My target audience

What I found out from my questionnaire:

Interests and tastes in magazines are very similar between the diabetics and non-diabetics were very similar so I can use answers from the non diabetics to help with my magazine too.

The most popular features of a magazine were gossip and news, style tips, fashion and advice. This reflects passive audience theory which applies to more vulnerable audiences which like to be told what to do with advice, tips etc.

Many diabetics bought magazines on a regular basis but never bought diabetic magazines. This is due to the style and features of most diabetic magazine which are very unconventional to teen/young adult magazines, and don’t appeal.

Reasons why people preferred a magazine included: Lots of information, lots of fashion pages, helpful and interesting articles, lots of fashion tips, a good mix of articles.

Influences:

As well as the previous improvement of celebrities effecting my final idea, the feedback from questionnaires have also helped me…

I now know my magazine will focus on the following most popular categories:

 

•Gossip/news (the latest news on research into the cure, new advance in medication and technology. Articles/interviews about famous diabetics, or interesting stories from readers.)

•Fashion (bags or clothes that suite needs of diabetics, new cases for blood testers, injections etc)

•Advice/ tips (Answering readers questions, tasty food that doesn’t effect blood sugars too much, best ways to handle diabetes etc.)

 

My double page article will focus on advice and fashion, the front cover can show titles of articles focussing on all 3.

My Audience Profile:

Female

Diabetic (or have a close diabetic family member e.g. their child/partner.)

16-35

Feminine

Mid-Upper class

Already buys teen/young adult magazines

Interested in gossip/news, fashion, advice/tips.

Modern (want to keep up with the latest news/technology)

Health and appearance conscious

Research: Magazine Reviews and more

I have used reviews from shopping websites and from costumer blogs etc instead of official/published pages.

This is because I could unfortunately not find an official magazine reviews.

Due to the cult audience of diabetic magazines it was harder to find reviews for these. As a result some of the magazines contain less information/text.

Mari Claire    

(4.4/5)

“It’s a great magazine for the modern woman.

Marie Claire has been around for 15 years and in its time has won 27 awards, including best designed consumer magazine of the year award in 2003, best beauty pages in 1991 and best international magazine brand in 1994.

Every few months you will find a free gift with the magazine, most recently these have been a set of different sized makeup bags and a tote bag which i have found extremely useful.

The magazine boasts a huge range of celebrity covers, every month there’s a celeb on the front.

The magazines are mostly for makeup and skincare products, and for the latest lines from fashion houses such as Dior and Gucci.

About a third of the magazine pages are taken up by adverts, but that's where they get most of their funding from.

Quite frequently you get free samples of products attached to their adverts, such as sachets of shampoo or skin cream, so that you can try them out before you rush off to buy them; they’re great for saving for your holidays because they take up no space at all and can’t leak.

You can subscribe via a form inside every issue of the magazine, or online, but if you subscribe using a code inside the magazine on the subscription advert then you'll be able to take advantage of special offers such as discounted rates and free gifts.

(www.shopping.com/reviews)

Cosmopolitan

(3.6/5)

Pros:Good value, easy to use, great design.

Cons:Ads towards the end

I have been buying Cosmopolitan regularly for about 3 years now.

The magazine, at first glance, looks thick and full of articles, covering a wide range of subjects.

Unfortunately, when actually reading the magazine, every other page is an advert. I know that magazines have to make money by using adverts, but considering that we pay almost £2.50 for each copy, I don't see the need for ALL the ads.

The articles in Cosmo are interesting, useful, well laid out, and easy to read.

A lot of them do seem to be aimed at 30 something women who don't have enough sex though, with tips to do this, and how to do that.

Cosmo is a good magazine if you want to buy a magazine to kill time with, or want some good fashion tips, but I wouldn't recommend buying it for a serious read.

(www.shopping.com/reviews)

Teen Vogue

(4.4/5)

Teen Vogue has high fashion editorials and articles, also including articles about people who work in fashion and are in the fashion industry.

