How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
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Men’s fashion and lifestyle magazines use specific techniques, codes and convention to attract their TA to the magazine. These codes and conventions are also vital to ensure that audiences can recognize the genre and be compelled to buy an issue. Individual magazines will have their own house style and a unique selling point to stand out amongst others, as well as creating their own brand that will be instantly recognized by audiences. Despite this, there are a few fixed elements that most men’s fashion and lifestyle magazines will stick to.
From my research, I found that men’s fashion magazines aimed at rather a wide age range (16-40), and usually contain stories related to fashion, and current affairs that men can relate to and are interested in. I decided that ‘ICON’ would aim for the younger side of the spectrum, appealing to a male audience between the age range of 20-35. This age range is very tight and specific, unlike most men fashion magazines. My audience fit into the A-B social class. They have a explorers and reformers psycho-graphic profile. They would look to expand their wardrobe and would be interested in quality brands.
When analyzing several magazine front covers, I found the main models were either black or white, with little representation of non-American men. I decided to challenge this convention and used a Latino male model. By using a racially ambiguous model, I can represent a social group who may otherwise be excluded or misrepresented in media. This attracts that group to the magazine, as they feel a connection to the model, hence attracting a wider readership to the magazine, as the cover satisfies audience needs of belonging. I also noticed that men’s fashion magazines usually wanted to sell a brand being of impassive and powerful. I decided to challenge this manly stereotype by using a bright and vibrant colour scheme that may be seen my mainstream media as emasculating. By challenging this society norm, the front cover will attract the young explorer audience that ‘ICON’ is aimed for, since they are looking for something new and exciting. I also included sell lines of well-known male stars opening up and being vulnerable in interviews. This type of stereotyping is an issue for men, as it inhibits them from confidently speaking about their emotions without feeling like they will be ridiculed, and since media shapes social standards, it was important to break this stereotype. Although breaking the conventional elements of a men’s fashion magazine front over is good for addressing social issues, or standing out amongst others, it does pose a few issues. One of the main problems with using an eccentric colour scheme is that it may be challenging for the audience to recognize the magazines genre, which may repeal the TA. When doing my research into GQ, one of the most successful men’s fashion magazines, I found a specific issue that used a similar unconventional bright colour scheme. I found that they relied heavily on other conventions to ensure that audiences can recognize the genre. They used black and white text for the sell lines, anchorage text, and masthead. The main model, Sam Smith, a well know male singer, is wearing a black and white suit, a very masculine formal attire. The use of black and white also brings back the element of formality and sophistication. I decided to use this strategy for my front cover, using black and white for my sell lines to add suggestions of masculinity and formality on the page, reminding audiences of the genre and attracting the A-B social class who would appreciate the slight hints of formality on the playful page. To conclude, the front cover is relatively unconventional.
Based on research into mens fashion magazine such as GQ, my contents page is very conventional. Similar to Esquire and GQ, I put the masthead next to the title ‘contents’ at the top of the page. I found that GQ’s contents pages split the text into 3 or 4 columns, and this was a technique used in a few other contents page. I decided to follow this convention to help split up the sell lines and create an ordered and formal look, to satisfy the A-B social class. Another code of a contents page is to add the page number next to the sell line, to guide the audience to the correct page. The main image on a contents page of this genre is usually a wide shot, showing the audience the model’s entire outfit. I used these conventions to convey the genre of the magazine: the male model showing that it is aimed towards a male audience, and mise en scene shows that the magazine focuses on fashion.
Similar to my front cover, I decided to use models from a range nationality on my front cover. One of my models is from Pakistan, another is Latino, and the other is British. By representing a variety of social groups, the article page attracts a wider audience who can identify with the page. I used a purple colour scheme, to match the overall theme, to help create a flow between each piece. This use of purple is very unconventional, however does set the page apart to what audience may be used to seeing in any other magazine, further engaging my young and trendy TA. When thinking about the format of the page, I had to consider the age of the aimed audience. I decided to split the text up into columns, and give the audiences eyes a rest by using images related to the text. This keeps their attention as a long body of text may be overwhelming or may look boring to the young adults reading the page. The double-page spread also uses a list form, as I found during research that lists are more attractive to audiences.
