Coursework Research

Coursework research

Brief

(b) Print

(ii) Create the front cover and at least two pages of a specialist magazine demonstrating an understanding of design and conventions and a clear focus on the target audience

(c)  e-Media

(i) Create pages form the lifestyle section of an existing magazines website to demonstrate how your programme could be promoted in other media products. Your pages should deal with your lifestyle topic and include some aspect of promotion for your programme. If the magazine site you are creating the pages for does not have a specific ‘lifestyle’ section, you may find it helpful to use existing style of the site to influence the way you will present information. Your choice of magazine site should reflect an understanding of your target audience.

I have decided to do Brief 2 for my AS Media coursework, which is ‘Synopticity Productions’. This brief is based on lifestyle programming which has had recent success with a cookery competition show. The potential lifestyle areas that were given to me to pick from were; food; fashion and/or beauty; travel; interior design; a specific hobby; or another lifestyle of your choice. I have decided to choose fashion as my coursework topic and I will be looking at couture versus high street fashion as I think that not a lot of magazines cover that. I have chosen to do Tasks Bii and Ci as I think that these are most appropriate for the lifestyle topic that I have chosen to do.

Logo research

E! Pop of culture

“E! Pop of culture” or “E! Entertainment” is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that was launched in July 1987 and is owned by the NBCUniversal cable division of NBCUniversal. It was formerly called “Movie Time (1987–1990)”. E! Entertainment is an entertainment channel that feature films and occasions such as red carpet events as well as reality TV such as; Keeping Up With The Kardashians; Giuliana and Bill and specials which are unrelated to the entertainment industry.  In August 2013, 96,472,000 tuned in to watch E! Entertainment. That is 84.48% of American households. E! Entertainment is available to watch in Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.

I have decided to analyse the E! Logo because it ties in with the fashion and entertainment industry and shows modern programmes which attract a younger audience as well as an older audience. The E! Logo is very simple but very attractive. The colours used are for a mature audience, which are black and gold on a white background. The black is bold and it makes the logo stand out from the rest. It’s also one of its kind which attracts a wider audience in because the colours look professional. It proposes that the company is of a professional and high standard and this will make people watch anything that the channel airs because it promises high quality entertainment. The use of the colour gold on “POP” makes that word stand out a lot more than the other words and it makes it look really professional and suggests that the company are different than the other companies. It demonstrates creativity and adds a little fun factor to the logo, which displays that the channel is fun and interesting to watch. Also, it symbolises “wealth” in a way because “gold” is often linked with money, fame and wealth. The bold line under the “E” emphasises the fact that the channel is about entertainment, although it does not give the audience any hint on what the channel is about. The creators of this logo have been very playful with the slogan as it kind of gives away what the channel is all about. “Pop of culture” implies that the channels target audience are of a young mature age (18+) because the word “pop” is usually associated with pop music which the younger generation listen to.

 

 

 

 

This logo is the same as the one shown above, but with the word “POP” in the colour blue instead of the colour gold. This is very important as it creates two different identities for the brand but it still gives the same message which is that E1 entertainment never fails to add a little “pop” to culture and this is emphasised with the colour blue because, like with the colour gold, it makes that word stand out a lot more.

Food Network

Even though I will be specifically looking at couture versus high street fashion for my coursework, I wanted to find out if lifestyle logos have anything in common which is why I will be analyzing the logo of “Food Network”. Food Network was found on April 19, 1993 and it was launched on November 23^rd of that year. Food Networks legal name is Television Food Network. It was developed by Reese Schonfeld who is one of the founders of CNN. The programs showed on Food Network are divided into a daytime block known as "Food Network in the Kitchen" and a primetime lineup branded as "Food Network Nighttime". Generally, "In the Kitchen" is dedicated to instructional cooking programs, while "Nighttime" features food-related entertainment programs, such as cooking competitions, food-related travel shows, and reality shows.

 

 

 

The food network is one of the first networks which are only dedicated to food. The logo is a circle which could indicate that this network airs programs with all-round quality. It could also symbolise that this network airs programs that show how to make food from different parts of the world and so, by doing this, it could increase its target audience by reaching out to all food lovers around the globe. The deep colour of red symbolises maturity as it is not a “flashing” colour which suggests that the target audience for food network is for a more mature audience as well as lovers of food and cookery. The bold italic font used implies that the network is “bold” and it stands out, which it does because of its deep red colour, and the font makes it more sophisticated and classy because it emits the message of classiness which the network promises. The use of the colour white on the red background implies, again, that the network is a sophisticated network so it does not need to use flashy colours to attract a wider audience which shows that the audience for the food network may be limited as it can only attract food lovers and fans of food entertainments related programs.

Both the logos that I have analysed attract their target audience in their own individual way. E! Entertainment uses the use of flashy and sophisticated colours to attract a variety of audiences whereas the food network only uses sophisticated and classy colours to attract a limited audience. Both of these logos are successful in their own ways and they are not similar at all. They both use techniques which they feel will help them gain/achieve what they want to. I feel that I need to focus more on E! Entertainment logo because it attracts a wider audience range than food network does and it is really similar to what my chosen brief is.

