About Teen Vogue:
TEEN VOGUE. It's new. It's like regular Vogue, except for teens. It's the #1 magazine for fashion, trends, and music. The title ‘Teen Vogue’ suggests the target audience with the reference to the word ‘Teen’. This magazine would preferably suit a female teen, due to the fact that most of the articles that it features would target girls not boys. Different sized fonts and different coloured fonts are used to add appeal to the cover. If certain articles are displayed in large print, they are used to be the main eye catchers. For example the headline ‘shop 250+ looks’ is used to draw the potential buyer’s attention, and then as they pick up the magazine they will read the other headlines present on the front cover. The magazine has 12 issues per year. The colours attract attention through bright orange, yellow and white, being the main title and article colours. These colours can catch the attention of both males and females, as they are unisex colours. The picture of the OC’s Adam Brody and Gilmore Girl, Alexis Bledel, suggest the leading article about the interview with the two celebrities. Engaging headlines such as; ‘Get great skin fast’, ‘Fall fashion special’, ‘Wake up call, can sleeping in give you straight A’s’, and ‘Dangerous Curves’ are featured on the front cover, which improves the effectiveness of the already strong eye – catching appeal.
About Elle Girl:
ELLE girl offers international ambiance and fashion ideas to help you become the true fabulous you. Lots of DIY ideas, and other fun stuff for girls searching for a witty, smart alternative to the traditional teen magazine. Be the first to know about the season's best and most affordable clothes, the newest colors in makeup, and the latest news on the coolest people, places and things. Elle girls’ front cover suggests the target audience, through its clear, bold and conspicuous title. The word ‘Elle GIRL’, obviously suggest the gender audience to be girls, and also shows this through the colour of the title displayed, which is hot pink, and definitely appeals to teen girls, as they are fond of this colour. The target audience’s attention is grasped as a result of the colours exhibited on this cover, with baby blues, white, black and hot pink signifying and prominently showing the true target audience. Another thing that grab’s the target audience’s attention is the picture on the front cover, (Drew Barrymore), which suggests a leading article called, ‘Drew wants you’. Some catchy headlines and articles that appear on the front cover and are used to draw the reader’s attention include; ‘50 ways to make your room look cool’, ‘235 beauty tips from the pros’, 458 great fall fashion finds’ and ‘9 secrets to super shiny hair’.
4. HOW DOES A SPECIFIC MAGAZINE APPEAL TO ITS TARGET AUDIENCE?
Magazines are very popular because they appeal to particular readers.
The survey in which I conducted showed that teenagers do like magazines, due to the fact that they keep you entertained and up to date.
I have also viewed that it is apparent that a vast majority of teens, (about 17/20), only buy magazines occasionally. I assume that this is because most magazines are too expensive nowadays. I also observed that both sexes look for things in magazines such as new products and entertainment, and both sexes like celebrity gossip and cool posters and pictures. It is apparent that teens of both genders like a magazine that is issued monthly. Puzzles and crosswords were unpopular amongst both genders, particularly. I also took a look at what the females and males like to see in magazines specifically. I found that females in particularly like to read about fashion, makeup and accessories, beauty, hair, health and keeping fit, and above all love the quizzes. Males especially, like to read about surfing, cars, computer games, new products, entertainment, the latest clothes and principally pretty girls.
Relevant to all girls who live life to the max, chick is a gutsy addition to the list of girl’s teenage magazines. Chick provides positive, motivational and entertaining editorial through star interviews, band dares, sizzling fashion shoots and exciting tip pages. Chik is aimed at “opinion leaders” – girls who set trends rather than follow them and who aren’t afraid to be themselves. Chik’s unique blend of cheeky humour, hot fashion and inspirational stories has made it one of the fastest growing titles for teenage girls.
Chick magazine’s editor is Luisa Browlett and Peter Morrison is the Publisher. This magazine is reasonably priced at $4.99, and will consequently attract a majority of teens, without blowing their budget.
