Analysing a Magazine
A magazine's cover is the most important element, in terms of how it appeals to potential buyers
At a glance, you can generally tell if a magazine is going to satisfy your interests, outlook and aspirationA hope or ambition in life..
Different magazines have distinct house styles that convey their brand identityThe image a company constructs for itself through the use of logos, slogans and other marketing tools in order to appeal to an audience..
The brand identity and point-of-view (or ideologyA set of ideas or thoughts that someone, or a group of people, believe in. The plural of this is 'ideologies'.) conveyed by a magazine is vital when we consider that magazines are selling us content that is often aspirational.
Modes of address
Different magazines have different mode of addressThe ways in which a media text uses language to speak to its target audience - for example, formal or informal..
This may be formal and informative, or more casual and catchy.
Magazines use design and language to stand out from their competitors in the same subgenreA subcategory within a particular genre..
For example, Kerrang! and NME both use an informal tone and style but Kerrang! uses language that will appeal specifically to heavy metal fans. NME, which is also informal, uses language that will appeal to indie music fans.
A magazine contents page lists all of its content including regular pages and special features. The audience (or readers) will normally expect to find regular pages in the same place for each editon.
For example, readers of Empire will know where to find cinema reviews, as opposed to feature articles. Readers of a lifestyle magazine will expect to find items like horoscopes near the back.
Features are particular to each magazine issue. They will contain new content on current topics and may be an exclusive for the magazine.