Target Audience Research

Target Audience Research

The two magazines where a good starting point to look at in terms of a college magazine. However in order to get a more suitable magazine I need to get feed back from people that the magazine would apply to, the target audience

 ( Bodmin students and parents ( group C1-E). So I created a survey monkey to help me and posted it on Facebook to gather results.

Survey Monkey Results

The survey monkey found that the majority of people that answered my questionnaire where within the 17-19 age band which when applied to school means the higher age academics (year 12-13). So therefore I should appeal to this audience by having someone of this age group featured on the front cover.  

The main people that answered my questionnaire where male, however I cannot just appeal to this because of the application of the magazine

The majority of the people stated that they did not read the magazine however this is something I want to change.

Most people also stated they did not like the original design of the magazine this could of affected if people read it because of this I really need to change it up and present in a more appealing format.

The majority of the people that answered my questionnaire stated they would like to hear stories about art. Because of this I will feature something about art as one of my main headings on the front page.

The auidence showed that they profered the TIME magazine so therefore I should base my design around this magazine but still make it more appropriate

80% of the audience stated that they liked one masthead because of this I will use it in my final piece.

So because of all of this the audience of my magazine is 17-19 year old males that situate the area of Bodmin. These are people that enjoy art and do not previously like the original magazine.  Because of the area and age group of the audience I would profile them into C1 (lower middle class) group E (Urban Ventures). 

Napier University Magazine Analysis- Part 2

Target Audience

The Edinburgh Napier University Magazine contents page has really changed it target audience as it follows on from the front cover.

Masthead

The masthead of the contents states; “ Welcome” and is done in a welcoming manor it is big and bring attention to the top of the page. It however isn’t large like a front cover masthead but this is because it is in a contents page situation.

Layout

The layout of the contents page features the director of the university to left side, and then a list of page numbers to the right. The list of numbers is common convention of a contents page as it is the directory. The fact the magazine uses two pages as a contents is uncommon and is unheard of. The second page features  images down the left side of the page  1 is significantly larger then the rest it also features a 5^th picture to the right with a congratulatory note below.  All pictures are clear and distinct carrying the feel of professionalism which is suitable for the target audience.

Colour

The colour theme is the same as the cover allowing flow and a theme.

Imagery

 All photos focus on graduates and perhaps university goers this appeals to the audience as it is the target audience.

Typography/Text

The text is the same as the front cover and follows the same sort of theme

In conclusion the contents page follows the conventions, it is neat “smart” and clearly would appeal to the target audience the only thing that is different is the fact it is a double page spread.

Napier University Magazine Analysis- Part 1

Target Audience

The Edinburgh Napier University Magazine primary target audience former Napier University students aged 22+ who attended the university. In terms of social grade, former graduates are likely to be social grade groups A-C1 so this is the primary target audience. The secondary target audience would be relatives of graduates, lectures and current students.

Masthead

The masthead is very stylistic and appeals to the target audience. The text is clear easy to read and stands out on the page, the typography is also very relevant to the audience as it is bold and serious which is what someone would want a university to be. The colouring of is well though out as the main title denotes “the red triangle” cleverly they focus their colouring of the masthead around this with a red triangle with “the Red” in white inside. In terms of common conventions the masthead is in my opinion the write size and the way in which they have done it does appeal to the audience it needs to.

Layout

The layout is well though out and follows common conventions of one main image. The picture is well taken and doesn’t blur at all around the edges possibly connoting the image has been taken professionally.

Colour

The colour follows 3 main colours; Red, White, Black (this does not include the cyclist etc.) These are appealing colours to the audience as all 3 could be classed as sophisticated colours, they also all tie in with the university’s logo.

Imagery

The main picture is focusing on a cyclist (this person however is to the side). The central image could be the university as it is a building structure. This appeals to the audience as it is clean neat and sophisticated and serious. The cyclist could connote they are an active university and an appealing place to attend.

