Amelia Patchett

Target Audience and genre

The target audience for vibe magazine people aged 18 -35+ who like to listen to the hip hop, R&B and rap music. We can see this from the advertisement used inside the magazine one example is the vodka and an expensive car. This shows us that this magazine is aimed at older people who have lost more money to spend this relates to the genre of music as rap and R&B are quite money orientated. However a main audience would be of the black origin as it is mainly their type of music.

Main Image---The main image is a picture of the rapper Eminem. It is very large and is in the centre of the page to catch the attention of the customer so they would buy it. As well as that, it shows a serious expression, a hat and a chain which stereotypically represents a rap star with the features and gives a good insight as to what the magazine is going to be about.

Model credit--- it is in bold red writing in which will attract the reader’s eye when in the book store. As well as that it gives an insight as to what will be the main description in the magazine helping towards people’s interest in whether they would read it or not.

Main Cover Line

The main coverline is red and bold however is in the weak fallow area therefore changing the way the reader may look at the cover of the magazine. It also may show the danger he’s gone through in his past and now he’s bringing it all back again for a 10th reunion.

Colours/Typefaces/House style

The bland but meaningful colours of red, grey, black and white represents the danger of a rapper and definitely his story of how he become a rapper. As well as that the white could mean his purity but also helps the writing to stand out from his dark past.

Masthead

The masthead is large and in a bold font which helps it be readable, even though on this magazine the image is in the way they’ve done it because it would be recognisable as the main audience would be people who already buy the VIBE Magazine. Vibe also signifies the feel of the music in which the theme of rap is very significant.

The Gutenberg Design Principle--- It uses the principle because the strong fallow area Is on the top right corner where it reads the big gay debate which will grab the attention of others. Also, the bottom right corner is the terminal area where the barcode and price is usually placed. The left side contradicts this as the primary optical area has nothing and the coverline is in the weak fallow area.

Coverlines--- the coverline the big gay debate might interest a wider range of readers as it is in a bold writing in a place that hardly has much writing making it easier to see first. As well as that the coverlines are clear to read making it easy to know what is mentioned in the magazine.

Banners/Flashes/badges---

There aren’t as many badges or banners on this cover other than an Exclusive sign to attract attention and the list of artists on the right side in the black box to make it stand out. OBAMA: ARE YOU STILL DOWN? is a banner which also stands out and as it is in white and goes across the top of the page which draws the reader to look at it and makes them question it from the start to get their thoughts on it before reading.