Conventions of a magazine front cover

Conventions of a magazine front cover

• 1.
  Conventions of amagazine (Front covers) Lucy Brownnutt
• 2.
  The main featureof the pinch of salt of salt front cover is a boy doing a street dance move. As dancing is stereotyped as a girly sport, having a boy doing the move and being focused on him and not the girls shows that it is not sexist. The colours of the mast head match the students uniform as they are all wearing blue tops but also the inside of the school logo is white. The Mast head is the most important text on the front cover. The word salt stands out so much because the school name has always been known as ‘salts’ but even though the school is now called Titus Salt School as said here they are keeping up the tradition so people are aware that it is the same school. This is the selling line, this appears in every addition of a pinch of salt showing what the school is all about and what the school is trying to put across. This selling line suggests that Titus Salt School is a successful. The word Salt stands out in a light blue on a dark blue background. Much bigger than the other words. Showing off the pun that ‘salt’ is part of the school name. The fact that everyone whose faces we can see on the picture is smiling shows that this school is a happy atmosphere. The main cover line using the word street therefore links with the picture as the move the boy is doing is a street dance move. Another thing I think is meant by the main cover line ‘streets ahead’ is that Titus Salt School is better than other schools and implying that it is further ahead in all aspects. The fact it says “a pinch” shows that this is only a tiny look into what happens at Titus Salt School. The main cover line ‘streets ahead’ is in a light blue along with ‘pinch of salt’ therefore making it clear that the main cover line is important and because it is a bright blue it stands out compared to the slogan and school uniform. School Magazine
• 3.
  Vogue have dressed EmmaWatson in warm oranges and dark reds because these are colours we associate with autumn, mainly the leaves. They have made Emma look pale to show that it is now coming towards winter and the summer tan has gone but also to let the autumn colours stand out. For example she has a dark red/purple plum colour on her lips and that stands out the most on her face. They have even made the important text similar colours to match her make up. Fashion Magazine ‘Reversing the body signs of aging’ This is going to convince adults to buy this magazine as they will want to know what it is that can make them look younger just like Emma Watson on the front of the magazine. We see that at the bottom left that it says “writer discovers her familys secret past” this tells us that vogue is also a gossip magazine. This also makes the audience want to read the magazine more as they are intrigued to know what the familys secret past was. “Inside the most glamorous party of the year” This names 3 of the most popular celebrities in the world who many girls would love to be like and look up to. There fore many people will want to see pictures from the party. The colours of the background are very similar to Emma Watson’s clothes and make up to also represent that shes in a autumn like scenary.
• 4.
  Because it isthe Christmas edition of NME, they have put snow on top of the magazine name. This creates a connotation of winter and Christmas. The fact that Simon is pulling such an evil expression on his face also links with the fact they have called him the Grinch as he is thought as quite a nasty character as he tells it as it is when he judges on shows such as x factor. It also links with him being powerful as he looks very intimidating. By calling Simon the Grinch this suggests that he is thought of as quite a nasty character because he is quite harsh on contestants on his shows and also is thought of to have a very big alter ego and thinks a lot of himself but the Grinch is also loved by quite a lot of people, they have a soft spot for him. This is the same with Simon. Simon Cowell acts a poly semic sign as he is thought of in the nasty way to some but also the loved way by others. NME tell its audience that this is a massive and double issue because it is Christmas, this makes this issue of the magazine even more appealing to the audience than it normally would be. We instantly know the figure on the cover is Simon Cowell. What makes us want to read the magazine is that it tells us that he goes “head to head” with NME meaning he has been interviewed because he is famous and such a success we want to know what he has to say. By telling the audience that they will receive 6 free posters from the magazine will make them want to buy the magazine even more. People that are massive music fans stereotypically tend to have a lot of music posters in their rooms. Music Magazine Also to show it’s a Christmas edition they have put text in baubles.
• 5.
  ‘40 songs youmust download now’ This will make the audience feel like they need to as everyone else who reads the magazine will have downloaded it and will feel behind on the must downloads. Straight away we recognise that the woman on the front cover is Lana Del Rey. She has a tiara on her head and this could infer that Lana is very high up in the music industry. Also it says “Everybody’s mad for Lana Del Rey” Telling us that she is very popular and proving the point that she is high up in the music industry. We know that this magazine isn’t just for one type of music but a variety as they also mention Jay Z, Kanye West, Professor Green and Kings of Leon who are all very differently to each other and also different to Lana Del Rey. At the bottom right, above the bar code, it says “the Muppets will see you now” This will make the audience want to find out what it means as it is quite odd that it is discussing the Muppets on a music magazine front cover. She is wearing a white dress which matches the simple black and white background. By wearing a white dress the magazine could be infering that Lana Del Rey is innocent, although the calm yet moody look on her face. And also that this is an innocent magazine. “26 festivals, to blow your minds” This gives us the impression this issue of the magazine came out in late spring or summer. People are always looking for festivals in summer, so if they bought this magazine, they’d find another 26 to choose from.