Front cover analysis- Mixmag- Emma Kelly

Masthead The masthead stands out on this issue. The font and colour used bring across a young/teenage vibe. We get the feeling that the audience is for younger people. The font is a black serif font-which is informal. The black stands out on the yellow background.

Buzzword/Puff The word “free” is used. This catches the reader’s attention and makes them feel like they are getting something out of buying this issue. A puff “biggest and best” is also used. This emphasised its own importance in the market and again persuades readers to buy it.

Feauture headline The feature headline states “Party or die!” This is not a question, It is telling you, you have to do this. The headline has an exclamation mark after the word “die!” which puts emphasis on the word and makes the audience notice it. “Or die!” is also a different colour to the word party. It is the colour blue, whilst party is in the colour white. This yet again draws attention to that part of the headline because we notice the colour difference. The colour white suggests that partying is fun, you will be bright and happy. The colour blue brings about a darkness, suggesting gloom and sadness.

Language Rhyming is used. “Screw the recession let’s have a session!” This when read will stay in the readers head because it is catching and funny. Rhyming is a persuasive tool and persuades the reader subliminally to buy the issue and then go out partying. This text is also underlined which makes it stand out even more.

Colour scheme The background colour is bright yellow. The colour yellow has connotations of happiness. This links with the models face expressions. The other colours used are black, orange, white and blue. Black is only used as the Masthead. This makes that stand out from the rest of the magazine. The colour blue portrays the idea of smartness and radiates the idea of security and trust. Which makes the audience trust this magazine. The colour orange is associated with energetic vibes, the colour makes the reader feel happier and welcomed to the magazine. Finally white has a positive connotation which makes the audience feel happy/positive.

Main image The main image is the main focus of the front cover. Both models have a similar expression on their face. They both seem like they are happy and shouting the lyrics to a song. They seem to be having a great time partying. This makes the audience feel like they too will be this happy when they party. The two models also blend together. They wear similar coloured clothes both have purple included in their outfits and they have the same hair colour which is both the same/similar length. This suggests that you and your friends will bond and become closer when you go out partying with them as you will make new fun memories together. Their heads also go over the masthead. We cannot see the whole word, this suggests the subject of the magazine is more important than the magazine itself.

Sub-image A sub-image is included. This gives the audience a sneak peak of what is inside the magazine. This is so the consumer continues to read the rest of the magazine. Certain artists are included on this sub-image. This also attracts fans of the artists. This makes the magazine gain more readers. Layout The words are all slanted to the right. This links to

the idea of partying. You don’t really think straight.Barcode The barcode is printed small on the right hand corner- it is not important.

Mixmag-Contents page analysis-Emma Kelly

Masthead The masthead has the word “contents” written in a large bold font. The colour used “white” stands out on the black background. This makes the reader focus on the masthead first before anything else. Letting them know that this is the contents page. Next to the masthead we have other key information- The issue and the magazine logo. These 3 things are all written in different fonts. This may have been done in order to stand out to the reader.

Colour scheme The background colour is black this portrays the atmosphere in a club/concert. Usually you are in the dark until flashing lights appear. The background symbolises the darkness before the lights. However, on the left hand side we see a range of colourful lights the black takes our focus straight to the colour so we focus on the main image instead. The text is written In a white font because white stands out the best on a black background and the page numbers are written in yellow. They look like they glow in the dark. The colours used create a club vibe.

Main image The main image takes up most of the contents page. So we focus on it. It is a realistic in the moment shot. This makes the audience connect with the image, it isn’t set up it is something the audience can relate too. We see people close together in a concert/club with their hands in the air signifying they are listening to music. The people blend in with the background we can’t really see their faces only their hands. We focus on their body movement and the confetti flying in the air. This image links to what the magazine is about- Club music and also to the article beneath we know this as the colours in the image blend in with the poster inserted below the image. This is why we don’t see their faces, we are meant to focus on the colours.

Features The features are printed on the right hand side of the page. The word “VIP” is added above them. This title is underlined and in capitals so we notice it easily. The word “VIP” has been used to show that this magazine includes important information. It makes the magazine look like a better/ higher class magazine (it is far better than the other magazines). This persuades the audience that this magazine should be frequently bought as it is a better standard. The features titles are written in a bold bright white font. This stands out above the smaller text underneath, it is clear to see the features within the magazine so it is easy for the audience to read.

