media kit

Male to female ratio: 1:3

c1-d: 60%

Median age: 15

TEMPO will reach people who are interested in popular music and trends and fulfill their need to know about the latest hits and upcoming events.

Contact information:

Contact: Rosa Brown

Email: Rosa.browm@tempo.co.uk

Tel: 0826 69 305

Adress: TEMPO office, Oxford street, London, England, NS47 6HD

rejected contents page

  This is my rejected contents page. I started again from scratch because I didn't like the overall look of the product. The structure of it isn't organised and doesn't look professional. It isn't clear where the features are and where the regulars are. This is unconventional for a music magazine because normally it's made clear for the audience. I think starting again was a good choice because this one has too much white space in the wrong place and I don't think it would attract an audience.

unedited images

font/colour moodboard

   Here are some of the fonts and colours I considered using in the production of my magazine. After research into my desired target audience I decided that the Masthead would be in the font BLACKLISTED. This is because I feel as though it's different and stands out from other pop magazines on the market. Also it relates to the content of my magazine because it looks as though it has been distorted by volume and this connotes music which is what my product is about. For the main font of my magazine I chose Baskerville Old Face Regular because this is a sensible font connoting maturity. It follows conventions because many magazines have a sensible, normal font for the body of their magazine. 

  The colours I chose were a pastel pink and pastel blue for this particular issue because I was trying to represent both males and females. I also think that these colours look nice together and stereotypically boys like blue and girls like pink. Furthermore, my audience are quite young so these would appeal to them. 

skills and development

what have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Prezi
I have learnt to use Prezi to present some of my evaluations and planning ideas. It allows me to demonstrate my ideas in an organised, professional manner. It's easy to use and allows the viewer to read through my work quickly and easily. Prezi is also free to use and you just have to sign up. A disadvantage of Prezi is that it's hard to get to grips with at first and it's concept confused me a bit to start with. This could've lost me valuable time to be doing other things.

Photoshop
I have also learnt to use Photoshop. It has a wide range of tools that do very precise things. I found this extremely helpful when using it to create TEMPO. A Disadvantage of Photoshop is it's very complex and difficult to understand. If you haven't used it before, it takes a long to figure out. Luckily, I am fairly experienced with using Photoshop so did not waste anytime grasping the concept. Furthermore, you do have to pay for Photoshop and I was lucky enough to have free access at college. An advantage of Photoshop is that the things you can do on it are so diverse and you can just about do anything with ease. Here are some of the tools I used:

-Magic Wand Tool

This allowed me to quickly remove a background of an image I had print screened for example a font off of Dafont. It gives a much more clean professional look and I could move the words over a photo or darker background without having a messy white box around where I had screen capped.

-Adjustments section
These included features that allowed me to alter the vibrancy, exposure and colour. It helped me to edit my images making them stand out more because they were originally faded and didn't look how I wanted them to. I turned up the colour to make the image look more alive. Slightly decreasing the exposure and vibrancy made the image clearer and less washed out. After using the adjustments section my models overall looked a lot clearer and it was an improvement from the faded versions before.

-Stroke
This was what I used to outline text or photos that didn't stand out enough against its background. It traces the element I want with a line to make the image or words more distinct and sharp. This is a technique used by a lot of magazines and so I interpreted it into mine because it's obviously a successful approach.

Blogger
Blogger was really helpful to me because with my little experience of running a blog it taught me how to do so without confusing me too much. It's organised and allows you to make your blog look however you want it to. I don't really have anything to compare it with so can't say what I don't like about it.

addressing my audience

target audience

                                         
                                
  Above is a representation of what a typical member of my target audience look like. They enjoy popular tastes and music events like festivals. They follow trends and keep up to date with fashion and follow their favourite artists' music. They are around the age range of roughly 13 to 19. The overall audience of my magazines are aimed at males and females but this particular issue is aimed a little more for the feminine side of my market.

Stereotypical audience member:

Demographics

• Gender: predominately female
• Age: 17
• Class: C1 and D

Psychographics

Typically like to shop in clothes shops that range from being not too expensive like H&M, Newlook, Primark (for the younger people) to high retail shops (for the older audience) like Topshop, Zara, Jack Wills. They listen to pop music, R&B, Soul, and Chart Hits. They prefer films and programmes that include fashion, popular trends, comedy and romance. For example The Inbetweeners, What If, Friends, Mean Girls.

Why would my target audience buy/subscribe to TEMPO?

