In Depth Analysis Of NME Magazine

I started to analyze NME pages in depth, especially the contents pages and some double page spread. To see what style they used, and things to help me design my own.

They use very a vert stable layout that they use in every issue apart from maybe a special issue like christmas or an anniversary. The NME logo/heading is in the same place as it is on the front cover so it looks constant, then the words 'this week' in very large, larger than the logo font so it really stands out. The thing your eyes are drawn straight to. Then they always position the pages under clear headings on the right hand side of the page- the headings are very clear with a black background with white writing which is the opposite to the rest of the text of the page, this makes them stand out and look very bold. All the page numbers are in the same red as the red of the NME logo at the top and also links in with various other things on the page, for example the band index. In the middle of the page they put a picture and a small bit of information writing about what the picture, with a title that leads you in to the block of writing, this piece of writing makes you want to read on about the main article. This creates a nice lead into the rest of the magazine. Underneath this they have put an advert for subscription to the magazine with information about how to do. It is all in a black box, which is the largest bit of solid black a well as the title. It also has vibrant yellow text to make your eye go it as it a very contrasting colour. Then on the far left is a 'bang index' which tells you all the bands that have been in the magazine and where you can find them to read about them in the magazine. Then also around the page they put in small icons like the arrows down the main contents page part on the right, the arrows show what has been mentioned on the front of the magazine so you can easily find what you want to read about at a glance.

The double page spread is full of small personal NME features that make the page very informal and friendly to the reader- for example the 'nme loves' and 'need to know' theses small things make the page look interesting and fun. The page has a clear colour scheme, light blue and black, this makes the page look neater and helps it flow better. I like that the photo takes up most of the page and the interview isn't too long, but not too short, the use of a 'pull quote' makes the article look more interesting, and also gives you an insight to what it's going to be about. The NME website address at the end of the article allows you to keep up with the band and look at more bands similar to this one. The strip down the right side of the page with bands that are in the same league and similar genre to the main one helps link the page all together. It also goes with the colour scheme of the page so it is part of the page but clearly not entirely to do with the main band. Overall the page works really well with lots of information in a neat compact and without looking boring. Not too busy, but not too pain a good balance that i want on my double page spread.
Analyzing these pages i have a good idea of what i want to include in my magazine. How to lay it all out in a clear way that won't bore or be too much for my reader. With something to interest everyone.

Promotional CD Cover

I created a promotional CD to do with my magazine as an extra, i decided to do a compilation CD as it would give me more choice and power over the design of the cover. I wanted the CD to have all songs that a typical reader of my magazine would listen to, but i also tried to get a variety on there too.

I wanted a vintage/homemade feel to my cover, i decided that the main image on it should be on original cassette tape, as this what original compilations were recorded on. To keep in with the 'homemade' look i tried to get a written type font so it looked original, i used 'TrashHand' which i think achieved this look. I chose to use a blue biro colour font so also add to the effect- I carried this on throughout the cover. I used photoshop to edit my image making the whole thing darker by using the 'Burn Tool' I used this repeatedly around the edges to create the old look. This effect also made it look more vintage. The darker corner and edges leads your eye to the centre. Then the bright in comparison to the background font stands out more in contrast. The whole thing looks very original and would fit in nicely with my magazine and the all round look i want for my products.

I then proceeded to make the back cover of the CD. I wanted to still keep it similar to the cover- with the same feel to it (vintage/homemade) although i wanted to do in a slightly different way. So it followed on from the cover i decided to use the same font and colour. I created the background in photoshop by overlaying various images until i got the look i wanted, using the 'Burn Tool' again to make some bits darker mainly the tea cup stains. The background look i was aiming for was a scrap of paper with seemingly unimportant writing on it- the hand written font and the fact that the writing wasn't all on the lines added to this. I then inserted the logo's and important information. The Parental Advisory sticker to show that the some of the songs had an explicit nature to them. Also the Music Club logo, a company that creates many compilation CD's. Then a wed address and copy right information. These two things i wanted to keep out the way so i places them in the two right corners of the back cover- so you can easily see them but they dont take away from the design.

Avertising

I wanted to include what type of advertising would be in my magazine, all the adverts shown here and the sort of thing i want in my magazine. All of them are advertising the typical type of thing that a reader of my magazine would have or would want. Most of the adverts shown are affordable products, that a reader of this magazine would be able to afford, although i would still want to advertise products such as RayBan's as this is a product that a reader would want and seeing it constantly will make them want it more, therefore making good advertising.
All the averts are showing men which clearly shows that the advert is for men and are aimed and to entice men. They all have quite dull colour schemes, like blue, greys, blacks and whites-these are colours worn and associated with men and teenagers a lot and seeing these colours make them familiar to the viewer, so they reflect in these adverts. Although the RayBan advert is full of bright colours that can show that is an more expensive product and catches readers eyes. They all reflect how most men want to be, especially the diesel one, that shows a fit man with the fragrance-trying to say if you get this fragrance you will be able to look like me, this is a very classic way of advertising which many companies use as it is a very successful way that is proven to work. The movie poster is very clearly aimed at boys/men- with two men on the front in a comical type pose that is instantly funny to the viewer, with one of the men with a broken arm to show there will be action with some comedy in the movie- all the things that a typical male wants. All these adverts will easily be able to blend in with my magazine and look in place/context to what the magazine includes.