On first glance, my pieces are seemingly unconventional. This helps attract the young explorer audience, who are looking for something new and unique. However, by using specific techniques and details, I was able to portray the genre correctly. The combination of the playful and out there look to the three pieces attracts the niche audience that the magazine is aimed at, who would appreciate the hints of sophistication while being compelled by the distinctiveness of the magazine.
From my research, I found that men’s fashion magazines aimed at rather a wide age range (16-40), and usually contain stories related to fashion, and current affairs that men can relate to and are interested in. I decided that ‘ICON’ would aim for the younger side of the spectrum, appealing to a male audience between the age range of 20-35. This age range is very tight and specific, unlike most men fashion magazines. My audience fit into the A-B social class. They have a explorers and reformers psycho-graphic profile. They would look to expand their wardrobe and would be interested in quality brands.
When analyzing several magazine front covers, I found the main models were either black or white, with little representation of non-American men. I decided to challenge this convention and used a Latino male model. By using a racially ambiguous model, I can represent a social group who may otherwise be excluded or misrepresented in media. This attracts that group to the magazine, as they feel a connection to the model, hence attracting a wider readership to the magazine, as the cover satisfies audience needs of belonging. I also noticed that men’s fashion magazines usually wanted to sell a brand being of impassive and powerful. I decided to challenge this manly stereotype by using a bright and vibrant colour scheme that may be seen my mainstream media as emasculating. By challenging this society norm, the front cover will attract the young explorer audience that ‘ICON’ is aimed for, since they are looking for something new and exciting. I also included sell lines of well-known male stars opening up and being vulnerable in interviews. This type of stereotyping is an issue for men, as it inhibits them from confidently speaking about their emotions without feeling like they will be ridiculed, and since media shapes social standards, it was important to break this stereotype. Although breaking the conventional elements of a men’s fashion magazine front over is good for addressing social issues, or standing out amongst others, it does pose a few issues. One of the main problems with using an eccentric colour scheme is that it may be challenging for the audience to recognize the magazines genre, which may repeal the TA. When doing my research into GQ, one of the most successful men’s fashion magazines, I found a specific issue that used a similar unconventional bright colour scheme. I found that they relied heavily on other conventions to ensure that audiences can recognize the genre. They used black and white text for the sell lines, anchorage text, and masthead. The main model, Sam Smith, a well know male singer, is wearing a black and white suit, a very masculine formal attire. The use of black and white also brings back the element of formality and sophistication. I decided to use this strategy for my front cover, using black and white for my sell lines to add suggestions of masculinity and formality on the page, reminding audiences of the genre and attracting the A-B social class who would appreciate the slight hints of formality on the playful page. To conclude, the front cover is relatively unconventional.
Based on research into mens fashion magazine such as GQ, my contents page is very conventional. Similar to Esquire and GQ, I put the masthead next to the title ‘contents’ at the top of the page. I found that GQ’s contents pages split the text into 3 or 4 columns, and this was a technique used in a few other contents page. I decided to follow this convention to help split up the sell lines and create an ordered and formal look, to satisfy the A-B social class. Another code of a contents page is to add the page number next to the sell line, to guide the audience to the correct page. The main image on a contents page of this genre is usually a wide shot, showing the audience the model’s entire outfit. I used these conventions to convey the genre of the magazine: the male model showing that it is aimed towards a male audience, and mise en scene shows that the magazine focuses on fashion.
Similar to my front cover, I decided to use models from a range nationality on my front cover. One of my models is from Pakistan, another is Latino, and the other is British. By representing a variety of social groups, the article page attracts a wider audience who can identify with the page. I used a purple colour scheme, to match the overall theme, to help create a flow between each piece. This use of purple is very unconventional, however does set the page apart to what audience may be used to seeing in any other magazine, further engaging my young and trendy TA. When thinking about the format of the page, I had to consider the age of the aimed audience. I decided to split the text up into columns, and give the audiences eyes a rest by using images related to the text. This keeps their attention as a long body of text may be overwhelming or may look boring to the young adults reading the page. The double-page spread also uses a list form, as I found during research that lists are more attractive to audiences.
On first glance, my pieces are seemingly unconventional. This helps attract the young explorer audience, who are looking for something new and unique. However, by using specific techniques and details, I was able to portray the genre correctly. The combination of the playful and out there look to the three pieces attracts the niche audience that the magazine is aimed at, who would appreciate the hints of sophistication while being compelled by the distinctiveness of the magazine.