Adverts

As well as creating a front page, contents page and a double page spread for a music magazine, we are also required to find two full page adverts to go into our magazine. These adverts have to fit with the indie genre of my magazine as well as appeal to my target audience. I chose adverts from Osheaga music festival and Prada and my justifications for choosing these specific adverts are written below.

I chose this Osheaga music festival poster for an advertisement in my magazine as it is an indie music festival with artists performing that my target audience would be interested in like Tame Impala and King Princess. The poster also contains interesting and funky graphics which my target audience will be interested in as it makes the poster look quite unique and captivating. 

I chose this Timberland advert as it effectively portrays the individual and unique aspect of the indie genre. While I was researching my audience profile I found out that my target audience was most likely interested in fashion and creative industries so a brand like Timberland would engage the reader. Timberland is a very down to earth and care-free brand which fits in with the indie genre and would greatly interested the reader.

 

 

A New Improved Complete Magazine Draft

Improved Full Draft

Above is my improved full draft for my indie magazine. I think that the improvements that I have made to my magazine have made it look more coherent overall and have helped to better portray the indie genre. Improvements that I have made include:

  • Front Cover
    • Moved the cover lines closer together
    • Made the cross bolder
    • Made “Aware” bolder
    • Changed “The Future Issue” to blue
    • Changed the font of the cover line under the cover star’s name
  • Contents Page
    • Changed the colour of “Contents” and added a line underneath
    • Added a third contents section
    • Added a coloured emboss to each contents section
    • Re-arranged the numbers to be in numerical order
    • Added captions to the images
  • Double Page Spread
    • Moved article in from the top of the box
    • Made “The Marigolds” bigger
    • Added a caption to the image
    • Moved the drop capital to the first paragraph and not the stand first
    • Moved acknowledgments to fill the gap bottom left

However, as this is not my final draft I have received feedback from my teacher as to what to improve to make my final draft the best it can be. Her feedback was very helpful and informative and is written below.

Front Cover

  • Centre plug and change wording to include the indie genre
  • Move cover lines off the cover star’s face and format them the same
  • Change A in Aware to white
  • Add a banner over the masthead with low opacity

Contents Page

  • Make sure line spacing is consistent
  • Move “features” down
  • Centre captions
  • Add a banner with low opacity like suggested for the front page

Double Page Spread

  • Make “The Marigolds” bigger
  • Change the colour of the pull quote box
  • Edit line spacing to move the article away from the right edge of the box
  • Bold questions
  • Use drop capital tool to align the drop capital better

Complete Magazine Draft

 

Complete Magazine Draft

Above is a screen cast done by my teacher commenting on my magazine as a whole. Gladly, a lot of the feedback was positive however the criticisms will be highly useful in making my magazine more effectively portray the indie genre. I have summarised her comments below:

Front Page

  • Portrays the indie genre effectively
  • Reorganise cover lines so that they do not cover the cover stars face
  • Make “The Future Issue” bolder
  • Cross is effective
  • Add borders like on my DPS to create more of a house style
  • Change font of cover star caption
  • Add more of a stroke to “AWARE”
  • Change background colour so the baby blue colour is not used as much

Contents Page

  • Put numbers in numerical order
  • Add captions to images
  • Move the pink bordered image to the middle
  • Add borders from DPS to create a house style
  • Make the images stand out from the borders by adding a drop shadow
  • Add a third section e.g Regulars
  • Add a page number

Double Page Spread

  • Create a gap between the top of the boxes and first line
  • Change the drop capital to after the stand first
  • Lines and spots are effective at breaking up the questions
  • Add a caption on the image
  • Add a bigger strike on “The Marigolds” and move the headline lines closer together
  • Clear house style throughout

 

 

A New Improved Contents Page

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Contents Page Second Draft

Above is my second draft of contents page. Improvements I have made include:

  • Added another image to fill the empty space
  • Added page references on my images
  • Added more captions to fill the empty space
  • Added social media links so that my audience can feel included

I then asked a peer in my class to give feedback on my contents page. Overall the comments were positive, which is good, however their are still things to improve on. Her comments were:

