Case Study of NME Magazine

What I have gathered from the Results.

I handed out my questionnaire to 30 people, 15 males and 15 females between the ages of 15-24.

This is what I found out from the people I asked:

- buy magazines 1 to 3 times a month

- liked the magazine cover with more than one person on it

- would like to see a group or singer featured

- the colour scheme preferred involved darker colours

- enjoy various features in a magazine (information, entertainment etc)

- the font preferred is simple and bold

- would like to buy the magazine once a month

- willing to pay between £2.50 and £350



From this information, I can create a magazine specific to the wants of my audience. I will be including:

- bold colours and eye catching layouts

- a singer or group (interview, images)

- freebies/competitions

- slick and contemporary front cover

- relevant information (album reviews, new releases)



Along with these features, I can use some of the conventions that other magazines of this genre use, like:

- ambiguous front cover image

- dark but bold colours

- secondary images on the front cover

- large texts and Masthead

- Sans Serif font for Masthead



Questionnaire Results

Questionnaire

This is what I have used for my audience research.

Audience Research

I am going to be conducting a survery as a way to gather information about what my target audience would want in a magazine. With the information collected, I will be able to create a magazine which will be successful as I will be able to incorporate what my audience wants; rather than what I think they want. 

Typeface Analysis, Microsoft Sans Serif

Typeface Analysis, Edwardian Script

Typeface Analysis, Times New Roman

Typeface Analysis, Arial

Comparison of Contents Page

Comparison of Double Page Spread

Comparison of Front Covers

Q Double Page Spread Analysis

NME Double Page Spread Analysis

Q Contents Page Analysis

NME Contents Page Analysis

Q Cover Analysis

NME Cover Analysis

Introduction to Main Task

The object of the main task is to create a music magazine. I will be focusing on the genre of alternative Rock and Indie music. I chose this genre as there are only two main magazines which I can think in this genre and I would like to expand the range of choice.

The requirements of the task are to create:

- A Front cover

- Contents page

- Double Page spread

My current ideas to include in the magazine are:

- An interview with a artist/group/band from the genre

- News related to the world of Rock and Indie (new music, films etc)

- The double page spread will include an image of an up-and-coming artist

The target audience for my magazine will be 15-24. I have chosen the range as I have done research into other magazines like the one I wish to create, and the general audience has varied from these ages. The ways I will attract my audience will be through:

- Typeface/font - I will be able to communicate through these as some maybe more feminine or more masculine, I would therefore want a font which is androgynous.

- Colour scheme - Again, I would want this to be androgynous so I can appeal to a wider range of people. The colours will be contemporary and slick.

- Images - to attract my audience I would like to use relevant and appealing images.

- Competitions/freebies - these could be used to gather more interest.

The aim of my magazine will be to entertain Rock and Indie fans. If it were to be published, it would be done monthly as this will allow each magazine to round up the month and also allow institution to create interesting features which are up to date and current.

I will be carrying out research to identify the conventions of magazines in my genre as well as the wants of my audience. The research will include analyses of different magazine covers, double page spreads and contents pages. These analyses will allow me to identify what to include in my magazine. Also, a public questionnaire will be taken so I can find out what people would like in a magazine.

I would like to experiment further with Photoshop tools as a way to develop my creative potential. This is very important as many of the magazine covers and images of my genre are usually quite simple, but very eye catching.