1. A Textual Analysis of a Regional Magazine Billboard Advert- Time Out London
Anchorage Text- The use of the
days allows the target audience
to identify (U+G) a structure
within the advertisement.
There is a sense of humour
within this advertisement. This
is identified (U+G) through the
use of the analogy of the days
of the week.
Colour/House Style- The colours of red, black and white are
intertextual to the brand of Time Out and conform to their house
style. This allows the target audience to identify (U+G) the brand
image of Time Out throughout all of their advertisements. The
difference in colour and language between the week days and the
‘three day weekend‘ allows the target audience to further identify
(U+G) that Time Out are a magazine that provides information on
leisure and things to do (target market).
Anchorage Text/Online Information- This is an
advertising
campaign
within
the
billboard
advertisement. This initiative will attract the target
audience because it coincides with the days of the
week features above. Stereotypically, citizens work
from Monday-Friday, and look forward to the two day
weekend. However, this billboard advertising is
presenting the idea of a ‘three day weekend’ in which
Friday can also be a ‘fun day’ and one that can be
filled with adventure, excitement and things to do; all
provided for by Time Out.
Brand Image/Logo- This is a visual aid for the target
audience, allowing them to further identify (U+G) that
this is a billboard advertisement for Time Out. The
colours again conform to the house style of Time Out.
The logo provides a sense of brand identity for the
institution, highlighting the products/services it
provides e.g. ‘Take some TIME OUT to read this
magazine, and explore the different convergent media
that it provides and operates through’. The placement
of the logo is quite small in reference to the layout of
the page; this challenges stereotypical conventions.

2. This is a textual analysis that will be based on the Time Out London billboard advertisement that I have annotated.
Whilst I have already annotated a Time Out Singapore billboard advertisement, I wanted to explore Time Out
London, and to investigate into whether Time Out use different advertising and marketing strategies to target their
audience in different regions on a global scale.
Throughout my textual analyses of Time Out media products, their house style is distinctively evident throughout
each individual product. The colours used are complementary to one another; black, red and white. Whilst red
connotes love and passion and white connotes purity and class, black challenges this by connoting mystery and the
unknown. It creates a sense of enigma as the audience are automatically thinking, ‘What is this billboard
advertisement about?’, ‘Why are there days of the week listed?’ (Barthes’ enigma code). It is important for the house
style to be evident so the target audience are able to identify (uses and gratification) who this billboard
advertisement belongs to and what it is clearly advertising. The ‘days’ that are represented in the black typography
(font) are the days that are stereotypically ‘working days’ within society. They are the days that audiences and society
find dull and boring, days that are filled with work. The phrase of ‘another day’ is often used within society to
describe these days, as they seem repetitive and continuous. What Time Out have cleverly done is distinguish
between the stereotypical ‘work days’ and the ‘fun days’. Although Friday might still be a work day, in the
evening, the target audience can still plan things to do via their family and friends. This has been made possible by
Time Out as they are advertising a ‘three day weekend’. On the other hand, whilst the dull days are represented in
black, the exciting and more adventurous days are represented in a bright red, connoting excitement, passion, love
and possibly an element of danger in terms of being thrilled on the weekend. The analogy of the days of the week is
an excellent marketing strategy because it is something that mass audiences can identify (uses and gratification) with.
It relates to their lifestyle in terms of working and this advertisement provides them with a sense of escapism (uses
and gratification). For example, the target audience will be waiting for the weekend to arrive, in which they will
escape from their usual working lives, whether in a working environment or school environment. They will use Time
Out magazine as a means to be informed (uses and gratification) of the latest things to do, whether it relates to
restaurants and food, music, film, television or competitions, etc.
The ‘initiative’ placed in the bottom left hand corner of this billboard advertisement provides the target audience
with even more information (uses and gratification) regarding the ‘three day weekend’. Accessing the online website
stated in the advertisement will allow there to be technological convergence because the target audience will be able
to access it via their smartphone, laptop, tablet, etc. The fact that this ‘initiative’ is represented as an advertising
campaign further draws the attention of the audience to the advertisement. Audiences want to consume a media
product that has their best interests at heart. Time Out are supporting the ‘three day weekend’ because it is an issue
that many people within society feel is not being addressed correctly. The target audience will visit the online website
and have access to high volumes of information (uses and gratification) regarding this campaign. They will then
inform (uses and gratification) their family and friends of this which will hopefully ‘create a buzz’ for Time Out within
society (two step flow). The text that follows the online website clearly states and informs (uses and gratification) the
target audience of what Time Out are, what they stand for, and what products and services they provide. The fact
that they have stated the phrase ‘ The world’s most important leisure magazine’, this connotes and further informs
(uses and gratification) the target audience that Time Out do not only operate in London, but they are a global media
institution that operate in an international market.
Time Out’s logo is placed in the bottom right hand corner of the billboard advertisement. Stereotypically, the logo is
often bigger in terms of size and the placement is often in a more visible place. Time Out have challenged this
convention by not focusing on the logo so much, but more so on the anchorage text and visual colour and
typography. Time Out’s logo is intertexual to their brand and creates brand awareness within both the magazine
industry and to their mass audiences. Stereotypically, the logo is often the magazine’s title; Time Out have conformed
to this convention and it is evident throughout all their media products and advertisements. What I particularly found
very effective about this advertisement was the use of language and colour. This billboard advertisement is very
simplistic in terms of its features, however it has still attracted its mass audiences. The schedule of most people’s lives
is done day by day, so instantly, the target audience would be able to identify (uses and gratification) with this
analogy because they would be able to relate to it in terms of their lifestyle and work ethic. It is almost as though
Time Out are targeting each individual member of their target audience; they are using the days of the week to
anchor their attention into consuming the billboard advert, which will lead to them consuming Time Out magazine.