Magazine Cover analysis

 

On the ‘Marie Claire’ magazine cover, different magazine codes and conventions can be identified. Firstly, the main target audience will be younger females from the ages of 15- 25 years old who could be fans of the model, Zendaya, or are interested in style magazines and fashion. The secondary target audience would be younger males who could be interested in the model or the contents the magazine contains. The masthead ‘marie claire’ is portrayed through the font ‘Galena Pro condensed’ and is clearly in bold to catch the reader’s attention. The masthead is shown in a pastel yellow and is positioned at the top of the magazine cover in lower case letters; although the masthead is in lower case, it will appeal to the target audience as it is in a bigger font than the cover lines and yellow is typically a colour that stands out above other colours. The main cover line ‘DESTINATION ISSUE’ is positioned on the left-hand side of the magazine and is seen in a bold font to stand out. This cover line is shown in a pastel blue colour, so it does catch the attention of the reader but doesn’t so much in comparison to the masthead because the font size is smaller. They’re 3/4 different fonts used for the supporting cover lines in white and black and they are portrayed smaller than main cover line and the masthead, but they cover the magazines content. The buzzword is shown in a bubble shape to draw the reader’s attention further with bold words such as ‘WIN’ to show that there is an opportunity to win something for free. The main image on the cover is of the model, Zendaya, and the supporting quote underneath will bring attention to fans of the model/actress resulting in more engagement with the product. Laura Mulvey’s ‘male gaze theory’ can be applied here as the secondary target audience would be attracted to the product because of the female model shown in the centre. Using the rule of thirds, the models’ eye falls naturally on the grid line which shows a sense of balance and flow for the product. Furthermore, the model is positioned on the centre of the cover grid so the target audience will naturally look there first and engage with the product. Lastly, the colour scheme typically shows a range of pastel, light colours such as yellow, pink and blue to attract the female target audience- these colours are typically considered ‘girly’ colours. 

The main target audience for the ‘Vogue’ magazine cover would be females aged 16-30 years who could be those who are interested in Bohemian fashion, like the vogue magazines, or take interest in the model, Kendall Jenner. The secondary target audience would be young males who are also interested in Kendall Jenner, or they take interest in the contents of the magazine. The masthead, ‘VOGUE’, is shown in a bright orange colour positioned at the top of the magazine. However, the masthead is placed behind the main image which could intel that Vogue wants the attention to be brought to the model rather than the masthead. The main cover line ‘FASHION NEW BOHEMIA’ is positioned on the left-hand side of the magazine and it shows to the audience that the outfit reflects a bohemian fashion. Moreover, ‘PEACE, LOVE AND ROCK N ROLL, shows a sense of intertextuality as it reflects the 1960s and 1970s hippie and rock culture. The references will bring a sense of nostalgia to target audiences, and it will bring a representation of past styles to the modern audience. The supporting cover lines are shown around the cover in a smaller font size to indicate the contents of the magazine. The main image is on the centre of the page and is being represented as stylish and confident. The outfit worn is colourful and reflects a bohemian style as suggested by the cover line ‘FASHION NEW BOHEMIA’ which represents those who are appealed to contemporary fashion and celebrity culture. The model is a global celebrity, Kendall Jenner, who is a very influential fashion icon and so, by having her as the main image, her presence will draw in her fanbase and the intended audience for vogue. The colour scheme of the magazine is very bold and vibrant with colours such as red, orange, green and yellow; these represent the bohemian style. This palette will attract a younger audience who are in the fast fashion demographic and likes bohemian fashion.

The main target audience for this magazine cover would be males aged 25-40 years old who would be appealed to the magazines content and the overall style of it. The secondary target audience would be females aged 20-30 who take interest in ‘GQ Style’ magazines, or they like the model. The masthead ‘GQ Style’ is positioned at the top of the magazine in red which will immediately draw the attention from the audience as red is a bold and vibrant colour. The main cover line ‘MAN UP’ is shown at the bottom of the magazine in bold. This phrase is often used to challenge traditional masculinity and pushing men to assert dominance and power so the male audience would be drawn to the magazine due to its outdated and provoking masculine ideology, The phrase below, ‘POWER,MONEY,STATUS’, suggests how the magazine is  questioning the limits to male success and so would further appeal the male target audience because they would want to know the answer to this question. The supporting cover lines are displayed on the left and right side of the magazine with phrases such as ‘EYES ON THE PRIZE’ and ‘GET IT ON’. These provoking phrases will grab the attention of the audience because it is expressing motivation and empowerment to males. The main image of the magazine is of a young male model who has a serious and calm expression while showing confidence. This could indicate to the male audience on the traditional ideologies of what men should be and highlighting male empowerment. The colour scheme shows a lot of cool colours such as blue, black, white and red. By using red and white, it would symbolise power and authority which is something that the magazine wants to show. Blue and black are typically colours associated with males so the magazine is trying to appeal to the male audience in this way.