Contents Page format research 1

Audience: 

The audience presented through the contents page is teenagers/young adults. This is shown through the use of the main image presented on the left hand side of the page. The large image shows what looks like a lot of drunk people doing crazy things, dressed up in different clothes, with a man hanging upside down from a pole. To the left of the pole and the man hanging is a man with long hair wearing a onsie with half of it tied round his waist, making him topless. The idea of drunk people, doing crazy things in the main image reveals the target audience as this is the kind of thing that typical teenagers are stereotypically thought of doing. The stereo typical teenager is thought of going out and partying most weekends and getting absolutely ‘wasted’ and being drunk, doing silly things and ending up the next morning not knowing what happened that night. The image represents the target audience being conveyed through the image as it is seen of what a typical teenager would get up to on a Friday/Saturday night. The use of large image attracts younger readers as they would be more interested in reading less writing. It looks as though the magazine have tried to use as little text as possible and set it out in a column meaning that less writing will be able to fit on the page. They have used short sentences underneath headlines to keep text to a minimum.

Images:

As mentioned in my analysis of the target audience the use of large image of a party style atmosphere is effective for the target audience and type of magazine as it gives off an element of craziness and the ‘party animal’ atmosphere. The use of the man upside down in the image, draws the reader in as the will want to find out why he is upside down and find out the main headline of this article. Also the man being held upside down gives off an element of weirdness and isn’t the typical thing to do. Being a reader of the magazine and just looking at the image, we can’t take a lot out of it as we don’t exactly know what is going on. We just assume that the people in the photo have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol, but as a reader we don’t know for sure. Having the unusual, eye catching image of what the reader can assume is a ‘party atmosphere’ brings in the reader as we can only guess what is happening. Once the reader has viewed the image, they will want to read on immediately and find out what is actually going on and what I the image has to do with the magazine.

Heading:

The heading of the ‘Kerrang’ contents is placed at the top of the page, acting as a banner along the top of the page and filling the width going from left to right. The placing of the heading on the magazine is sticking to the norms of a typical magazine as it goes across the top of the page starting from left to right. The branding of ‘Kerrang’ is carried through the magazine as in the contents page, the ‘Kerrang’ sign is the same as the masthead on the front page, and the word ‘Contents’ is in a different text and colour. Carrying the brand through the magazine and onto the contents page, links the magazine all together keeping the brand running through the magazine to reassure the reader of what magazine they are reading.

    Next to the contents heading, there is a smaller piece of text next to the banner telling the reader the issue number and cover date. It is placed in smaller writing in the top right hand corner of the page. The use of the issue number could be placed there for collectors of Kerrang magazine, as if they are a regular collector, they would want to know the issue number as they would keep up to date with each issue being produced, and would collect all of them. Having the issue number at the top of the page reminds regular Kerrang readers which issue they are buying.

   However, with the use of the issue number and the cover date being on the contents page, this defies convention and goes against the ‘norms’ of as typical magazine. It defies convention as on the typical magazine they would feature the issue number and the date on the front page of the magazine. Kerrang try to be original in this case and place it on the contents page. This could be effective for regular Kerrang readers as mentioned already, however if you are not a regular Kerrang reader this will not be as effective as an issue number isn’t very necessary for you because you don’t collect the magazines.

Subheadings:

The subheadings used on the contents page are in bold yellow writing standing out against the black block background put in place. The use of yellow text helps to stick with the house style as on the front cover page of Kerrang magazine, I found that the banners used for the strap line and footer were blocked in yellow. The yellow blocking and the yellow text used on the contents page link together as they stick to the house style and the overall house style of the magazine. The black background of the yellow text enhances the text on the page as the colours contrast with each other making the text/writing easily readable for the audience.

Use of Language: 

The use of one word subheadings show your target audience in being teenagers as they are short and sharp and attract the reader immediately. Underneath the subheading ‘News’ in bold red, capital writing is say ‘In the studio special’. The use of alliteration is used quite a lot in the contents page of Kerrang magazine. The use of alliteration emphasises the subheadings of the magazines and the double use of the letter ‘S’ gives the subheading excitement for the reader as it is a ‘special. This means that it is not often they get a ‘studio special’. Another example of alliteration used in a subheading is ‘Sold his soul’. The use of Sibilance in this type of alliteration gives a threatening and unsettling atmosphere for the reader as the use of soul is powerful as it is part of the human and can be unsettling for some people as your soul can be part of you and people may be uncomfortable with this idea. This idea of unsettling atmosphere can link with the target audience as the front cover was quite gothic with the use of dark colours and the reds were used for blood.

    Underneath the subheading of ‘Reviews’ at number 52 there is a page heading saying ‘ATTACK ATTACK!’. The use of the repetition of the harsh work attack emphasises the word giving off an offensive effect and the use of exclamation mark gives the words more emphasis. The use of capital letters draws the reader in immediately and the repetition makes the reader want to continue to view through the magazine as it makes them wonder what the article is about.

Layout:

The layout of the contents is very much like a typical magazine contents page. The masthead banners across the top of the page with the brand on the left and the contents heading just next to this. Further to the right of the masthead is the issue number and cover date for readers who are regulars. This is the typical way of setting out the masthead for a contents page in the norms of a magazine. Then underneath the masthead on the left, but reaching to at least half of the page is a large image with two smaller images in the bottom right hand corner showing a double page spread within the magazine to do with the article that is being described through the picture. On the right third of the page, the contents text for what the magazine contains inside. The bottom right hand corner of the page is an advertisement for subscribers of Kerrang magazine attracting the reader and persuading them to subscribe to the magazine. Along the rest of the bottom of the contents page is a small article directed at the readers with a beginning of ‘Hello readers’. This engages the reader immediately as they are being directly spoken to by the magazine and the magazine is engaging with the reader.