Typography/Text

An initial denotation shows some sort of teaser and a heading to a story these are all situated on the left hand side on the cover.  One of the headings mentions an opening of a new facility, which would appeal to the audience if they already attend or wish to attend the university.

In conclusion, the Napier magazine is a lot better then the college magazine because it is more specific to the target audience it caters more to their needs and wants and does this is a stylistic manor. The whole magazine also is a very well done and follows common conventions with a large eye-drawing masthead that is relevant to the audience and one main focus image. It follows a strong colour scheme that is both relevant and appealing that is not gender bias. So in all this magazine is a great example.

Analysis Of Bodmin College Magazine

Target Audience:

The Bodmin college magazine is a magazine mainly created for students, therefore it is suppose to cater or ages between 12-19. The population of Bodmin mostly fall into social groups C1-E so the magazine has to cater for/represent this group.

The secondary target is older people such as teachers, parents and governors. They fall into similar social groups but do not have to represented themselves through images because there needs are represented through stories relating to the students they teach etc.

Masthead

The masthead is a poor example to appeal to the audience. The text is very unclear and difficult to read, the typography is also terrible for the youth because of the almost 80’s like text. The coloring of the masthead is also very dull and doesn’t stand out like it is suppose to. The masthead is also too small in comparison to how it should be. The corn also has no relevance to today’s youth and in fact just supports stereotypes of Cornish people.

Layout

The layout is very dull it features 3 main pictures that are all dull long shots that are poorly taken. The pictures do not link apart from the fact they are all featuring in a dance platform. The main layout it SHOULD be 1 main image to center and catch attention and then extra smaller pictures around the side to appeal to a larger target audience could be aloud based on the context of the magazine.

Colour

The main colouring is about 20 different colours… this doesn’t help the magazine as the designer obviously though it would. The fact it uses so many colours is a massive downfall for the magazine as the reader does not know where s/he should be looking. the different scale of colours doesn’t appeal to either primary or secondary audience and is basically just a rainbow been beaten into submission and thrown onto the page.

Imagery

The main pictures on the front are all mainly focusing on the female cast (Mulvey (1975). Maybe the producer thought this would appeal to both male and female audiences ,as the male audiences could look at the females in a erotic way, and the females may be interested in the dancing. However this does not apply to elder as 6formers as they are ‘little kids’. The magazine does not apply to the normal conventions of magazines whereby they have 1 mid-shot/ close up of a main star.

Typography/Text

An initial denotation shows there are no teasers or strap line and so therefore it doesn’t promote and different story then ‘dance’. Like afore mentioned the 80’s like text appears to be comic sans a text that should NEVER be present on a magazine even if it is only for school. None of these things apply to either target audience and in fact it sections out anyone not included in dance.

In terms of common conventions the magazine doesn’t apply to either the target audience or the magazine theme, it does not even have an issue number, so in all it is just a bad example of what a magazine should be and in fact should not even bare the name magazine. 

Analysing Existing Magazines

To ensure I know the common conventions of school magazines I am going to analyse two magazine covers and contents pages because as many well known theorist agree products have to match the expectations of the target audience through following generic conventions of the genre they are from as well as being original:

“A process needed for problem solving…not a special gift enjoyed by a few but a common ability possessed by most people”  (Jones, 1993).

“The making of the new and the rearranging of the old” (Bentley, 1997)

“Creativity results from the interaction of a system composed of three elements: a culture that contains symbolic rules, a person who brings novelty into the symbolic domain, and a field of experts who recognise and validate the innovation” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1996).

Prelim Task

In order to make sure I perform the task brief I need to insure that I have the correct amount of experience and will be able to develop my skills in pre-production, photography, photoshop and critical reflection. So I first have to complete the following preliminary task;

For my Portfolio I will be following the print brief. As I am interested in using the programs used for the print brief and also enjoy music and so would enjoy creating a music magazine and would love to further my skills. The brief I will be following is as follows;