This is a contents page from a Hello! fashion magazine that I chose to analyse. It is clear that the pages have 3 columns which is conventional, and it makes the pages look more ordered and sophisticated. I have also included columns on both of my contents pages. "Contents" is in the same font as all of the subheadings and this font is a serif font meaning it looks classy and elegant. House style is created with this font as it is repeated several times, meaning it has become associated with the magazine itself. It also appears to be the same font used for 'fashion' in the masthead on the front cover, again reinforcing the house style. I have used the same fonts throughout my contents and front covers as I also wanted to create house style. The pages are colourful but not too bright, the colours are mainly pastel colours. There are social media links along the bottom that help to create a wider audience, I have included these on my contents pages as well. I like how the subheadings stand out due to them being in a much larger font compared to everything else. At the bottom under the social media links there is some text encouraging people to subscribe to the magazine, this is a good idea and I have also done a similar thing on my contents pages.
Friday, 21 September 2018
Saturday, 15 September 2018
First Edition of a Magazine
This is the first edition of Hello! Fashion magazine. It is extremely sophisticated with the beautiful colour scheme and grand background setting. It is clear that it is a first edition as it has a puff in the shape of a circle, underneath the masthead reading "Brand new! Fashion magazine". This entices the audience as they will be intrigued as to what the magazine contains due to it being brand new. I will certainly include this on my first edition.
I really love the way they have used the transparent effect for the circle and then again at the bottom left, it looks very classy and the colour really works well with the rest of the cover.
There is a buzz word 'WIN!' at the bottom which attracts the audiences attention as they will want to win the £2000 to spend. Also, it is described as an "Autumn trend special", and this will encourage people to read it as they will want to know the latest trends, and the adjective "special" will make them feel as though they must read it, due to it being highly important and a 'special' edition.
The masthead contains the already known "Hello!" logo, meaning fans of that magazine will be temped to buy this one as it will be a similar layout, just fashion based rather than gossip etc like the regular hello magazine. The genre of fashion is very clear at a first glance due to the gorgeous fashion outfit and the fact the magazine is actually named "Hello! Fashion".
Overall I think they have created a sophisticated, classy front cover that will have made people want to buy further editions.
Tuesday, 7 August 2018
Contents Page Ideas
I have created a draft of how I would like my first contents page to look. This is so I can see if the format would work. I quite like the way it looks and I think it will look quite classy when it is all done. The Elle and Vogue contents page only have 1 or 2 pictures on them, but as my brief requires me to have more I looked at different contents pages to get an idea of to to include more pictures. I looked at Cosmopolitan and saw that the layout was quite neat and the pictures were well lined up, rather than all mixed in and overlapping like on some from other magazines. I think it looks more sophisticated when they're lined up hence why mine are. I will also add the page number of where to find each picture perhaps in the corner of the picture.
I am quite pleased with the way it looks and with the text I managed to come up with, therefore I think I will stick with a similar arrangement when it comes to creating my real one. I will have a strict layout for the other contents page as well, but it won't be exactly the same as this one as that isn't very interesting.
I am quite pleased with the way it looks and with the text I managed to come up with, therefore I think I will stick with a similar arrangement when it comes to creating my real one. I will have a strict layout for the other contents page as well, but it won't be exactly the same as this one as that isn't very interesting.
Sunday, 5 August 2018
Similar Products
In order to add to my understanding of magazine front covers, I decided to buy some high fashion magazines that will be similar to the one I will make. I bought the August edition of Elle, and the August and September editions of Vogue. I also bought a Grazia magazine because Bauer owns them and so I thought it would really allow me to get an idea of the sort of product they own, seen as though mine will also be owned by them.




I also went on the British Vogue website to see all the front covers created by them in the past few years.
These covers from 2015 all have text on each side and at the bottom. This makes them look very busy and not as sophisticated, which is probably why they have less writing now-a-days. It also takes the focus away from the models. When I design my front covers I will definitely go with a similar layout to June, July and August 2018 covers, with less text. This will make the main focus the model, and it will make it look much more sophisticated. I think there is no need to cram all of the text on the front - that is what the contents page is for.
So from this research I have learned:
- Not to put too much text on the front cover.
- Have a strong colour scheme on the front cover.
- Use contrasting colours to make an impact.
- Ensure the model is conventionally looking into camera.
Friday, 3 August 2018
Photography
I took my first pictures of one of my models at a very elegant location. My mums friend lives in a converted chapel and so we asked her for permission to use her house as a location for some pictures, after exploring many other possible locations. I was supposed to take these pictures earlier on in the week but unfortunately the heavy rain meant we had to reschedule last minute. Luckily this wasn't a problem for my model and we managed to get some really good shots. My model wore a very classy red dress that is actually couture and so very high fashion. It worked really well with the chapel background, and she looked extremely sophisticated.
In contrast, we also took some pictures where my model had trousers on that were quite unique and we chose to have her hair up, as it worked better with her costume. We used some very unique shoes here and really tried to make them a main feature of the picture. The setting was very old looking and classic, which made a really nice contrast with the modern clothes and poses. We used the natural light from outside which worked really well, creating a more natural sense, rather than artificial. I took most with the tripod as it provided more stability and gave the pictures an overall better effect. We took pictures in several other outfits that were quirky yet elegant and I am very exciting to see how they look and begin the editing process.
With my next 2 models I decided to take them to a location that sees the Humber Bride in the background. I felt it made a interesting backdrop for the picture. I dressed them both in fur coats with shorts and glasses. I felt this look was very bold and iconic, which is perfect for my magazine. I had one model with space buns because I think this hairstyle is unique and the other with her natural curly hair as it contrasted well with the other models hairstyle. I also took them to Normanby Hall where they changed outfits allowing me to get several good images. I particularly like the green outfit that my model wore as it is very different and certainly stands out. I stood her in the green doorway because it worked as a natural frame and I think the outfit went well with it. Both my models had subtle make up which I felt worked well as it reflected youth and purity.
I took my next model to Normanby Hall as well, as I had seen several other locations that would work when I was there the first time. I had her with her hair down and straight as I wanted it to look natural. I took some pictures of her with her pointe shoes on as they look very elegant and so work well with the theme of my magazine. The leather jacket she wears contrasts with this elegance and makes it more unique which I really like. We did some with the jacket and some without. She had make up on that wasn't subtle but also wasn't too over the top.