My target audience would buy my magazine because they would feel like it represents their interests and hobbies. It generally targets popular music lovers meaning that they tend to follow trends so would like to keep up to date with current new music. Buying TEMPO would fulfill their needs to keep informed of the monthly chart movement and music/artists that are set to be big in the future. Subscribing to TEMPO would mean that you're always up to date with the latest in the music world and being knowledgeable with latest trends is something a typical member of my audience aspire to be.

Companies that would represent my audience:

• Asos
• Topshop
• Apple
• Kiss
• BBC
• Spotify

Products that would represent my audience:

• Albums
• Headphones
• Shoes
• Speakers
• Festivals
• Clothes

institutions

Bauer Media Group
  Based on the existing magazines Bauer publishes and the style of their publications, I feel as though Bauer would be the most suitable magazine institution to publish TEMPO. Bauer is heavily based on music interests which doesn't lean toward any gender and this was the same concept I was aiming for when creating my product. Bauer could increase the sales of my magazine because they cover lots of platforms of media. This way, advertisements for my magazine would be seen and heard a lot more and consequently sales would increase quickly and effectively. A disadvantage of being published by a large, well-known institution is that I may lose my control over the management of TEMPO and it will be suited more to what they believe will sell. In the long run this is not really an issue because overall TEMPO will bring in more money but power that I have over my magazine will be minimised.
  Furthermore, I have chosen Bauer because I believe that they have the experience and knowledge of how to make a brand successful. Self publishing my magazine wouldn't be as effective because I have limited understanding of the magazine industry and I feel as though it would not fulfill the publicity it is capable of. Because Bauer is so known in the music industry, it will be easier to distribute it in popular UK distributors such as WHSmiths and ASDA because they will know that the company is trustworthy and therefore there's a higher chance of it being sold in their shops.
  Lastly, with the wide range of platforms that Bauer covers, my magazine will spread easily all over the world. Subscriptions for TEMPO will be available, a website will be made and it will be available to tablet and smartphone users. This is a way for my magazine to be known around the globe and therefore increase sales as the brand identity increases too.

how does your media product represent particular social groups?

  For my magazine project I have aimed to design a product for 13 to 18 year olds. In this particular issue I have made it especially appealing to girls as my feature article is more stereotypically girly. Psychographically, my magazine is aimed towards the pop-culture side of society and I've shown this through the use of colour, photos, and layout which are all similar to pop music magazines on the market today. Demographically, my audience would be the social group C1 and D. This is because 13 to 18 year olds generally aren't in high payed skilled jobs and have time to sit down and read a magazine.
  To represent my ideal audience, I used an image of a girl of around the same age range as the readers I was hoping to attract, this is so they can feel they relate to the magazine or model and so they would want to pick it up and read inside. I made sure that the clothes she wore weren't too dressy and her makeup didn't look too expensive or unachievably amazing because young girls may not be able to afford expensive products or designer clothes. Furthermore, I believe that having an achievable-looking model on the front cover wont give girls unrealistic expectations and I feel as though they'll identify with her and therefore they'll engage their attention to the issue and feel comfortable reading about someone who they see similar to themselves.
  A further way I have portrayed the 13-18 years old pop loving females is through the use of vocabulary. I have tried to use language that they would use themselves, and also made certain that I didn't use words that were too hard or easy to read. I want them to feel like they can identify with the issue and not feel patronised or blinded by intellectual words that they don't know the meaning of. Also, I kept everything short and tried not to write enormous amounts because this can be off putting for the audience I am aiming for and I don't want to steer them away. Shortening things and using appropriate vocabulary for the age group are ways of enticing the group of people I'm targeting and making them want to read on. Additionally, I have mentioned Hyde Park in one of my coverlines which is a festival that appeals largely to students and people of the ages 16+. This connotes that the age of my audience are teenagers who like pop culture and are up-to-date with what's going on.
  Lastly, the colour theme I went with was mainly pastel blue and pink. this is so that when my issues' features differ according to gender preference, I can rely more heavily on the colour typically preferred by thegender I am aiming for. In this instance, I have used a lot more pastel pink to typically interest females because this particular main article is more relatable to girls. The pink in the text also brings out the pink in my models lips. This is something that girls will notice and so I made it prominent when making my product.

  In this particular issue of TEMPO, I have tried to represent qualities that girls typically like. An example of this is when the feature article and contents page mentions about relationship advice. This is something that girls are typically interested in so this is why I included it into my product. To emphasise this more, I pulled out a quote from this section that clearly relates to relationships and boys. This technique is supposed to captivate their interest early so they feel an urge to read the article. Another example of representing the people I'm targeting is including a small section on Christmas. I touch upon "festive plans" so that it lightens the "girly" aspect of boyfriends and briefly adds a unisex topic. This is because overall, I want to appeal to both girls and boys, so moving away from a "girly" topic to mention something non-gender specific, I am therefore including both sexes and being a bit more general. 
  Other than these examples, I have made my magazine heavily music interest based and purposely haven't included a side topic of fashion or cars or sport so that I don't favour a gender and can appeal to a wider audience.