4.1 Chick magazine offers a wide range of features, real life stories and tips. Some of the articles present in this month’s issue comprise of:
- Article entitled De – stress and recharge:
This article is basically about how to handle the hassles in your life, without losing the plort, when you’re feeling physically and mentally exhausted what to do, and how not to crumple into a ball and cry, if you get one more assignment. There are some very handy tips provided, that are both quite simple and productive, and give you suggestions on how to get relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on whatever comes your way.
- Article entitled: - Ashlee Simpson
- This is an interview with Ashlee Simpson, (sister of Jessica Simpson), and is on the whole, about how Musically Jessica and Ashlee are very different and they have different tastes but personality wise, Ashlee really looks up to her a lot. The interview is about her upbringing, how she got into show business, what came first (she is an actor, singer and dancer), and just principally everything you need to know about her. She also gives some grand advice to teenage girls.
- Article Entitled: Identity Crisis
- This story is basically about how to be you. Advice is given such as ‘Don’t ever be afraid to be yourself – sometimes it may be hard, but it will always be worth it.’ Tips include; Personality clash – we all have different sides of ourselves, which we show in different situations and we act differently around different groups of people. The real you – Deep down you already know who you are, it’s just a case of showing that person to everyone else. A time and a place – we are all complex and unique people. There are so many different sides to all of us, and sometimes it’s hard to know which one to be. Tips such as these and many, many more are given throughout this story.
- Article Entitled:Your body – sorted:
This article includes relevant information about all your health and fitness questions.
It provides solid and practical advice about your body, such as; what is your metabolism and what can I do to increase or decrease my metabolic rate? How important is breakfast? How long will I have to train for before I get fit and lose weight? Also advice is given on how to get abs of steel and flat tummies. Pilates is also advertised as a solution.
Assumingly, I would say that the proportion of Chick magazine used for advertising would be about 47 pages out of about 150, although this is not an exact calculation. This proportion is a good amount, as there is not too little room taken up for advertisements, and there is not too much, there is just an adequate amount, that suits the size and style of Chick magazine.
4.2 The main categories of advertising in this magazine consist of mainly; beauty, fashion, health, fitness, entertainment and accessories.
For example four advertisements/ products include;
- Ripcurl, billabong, roxy, Purr Girl, mermaid sister and coral reef bikinis: This advertisement matches up with the contents of the magazine due to the fact that Summer is coming up and one of Chick’s main articles is the ‘’Free bikini guide’’, also it matches up with the magazine for the reason that Chick is a magazine for teen girls, who love fashion and the latest products, and by displaying bikinis as a main advertisement, the magazine is drawing the target audience’s attention.
- Vanish 5, Natures Organics and Ten O Six pimple treatment, mud masks and face washes: This advertisement complements the overall contents of Chick Mag by referring back to what Teen Girls think is most important: Looking Good. The magazine deals with issues involving self esteem, improving your self image, as well as this beauty is an essential element of Chick Magazine. Having skin products as an advertisement draws the target audience’s attention as they too want to look good and feel great.
- Latest summer fashions, shoes, hats, handbags and bags, accessories. Brands such as Mermaid Sister, Aztec Rose, Juice, One Teaspoon, Billabong, Roxy, Gallaz, Kustom, Starley, Stussy, Ripcurl, Coral Reef and Emily Strange. These harmonize with the general basis of the magazine, once again being: looking good, being in Style and feeling great at the same time. These types of advertisements balance the magazine targets teen girl’s attention by making them feel that if they wear all the latest gear, they will feel better and be more confident and secure within themselves
- Mobile Phones: Phones such as Nokia 2300’s with Roxy Brand covers correspond with the entire contents of this magazine because Roxy is one of the main brands advertised throughout the magazine for things such as; clothing, accessories, hats, bags etc. As well as this the idea of advertising mobile phones matches up with two leading articles, that involve Mobile phones, called ‘’Making Contact’’ and ‘’The tone with which it’s intended’’. As you may see, this advertisement definitely tones in with Chick magazine.
