is semiotics in decoding magazine
covers?

8. Upload to your blog
• You need to use your slideshare or scribd
account to upload the PowerPoint to the web.
• You can then embed it on to your own blog on
blogger.
• You need to explain the PowerPoint in your
blog entry post by using the title Semiotic
Analysis of a Magazine Cover
and explaining the task you were given and what
is meant by semiotics.