Magazine front cover analysis and
conventions
Magazines are a brilliant form of modern advertising for films. It is extremely common to see big, blockbuster films on the front covers of magazines which are read worldwide. A front cover is the first thing anybody will see when looking at a magazine in a shop and it can be the difference between buying it or not. Front covers are used to entice the reader to buy/read the magazine, they may not even pick the magazine up in the first place if the front cover is not carefully designed.
Prior to creating our own magazine cover, we needed to find some other magazine research and analyse their covers first. We decided that if we knew what other magazines usually did, we would be able to make ours look realistic and professional.
Prior to creating our own magazine cover, we needed to find some other magazine research and analyse their covers first. We decided that if we knew what other magazines usually did, we would be able to make ours look realistic and professional.
Masthead
A bold title, referred to as the masthead is present in order to attract audiences and bring attention to the magazine. The masthead of the magazine needs to attract the target audience and by using different fonts and colours, it provides an eye catching way of attraction. A tagline will also go near the masthead, and is sometimes attached to it directly. It gives a greater incite into the magazine itself. It shows what the magazine is about or who it might be aimed at.
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Centre Image/The Cover Model
There is always large central image that will be positioned in the centre of the magazine. This typically tends to be the main character,or featured celebrity, in a film, band or programme; which makes the magazine stand out to the target audience to attract them. If the centre image is of somebody from the film we refer to it as The Cover Model.
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Colour Scheme
Smaller Subtext
Anchoring
Puff
There is also a method used called a "Puff". As in “puff of air”, this is a device which helps to draw attention to and promote certain elements in the magazine. They are often set against colourful backgrounds and are shaped – e.g. rounded. Quite often they advertise a “freebie” or a special feature in the magazine. |
Pugs
Bar Code Price Editions
A bar code price edition of a magazines are straight forward features, but they need to be strategically placed. The barcode shouldn’t distort any of the cover’s principal features. How the edition is phrased will depend on the frequency of publication. Most magazines are monthly editions, and so the month and year will be displayed.
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