Research and planning: Textual analysis of a magazine front cover

MAGAZINE COVER ANALYSIS

I have decided to analyse and evaluate the connotations and aspects of the front cover of a popular celebrity/ fashion magazine ‘more’. This will help me to identify the similarities and differences between it and the college magazine and whether these are positive or negative. This will also help me with ideas when making my college magazine front cover.

The Masthead is one of the most eye-catching aspects on the front cover. This is the name of the brand of magazine ‘more’ and helps distinguish one brand from another. The masthead usually will always be the same on a curtain magazine each issue. However, they can be changed weekly or monthly with issue to create some variety or to fit with the color scheme, normally only the color will be altered. The position and placement of the masthead will always stand constant along with the fonts size and shape. The name ‘more’ gives the connotations that when buying this magazine you will get more of everything you would what, more gossip, more scandals.

In the centre of the magazines front cover there will almost always be an image of a celebrity or model. This is called the central image. This image will link to the main attraction or headline of this magazines issue. As well as being linked to the story inside the magazine the celebrity is most likely to me someone of high interest in the media at that point. This will help to catch the attention of a potential reader because they will feel more up to date with the ‘gossip’ and help their social interaction if the peers are also interested. This helps the magazine against its rivals, if its more up to date with the current news it will be more desirable. The central image in this issue of ‘more’ is an image of Lady Gaga. Made up very glamorously Gaga could appear to be a sex icon to the audience. Her pose and hair appears to mimic this idea, slightly open mouthed with big, messy hair, this could appeal to women as they may want to have this look to have the effect on men that goes with it. Linked with this she appears to not be wearing anything. This would attract attention as all women would like the perfect body and to ‘look good naked’. Gaga’s eyes are looking directly into the camera, this connotes the sense that she is looking at the reader and may draw them to the magazine as it could be all about them. This is called direct mode of address and makes the magazine all about the reader: you.

Included on this and most magazine covers are the date the issue was published, price and tag line. This is to inform the audience of the information they need and to compete with other leading magazines by sometimes showing how much cheaper the magazine is compared to its rivals. The word ‘only’ has been underlined in black to make it seem cheaper than it really is. This is an effect the use of buzzwords can have.

Along with the central image there are various other pieces of information. These give away little ‘tastes’ of what is inside and what the reader would be missing out on if they did not get this magazine. These are called cover lines and are normally small extracts from stories inside the magazine or little pieces if gossip and anything extra inside. Filling the front cover up with a large amount of these cover lines will give the impression that the magazine it jam-packed with many juicy stories and extras. Pictures could also be used to connote cover lines and to grab the attention of the target audience. Adding in the pictures gives visual aid to the stories rather than simple words. Quotes from celebrities that have been interviewed could be used here as well as rhetorical questions, which would draw the readers in and make them feel like the magazine has been made just for them.

There are many plugs used on this particular front cover. For example ‘Coleen’s £1,000 treatments to de-stress’. This has been placed under the title of ‘Worried WAGs’ giving the connotation that this is an ongoing article in which each issue there is another WAG scandal. This would attract the audience to keep up to date and to get the next magazine to continue this. Another example of a plug on this magazine cover would be ‘Pete tells Alan: ‘I’d never cheat. I wont even Facebook flirt’. Using the first names of the celebrities gives the impression that the magazine and so the reader knows the celebrities on a more personal level that anyone else and will get more of the information and secrets that no one else would know.  Both of these plugs are accompanied by an image of the celebrities mentioned in the cover line. As well as stories there is also ‘ 60 sexy summer dresses’ this uses alliteration making the line stick in your head. This will attract the target audience of younger women as it gives tips on the best dresses all under £30 and links to real life problems they could be having. ‘The zero effect bikini plan’ also has this effect.

The main colour in various places over this magazine cover is pink. This connotes that this is a magazine for girls. Not only does it make the target audience clear having this color splashed over the cover draws the eye across to other information and extras that will help promote the magazine. The colour pink has also been used to under line key words around the magazine such as ‘you’ once again making the reader feel this magazine is talking directly to them.