The document discusses various codes and conventions used in magazine design, including the ratio of image to text, direct address of the reader, masthead and cover lines, themes, typography, layout, audience targeting models, and content featured. It provides examples of how different magazines apply these conventions in their covers, such as using celebrity images and provocative clothing to attract certain demographics. Theories around how audiences interact with media, like uses and gratification theory and theories of the male gaze, are also referenced in analyzing magazine covers.

1. CODES AND
CONVENTIONS
• Ratio image to text
• Direct mode of address
• Masthead, skyline, coverlines
• House theme (colours, fonts)
• Typography
• Layout
• Blutz and Katz Theory ( uses and gratification
theory)
• Socio-economic model
• Pyschographic model
• Demographic model
Ruqayyah Opeolu
• Colours/connotations
•Types of content featured
•Marketing tool
•Main image
•Header box
•Genre conventions
•Challenging dominant forms
•Uses and gratification theory
•Preferred , negotiated and oppositional reading

2. The use of the colours orange and
white, connoting tropical vibes and
innocence, additionally including a
house theme in which the audience
can familiarise themselves with.
The codes and inventions of the magazine are
evident in various areas, for example, celebrity
endorsement, in which is surely able to attract
consumers as this star marketing is also a
marketing tool as the magazine is more likely to
distribute more copies as the model will interest a
wider range of people as Nicki Minaj is a
globalised Rapper..
In addition, the main body in which
Nicki Minaj is placed in ( the direct
mode of address), covering the
masthead of the magazine proposes
the established trust the magazine
has created for itself as people
would know what magazine it is,
despite the missing letters. In
addition, as the masthead is big
enough with a vibrant colour, this
makes it easily familiar.
The typography of the text
consists of Sans Serif, proposing a
target audience of both genders
as opposed to if the masthead of
the magazine was in a Serif
typography . In addition, the fact
that ‘VIBE’ magazine calls Nicki
Minaj as a ‘Notorious King’ this
further implies both genders are
targeted as the audience for this
magazine. Laura Mulvey’s theory
of the ‘Male Gaze’ emerges here
as though Nicki Minaj is described
as a ‘king’ she is still sexually
idolised which proves Mulvey’s to
be correct.
The ratio of image to text is less as only
the medium shot of the model is
featured whilst the texts mainly
dominate the front cover. This proposes
a sense of excitement as there would
probably be various images inside used
to attract the audience.
The layout is also designed to make the
model stand out as the cover-lines and
masthead is at either side of the main
image, causing the all focus to be
directed at the model. The type of
content featured gives the audience an
insight on what to expect, for example
the strap-line which features Nicki Minaj
as a ‘ Notorious King’ which suggests
there’s going to be an article which
features the celebrity and her Applying
the uses and gratification theory to the
front cover, the basic need to
surveillance can be used as the primary
and secondary target audience will use
‘Q’ magazine as a basis of information
about the world and celebrities, which in
this case is more the latter.
In terms of the socio-economic group,
Group D to E would purchase this
magazine as upper class indulge in
magazines such as ‘Hello!’ and ‘Vogue’
magazines and prefer Classical music
according to stereotypes.
As the cover lines are written in
bold meaning to be eye-
catching, getting attention from
the consumers. As the coverlines
are stories told in the magazine,
making the audience want to
purchase or indulge in it as they
want to see it is about.
The barcode is also an
conventional feature as they are
required for distributing magazines.

3. A house theme is created from the use of
colours and the font used. The colours white
black and yellow , a mixture of holding
authority ,power, purity for the white as its
neutral so it pairs with majority of colours.
Yellow is a optimistic colour as it is an
attention-getter.
The layout is also designed to make the
model stand out and the coverlines as
they are positioned at either side of the
main image, causing the all focus to be
directed at the model. The type of
content featured gives the audience an
insight on what to expect, for example
one of the biggest coverlines mentions
Jay Z is ‘Back!’ which interest the
consumers to see the Rappers journey to
how he made it to the top.
In terms of the Uses and Gratification
theory to the front cover, the basic need
to surveillance and diversion can be
used as the primary (fans of Hip-Hop
magazine) and secondary target
audience(fans of Jay Z) and celebrities,
which in this case is more the latter.
In terms of the socio-economic group,
Group D to E would purchase this
magazine as upper class indulge in
magazines such ‘Vogue’ and ‘Hello!’ as
hip-hop is more of their preference than
most other music genres. As for the
demographic model, ‘Hip-Hop’
magazine is more likely to attract the
main English speaking countries, for
example, the United Kingdom, America
and Australia as they would all be
familiar with the celebrities as opposed
to someone in Africa.
As mentioned for ‘VIBE’ magazine,
as part of Jay Z’s head is blocking a
part of the masthead, this proposes
the magazine has already
established a trust-worthy brand
and possess fans of the magazine
which ensures the magazine is
going to be successful. The fact that
Jay Z, an all-time globalised rapper
is featured on the front cover ,
(celebrity endorsement) is sure to
attract various of consumers.
The ratio of image to text is less
as there are various coverlines
and the strap line consume the
front cover . This also adds a
sense of excitement and
curiosity as the audience would
want to see what is featured
inside.
As there is a barcode included,
this shows the success of the
distribution rate of the
magazine as if the producers
wanted to sell the magazine, a
barcode is required as they
keep track of the item
movement and keep track of a
large number of items in a store.

