Competitor analysis

Deciding on my target audience/Ideas
When deciding on my target audience I had to firstly choose what genre of music and style I wished to work with. Originally I wanted to do a reggae magazine as I enjoy this genre of music and feel the style of the magazine would have been bold with bright colours. However when looking into the details of the course; for my photos to work I would have needed black Rastafarian people, limiting it down to an age group (late teens) would have been difficult as it’s a wide genre of music and having to do a survey of 25 people that would listen I don’t think would be possible as where I live it wouldn’t be possible to find my suitable audience.

Competitor/Market place research
As I decided to do a magazine about festivals there wasn’t any other existing magazines on them so I chose NME as it is the alternate music style I will be focusing on; Ker rang as it’s the similar age group to my targeted audience and they both feature new bands or interviews with big bands which I’m hoping to have my double page spread on. My third magazine choice was classic rocks special edition of “the 150 albums you must hear before you die!” I feel its informative style matches my central idea for my magazine of informing the public of the latest and best festivals coming up.

NME…
Front cover consists of many regular conventions:
-The first thing you are instantly drawn to is the feature article photo a posed face on portrait, quite close up with an upward tilt showing the connotations that the band is inferior and their facial expressions connoting that they are serious about their music.
-Covering the feature article photo is the cover line about Kasabian. You can’t miss it as the typography is largest on the page being full width length across, and the colour is white contrasting to all the other colours.
-The feature article photo covers the masthead of nme but it is still visible from it being bright red and suggesting that if you are buying the magazine you would be familiar with the famous logo title.
-The established use of a puff isn’t so stereotypical in this front cover, at the top left hand corner it states “698 UK GIGS LISTED” which boost their status from the excess knowledge and insight they have on bands as well as the listed bands at the end of the page. I take that sign though as a puff because it’s in the shape of a banner which is associated with celebration times.
-Its cover lines are spaced all around the front cover; they have the same font as everything else making a common familiarity for the reader but obviously in smaller sizes. Also the cover lines stand out against everything else that’s going on because they are the only things in the font colour of black.

Contents page
NME’s contents page is unusually a double page spread. The first element you are drawn to on the page is largest image on the left hand side where the camera is on a downward tilt and the artist is looking up into it presenting a low status for the artist, which contributes to the article information about his career ending. The rest of the layout follows that style, the page numbers follow down in numerical order and each page numbered box has a posed image, headline, and paragraph about what it includes and puffs for example “free downloads”. The colour scheme carries on from the front cover as well as the font choices this creates a sense of house style. Except the tone of the contents page doesn’t seem as serious as the impression you receive from the front cover. I feel when I come to my magazine I will have a distinct tone and impression on all my pages so the audience doesn’t get confused.

Double page spread
I choose to analyze the double page spread on the Kasabian one due to the feature article photo being focused on them. The whole left hand side is an image of two of the band members, the members I feel were deliberately chosen as its the lead singer and in my opinion the most attractive member of the band feature in the two shot. The photo is a mixture of candid and posed, the mise-en-scene setting consist of a shabby flower pattern backdrop and broken sofa implying connotations that the band are edgy and rough. There is bold typography of “KINGS OF THE ROAD” projected onto it, suggesting a high status of the band from the Lexus choice of “KINGS”. Underneath the heading of the spread there is a paragraph of text with quotes clearly demonstrating that the spread is going to be an interview. The entirety of the second page is predominately text based, the writing is small and not with any effects. The colour scheme is white and black with only a small image in the center; it’s very quirky of the lead singer looking through and holding up an empty mirror frame, portraying that there music is unusual. Also under the image, text appears like the heading on the other side making a link between the pages. Overall the ratio of writing to images is excessive conveying to the audience that they are a serious band with lots to say.

Overall opinion
A specifically editorial convention I noticed in NME is the feature article photo is placed to the right hand side making the reader want to turn over.
I feel the overall tone of NME was predominately serious but with a hint of sensationalist. That was conveyed through its style, the surface appearance look of the front cover seems very edgy from the layout of all the different shaped boxes and circles with information in them makes it visually enjoyable for reader to look at and simple to glance at as well as enhancing the sensational feel by having so much going on its overwhelming. That and many other things make it recognizable to its audience likes its colour scheme is neutral the plane but bold colours of white, red and black yet with a yellow background making the band of Kasabian which will appeal to music listens of that genre stand out.