I would assume that Chick magazine is read on the majority, by teenage girls, ranging from ages twelve to about sixteen. The name of the magazine shows its target audience at a first glance.
Chick magazine appeals to its target audience (Readers and Buyers) in the following ways:
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First, the magazine appeals to a wide variety of teen girls, despite their income or budget. Many teen girls would consider the price ($4.99), a definite value for money, as many other teen mags are much more expensive, and also full of rubbish. This is perceptible for both the teen girls and the parents, as they are the potential buyers of their daughter’s magazine, and would also regard Chick as value for money. Another reason that links with the value for money is that Chick magazine is the five-time Parents Choice Award winner! This is because Chick magazine is such a suitable magazine for teenagers, and is a smart alternative to the traditional teen magazine.
- Second, the front cover and layout. The cover of Chick magazine grabs its target audience, through the bright colours (fluoro orange, hot purple, bright yellow, black and white) to attract attention. The picture of Ashlee Simpson suggests a leading article about her life and upbringing. As well as this, catchy headlines are employed to grab the buyer’s attention. ‘’Dropped out? So did these girls… Now they’re taking on the fashion world, and’’ ‘’Sick of you’re parents, but would you ever divorce them’’ are just some of the catchy headlines displayed.
- Last, but not least, the Language Used, is an important feature used in Chick magazine: As you can imagine, teenagers are not going to want to read a magazine that does not use their language. For example, ‘’hey dude’’, or ‘’nah, mad, too true’’. Teenagers want a magazine that appeals to them through the language used. That is why Chick magazine is so effective in doing so. It uses teen – like language enough to make it efficient, but not too much to make it sound like a hillbilly, slang magazine.
- Types of articles and advertisements (see 4.1 and 4.2)
- Layout and Appearance: The layout of Chick Magazine is definitely suitable for teenagers. It targets teens through the colours displayed throughout the mag, and the way the things on the pages are structured. Right through the magazine bright, appealing colours, such as pinks, blues, yellows, greens etc are used to grab your attention. The pages are structured in a way that they are not too neat and not too messy. They are not symmetrical and straight, which appeals to teens, as they like messiness. It is very complex to explain, but Chick mag has almost the perfect layout for its target audience.
My personal opinion:
I think that this magazine has a catchy cover, with a nice bold and clear title, that almost straight away grabs your attention. The colours depicted are fantastic. The articles are so very interesting, and when you open up the magazine and begin reading, you will find it hard to put down. The layout is suitable, simple yet eye – catching. The advertisements are very useful, as these are things that teen girls are experiencing at this time of their lives, for example face wash is a good advertisement as a lot of teens can develop acne. The price of Chick is unquestionably suitable and there is no doubt that it is value for money. Whatever’s important to teenage girls, it is covered in this magazine.
5. CONCLUSIONS:
Magazines are very popular because they appeal to particular readers. The Publishers and editors aim to do this in these ways:
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Front Cover and Layout:
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All magazine covers need a clear title which suggests:
- the target audience,
- the price, t
- he date/ frequency of publication.
- The cover needs to grab the target audience’s attention through:
- the picture which suggests a leading article
- colour to attract attention
- articles to appeal to target audience, with fonts
- catchy headlines that grab attention to articles.
- The design or layout of the page or front cover will depend on the type of article, the style of the magazine and the amount of pictures or illustrations used to illustrate the article. Important design areas for a magazine are the cover and the contents pages. The designer must achieve the right amount of balance of graphics and information on these pages, and the cover must grab the reader’s attention so that they will turn to the contents page to find out what’s in the magazine. Those pages, must then in sequence, encourage them to buy the magazine. The pages of a magazine all have typefaces, colours, thickness of lines, and the illustrations and photographs must divide the text in an effective way. The design must assist reading, not discourage it.