 My magazine front over    Billboards magazine front cover

     

  When comparing the main image of my magazine and Billboards main image there are a wide range of similarities and differences. Both are a mid shot of the model but appeal to two different audiences. Whereas my model allures teenagers of a similar age of the model shown, Taylor Swift attracts an older audience more appropriate to Billboards content. Again, it's a case of her similar age to the readers and therefore the relation the audience feel when they look at the main image.
  Both images are a midshot of the person. Many magazines do this so you can see the top half of the person and appreciate what they're wearing as well as notice their body language so the viewer can read into the models emotion. Both facial expressions are relatively neutral and hold eye contact with the viewer, this is to give a serious look and attract potential buyers by being alluring.
  Another feature they have in common is the plain background of the photos. This was done because distractions from an interesting background take the attention away from the person in the foreground which is normally the main attraction to a front cover. Also, they both have contrasting outfits on to their background. For example I have a lighter background and so the girl in the picture has a darker outfit on. Vice versa for Billboard. This is another technique used to make the foreground person stand out.  A difference in the images used is the body language. Taylors stance is more seductive than my models and this is to do with who they are trying to entice. My model is attracting young students and high school children so looks friendly and open with how she comes across. Taylor is enticing young adults so the pose is a lot more mature and serious. Also this could be seen as attractive to the masculine side of Billboards audience.

in what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

evaluation of my college magazine

My college magazine
  Firstly, an element that went well and looks good on my college magazine is the fonts. I chose only three fonts for my college magazine and I think this went well because it's not too overwhelming and looks neat. If too many fonts are used then it looks untidy and unprofessional. I feel as though I avoided this and used a sensible amount of simple fonts to captivate my audience and not repel them. The italic font is tactfully used for the part I want my audience to notice the most. It's the bit that will make my audience want to read more so if this stands out then there will be more chance of a sale.
  A feature that isn't so strong about my college magazine the choice of colours. Overall there are roughly seven main colours is throughout the cover and the contents. This is a poor decision because there should be three or less main colours and having over this limit makes it look messy, when it should look consistent and with an on going colour theme. 
 A further good feature about my college magazine is that the photo is central and the text is symmetrical. The human eye is known to like symmetry so this is a good feature considering people are more likely to buy something that looks aesthetically pleasing.
  Additionally, another strong point of my magazine is the photo. It is appropriate considering my target audience are college students of both genders. The photo is set in a college so will immediately catch they eyes of students who attend colleges. Also the girls in the photo look of the correct age and so will create a relatable feel consequently alluring my desired target audience.
  Another factor of poor quality in my college magazine is the lack of information and pictures on my contents page. It is very plain and I feel as though it needs some pictures relating to the main one on the second page to bring the two together and make it look more interesting. Also, there are no elements in the text to grab the audience and make them want to read on. This is important because if the reader isn't incited then they won't buy my magazine so I will take this into consideration when I construct my music magazine.
  Lastly, the feature that lets my product down the most is the masthead. The font is too simple and not exciting at all. The name also is a disappointment because it's dull and I feel college students wont be attracted because they want something exciting to divert their attention away from the stress of college life. The masthead is the first thing potential buyers see so needs to be bright, interesting and have the power to immediately engage my audience. I feel I've failed to do this, so I will also consider this when making my music magazine front cover.

pre-production documentation

Equipment list:

• camera
• tripod
• plain background
• computer

Location/props/costume list
  The location I will be taking my photos at will be at college. This is because the background of my photos isn't an essential part and I'd rather it be plain because this is the norm for music magazines similar to mine. I will use a white or similar neutral colour for the background of the pictures so the model can be easily seen and it doesn't take the attention away from what is important in the photos. At the most I might find a bricked wall to add a little bit of colour making sure it still looks quite plain.
  For my magazine I wont be using props. This is because most pop music magazines in the industry don't use any either. I will follow these trends and refrain from using any additional equipment. Also I feel that the photos won't actually need props because I'm going for a simpler feel.
  The costumes I will put my models in will be casual, normal clothing that's smart but not too over the top. I want to appeal to the younger generation so they won't be sexualised or revealing in any way either. Overall, the clothing used in modern pop music magazines today is fairly ordinary and is fit to suit the celebrities personality. I will take this into consideration when making my own product and make sure I follow these trends.

