Saturday, 6 February 2010

KERRANG CONTENTS PAGE ANALYSIS


Colour

The main colours used are black, white, red and yellow. This differs from the front cover, as the core colours pink and blue are not anywhere to be seen on the contents. This surprised me as I expected these colours to feature on the contents, to represent flow and continuity throughout the key pages of the magazine. The use of yellow seems to be the main focus on this page, as it is used in contrast with black for the particularly signifiacnt headings. The pairing of these 2 colours (yellow and black) I feel has been done to create a sense of danger because yellow and black are often seen together on warning signs or in threatening situations. This fits well as rock music can often be associated with darkness and danger. The black is used for the majority of smaller text on the page and is used in contrast with a white background. These 2 colours are also used for the ever recognisable title, KERRANG. However, the colours are used in the opposite way - the white is used for the lettering and the black for the background. This allows the title to link closely with the other text on the page, yet still separate itself as being of more importance. Red is also used, which is interesting as it is another colour that can also be associated with danger. It is used mainly to draw attention to the page numbers listed.

Design

There are 3 main images that take up the upper half of the magazine. Two of the images are pictures of double page spreads featured within the magazine. The other image is of a band (Soundgarden). This image is the largest on the page and clearly stands out to the reader. The photo being in black and white fits in well alongside the core colours. There are white tabs positioned over the images, identifying who and what the image is representing and where in the magazine it can be found. This makes it clear for the reader, aiding them to easily navigate to the page they are interested in. The images are each surrounded by a thin white border and overlap in places, not only with each other but also with the heading 'CONTENTS'. This gives the images a 3D appearance, causing them to stand out and also creating the impression that they are within reach. The lower half of the page consists of mainly text listing what else the magazine contains. There is a thick black strip dividing the page in half horizontally which allows the text to neatly be contained in one main section. Within the strip the well-known KERRANG heading can be seen as well as the words, 'THIS WEEK' in bold yellow font. This summarises what is being listed below. There are still a few small images in this lower section, however they are not very prominent in comparison to those in the upper half. One image however does stand out as it overlaps onto the band of black separating the page. This image is of the editor of the magazine and for this reason should stand out as the summary written by her that follows the image acts as a kind of synopsis informing the reader. The font used is bold, much like something you would see on a sign, which works well as the purpose of signs is to grab peoples attention, much like the purpose of a heading. The use of font and capital letters again suggests a loud theme as seen previously on the KERRANG front cover. The text in yellow particularly stands out as it is bright and vibrant and the lettering appears kind of worn and grainy, in some ways like graffiti. The colour red has been used to show the page numbers and to identify the cover stories. Choosing to use this colour makes the page numbers stand out clearly to the reader.

Images

There are several images randomly scattered across the page however the main images are positioned in the upper half of the page. The largest image that appears to be the overall main image is of a well-known band, Soundgarden. The photo is in black and white allowing it to link in well with the overall colour scheme of the page. Soundgarden are a grunge band that have just returned from a 12 year long break from their musical career. Featuring the band after their extremely long absence gives KERRANG a unique edge to draw in its rock/grunge target audience. The band are likely to appeal to the target audience as a whole - the full age group targetted (late teens - early 30's). The reson for this being, the older audience members will be excited to hear of the return of a band they are likely to remember from their younger years, whereas the younger audience members will also be intrigued to find out more about such a legendary band, who's music they are yet to experience. The band all look quite serious, as if to say they are back and they 'mean business'. Their style is plain and simple which could be seen by the reader as saying that image is not what is important here, as their music will speak for itself. Their pose portrays a feeling of dominance and strength, which suggests to the reader that the return of this band is important and not something to be overlooked. The other images on the page mainly focus on other features of the magazine through simply showing pictures of double page spreads and posters that can be found inside. These images are showing featured artists that will also appeal to the target audience.

How are words used on this page?

The words on this page summarise clearly the content of the magazine. The stories in this issue are listed in small yet bold text. The list contains headings that are blunt and to the point, drawing the eye in through the use of thick, bold font. Many of the small headings on the list are names of bands that will interest the target audience. The font type and size is larger and differs in colour for the segment headings (FEEDBACK, NEWS, etc). This breaks the list up making it more reader friendly when looking for a certain story. There is also a small pug containing the Word 'WIN!', followed by the prize available. The text colour is different from the rest of the list and so stands out, fulfilling its purpose which is to attract the audience in through the possibility of a unique opportunity.

Language

The word 'CONTENTS' immediately stands out indicating to the reader what the purpose of the page is. It is a word that is used constantly in reading material and will be very familiar to the audience. As well as this, the word and the way in which it has been represented also complies with the overall bluntness of the page. This is also the case with the headings 'KERRANG' and 'THIS WEEK' that can be seen running across the centre of the page. Throughout the contents it almost seems as though the title and headings are being shouted at to you. I think the use of colours and capital letters are what portray this, as well as the 'to the point' language used.

Overall impression

The page clearly states what is inside and in some ways looks as though it is warning the reader on what to expect, again referring to the previous comment i made on the use of colours that are often associated with danger. It is obvious by looking at the features listed just what type of person the magazine is aiming to atract (someone in their late teens - early 30's, passionate about rock music).

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