4. The layout is also designed to make
the model stand out and the
coverlines as they are positioned at
just the left hand side of the main
image, causing the all focus to be
directed at the Tupac. The type of
content featured gives the audience
an insight on what to expect, for
example one of the biggest
coverlines mentions Tupac as a
‘Thug’ which would interest the
Group C2, D and E consumers. In
terms of the Uses and Gratification
theory, the basic need of diversion
and personal relationships is required
for the target audience.
Celebrity endorsement is used by
featuring Tupac Shakur on the front
page which would attract millions of
fans as Tupac is an actor/rapper and
was highly successful as even after his
death, he still holds millions of fans.
Furthermore, the use basic need for
personal relationships emerges as you
can see Tupac wearing his bandana
which is his personal form of dressing in
which his fans and other people know
him for.
The ratio of image to text is less as
there are no insert pictures, however,
he cover lines seems to attract more
attention as this ‘XXL’ magazine is
featuring Tupac after his unfortunate
death and so the cover lines are
relevant to his untimely devise. As
one cover line mentions ‘another
tribute’ towards Tupac, this is an
effective conventional feature as it
would call upon his fans, the
secondary audience and the primary
ones, the consumers of ‘XXL’
magazine.
A house theme emerges from the use of colours
red and white which connotes intensity and
stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathy which
relates to the topic of the cover line which will
then feature into the story inside of the
magazine.
As the circulation figures for the
subscription rate is 136,532
which is a high rate; this proposes the
succession of the magazine company
and also distributes ideas to help me
include an offer to subscribe on my
music magazine in order to attract
loyal readers
In terms of the socio-economic
group, Group D to E would purchase
this magazine as upper class indulge
in magazines such ‘Vogue’ and
‘Hello!’ as hip-hop is more of their
preference than most other music
genres. As for the demographic
model, ‘Hip-Hop’ magazine is more
likely to attract the main English
speaking countries, for example, the
United Kingdom, America and
Australia as they would all be
familiar with the celebrities as
opposed to someone in Africa.
Opposing Laura Mulvey's theory of
the ‘Male Gaze’, Gamment and
Marshall

5. The ratio of image to text is less as the
medium-long shot is the only shot that
is featured on the front cover. This also
makes the audience more interested
especially if they are fans of the singer
Ciara.
Taken from ‘Rap up’ magazine, As the
model of the double-page spread makes
direct eye contact with the camera, this
proposes the reader is made to feel
connected with the magazine. Eye
contact fails to be the only aspect that
makes the audience feel connected. The
clothing of the model is quite provocative,
as the model is dressed in a short tight
leotards , the black connoting authority
and power and the white which connotes
purity and innocence which reinforces her
facial expression and body posture,
proposing the audience is targeted at
young males as the heels on her feet and
little girls who desire to be pretty,. The
leotard adds further resonance to her
bare legs, the secondary audience as the
primary audience is mainly targeted at
those who are interested in alternative
music as the key selling point.
The secondary audience links to Laura’s
Mulvey’s theory of the ‘Male Gaze’ as the
audience has to view characters, or in this
case, models from the perspective of a
heterosexual male which causes relegates
women to the status of objects whilst the
female viewer must experience the
narrative secondarily, by identification with
the male. Another type of audience is group
C of the socio-economic group as they are
from the skilled working class. The Uses and
Gratification theory can also be applied to
this double-page spread as the basic need
of Surveillance and Diversion as the target
audience can use this as a form of escapism
from reality and also use Surveillance by
using the media copy of the magazine to
find out about events going on around us.
The layout on the cover reinforces
the stereotype of pink connoting
girly- ness and femininity and is also
designed to make the direct mode of
address Ciara, the centre of
attention by the positions of cover
lines at either side of the celebrity
which will immediately catch the
audience’s attentions. In addition the
type of content featured in the
cover-lines gives the audience an
insight of what to expect once
they’ve purchased the magazine. In
addition, the typography features
Sans Serif writing as the masthead is
San Serif typography, the cover-lines,
header box and strap-lines are Sans
Serif which connotes youth and un-
seriousness. As Serif typography is
usually target at an older audience.
The use of celebrity endorsement is
an effective convention as putting
the singer Ciara on the front cover
is a marketing tool as the magazine
is more likely to distribute more
copies as the model will interest a
wider range of people as Ciara is a
globalised pop star. Applying the
uses and gratification theory to the
front cover, the basic need to
surveillance can be used as the
primary and secondary target
audience will use ‘Q’ magazine as
a basis of information about the
world and celebrities, which in this
case is more the latter.

6. http://www.americasmedia.com/mediakits/XXL%20MediaKit.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibe_(magazine)
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/feb/11/mojo-q-nme-kerrang-
abcs
BIBLIOGRAPHY