I think the general purpose of the magazine (if you include its website and its recently published Teen Vogue Handbook) is to direct you the right way if you're looking to break into the fashion industry, as I am.

The editorials have nothing under about $200, which is ridiculous. This is a teen magazine, people, and 15 year old girls cannot afford $300 blouses and $250 shoes.

The reason I buy this magazine is to read it and use it for what I call "inspiration." Meaning, I search everywhere for the items I particularly like in cheaper shops or eBay. Otherwise, I take the general "vibe" of the outfits presented and apply it to my seasonal purchases.

For me, it is a magazine to be bought for a fun read, a link into what's "in" in the industry right now, etc.

(www.reviewcentre.com)

Seventeen

(3.3/5)

Seventeen is a popular magazine just for teenage girls. It covers the topics that interest teens - fashion, beauty, celebrity interviews.

The magazine visits a college campus and highlights the hangouts and fashion scene. The magazine also lists some information of each college. It's a fun way to introduce teens to college life. I’d like to see more serious content on these colleges.

I didn't care for Guru's "Mally Rally" piece on celebrity make-up artists. The makeup is over done; teens will look clownish if they imitate the looks. But I do like the prices on the makeup.

I like the Answer Boy & Girl who answer behaviour questions about the opposite sex. Readers aren't told who they are. Are they one person or two? Are they teens? Readers don't know but the answers are helpful and right on the mark. The less serious two-page Trama Rama rates teens' most embarrassing moments. Girls age 13-15 send in their stories. They are very humorous to read and help teens to put their own mishaps into perspective.

I think Seventeen is one of the better teen magazines. But, I don't recommend Seventeen because of its over - emphasis on materialism. There is too much importance placed on looks to get and keep a guy. Instead of building up the self-esteem of girls the magazine seems to say unless you wear this expensive item, you won't feel good about yourself.

(www.shopping.com/reviews)

Diabetes Health

Diabetes Health tries hardest to be interesting and leading edge. Sometimes, like the city where it was originally published, San Francisco, it is too far out.

The magazine tries to avoid outright quack cures, but is much more receptive to alternative treatments than its competitors are.

(www.mendosa.com/magazines.htm)

Diabetes Health is an essential resource for anyone living with diabetes.

Each monthly issue contains expert advice, cutting-edge research, unbiased product reviews, mouth-watering low-carb and low-fat recipes -- plus special support for the newly diagnosed and new treatment options for everyone.

(www.magazine-agent.com/diabetes-health/magazine)

Diabetes Forecast

Overall rating: 4/5

Ad relevance: 3/5

Content quality: 4/5

Design quality: 3/5

Photo quality: 3/5

“Well written.”

“I would like the fonts to be bigger”

“I like the Diabetes Forecast magazine because it is informative and easy reading.”

(www.magazines.com/product/diabetes-forecast#info)

Diabetes Living

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Ad relevance: 3.5/5

Content quality: 5/5

Design quality: 4.5/5

Photo quality: 5/5

“I'd like to see more recipes in Diabetic Living magazine aimed at singles or couples. The information in this magazine is A1. I would like to see a discounted source for the magazine because $19.97 is a bit high when I am used to $4.69 yearly subscriptions to other popular magazines. All in all, a great value and I am going to purchase.”

“The issue I looked at in the waiting room was great.”

“It gives Many ways to accept your condition.”

“I spotted Diabetic Living magazine in my doctor's office and became very interested in all it had to offer. I have been fighting my diagnosis for several years now but I finally have to admit that I need to be more aware of my health and be more careful in what I eat and to get more exercise.”

(www.magazines.com/product/diabetic-living)

Balance

Balance is a lively and entertaining full-colour lifestyle magazine, giving you all the latest news and research on diabetes.

There are celebrity interviews, recipes, competitions, and regular free supplements on hot topics.

(www.uniquemagazines.co.uk/magazine-subscriptions-344724/subscribe-to-balance-magazine-subscription)

Audience Theories

In teen/young adult magazines, a theory that can be applied is moral panic. In this situation the audience is bombarded with images of the ideal body, the ideal shape, by the media. In response woman and girls around the world face problems such as low self-esteem, poor body image, and even conditions as serious as bulimia and anorexia as a result of this. People worry that the media is to blame for these dramatic health risk and must change, and many campaigns have been set up to fight this cause.