Questionnaire

I have decided to make and ask a questionnaire which will allow me to understand my target audience much better and it will also help me to analyse and create a product which will be suitable for my brief. I have asked 10 females and 10 males on what they think of reading a magazine based on couture versus high street fashion and what kind of a website they would feel more comfortable with e.g. interactive, informative etc. Here are my results.

Question 1 – 10 males and 10 females filled in my questionnaire. This makes my questionnaire fair because I have asked an equal number of people from both genders.

Question 2 – six females were aged 15-18, three females were aged 19-24 and one female was aged 25+. Seven males were aged 15-18 and 3 males were aged 19-24. This shows that females who are aged 15-18 and seven males who are aged 15-18 is the age group that I need to focus on since that was the age group that my target audience fit into.

Question 3 – 8 out of 10 females stated that they read a fashion and beauty magazine and 2 females stated that they read baking and cooking magazines. Only 1 out of 10 males stated that they read a magazine, which was Top Gear. This shows me that I will definitely base my magazine around fashion and beauty since 8 out of 10 females read fashion and beauty magazines and my target audience will be females aged 15-18.

Question 4 – 10 out of 10 females stated that they have internet access and 10 out of 10 males stated that they, also, have internet access. This means that I can make a website because then my target audience will be able to access it easily.

Question 5 – 8 out of 10 females stated that they are interested in fashion and beauty and the other 2 females are not. 0 out of 10 males stated that they are interested in fashion and beauty. This, again, shows me that I can base my product around fashion and beauty because most of my female target audience are interested in it.

Question 6 – 8 females stated that they read a magazine once a month and the other 2 females stated that they read it more than three times a month. 9 out of 10 males stated that they do not read a magazine and 1 out of 10 male stated that he reads a magazine once  a month.

Question 7 – 10 out of 10 females that have filled in my questionnaire have stated that they visit a website that is based on lifestyle more than three times a month. 10 out of 10 males have stated that they do not visit any website based on lifestyle.

Audience research and Magazine Analysis

My chosen brief mentions that Synopticity focuses on the production of lifestyle which includes; food; fashion and/or beauty; travel; interior design or a specific hobby. I have decided to research the audience for E! Entertainment so I can understand the target audience better. This will help me create a product for the company that is accurate and speaks directly to their consumer. I have decided to fully focus on the fashion and beauty lifestyle so I will be looking into Fashion and beauty. To start off with, I will be looking into magazine covers and how the covers attract and maintain an audience. I have decided to look at ELLE, VOGUE and Harper’s BAZAAR.

ELLE Magazine Analysis

This magazine cover is really conventional. The colour palette used is for a mature audience because it is using blacks and whites and light greys, however it also uses the colour pink to attract young females because, stereotypically, pink is a females favourite colour so the magazine is stereotyping females to attract and maintain their audience. The light greys and whites ties in perfectly with the pinks and blacks. The first thing I will need to consider when creating a magazine is what colour scheme will work with the picture that I will be using for the cover. The white represents purity, which suggest that the magazine is pure and honest whereas the grey represents a bit of darkness that goes along with the purity, which suggests that the magazine has a bit of an “oomph” about them. And the black (which is seen on Rita Ora) implies power and elegance which suggests that the magazine is more powerful than any other magazine yet elegant for their female audience. Another way to attract and maintain an audience is to put “celebrity faces” on your front cover. ELLE have done this in a clever way, because not only is Rita Ora a celebrity, but she is also one of the highest paid singers in the world, with a net worth of $146 million, and everyone knows her. Also, no rule of three has been used in this cover. Rita Ora is bang in the middle of the cover, making her the centre of attention. The cover of the magazine also has a lot of interesting stories and tips which will attract and maintain the magazines audience. The target audience for this magazine is females who are aged 18+. This is because the use of the colour is very mature and the use of the colour pink suggests females. Not only this, but this is a fashion magazine and females are more fashion and beauty conscious then men. As well as this, Rita Ora is a really well known celebrity who is immensely popular with teenagers and adults 13+, so the target audience for this magazine could extend to girls and boys who are fans of Rita Ora, fans of fashion and beauty, regular readers of ELLE etc.