Draft of Content Page

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Contents Page First Draft

Above is my first draft for my magazine contents page. Overall I think it is effective in portraying the indie genre as the colour scheme is pastel and the type faces give a unique and retro vibe which is conventional of the indie genre. A classmate also commented on the fact that the uniquely shaped boxes and the minimalistic apporach is effective

Things that I will change to improve my next draft are:

  • Make borders the same thickness of play around with them more to make the different thickness seem more deliberate
  • Space out the lettering on the captions so that the font is easier to read
  • Add another image to fill up some of the empty space
  • Add socials and contact details so that the audience feel more included in the magazine

 

 

What is a Contents Page?

Below are 3 interesting designs for contents pages that I copied from magazines as well as 5 caption ideas that my peers and I came up with.

To make my contents page informative for the reader there are many aspects that I need to consider including making sure I include the typical conventions of a magazine which are:

  • Title
  • Images with page references
  • Catchy captions to draw the reader in
  • Page numbers
  • An editorial

On top of this I will need to make the page interesting and engaging to captivate the reader to want to read an article and buy the magazine. To do this I will consider AIDA.

  • Attention
  • Interest
  • Desire
  • Action

I will also consider Blumler and Katz’s uses and gratifications theory so my magazine appeals to as many uses as possible to attract the largest audience. I need my contents page to be informative so that the readers know where to find their desired article. I need to use exciting and powerful language in my captions so that the readers feel like reading the article will increase their sense of personal identity and can discuss their views on the article to improve social interaction. On top of that the readers also need to find reading the magazine enjoyable so that they keep buying it.

If I consider all of these aspects when creating my contents page it will mean that my magazine will sell to my target audience.

A New Improved DPS

Above is my second draft for my double page spread. Changes I have made are:

  • Deleted the smaller image of Will
  • Added the two lines to the bottom left of the page
  • Added a third column
  • Added in the credits for the article and image
  • Changed the number which was bottom left
  • Added an image of a flower to “The Marigolds” to make it more interesting
  • Moved the text to the left hand side
  • Changed the font of the questions so they stand out

These changes have made a big improvement but there are still things that I can do to improve my double page spread further. These include:

  • Make the picture of Will bigger
  • Have gaps between the text and the edge of the box
  • Change the wording of “Article continues on next page”
  • Add lines between each question
  • Put something underneath the first column bottom left to fill the empty space

 

Feedback & Reflection on Draft DPS

Overall my first draft for my double page spread was successful as my peers were able to identify the indie genre. Comments that Lauren, a classmate, made were:

  • The pastel colour scheme works well with the indie genre
  • Add something to “The Marigolds” to make it more interesting
  • Make the smaller picture of Will bigger
  • Change the number bottom left to 26

On my second draft I will take these comments on as well as my teacher’s comments to improve my double page spread. I am hoping that with the use of these comments my double page spread will more effectively portray the indie genre and therefore will mean that my target audience have a preferred reading of my magazine.

Specific actions I am certain that I will take to improve my DPS are:

  • Add an image of a flower behind “The Marigold” lettering to make it more interesting
  • Remove or move the smaller picture of Will
  • Add in a third column
  • Change the number that is bottom left to 26
  • Add in the reference to the author and photographer

Draft of The Double Page Spread

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Above is my first draft for my double page spread for my indie magazine. Overall I think it is successful as it shows the indie genre.

Comments from my teacher include:

  • Add a third column and move the image over
  • Add the 2 lines I have top right to bottom left
  • Make the questions bigger and change the font
  • Move “article continues on next page” underneath the last column
  • Move the smaller picture of Will
  • Get rid of dashes

 

A New Improved Feature Article

Above is the third and final draft of my feature article to go on my double page spread. The changes that I have made will help the article sound better and make it easier for the audience to read.The changes I have made are:

  • Written the album name in the first sentence and deleted it from further on in the article as it made the most sense to have it as early on as possible as the album in the basis for the article
  • Added commas in places where they were needed to help the article flow
  • Changed the wording in the last paragraph to help it flow better