Magazine Cover Research

 

This is one of my favourite covers that Company magazine have done, starring Alexa Chung. The masthead colour is bold and stands out above the other neutral colours used within the rest of the colour palette; the sizing is a perfect fit for the sizing of the magazine. The type of colour palette used has inspired me to create a magazine in this style, the neutral colours are great for a background which means brighter text and images can be placed over the neutral background. Alexa is covering the title as the magazine is well known to fashion readers. The fact that the magazine’s masthead is at the top is so when on a shelf, it is easily identifiable for the readers. The pricing is extremely prominent to readers as it is advertising a good offer of ‘£2’. The models that usually appear on the cover of this magazine are fashionable, young and original, reflecting on the magazines content. I love the font on the cover of this magazine as it is scruffy, and looks handwritten and I love the quirky style that is being represented. Quite a lot of text is written on the cover, such as, ‘The New Denim!’, ‘High-Street Edited’, although the cover line is short, it suggests what sort of content is in the magazine. The barcode is placed in an odd place as usual, but the barcode consists of the date, and the website. For a cheap magazine this is a successful cover, which has been made professional looking, and suitable for the target audience of 16-27 year olds. The position of Alexa looks really comfortable and chilled, which is the vibe I would like to achieve within my music magazine.



 

 

Dazed magazine is ‘The magazine with the long established reputation of having the best fashion, photography and art content in the entire world, Dazed & Confused also includes equally high-quality pieces on film editorial and music, and is one of the best magazines for any lover of culture’. The colour scheme is neutral but the clothes on Beyonce set the brighter scheme, making her the central mid shot of the magazine, implying that she will take part in some way within the magazine. The magazine masthead is covered quite a lot with Beyonce’s head, but as the magazine is well known around the world it becomes recognisable. The name of the magazine is really inspiring with a quirky vibe. Although, there is not much text on the cover, but as it a subscription magazine, collectors don’t really want writing covering the issues, there also appears to be no barcode on the cover which is also suitable for collectors ‘Beyonce pop vs life’ is a really enticing cover line, perhaps for an age range of 18-27 year olds. However this issue looks mature, than some of the other covers that Dazed has come out with. This implies that the magazine is targeting for a wider range of readers, suiting everybody’s needs.

 

Usually NME magazine masthead is red due to the colour scheme of black, red and white. These colours have still been used but the colour of Florence Welch’s (cover star) hair and the cover line incorporates the colour of red. Florence is behind the masthead in this issue, in some other examples of issues, most of the cover stars are layered over the top of the masthead, the font and sizing of NME is consistent throughout the issues. Underneath the masthead are the issue number and the pricing of the magazine, this is important information, so needs to be shown in an easy area, as the pricing and date is what is looked  at most in a magazine. The graphology used is extremely eye catching and attracts the reader’s attention. I love the fact that the word ‘Florence’ is the biggest font and boldest colour on the cover, as it is central and aesthetically pleasing. The idea of having something ‘free’ makes the readers want to buy the magazine even more as they feel as though they are getting things extra incorporated within the magazine, ‘free iconic joy division posters’, the word ‘posters’ implies that there is more than one poster. The barcode is placed at the bottom left hand corner, kept out of the way from the creative cover. I like the fact that it is discreet and not too ‘in your face’.  The magazine is classed as an ‘indie’ magazine, therefore has relevant singers and bands on the front cover such as Florence Welch. Her style and music really fits into the magazines genre.