Front Cover Analysis
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Transcript of Front Cover Analysis
Similarly to the previously analysed “Men’s Health” copy, the masthead is posi:oned just below the skyline. It is the magazine’s :tle and is prior in terms of importance, it needs to catch the reader’s aAen:on quickly because it conveys the genre directly. The main image covers part of the 45le, but it is s:ll easy to recognize because of “Men’s Fitness” large brand iden4ty (Ranked 2nd in Askmen® top 10 fitness magazine list) ; readers coming into mag stores are already expec:ng it. This technique also allows to draw a greater aAen:on to the main image and let this item seduce the reader. We can appreciate a vivid red font contras:ng the black and white code of the whole front cover. We explored the connota:ons of this colour in the previous analysis: passion, strength and sensuality mainly. This matches perfectly the content of the magazine (as we can se from the sell lines), as well as represen4ng the target audience; their ideals and inspira:ons. We can spot how magazines, being in the same genre use very similar codes and conven:ons to appeal to their target audience’s wants and needs. The use of a serif, bold, impact-‐like font, along with the uppercase, provide the magazine with a refined touch to enhance the quality of the content. However the unconven:onal use of typography of embedding the apostrophe into the “N” and the “H” set at the same :me a more informal and personal rela:onship with the reader, who will be more aAracted to the magazine because he wants to break up with the established.
“THE NEW MEASEURE OF SUCCESS”
The slogan is located just bellow the masthead and before the sell lines. We can spot the words “NEW” and “SUCCESS”. These two words are the most powerful within the phrase in terms of appealing the target audience’s wants and needs. “NEW” suggests innova4on and exclusivity, and accompanying “MEASURE OF SUCCESS” challenges the target audience to buy the magazine so they can become as successful as possible being at the latest. This is one of the things the target audience really looks for and, having it already conveyed in the slogan, which defines the overall style and goal of the magazine, is a very effec:ve technique when appealing to target audience’s wants.
We can use some similar examples to those in our
previous case study to prove that the posi%on of the slogan
is conven%onal.
This issue of “Men’s Fitness” uses a direct mode of address. We can appreciate this in the main image first of all.
Vin Diesel, the featuring celebrity in this cover, is looking at the reader directly into his eyes. He has a serious in:mida:ng expression, he is the powerful one here and is defying and daring the reader to buy the magazine: “Are you man/brave enough to buy this?”. This kind of challenge intensifies the crea:on of desire on the reader towards the magazine.
We can spot the use of a direct mode of address in the sell lines as well
In contrast to our previously analysed cover, there is no use of inclusive pronouns like “you” or “your”. However impera4ves are present: “WISE UP!”, “GET FIT FAST!”. These act like direct orders given specifically to the reader and emphasize the sense of exclusivity. They accentuate that rela:onship firstly established by the main image. Moreover the use of exclama4on marks highlight the effect even more. The reader feels part of the magazine.
The famous actor Vin Diesel is being portrayed as the main image in this “Men’s Fitness” issue. In his world-‐wide known “Fast and Furious” series, he built up even more the image of a cool, extreme and tough guy. This reputa:on of his accompanied by a thoroughly sculpted figure make the perfect stereotype of the ideal “Men’s Fitness” readers aspire to. Therefore, having Vin Diesel as main image will catch more effec:vely the reader’s a5en4on than a mere, never-‐seen-‐before model. The target audience knows him and wishes to become something alike. He is a source of inspira4on to them. We can appreciate the main image in the middle of the page occupying the vast majority of the space, it even goes a liAle on top of the main sell line. This tells us that it is the most important item in the cover, the one that draws the greatest aAen:on. Vin Diesel’s pose in this medium-‐long shot is that of a cool, confident, tough (almost in4mida4ng) man. The posi:on and gesture of his lec hand build up on how he is standing and looking by adding the icing to the cake. He is proud of how he looks and behaves; “I am able to stand like this on a front cover because I am the boss. Buy this if you want to be like me”
The main sell line appeals straight away to one of the main target audience’s wants; “geeng fit”. Moreover in the way they want it: “fast”. The use of allitera4on for the “F” sound makes the appeal even more effec:ve because it portrays the onomatopoeia of licing weights or something happening very quickly. Accompanied by the exclama4on mark at the end, the whole sell line sounds more demanding and has a greater impact. The other sell lines are all to do with 4ps on how to achieve a nice sculpted figure like the ideal one they portray, both in the working out and alimentary side. The magazine clearly has a greater focus on the aesthe4cs than the previously analysed “Men’s Health” issue. However it does contains one sell line about sex, which in the other front cover we could not find. This is again one of the target audience’s wants, therefore having such sell line will create a greater appeal on the reader because he will see another need of his fulfilled.
We can also appreciate a sell line at the skyline of the page, just like in the first analysis. These are very common in “Men’s Fitness” issues. However it is not a special edi:on or some type of bonus, its content has its focus on the aesthe:cs, just like the others.
There are no extra incen4ves like free gics or discount, in any form (puff, banner…) for the target audience to buy the magazine. The only added item we can spot is a boxed quota4on at the top right of the page, which is conven:onal in “Men’s Fitness” front covers.
We can spot the barcode at the boAom right of the page. In contrast to our previously analysed cover, the webpage of the magazine is aAached to it as well. It is conven:onal having both at the boAom right. They will be used by the reader for further interac:on and par:cipa:on.
Except from the masthead, every other item in the front cover follows a black & white colour scheme. This choice is made to break up with the established so that “Men’s Fitness” can differen:ate from its close subs:tutes and be the one who draws the greatest aAen:on, becoming finally the reader’s choice. It is not something that has been done very few :mes, moreover it is becoming a stylis:c feature to them, making changes of this kind from :me to :me.