Also related to this is the hypodermic injection theory, where the idea that woman and girls need to conform to the perfect body to feel accepted and good about themselves has been injected into the passive audience reading these magazines. Many argue that this is not the case as audiences are not passive, however many vulnerable audiences are. These include young girls, much like many teenagers reading the magazines, and self conscious females, who may also be a large part of these magazine audiences.

The hypodermic injection theory can also be applied to the advertisement in both the diabetic and the teen/young adult magazines. In both, advertisement pages take up a huge part of the magazine; audiences flicking through the pages will subconsciously take in all these advertisements, and perhaps even consciously be interested by them and by the product being sold.

Diabetic Population

Diabetic magazines often sell worldwide thanks to the internet. People now subscribe online, having the magazine downloaded to their computer each week, or viewing it on an exclusive website. Of course the magazines are also posted to peoples homes if they choose.

In the UK alone there are currently over 2 million diabetics, and in America (a key country I may also aim my magazine at) over 26 million, and these numbers are rapidly growing.

Many diabetics subscribe to magazines, though very few younger diabetics subscribe to truly helpful diabetic magazines. (This can be seen in the average age of the diabetic magazines shown earlier, or in the questionnaire example.)

By aiming my magazine at a younger female target audience, basing it on popular teen/women magazines, the magazine could be very successful at not only bringing across vital information, but producing large circulation numbers.

Magazine Front Cover Designs

Banner is conventional.











































Here are two designs I have made, one for a diabetic magazine front cover, another for a teenage/young adult magazine cover. I have tried to stick to as many of the conventions as possible.

Analysis of Teen/Young Adult Fashion Pages

I have looked at many different styles and layouts used, as well as the types of photographs used, and particular images I liked.

From looking through these I have developed my fashion article idea further, like one of the examples I have included, I would like to give style advice in the form of an agony aunt and fashion spread put together. However I will have the advice specific to diabetics, for example what clothes are comfortable for/cover up diabetic pumps, or what bags make it easy to carry around all the medication needed.

Industry Research

For industry research I couldn’t use the exact same diabetic magazines that I analysed earlier as it was difficult to find information due to the specific/cult audience of the magazine.

Diabetic Magazines:


Diabetes Health:

First Published in 1970
Until 1999, it appeared more like a tabloid newspaper than a magazine. Except for the cover, it was still printed on newsprint. Not until the February 2002 issue did it begin to look like a regular magazine.
Annual circulation number 900,000
6 issues per year.
Organised by JDRF, a diabetic research organisation.
Set up by parents of diabetics.
Receives its funding from government grants and public donations.
Audience average age = 41-65
Audience female % = 60%

Diabetes Forecast:

First Published in 1948
Annual circulation number of 5,340,000
12 issues a year
Organised by the American Diabetes Association.
Receives its funding from government grants and public donations.
Audience average age = 53
Audience female % = 65%


Diabetes Focus:

Annual circulation number of 6,600,000
4 issues a year
Published by Remedy Life.
Company involved in giving health advice and providing help for many conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.
Audience average age = 54
Audience female % = 57%

Diabetic Living:

First published in 2004
Annual circulation number of 1,720,000
4 issues a year
Owned by the Meredith corporation, as part of the Better homes and Gardens company.
Audience average age = 54
Audience female % = 62%

Teen/Young Adult Magazines:


Mari Claire:

First published in France in 1937. Re-launched in 1954 (after WW2)
Annual circulation number of 11,100,000.
12 issues a year
Audience average age = 30
Audience female % = 92%

Cosmopolitan:

First published in 1892.
It started originally as a family magazine.
Annual circulation number of 36,000,000.
12 issues a year
Audience average age = 26
Audience female % = 83%


Teen Vogue:

First published in 2003.
It came from the magazine “Vogue”, first published in 1892, who decided to create a magazine specifically aimed at a teen audience.
Annual circulation number of 10,000,000.
10 issues a year
Audience average age = 16
Audience female % = 95%


Seventeen:

First published in 1944.
Annual circulation number of 22,000,000.
11 issues a year.
Audience average age = 21
Audience female % = 89%

Magazine front cover analysis.