Harper’s BAZAAR Magazine Analysis

Harper’s bazaar magazine cover is almost the same as ELLE because it’s used the same colour palette and the same techniques. They have used pink to attract a young female audience which is, again, stereotyping females. They have also use the colour black which suggests that the magazine is powerful and strong, compared to other magazines, as well as elegant and professional. Again, they have used a celebrity’s face for their cover, who is Gwen Stefani, and she is bang in the middle of the cover, so no rule of three has been used. This makes the magazine conventional because nearly every magazine has their cover photo in the middle of the magazine. As well as this, the magazine has also used interesting cover stories and tips to lure their audience in and maintain them such as “10 best pieces to buy now”. Also, notice how their main article story or tips is always bigger than the rest. This suggest that the magazine is using the help of their interesting cover stories or tips to attract an audience and then they use either simple language or very sophisticated words which interest the reader into reading their magazine. This magazine has a very clear target audience, who are females aged 16+. This is evident through the use of pink. Also, teenagers usually become more fashion conscious leading up to the age of 16. Not only this, but Gwen Stefani is a very huge and famous celebrity who attracts a lot of females, mostly teenagers.

VOGUE Magazine Analysis

This magazine cover is unconventional as its colour palettes are very different to Harper’s Bazaars front cover and ELLE’s front cover. It uses the colour blue and red instead. These colours looks very tropical, along with Gwyneth Paltrows outfit (mainly the headpiece), and this makes it stand out because it’s unconventional and inviting. The colour red, that’s been used to highlight Gwyneth Paltrows name, implies danger and power which symbolises that the magazine have used a celebrity who is powerful and influential to suggest that the magazine is the same. The use of the colour blue, which is the main colour on the magazine, implies that the magazine is loyal and confident, which are really important qualities to have as it shows that the magazine can be trusted with the content and that the magazine has confidence in itself, which is needed to reach to the top. The target audience for this magazine could range from females who are aged 18-45. The colours used are very fun and bright but they would not attract a younger target audience, hence why the front cover celebrity is Gwyneth Paltrow, who attracts a much older target audience than a younger one.

Analysis of ELLE, VOGUE and Harper’s BAZAAR

All three magazine have a lot in common such as the masthead being in the same place on the front cover and in front of the main picture and they have all used a female celebrity on their front cover to attract and maintain an audience, however, the differences are that ELLE and Harper’s BAZAAR are different to VOGUE because of the colour palette. The background is also of a neutral colour on all three magazine front covers. For my first coursework project (which will be to create a magazine) I will be paying careful attention to the conventional magazines that are aimed at females who are cognisant about fashion and beauty. For example, I will use black and white as well as a hint of pink and red to show that the magazine is powerful and feminine. I will be following the conventional standards of magazine to make sure that mine, not only stands out, but fits in as well.

E-Media Analysis

I will be looking at Fashion Police’s and Cosmopolitans e-media (website: http://uk.eonline.com/shows/fashion_police   http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/ ) to see how similar and different they are in design and layout and how this may attract and maintain an audience.

 

 

 

 

 

This screenshot is taken from the Fashion Police’s e-media (http://uk.eonline.com/shows/fashion_police ). From first glance we can see that the website is colourful, which automatically attracts an audience. Studies show that an audience is more likely to be attracted to bright colours and patterns/prints than to dull/dark colour and patterns/prints. Black is commonly used in fashion because it goes with everything, hence why the background for Fashion Police’s website is black. The use of white colour on E! Entertainments logo is so that the logo stands out against the dark background and to also suggest that E! Entertainment is “pure”, because the colour white is mostly associated with purity and cleanliness. The colourful subheadings on the website make the black and white stand out as it creates an atmosphere of abstract and artistry. It looks unique. The colour gold on “FP” suggests wealth and elegance which implies that Fashion Police have “class” and “style” along with “elegance” and “power”. The E! Logo is carefully positioned next to the subheadings which makes the website look neat and presentable and everything else just fits in. the Fashion Polices section on the E! Entertainments website has its own stories such as “Latest Looks” and “Best and Worst Dressed”. These stories are addictive because the audience will want to know who wore what and what the latest looks are so that they can dress similarly to their favourite celebrity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The subheadings for the E! Entertainments website have changed into a more sophisticated colour, gold, to represent the GRAMMYS award show, which was shown live from E! Entertainments Red Carpet event. This shows that the website will change their colour scheme for special events, so I will need to keep this in mind and do the same for my E-Media.

Cosmopolitan E-Media Analysis

 

 

 

 

 

This screenshot is taken from Cosmopolitans e-media ( http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/) The Cosmopolitan website is similar to the Fashion Police’s website. There are subheadings and interesting stories underneath that which the audience can interact with, however the logo for Cosmopolitan is much bigger than the logo for Fashion Police or E!

Also the subheadings are all in one colour, apart from “cosmopolitan” which is in pink, which is much more professional but it does look a bit dull compared to the Fashion Police’s website. The pink subheading symbolises feminism and the audience can straight away notice that the magazine’s website is mainly for females, preferably in the age group of 25-50 and working class.

 

All of the above images from a magazine and the websites all have something in common which is using black, apart from VOGUE. They all, apart from VOGUE, have used pink to symbolise feminism and to let the audience know who their target audience are. They are all professional and the subheadings, titles, mastheads and images are all designed to fit the page to a professional standard. I will be taking these ideas in and combining them all to create two final products which is a magazine and E-Media.