Analysing magazine covers

By Avanish Bhopal

Genre

• I could tell by this magazine cover that the genre had to be something to do with retro guitars or guitars in general as it was the main image covering the page edge to edge. From this I immediately think of rock because of the placement of the guitar whilst the guitarists is playing; it looks extremely wild and professional like he knows what he is doing.

Genre continued

• From the people and famous artists dotted around the cover, I came to the conclusion it was a Classic Rock magazine because of the likes of Freddie King who is a known, famous, talented musician featuring in many bands throughout his time.

Audience

• The audience is attracted to the magazine because of the:

• The skyline says ‘ THE FINEST GUITAR LESSONS ON THE PLANET’. This is clear that the magazine is aimed at an audience who are looking to be a better guitarists and improve on the skills they already know from the best and most famous people out there.

• In addition, from the main cover line it is directed to an audience that wants to upgrade their blues ‘UPGRADE YOUR BLUES’.

Audience continued

• In addition, from the main cover line it is directed to an audience that wants to upgrade their blues ‘UPGRADE YOUR BLUES’.

• This type of magazine would appeal to its targeted audience because it offers them something they need or want to hear about. For example, the Guitar Techniques front cover says ‘ sound like’ so it creates an urge for the consumer to think he would be as good as the famous guitarists that they advertise about after learning the techniques.

Image

• The main image of the magazine is a person playing a quite expensive, vintage guitar and fills the cover corner to corner. The reason behind the picture only containing the guitar and the persons hands playing it, is for it to have an effect on the consumer buying it; meaning they could be that person after buying the magazine. Because of the person on the magazine looking like a professional, like he knows what he is doing, it puts an idea of you the consumer being as good as a guitar player as the person in the image after the lessons and guidance taken from the magazine.

• The image relates to the genre Classic Rock because of the music being old and vintage like the guitar used. Also the angle the guitar is facing is up suggests the emotion and how a guitarists would phrase as ‘rockin out’.

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• Red, blue and white are the colours which are used on the front cover, these colours will follow the magazine throughout besides from being in the advertisements . This is because it has to link in with the magazine so it all links in so you know its that particular magazine.

• The colours used magnify the varnished, smooth oak guitar on the front page (main image) from this it allures the consumers eye towards it because of the unique, traditional look of it in the 70’s.

Text

• The magazine is called ‘Guitar Techniques’ it strengthens the fact it is going to be about guitars and how to play them like famous people, in a numerous amount of ways.

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• The typefaces used have been Serif font on the masthead with a combination with Sans Serif font used on the cover line. The effect is has on the masthead is that it creates an elegance to it, it is not so in your face that you are taken by it. In contrast, the cover lines font has an effect of being in big bold, block capitals, this is seen to be a command, not ‘can you upgrade your blues’ but ‘upgrade your blues’ it is a command as if someone is forcefully telling you to do it.