Diabetic magazine: Diabetic Living.

This cover had one main picture as the whole background.
Pink, yellow and purple colour scheme.
Text a mixture of capitals and lower case. Yellow, pink, purple or white.
Pink, purple and white colour scheme.
Banner at the top of the page with text. Green colour makes the banner stand out.
Purple circle with white outline for appealing information.

 Diabetic Magazine: Balance

One main picture as the whole background.
Pink, purple and white colour scheme.
Text mainly white on pink or purple or white. Many colours to make each section stand out.
Title situated in top left. White against bright pink rectangle, stands out.
Banners at the top and bottom of the page with text.
Purple circle with white outline for appealing information.

Diabetic Magazine: Diabetes Forecast
One main picture as the whole background, image of a natural woman.
Red yellow and blue text
Title situated in the centre and top of the page. Title covers over image of woman.
One blue banner at the top of the page with white and blue text, highlights one of the main stories.
Diabetic terminology frequently used.












Teenage/young adult Magazines: Teen Vogue, Mariclaire and Cosmopolitan.



Teen Vogue

Title at top centre of page.
Image merges into text, with text placed over the top of the girl.
Main photo as background, blurred plain background of photo has the same effect commonly used white backgrounds, making the woman stand out.
Text colours are mainly pink, also use of red, yellow, and black.
Yellow star used to highlight key information.
Outfit of woman compliments the colour scheme of page.
Date at top right of page.
Mix of capitals and lower case throughout.

Summary:

The diabetic magazines all contained banners to show key elements of what the magazine included, there was also a very wide variety of colour schemes and text colours between that magazines, though either blues, pinks or both were used in each of them. The title was usually at the top left of the page, and fitted around the main image. However the last followed a style more like the teen/young adult magazines and was in the centre, fitting into the image. Mixing the two styles is something I will need to try to do in my magazine cover. The main image was always used for the whole background of the page. Some of the magazines also included diabetic terminology, and stories would always relate to diabetes.

The teen/young adult magazines had a variety of colour schemes. The headings and title would usually be within these colours, with black or white text for less important information or descriptions. Pink was a popular colour, and the other colours chosen would contrast well such as red or purple. The title was always at the top centre of the page and overlapped with the image of a woman. The same style of image was always used, and the woman's clothes always matched the colour scheme. The background of the magazines were always white. A date and price was situated at the top, with bar codes at the bottom.

Almost all the magazines, from both genres, included the use of a circle or star, usually a colour that was not included in the colour scheme to stand out. The circle was used to draw attention to appealing information, usually to do with money, for example sales in shops or the cheap price of the magazine.

This week...

Last lesson we were designing a school magazine front cover using Photoshop, here is mine.

This task was particularly helpful as it allowed me to discover how to edit the text to create a shadow, embellishment etc, which I did not know how to do before. The effect of this was good and may be a possibility when creating my coursework magazine cover.

A Day in the Life of Claire

Here is the finished piece.

Collecting and Practicing

The first thing I have started doing this week is collecting teen magazines and diabetic magazines ready to analyse. I have also been looking out for particular pages in both which relate to my coursework idea and have found a few examples of fashion pages in the teen magazine, and pieces which compare/rate in both.

I have also been working on a media piece in school titled "A day in the life of....". For this i have been taking many photos of one of my friends on a camera, gaining confidence, skill and experience with photography.

Finally I have been refreshing my Photoshop skills, editing some of my own personal photos, ready for when the photography pieces I use for the coursework piece.

Media Courswork: Breif Planning

I wanted to do something about diabetes as it is of a personal interest of mine (being diabetic). I also thought my end result would be quite original because of this, as it’s not a popular topic.