Question 2

How does the Media Production represent a particular social group?

The aim of my music magazine product was to appeal to a certain social group, specifically 16 to 25 year old males. I feel my product achieved this is a number of different ways.

I designed my magazine in the style of Q Magazine, with my individual interpretation, as we both share the genre of rock/indie. Therefore, I thought it to be wise to take into account Q's mode of address, to attract my target audience.

I also mostly modelled my cover on this issue of Q as I felt it was not over-detailed and refreshing in it's simplicity, unlike magazines such as Kerrang!, which are presented with quite a cluttered layout. I chose this as it conveyed a relaxed atmosphere and a professional look, appearing well-thought out and specific. It was this I thought would attract my target audience as it appears inviting and eye-catching. Instead of the mass of information and complicated layout of Kerrang!, which I felt would overwhelm the audience.

I eventually chose this image to be displayed as the main image for my cover page.
The model of the photographs is a female within my target audience age range. As shown through my research, my target audience do favour a singular female artist. I have also used similar clothing and make-up to other models from other same genre magazines (eg, Q, NME), this is in keeping with the audience's preferences, and also ties with my aimed colour scheme (approved in my research) of red, black, yellow and white. This all relates the artist to the audience and their social group, conveying that the magazine understands them, which creates the trust that will ensure further sales from that individual.

The model portrays the representation of my target audience's social group, while also expressing the desire to aspire in life through her facial expressions; to feel free to self express themselves in their preferences; to be original in a society they do not necessarily feel they fit. I choose this representation as it is considered the stereotypical concern of my teenage/young adult social group, that they have difficulty finding their purpose for the rest of their life. A phase where they have left the restriction of childhood and are embracing the responsibility of the adult world as well as their individuality as a person.

This all relates the artist to the audience and their social group, conveying that the magazine understands them, which creates the trust that will ensure further sales from that individual.

In the article the best representational aspects can be seen from again the images, but also the textual content. For example, the image portrays vulnerability. I chose this image as her eye contact between herself and the audience, relating to the storyline, but also creating empathy and the suggestion that the model links to that individual and understands them, which is what the magazine I have created, is trying to convey.

In keeping with the layout of other articles, I made certain that I included details such as credits like words and portrait, drop caps, pull quotes, an image of the artist, the colour scheme of the magazine, the date of the issue, conventional language 'exclusively', page numbers that match the contents page (pages 21 and 22) and subscription and website details to appeal to the technophiles and to portray that this brand has multi-media platforms. This all presents the magazine as professional and realistic and appeals to my target social group.

The contents page represents the social group through its images again, similar to above, such as the rock/indie style of the clothing the artist wears. I have also kept the same model for the cover page, contents page, and article, to portrays how this magazine links together (and also helps the audience to make the connection between these pieces of content), how they would realistically focus on a main artist per issue, and how they would manage time and cost by using images from the same shoot.
I also used different genders to represent the specified male gender of my target audience, to relate them to the magazine.
As well as this, choosing a more seductive pose for the female artist in my contents page, plays to attracting the male audience that the magazine targets, which could also generate more sales, and by extension, profit for the brand.

Like my article, my contents page uses words and phrases, for example 'exclusive' and 'revealed' to entice the audience to delve deeper into the magazine's contents, appealing to my specific target audience by detailing artists that connect to the genre of the magazine and their age range, 'Arctic Monkeys'.