Analysing Magazine Covers

Avanish Bhopal

Genre NME is a music based magazine ranging

from music genres. They have a large target audience as they appeal to them by showing the newest music out; focusing on one particular genre each issue.

This particular issue of NME would be categorized under Rock and Pop music because of the main image being about David Bowie a legend in the genre.

Audience Looking at the front cover of the magazine itis evident the target audience is Rock and Popfans who know of David Bowie. Also looking at the straplines it shows the kind of peoplewho want to listen to the likes of James Murphy and this especially is there to appealto the audience and make them essentially buy the magazine.

He killed the music scene in the 80’s.Being in the top 5 of UK Singles Chart it showed how popular he was as 200 artists were in the running each week.

Research the actual genre on the official website.

Audience continued

The attraction of the magazine front cover appeals to the specific audience of Rock and Pop fans because of the well known, famous artist as the main image and because of this, it allures the audience in to what the rest of the magazine is about.

Image

Instantly, the first thing you see is with an image of David Bowie with a worrying, emerging gaze; you are completely grasped because of the mysteriously look in his eyes, they bring up questions to mind like, ‘what is he looking at?’ and from this is takes a toll on you that you want to know more, it brings the audience in wanting more.

The idea of the image being corner to corner filled, is to exclude white space on the cover. Also, having Bowie’s body positioned partly out of the cover is in order to create an effect of illusion and to fill more space. And to acknowledge the facial expression showing.

Image continued The image relation to the main image is

accurate as they are trying to target the audience of fans who enjoy David Bowie or the genres Rock and Pop.

From the props like the ‘Origami Tsuru’ floating around Bowie are seen to be symbolic to the Japanese as good fortune. They also have multiple meanings. For instance, they are seen to heal, help in challenging times, bring world peace and happiness. This connotes the fact that the him catching it means some of the good will shine back on him.

Image continued

The colours used on the front cover have been Red for the magazines logo and ‘David Bowie’. Also, blue yellow and a grey background.David himself is wearing a sophisticated, suit, with just bland colours to enhances the flying ‘Origami Tsuru’ around him.The contribution they have to the image itself is, it portrays a magical feel because of the floating paper folding's and grey gloomy background.

Image continued

The image relates to the target audience because there is a reason for the man on the front cover being David Bowie; it is there to attract the specific audience they are aiming for.

Text

The magazine is called NME which stands for New Musical Express. The abbreviation of NME is short, and sounds like enemy, due to this it has an affect of the consumer pursuing the magazine as it sounds trendy and cool – it relates to the target audience set.

Text The text type on the front of the magazine is modernised and uses San serif font to show this.

The masthead has a block out as well as the main cover line, this shows how this must be ass important as the masthead, however less important as it is not equal in size.

Text

All the text on the magazine front cover is modernised and uses no slang, to suit the audience that it aims for. Also, the strapline, has underlined names to portray the importance of theses artists. To use of this is enables the audience understand that they are some what significant.