KERRANG
Front cover
-On this front cover you are instantly drawn to the masthead, it covers the whole width at the top of the page and is in a smashed up glass style giving connation’s of rebellion and attitude appealing to the target music audience of hard core rock listeners.
-The overall tone of the magazine is serious this is due to the feature article photo unlike nme’s being edited onto the page this one all the other details and writing were projected onto it. The photo is of deceased famous artist cert kobain lead singer of nirvana, so an element of respect to the artist is portrayed by not editing the photo into the page.
-The denative of the image is in black and white which connotes associations with funerals, old photographs and films in the past all linking to the artist being dead. The head cover line isn’t at any stretch as large as nme’s sign but it stands out as its typography is the most formal on the front cover. Under the “nirvana” cover line there is a large section of the page devoted to them with pictures and details all implying with the font as well that they are a serious intense band that should be respected.
-The style of the magazine really enhances the mode of address aspect; it reaches out to the social group of people that think of themselves as ‘greebo’s’, rockers or just music lovers through its edgy hard look. Whereas like in nme’s the main photo was to the left making you want to turn over, this page design has plugs to the left hand side making the reader wish to look inside. Its font looks non computer graphic and hand written scribbles instead giving the sense of attitude and not caring. However similarly to nme its puffs are spaced all around the front cover in diverse shapes, boxes and it includes the banner formation. They all bring your attention to them and they appear wild and untamed like the style of music. Part of the magazine states “WTF?! SWAP SLEAZE FOR JEEZ!” and a contrasting image of a man praying above, this could be seen as offensive but its colloquial informal abbreviation presents the audience age group as being youthful and class to not be high up.

Contents page
The contents page similar to nme follows on the colour scheme of the front cover except Kerrang isn’t a double page spread. It has a central large image at the top of an artist live in a gig lying on the floor and his body position leaning to the right hand side again engaging the reader to turn over. It comes across very factual unlike the double page spread, it has an editor’s letter and it’s very visual with images and signs of all the page references it’s talking about. Unlike nme its tone and impression stays the same which I found effective as clearly demonstrates the target audience style instead of changing like nme’s.

Double page spread
The double page spread I wished to analyze in Kerrang is an interview with a big mainstream metal rockers band Steel panther. There is a central full shot image of all the band looking straight into the camera instantly catching the readers attention, the camera is also being tilted up to them and there chins are lifted giving a powerful inferior look. On the left hand side page there is in large font a quote that one of the band members said “JESUS WOULD CURE US IN AN INSTANT!” The whole spreads style is focused around Christ and religion; including the bands outfits of clerical color ties but with gothic head bands. There is also an image in the top of Jesus Christ which out of the page is the only item in bright colour, the rest is all black and white giving the impression of their dark tone of music. Another editorial feature that I found clever was how they context wise worked around Halloween as the subject they were asking the band about as it was coming up that weekend. The bands answer to the interview question is in small print at the far right hand side so making you wish to turn over but standing out from the minute size against everything else on the page being over large and eccentric. The double page spread seems very vast as it’s not full of writing so they have they really work with the instant impression you feel from the colour choices and almost offensive images of rock and religion.

Overall opinion
Kerrang stands out to me instantly through its graphic design of including and looking like a scrappy piece of paper with things everywhere. It seems to me like it has a clearer audience and age group through colloquial slang swearing of “WTF”. It’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye as the bold yellow colour flows through it. As well as the colour standing out against the black and white it highlights profound parts which the magazine editors wish you to read. Also its cover lines and what the article is including is clearer to notice and take in through its larger more vivid use of pictures unlike nme’s only main photo of Kasabian.