Language Repetition is used for the title “Kissy sell out” it is written in a yellow font as a title and on a poster and it is also mentioned again in a bright white bold font in features. Because this is repeated we can see that it is clearly an important subject. The title is repeated around the page so the reader sees it at all sections of the page. Repetition makes this subject stay in the readers head.

Sub-image A sub-image is added on the top right hand corner. It includes a VIP page, it looks like another magazine but it is not. This highlights the importance and the idea that it is VIP, because it looks like we are getting a magazine within a magazine. This makes the magazine look better.

Anchor Anchors are used on the main image. The anchor provides a small sentence describing the image in a few words. This is so the reader gains a larger understanding of what is going on.

Mixmag-double page spread analysis-Emma Kelly

Colour scheme The colours used are pink, white, orange , black and yellow. These are all neon style colours which link to the genre of the magazine. The whole page is very colourful with the colours pink and yellow mainly used for the article banners. White is used as the background colour this is bright and stands out but isn’t busy so it doesn’t distract. White gives the magazine a clean modern look. This links to the audience- the younger generation. The colour black is used for the text and at the top of the pages, the main image is placed near the top of the page and the colour black blends in with this image. Giving it a night time club vibe. Orange appears at the corner of two images bringing in the feel of warmth and happiness.

Images There are 5 images included in this article. The main image sits on the left page and takes up half of the article. This is so when a reader flicks through they will automatically see this image and then read the article as it catches their attention. The 5 images are all shot in action. They are realistic and show the reader what each club is exactly like. Having a range of images makes the article interesting. The reader is more likely to read the article when there are images involved. As It isn’t boring and just full of small text.

Mise-en-scene Props such as alcohol are held in the people’s hands. This links to the idea of partying, drinks are often associated with dance music which this magazine promotes. The lighting used on these images are all high key lighting, the images have been taken in the dark. The high key lighting makes the people look very visible so we can see every aspect of the image. E.g: we see their clothes clearly, what they are holding etc. The people in the images also wear bright different coloured clothing which links which how they feel-bright and happy.

Language Words such as “scouse house” use rhyming. This catches the reader’s attention and makes the article look interesting (it entices them). This is why it is used as the title in a bold black font because we can see this title immediately. Other headings use the words “party maison” and “ready for the floor” these two headings link to the genre of music which is dance music. The words in particular, “party” and “floor” link together as people dance on the dance floor. Also in an anchor it states “thumping bass” this links to the dance music. “thumping” makes the music sound exciting, you heart thumps when you have an adrenaline rush, so this implies dance music is really fun.

Anchor Anchors are used on each image. For example, “Come 1am thumping bass and body heat radiate…” They summarise what is happening in each image. Just in case the images aren’t entirely clear too make out. This makes it easier for the audience to understand.

Font/text size The font used throughout this text is very modern looking. This links to the audience of the magazine who are in fact the younger modern generation. The font sizes vary, becoming larger for headings (when they are more important) and smaller for the articles full text. This is so it doesn’t stand out and distract the audience from the rest of the page such as the images.

Mixmag questions- Emma KellyWho is the target audience?

From the issue I have analysed I would suggest that the audience is aimed at younger, party lovers of both genders. They love to go to clubs and are fashionable. Underneath I have an excerpt of who mixmag say their audience are- music lovers,engagaed,passionate,influential. They spent their money going out etc.

How does the magazine appeal to them?

The magazine appeals to them because it includes information about the latest gigs/clubs. The whole magazine works towards their interests, the colours used are bright which catch their attention and the articles inside talk about fashion/music/technology and travel all of which the audience love. To the right is magazine content.

How does the magazine pitch itself?(mission statement)

The magazine states that they have 13 offices around the world and connect with everyone as they produce the magazine in 8 different languages across 5 continents. They then go on and give some statistics(underneath).

Demographics/Readership

We can see that mixmag has a higher percentage of male readers than women. Male readers account for 77% and women only 23%. The average age of a reader is age 24. Most of the readers are from the UK with a percentage of 31%.

The magazine readership is 246,000.

Circulation/Reader profile

The audience 16 times more interested in technology, 95 times more interested in music. 19 times likely to read and share fashion content within social ecosystem and they are the number 1 for interests outside of music. It also goes on to tell us who the audience is, which I have already mentioned.

Circulation= reached a circulation of up to 70,000 copies during the height of the popularity of acid house in the 90’s. 16,000 is the average circulation.