Music Magazine Survey

I produced a music magazine survey to see what people want to see in a new music magazine, i tried to interview people in the age range that i was aiming for with a few others to see the comparison in results. i wanted to keep my survey short and to the point as making it too complicated people would get bored filling it in and not take it seriously. I kept my survey neat and easy to understand and as clear as possible with only one question that required a personal answer the others just tick boxes. I wanted to find information about basic things that a good music magazine has, nothing too complicated that would be hard for me to do. I also wanted to see the difference between genders. I wanted an easy way to show my findings so i compiled them all into graphs that are easy to read and understand:

I found that all of the people i questioned used ipods/mp3's to listen to music, and only one didnt use radio to listen, and an equal number of male and females used the internet to listen. All the other results are pretty scattered, mostly quite even on the whole, this may be because there are only limited ways of listening to music. CD's and concerts proved to be the least popular way of listening!

Overall women were prepared to pay more for a monthly music magazine that men were-more men choosing the cheaper option, although there was only 1 person difference in both cases. But no one wanted to pay £5+ for a magazine, mainly because there is no monthly magazine that costs that mush in the market right now, only high end fashion/beauty type magazines.

On average man seemed to buy more magazines per month with all male candidates buying at least one magazine per month, the average 2 a month which is a reasonable amount.  With only 1 candidate (female) that didnt buy any magazines in a month. But neither bought more than 4 magazines a month, probably they dont have enough disposable income to.

I chose to do quite a wide range of music to choose from as it is hard to categorize your favorite genre to one. Overall men seemed to have a wider range of musical taste than women, the most popular category for both was rap/hip-hop, them dance, electronic and other following close behind. Although neither picked opera as their favorite, other than that there was at least one point for each genre.

This was quite a varied graph with all download types being chosen at least once by both genders apart from other. The least popular way proving to be CD's which had an even 1 of both men and women choosing it. Them the internet and iTunes were very scattered between men and women. This question was quite hard to do as there are so many different ways to download music so i tried to pick what i thought was the 3 most popular ways of downloading music with the option of 'other' which no one chose!

This was the most important question, as i needed to know if there would be room for a my music magazine in the current market. The answers were hard to interpret either way as there wasnt really a clear majority on either the answer or the gender answering the question. Men were more likely to buy a new magazine than girls where-but generally serious music magazines (like the one i want to produce) are mostly read by males.

This question was not a very important question, it was mainly to see how into music my candidates were, again it was males who were more likely to do things to do with music (go to a music festival and buy a new music magazine) Whereas girls weren't as keen, with more saying no- but only 1 male saying no to going to music festivals.

This question was for my benefit than trying to find out about the readership. Women voted for all the options to be in a new magazine, typically choosing the more girly categories such as fashion, advice,customer page and real life which no male candidate chose. although all candidates wanted to see interviews. Them all males wanting to see reviews and up and coming with the girls votes 1 or 2 votes below. So i decided to do the categories that both genders had chosen.

My survey helped me a lot in choosing how to design, layout and what to include in my magazine. It also gave me a clearer idea of who i would aim my magazine at- I want my magazine to mainly appeal to men, but there to also to be something that women would find interesting to read/look at.

NME Analysis

NME is the magazine that is closest to the type of magazine i want to achieve! It is simple and very effect, with bright colours that stand out and are often contrasting with clear cover-lines and interesting ways of doing them, like using shapes and banners to make them stand out more! All the covers are easy to read and not to busy with constant features that make it easily recognizable. It also has clever selling points-the fact that the title is in the left third so it can see seen easily and quickly when the magazine is being stacked and sold! The unimportant features that take away from the main body of the magazine are small and out the way, the barcode and price for example. The target of this magazine is very similar to my age range teens to mid 20's, this makes it a useful magazine to refer back to. This cover in particular is like mine as i am having a girl on the front of my cover which is unusual in the music unless the music magazine is more of a 'lads mag' which is not the look i am going for! I like how the female model is looking straight out, this helps entice the reader in, another effect that i would like to have on my cover! The use of pink on the cover makes it look more girly-which i dont really like as i want my magazine to look professional and have the same readership as this magazine and that is hard to when there is a very feminine colour on the front if the magazine doesnt already have a reputation!