Market Research using Padlet

This is a Padlet that consists of Covers, Contents pages and double page spreads from classic Rock magazine. I created it so people could leave feedback and give me an idea about how I should do my music magazine. From the feed back I got I learn't that my colour scheme should be black, white and red. This would make sense as I'm doing a Rock magazine and they are traditional rock n roll colours. Plus a good central image would be a mid action shot of an artist performing would be a good thing to include. I would agree with this as I think seeing an artist doing what they do best is much more preferable than seeing an artist in an unnatural pose. Finally I learn't that I shouldn't include any weird stuff like the naked guy with a snake wrapped around him in the bottom right. This won't be a problem as I wasn't planning on doing anything like that anyway. 

Market Research

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Analysis of UNCUT Magazine

UNCUT magazine on PhotoPeach

From this I have learnt whats good to include and not include on the main pieces of my music magazine. The front cover should include a colour scheme and be simplistic to suit a classic rock audience. Classic rock fans would appreciate this as they know what they want and don't want it all jazzed up, they just it it to get straight to the point. For the contents page I learnt that I should split mine into 3, the title, main image and banner of contents. This is used in quite a few magazines and has proved very affective. I also learn't that for my double page spread I should include one big image with text overlaying it.

Rate Cards Analysis

These are two rate cards, one from NME and the other UNCUT. From the NME rate card I learn't that 73% of the readers are male, this would mean that they would aim a lot of there content at a male genre instead of a female market. There readers are also an average age of 25 meaning they would aim there magazine at "immature" males. They've been going since 1952, meaning they have been successfully producing magazines for over 60 years. This clearly shows they know what there doing and should I need some influences there the place to go. There price is £2.20 for a magazine coming to £9 a month, which is pretty cheap. This would add to the over appeal as its cheap and affordable. From UNCUT's rate card I learnt that, like NME, they have a mainly male audience. Though unlike NME there audience age are a decade older. They describe themselves as NME older, cooler brother. This taught me that if I wanted an idea of how to design my magazine for a older audience, but still wanted the rock vibe of NME they would be the place to go. There website provides loads of information about music including reviews, previews and information about various artists. They also include film reviews, this is a good idea as though it isn't music it would still bring in a bigger audience and doesn't steer too far away from the genre.

History of Music Magazines

From making this timeline I learn't a lot about the history of music magazines and where big names originated. It has taught me how magazines have changed throughout the years and what makes a good magazine. This will be useful as I will now know what to and what not to include in my magazine.

Institutional Research Video

From this I learn't about big media brands. This has given me a better understanding of the magazine industry making the task of creating my own Music Magazine easier. I also learn't how a small music magazine can grow into a massive media franchise, I studied how they did this meaning that when it comes to making my Magazine, I will know exactly what to include in my magazine. I also learn't about small, upcoming media business's which has inspired to me to make my own magazine as it could possibly lead me to becoming a multimillionaire.

Institutional Research

This is my complete graph of Music magazine. From this I learnt information about music magazine's that I can use for future reference.   

Music magazines - front cover analysis

Evaluation

I thought my music magazine went well as it included typical features of a music magazine such as, 

central image, flash word, banner, text. I kept a blue and yellow colour scheme as these are the school colours and the magazine is about castle school. This means when you glance at it, you instantly recognise it as castle school. 

What I didn't like about my magazine was the poor editing. It was done on pages therefore was limited, had I of done it on photoshop I would of been able to enhance it a lot more. I also don't like the way the text is in boxes and not stand alone. The boxes make the whole magazine look Blocked and uncomfortable, where as text would fit well with the central image. 

Overall I thought my magazine was good, though compared to other examples it could of been a lot better. I made sure I use a colour scheme that worked and text that was easy to read. However I could of used more than one image on the front and spent more time editing.

School magazine plans

This is the plan for the contents page for my school magazine. It will include a main central image, a title that labels it as the contents and the title of each article along the side.

This is the plan for my school magazine cover. The blank space will be filled with a central image. The boxes around the outside are the title, flash image (probably saying its free), Text saying whats in the magazine and a banner along the bottom.

School Magazine Mock Up/Front Cover

Here I have the plans for my school magazine cover and contents.

At the top is the original image, it was quite dark and would look bad so I manipulated it so it was brighter and secured a better contrast.

Here is my final magazine cover.

School Magazine Cover Research

I like this cover as I feel the text flows with the image. For instance The white text fitting to the side, and not clashing with the background image. Also the green Title at the bottom doesn’t clash with anything, in fact it fits with the table separating it from the main image. The green text however clashes with the school jumper and the children in need sign at the top is looks quite hidden away not making it visible at glance. 

I like this magazine as its simple yet affective. The bold image in the center stands out and is eye catching. Also the heading is easy to read and is eye catching, though the text bane underneath it Is hard to read and is a bad yellow colour that blends with the background too much. And the text over lays the image too much, they could of evened it out with text on the other side.

What I like about this cover is the simplicity that is portraid in the main image. The white background makes it easy to add text to the cover and then you don’t have to worry about text being hard to read. Also the image is quite professional and been well thought out. Plus the Flash word “free” is eye catching fills space. 

I like this contents page as it as a good colour scheme going on and the image matches the text. Also the text is very easy to read as its in a box, though the graphics of the boxes don’t look out of place, in fact they fit the mise en scene.

I don’t like this contents page as everything about is bad. The only images there consist of out of place close ups and one bad over the shoulder shot. The background is bad as its been taken of word and it clashes with the text. The fonts are boring, and though its good to have a clear easy to read font its pretty basic and not eye catching. There are also a lot of empty spaces that look out of place.

What I learnt

From this research I learnt that yellow text hardly ever works so I shan’t use it. Also is wise to even text by placing it on both sides so the cover looks even and not out of place.  Plus one main image better than many images that lead to empty space.