CLASSIC ROCK
Front Cover
This magazine I found really interesting but difficult to analyze as it doesn’t follow the traditional conventions.
-Unlike both of the other magazines mastheads being bold and instantly eye catching this one is barley visible. It’s projected onto the graphic design of a record but its font is a different shade of black so when the magazine is tilted to certain angles you can faintly see it.
-As I stated above its graphic design is of a record and the central part of it is a circle conveying the title and other textual information. The main texts typography is similar to Ariel black it holds connotations of being educational and harsh from the capital letters. However the bubble writing of “150” and it being green works with the similar colour choice of blue for the background in the circle and those purposeful colour choices create an upbeat, funky tone.
-The layout of the page contrast to the existing convention of having an item or image leaning to the right hand side to make the reader wish to read on. So this front cover relies on the fact that it’s a special edition so I feel the editor has deliberately made the page seem so minimal to emphasize its difference to their normal editions.
-In the central circle however it does include a mixture of puffs, cover lines and plugs. The denotational use of writing going round the circle emphasizes the logo shape. It includes all the different genres of music which could be seen as boosting its status like the other magazines showing how much knowledge and insight they have into the music industry but also lend themselves to cover lines and plugs as they inform the reader of what main styles the albums will be but they aren’t traditional cover line and plug techniques.

Contents Page
-Unusually unlike what I found with NME and Kerrang the contents page in this edition is found about 5 pages in, again making a profound point that this is not a regular edition.
-The overall tone of the page is sensational list. It portrays that tone through its style of layout having a collage of album front covers all very bright and glaring making you feel overwhelmed. Also, the logo of the central circle on the front cover follows exactly the same into the contents page making a clear link between them and emphasizing the profound point of the editions context being about albums.
-Unlike the editions front cover the contents page has the page numbered information falling along the right hand side engaging the reader to turn over.
-Contrasting to the other magazines it only talks of 5 page references. Its typography is similar to the front covers choices, reigning down on the target audience as it’s about the history of albums its music will range from the older to modern. Therefore more suitable, smarter font will appeal to the older generation and the collages chart of images still gives it the youthful edgy feel.

Double page spread
-I choose the first double page spread that I came across, I was drawn to the circle shape that appeared in both front cover and contents page except this time just with different information inside. I found that really effective and would consider having a shaped logo when I come to my magazine as it makes a familiarity and association between all the pages. As well as subconsciously draws you back to the purpose of the edition and magazine itself.
-I found many similarities between the conventions used in classic rock to nme and Kerrang. For instance, it was an interview with a band except these were an older successful country western rock band named “Motor head”. They performed a posed mid shot portrait and a straight shot making the reader relate to them by seeming on the same level to their status. Except the direct look into the camera with intense facial expressions, black clothing and one of the members wearing shades convey connotations that they are serious about their music and aloof by not seeing his eyes. Matching to NME its positioned to the left hand side and the text layout is fairly equally spread and quantity between imagery and text is shared.
-Linking to the band members clothing of black and white that becomes the colour scheme for the spread, portraying a mature informative factual surface appearance. All the interviewing questions are highlighted making a profound difference for the reader not to get confused between the question and answer.
-In the opening paragraph it states “Warning: this feature contains language.” Vividly demonstrating the mode of address that they are an older audience but also shows classic rock as a civilized magazine as they make a respectful point of it unlike in Kerrang.

Overall opinion
Out of all the magazines I feel classic rock had the clearest appreciation for its target audience age group, it understood how all ages could browse through. So its editorial colour devices appealed to the youth yet the simple graphical design and textual layout reached out to its main audience of older generations. I could understand how the front cover they wished to make stand out as a special edition by not using traditional conventions but I feel it lacked originality and an eye catching appeal for buyers to see. It came across doll and you lost focus of what the edition was focused on. Except its use of a logo shape going through the whole magazine I found very effective as it enhanced the magazines advertisement from being constantly reminded of its name.

CONCLUSION
Throughout all the magazines I found the main existing conventions that were used were; bold typography for the masthead, serious intense facial expressions for the feature article photos, a particular colour scheme running throughout all the pages, the layout positioning of having something leaning to the right hand side to engage the reader to turn over and most certainly a distinct overall house style (edgy, serious, youthful) etc. However, some I feel lacked a clear understanding of their mode of address for instance NME was very textual based which wouldn’t appeal to the younger age group but there are parts of each that I would like to consider for my magazine. I appreciated how classic rock experimented by trying to break all conventions but I don’t feel it worked in their favour, whereas Kerrang still worked with all the techniques but connoted its own individual surface appearance mainly through the use of black and white and the feature article being a posed portrait but a smiling expression. However overall, I found from the magazines that the aspects out of the conventions that they were most experimental with were the cover lines, puffs and plugs as they all brought there own different slant to them (their layout, typography font and abstract boxes for them) but the magazines all still included the main conventions of a magazine that the buyers associate with.