Production schedule
Week 1: Research other pop music magazines in the industry and decide which ones I want to interpret and get ideas from. 
Week 2: Draft out some ideas and find models.
Week 3: Take photos of my volunteers, edit photos, decide which ones I'll use.
Week 4 and 5: Start to construct front cover, explore fonts, colours and construction of masthead.
Week 6 and 7: Apply same theme to contents page, begin construction.
Week 8: Apply same theme to feature page, begin construction.
Week 9: Write out article for feature page.
Week 10: Make changes to things I've had second thoughts on.
Week 11: Add finishing touches.

feature page draft

contents page draft

front cover draft

initial ideas

magazine publishers

Time Inc
 Time Inc is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the UK with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year. It was originally called IPC Media but in 2001 Time Inc took over. It now publishes popular magazines like NME, InStyle and WorldSoccer. The company is based in London and holds over 60 media brands.
  Time Incs' magazine brands are aimed at sophisticated adults who are up-to-date with technology. My target audience differ from this because they're younger and less sophisticated. I don't think Time Inc is the publisher for me because our audiences are very different and I feel as though they don't need a further magazine brand to expand on their already raging success. socio economic demographic they aim to please are a lot higher in society than my target market.

Bauer
  Bauer is a European-based Media company that manages a portfolio of more than 600 magazines, over 400 digital products and 50 radio and TV stations around the world. They hold the majority of the popular brands and companies such as 4Music, Closer, Empire, Heat, Kiss, Magic 105.4, Mojo, Q and many more. Taking this into consideration, I feel as though this would be the best publisher for my magazine. This is because it already owns a lot of music labels and these encourage the sales of Tempo. Introducing a magazine for younger readers like school children may encourage more audience,  and a large chunk of it overlaps with the already successful companies Bauer holds anyway. For example a similar brand they manage is Kiss, which is a pop music brand that is very much alike to my magazine. Kiss doesn't have a magazine on the market so I could fit that slot. I would say that Bauers target audience varies from female and male students from the age of 16 who are pop culture lovers, to sporty males and car lovers from the age of 20. I think that my magazine would fit with this publisher as Bauer holds a similar audience I am aiming for and so I would have a head start. Also, Bauers multi-platform presence is huge and so it will have a huge impact on the market and therefore people are more likely to read a amagazine published by Bauer.

Condé Nast
  Condé Nast is a mass media company and attracts 164 consumers across its 20 print and digital media brands. Some of these include Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair and Tatler. These are all companies that are aimed at similar readers to mine. Also they're all multi-platform brands you can purchase online or in print form. This publisher would be good for my magazine because their audience is mainly females of the ages 20+ who like fashion. It misses the margin of my target audience so Tempo would fit nicely with this publisher to further expand their audience range. It would bring in students who like music and popular tastes. Condé Nast also don't have a lot of brands they hold so maybe would appreciate another for the youngsters.

double page spread

contents page

front cover

The magazine industry

The magazine industry

Demand for magazines is driven largely by growth in consumer income. The profitability of individual companies depends highly on marketing expertise. Small companies can compete by specializing in niche topics and markets, while larger companies benefit from a wide selection of magazine titles to offer advertisers. People in the UK are continuing to buy fewer magazines, with circulations in the market place dropping by than more than 15 million copies in 2014. TV Choice remains the UK’s biggest-selling magazine in the UK, despite its average weekly sale falling by 7.9% year on year in the second half of 2014.                                                                                                 Less and less people are buying printed magazines because it's a lot easier to purchase them electronically: it saves time and energy. Also, young people nowadays are using hand held devices to read and so as this becomes more popular, digital versions of magazines will rise. Monthly title, BBC History, has recorded an astonishing 693% rise in digital circulation. Vogue, has seen theirs jump up by just over 463%. This is to suit the needs of the public and their preferred method of purchase.                                                                        In 2010, the weekly proportion spent on printed magazines in the average UK household was 0.57%. This dropped to 0.46% in 2013. In 2010, 0.49% of the average UK household's weekly magazine spending went towards internet subscriptions. By 2013, this went up to 0.54%. These figures show that less people are buying print magazines and purchasing the online versions instead. As technology develops, so does the audiences preferences in which they buy their magazines. It's more likely that if the magazines target audience is young adults, they will sell more of their copies online because nowadays, the younger readers typically use the internet more.        The cost of putting an advert in a magazine depends on the size, frequency, regional rates, colour and positioning. Adverts are more expensive to put in magazines if they're large, colourful, in more than one issue and a popular magazine. Although this may be a risk advertisers are prepared to make because the more the advert stands out, the more people will see it and go and buy the product.