Q5 -

How did you attract/address

your audience?

By Sophie Boston

Uses and Gratifications theory

Definition: A popular approach to understanding mass communication.

This theory divides media up into four categories of uses:

1. Personal Identity (so you can build on your personality)

2. Education (media that you learn from)

3. Entertainment (media that is a form of escapism)

4. Personal Relationships (you meet other people and create new relationships, social interaction)

“The theory places more

focuses on the consumer, or

audience, instead of the

actual message itself by

asking „what people do with

media‟ rather than „what

media does to people‟.”

- Katz, 1959

MM music matters (Uses and

Gratifications theory)

Considering the Uses and Gratifications theory, I would say that music magazines, including my own, would probably fit into all those categories. Education because you learn things

from it e.g. New artists, when the next gig is out, Personal Identity because you can learn what you like and what you don't like from a music magazine, Personal Relationships,

because there are chances to meet someone new through a music magazine, e.g. picking the last copy from a shelf, meeting at a concert or gig, meeting through an online

music forum and Entertainment because the whole point of being able to sit down and read a magazine is so you can relax and just escape from your stressful life even just for

half an hour.

MM (music matters)What does your magazine contain to ensure it will sell? How have you made it attractive to the buyer?

NEW AND OLD ARTISTS – some people prefer tradition, some prefer modern. That's why MM contains both new and old artists, people will be able to expand their interests to new acts whilst still being updated about their old time favourites.

COMPETITONS – some audiences love to have a competition to enter, even if they think they will never win; it’s the possibility that enthrals them. Whether the prize is something edible or going abroad somewhere, it’s a plug that will pull them in. I would make sure the way to reply could be either by mobile/online or by sending it somewhere.

PUZZLES – some audiences like to have a mind trick or two to work out. That’s why I would include something like ‘guess the celeb’ or a music related puzzle for them to entertain themselves with.

ARTICLES/FEATURES –I would include

different features every week, having different celeb fact files and interviews with varying groups and solo acts. I will make sure that MM gets the ‘freshest’

news as well and that all the information is

actually true.

POSTERS/FREEBIES – I would ensure that there would always be some kind of good freebie e.g. Free download or posters of some kind, whether it was of the main featured act or not.

FRONT COVER – I would make sure that the front cover would always be captivating and keep the colour scheme continuous all throughout the magazine. I would make the front cover stands out and varies each week.

COLOURS- I have got a colour scheme of the basic black, white and grey but then added a pop of colour –purple and sometimes the occasional neon green if I really want to make something stand out. These unusual unisex colours will appeal to the audience particularly as they contrast with the greyscale colours.

PRICE – I will make the price something reasonable, a price that I think my target audience could afford.

Other selling techniques – e.g. use of new media (Internet, Mobiles)

As discussed in my promotional methods PowerPoint, I would use New Media to sell my magazine, including taking advantage of the fact that new technology is allowing us more and more to be able to connect with each other via the internet. I would create several social networking accounts including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as they are the most popular and they would get noticed by millions round the world.Other selling ideas I thought of were:• Billboards•Featuring in other non music magazines•Public Transport•Mobile phone company deals•MM website•TV adverts•Merchandise•On other websites•Radio station•Owning a stage at a well known event host location e.g. Reading

I have gone into depth for a couple of these ideas including Social Media, Public Transport, the MM website and merchandise on my Promotional Methods and New Media powerpoints.