Focus GroupQuestionnaire

By Roma Nair

IntroductionIn order to find out some useful information on how to design and produce my magazine, I handed out a questionnaire to my target demographic which is 16-24 year olds. These questionnaires did help me to produce some useful qualitative data, as I got some good feedback which will help me to know what changes to make to my magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread and also what too improve about them. Also, it helped me to develop an understanding of the sorts of stories and images and colour coordination's that my target demographic like, so that I can produce a suitable magazine for my readers, this will enable me to spend some times on producing this and too make it look appealing so that this can be successful.

Furthermore, by making this successful, I will need to focus on the sorts of colours that my target demographic like, the layout they would most prefer so that I know how to design my layout, also how many images I should put on a page and what sorts of stories that interest them and they would expect to find in a music magazine. This will all help me to produce a detailed and appropriate magazine for my target demographic as it will be appealing and suitable.

What attracts you to purchase a music magazine and why?

I asked my target focus group what attracts them to purchase a music magazine and why. The reason I asked this question was so that I can have ideas on what to include in my magazine, in order to know what would meet my target audiences interests and what will catch their attention, so that my magazine can be successful in the making. However, the responses that I got was mostly that they may like the artist who is featured on the front cover, also the appearance of the magazine itself, such as the colours, as one person from my demographic quoted, "Most probably the colour of the magazine, and the artists on the front page”.

This shows that I would need to make my magazine front page rather eye catching, and by doing so, I would include an attractive image as the main focus, so that it is recognisable and stands out, I will also include cover stories which will feature artists that are popular within the music industry so that my target audience will be interested in purchasing this magazine.

What colour scheme do you prefer and why?

The reason to why I asked this question ‘what colour scheme do you prefer and why?’, is because I can find out what colour is best suited and preferred for my target demographic. Furthermore, the colour which was most favoured was the black and pink design, this may be due to the fact that my target demographic is females between the ages 16-24, so therefore would go for soft colours however would like the idea of contrasting it with a dark colour, as these colours clearly work well together. Also, they may like the layout that appears on the page as quoted from one of my demographics ‘I prefer the black and pink front cover as I like the combination of the two colours, and I like the way the format of this layout is presented’. This shows that my target audience like the layout to be rather organised as it looks more appealing and interesting.

If you could change one thing about this front cover, what would it be and

why?The reason in which I asked this question is so that I can find out which design people prefer and in order to make it better and more appealing what improvements I could make too my front cover. This will help my front cover be more eye catching and suitable for my target audience due to the fact that these questionnaires have given me useful feedback that I will take on board. Furthermore, when asking my target demographic this question, some of the the responses I got were ‘I think the picture could be changed to a close up or medium long shot’, another response was “more pictures so the reader can see what inside contains".

Furthermore, after this feedback, it instantly gave me some ideas on what too include on my front cover and what too change, for example, I could change the picture that will be placed on my front cover too a medium or close up shot of my model as the main focus of the magazine, this is in order to draw my demographics attention in too purchasing this magazine. Also, I could include more pictures on the side of the page as cover stories alongside pictures to match with the story.

How many images do you think the contents page should contain?

I asked this question so that I know how many images should be placed on the contents page, because if I was too have too many, it would look too untidy, so therefore I think one or two pictures would look best and more suitable for my target demographic, due to the fact that my audience is rather mature and organised, so therefore would prefer a more neat and simple contents page, yet the colours to stand out so that the contents page looks presentable and appealing. Furthermore, the most popular responses I got was that one or two pictures would look best.

This helps me to know what my target demographic are expecting from a magazine contents page as they are females between the ages 16-24, so consequently would like the more organised page, as females are seen to be tidy and organised, therefore this portrays their personality type.

What sort of stories would you expect to see on a double page spread?

This question was useful to ask due to the fact that when I come to write my article for my double page spread, I will know what sort of stories to include that will attract my target demographic. Furthermore, the sorts of responses I got was, ‘stories about something that has happened recently in the music industry to a singer or band’. This conveys that my target demographic expect a story about their favourite artists, which will clearly interest them to read into this article due to the fact that if they have a huge interest in the music industry and the artists that produce their favourite music then therefore they will be interested to know what is going on within the music industry alongside the artists, especially the most popular artists. Furthermore, in order to catch my target audiences attention, I will need to have a catchy heading and subheading on my double page spread in order for them to be persuaded, also will need to make this page colourful and presentable so that it is suitable for my target audience. I also think that by placing a few photographs of the artists, this will instantly draw readers attention as from looking at a few photographs, they will be influenced to read the article which relates to it.

If there was an appealing subheading, would this intrigue you to read this

cover story more?By including an appealing subheading, this will instantly draw readers in to reading about this article, as many responses to this question was ‘yes’ so therefore I will need to have a catchy subheading in order to make my target demographic read this article. Also, the text of the subheading has to be well written and interesting due to the fact that the double page spread needs to be an insight to the article itself , such as giving out a brief insight to an interview with a popular, famous artist, this will instantly interest my target demographic as they might want to know more about the artist as a person rather than just focusing on the music they produce, by doing these interviews it gives fans and members of the public a chance to judge these artists by the way they present themselves in these interviews, as it is looking into their personality types.

However, what I would change about my double page spread is the subheading, as in order to catch my target demographics attention, I will need to have a more interesting and catchy subheading which will persuade them to read this article. I think a shocking and slightly gossip like story will be suitable for my readers as it is mostly aimed at females, and females between the ages of 16-24 do like gossip stories on artists.

EvaluationAll this information helps me to construct a mode of address, as the R&B, hip hop style magazine that I am going for, by using a direct mode of address, it will enable the audience to look up to the model featuring on my front page as an inspiration or role model, referring to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, as it will be reaching the target demographics dreams and aspirations.

The uses and gratifications theory will help me to target my demographics expectations of entertainment, information, personal identity and social interaction. This theory holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs, and a popular approach to mass communication. My magazine will consist of personal identity, so that my demographic can recognise the product, or role models that reflect similar values to my audience or aspirations to be someone else, I need to also have a social interaction with my readers so that it persuades them to read into my article or purchase the magazine, as it gives the ability for media products to produce a topic of a conversation which could possible sound debatable, to interest readers. Also, it is important that I keep my readers entertained and engrossed in the magazine, since I am the one consuming, it should be enjoyable, interesting and appealing for my target demographic, also enabling to acquire information.