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Articles: The editor of a magazine has to ensure that the reader (target audience) will enjoy the articles. The articles have to be entertaining and enjoyable and not just jam – packed with information. The stories in magazines should create a feeling of fun. Magazine articles are usually about 1000 to 2000 words long and are structured almost exactly like an essay, with an introduction, body of information, and a conclusion to finish. Articles should appeal to the particular target audience that the magazine is aimed at. For example a car magazine might have an article about a famous car racer etc.
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Advertising: Publishers and Editors must know that the primary goal in advertising is to get the right message to the right audience. They will go a long way toward this goal if they know who their current and potential customers are of the magazine.. They also need to consider what advertisements are most appropriate for a specific customer category. For example, advertisements for senior citizens will be different to that meant to attract teenagers. Advertising in a magazine should relate, or more so correspond with the type/ style of the magazine and also has to be in relation to the target audience. The advertisements chosen by the publishers and editors should support the overall contents of the magazine. Suppose a women’s health and fitness magazine should include adverts about; gyms, weights, walk machines, healthy foods, diet clubs eg weight watchers, and also things such as perfumes etc, as the target audience is women. In conclusion, the advertisements in a magazine must appeal to the target audience and complement the magazine.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS:
The new magazine should be called ‘’Clothesmopolitan’. The price should be $4.00 as this is a reasonable, yet profitable price, and because it is quite inexpensive more teens will buy it, hence increasing the number of sales. It should be aimed at the following target audience:
Gender: Female teenagers,
Occupation: Mainly students, or drop out students
Age: Ranging from ages 13 to about 17
Educational Level: Must know how to read and understand what they are reading, do not need a high educational level whatsoever
Interests: Girls who like to live life to the max and are down to earth. Also for girls who love to learn all about fashion, relationships, friends, self esteem etc. Have to mainly be interested in the average girl things, and who like to keep fit and healthy and stay slim and trim. This is due to the fact that a bit of the magazine is in relation to health and fitness, and eating properly.
Income: Caters for any income or budget. At only five dollars, there are no limits.
- It is suggested that these types of articles be included:
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Health and fitness: Articles about how to keep fit and healthy and stay trim. Good diets for teenagers should be included, as well as articles that give advice on popular, low budget exercises. Also things including the ways to keep your skin clean and clear, and how to prevent acne/ pimples.
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Latest news and current affairs: Articles concerning the world around us, any current affairs, such as terrorist acts etc, as well as information on politics. is very important for teenagers of this day and age, as they too need to be kept up to date on the things that are happening around them, as to help them develop into more mature people.
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Real Life stories: Real life stories, such as tragedies that have happened to people, embarrassing moments, etc. These all appeal to teens, and they enjoy reading them as they actually are REAL.
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Celebrity Gossip: Articles regarding all the latest goss about celebs and stars
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Entertainment: Articles in relation to all the latest DVD’s, movie’s etc, concerts, and ratings on movies should be included.
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Interviews with Celebrities: Interviews with celebs such as bands, actors, dancers etc are very appealing to teens, because they like to see how they have become so successful, and like to be inspired by their successions.
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Sports: All about sportstars, Olympic medallist winners, sport reviews and how they got where they are today
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Self confidence and self esteem: Articles that help to build self image and self confidence of teens.
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Family, Friend, Boyfriend and Relationship articles/ advice: How to deal
- Fashion
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God related articles: Dealing with God, religion, christians etc
- Posters of famous celebrities
- It is suggested that these types of advertisements be included:
- Fashion
- Makeup and Accessories
- New Products
- Entertainment
- Sport
- Health, eg healthy foods, healthy fast foods for teenagers, healthy school snacks
- Fitness: products to help you get fit
- Educational products
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Christian related products: For example Godly books, movies, bibles, also advertising youth groups and churches
7. AUTHORSHIP:
16th September
Lisa Eyles