I also took pictures of her in a different outfit. She wore a leopard print fur jacket, black top, black leather skirt and black heels. This look is very different to the other and I really like it. It contrasts well with her blonde hair and her facial expression really represents her as strong and powerful. I would like to use this image as a front cover because I think it reflects everything I want my magazine to be - unique, powerful, bold and iconic, yet elegant, sophisticated and classy. The grand location gives the image its elegance and sophistication.

I took this model into a yellow field near my house. I decided to have her in her prom dress as represents the magazine as elegant and classy. We took lots of different shots, some with her sat on the chair and some with her doing things with the dress. She also wore my prom dress for some pictures as the colour of it went nicely with the surroundings. For the ones in my prom dress we took an umbrella in an attempt to create some interesting shots. She had her hair down with full make up, making her look glamours but still classy.
For my final images I used my first model again, as I wish to use her for my other front cover. I really love this outfit because it is very unique. For my front cover it will be an over the shoulder medium close up. The background will be blurred so it just appears yellow. I wanted this effect because it is very summery and this is what I need seen as it is a summer edition. Her make up was very light and bright, making her skin glow and her hair is golden which works well with the summer theme.

I took my next model to Normanby Hall as well, as I had seen several other locations that would work when I was there the first time. I had her with her hair down and straight as I wanted it to look natural. I took some pictures of her with her pointe shoes on as they look very elegant and so work well with the theme of my magazine. The leather jacket she wears contrasts with this elegance and makes it more unique which I really like. We did some with the jacket and some without. She had make up on that wasn't subtle but also wasn't too over the top.

I also took pictures of her in a different outfit. She wore a leopard print fur jacket, black top, black leather skirt and black heels. This look is very different to the other and I really like it. It contrasts well with her blonde hair and her facial expression really represents her as strong and powerful. I would like to use this image as a front cover because I think it reflects everything I want my magazine to be - unique, powerful, bold and iconic, yet elegant, sophisticated and classy. The grand location gives the image its elegance and sophistication.

I took this model into a yellow field near my house. I decided to have her in her prom dress as represents the magazine as elegant and classy. We took lots of different shots, some with her sat on the chair and some with her doing things with the dress. She also wore my prom dress for some pictures as the colour of it went nicely with the surroundings. For the ones in my prom dress we took an umbrella in an attempt to create some interesting shots. She had her hair down with full make up, making her look glamours but still classy.
For my final images I used my first model again, as I wish to use her for my other front cover. I really love this outfit because it is very unique. For my front cover it will be an over the shoulder medium close up. The background will be blurred so it just appears yellow. I wanted this effect because it is very summery and this is what I need seen as it is a summer edition. Her make up was very light and bright, making her skin glow and her hair is golden which works well with the summer theme.
Saturday, 28 July 2018
Website Planning
I have began to plan how I want my website to look. I looked at other high fashion websites such as Vogue and also websites owned by Bauer such as Grazia, as this allowed me to gain inspiration as to what mine should look like. I am not certain it will look exactly like this, but I want it to be similar. I do not know exactly what the pictures will be as I have not yet taken them, and so I will write the captions once I know exactly what the pictures will be. On the left, I will include an image of the person I am using for my short video interview. The interview will be centred around a new fashion designer and their style and passion for designing.
I have also began to design another page for my website. This is the page that you are taken to when you press on the 'fashion' link. Again, I don't know exactly what the pictures will look like hence why I haven't come up with captions, the only picture I have already taken is the "Leah red and grey pic" so I was able to write a caption for this one. Below the captions I think I will add the topic that the article focuses on, so in this case 'fashion' and how long ago I was published, as well as a byline. I will do this for every article as this is what most high fashion websites do.
Friday, 27 July 2018
Logo Ideas
I have been experimenting with logos for my magazine and have come up with a final 2 that I will choose between.


Sunday, 22 July 2018
Masthead Research
The font used for the Vogue masthead is a serif font and I really love how elegant and classy it looks. I love how it is thin in places and thick in others, it makes it look extremely sophisticated. My magazine needs to be sophisticated so I will definitely use a serif font as I believe they look much more graceful. They have chosen to include 'British' in the O, so that you're aware of which version of the website you are on. This is in a plain sans serif font so it doesn't take away any attention from the tasteful serif font used for 'Vogue'. I most likely will not chose to include anything like the 'British' in the O as I think it is unnecessary and I don't want anything to take away the elegance of my masthead.
The font used here is again serif and so looks very classy. The letters are slightly more spread out and thin compared to the Vogue masthead. In my opinion, I prefer the Vogue on as I love how the thin sections contrast with the thick and how rounded it all looks. Although, I do love how symmetrical this one looks. The word 'Elle' is symmetrical so perhaps I could think of something similar for my masthead in order to achieve this look for my masthead. Although I do think this will be extremely hard, so I will most likely use a similar font to the Vogue masthead and have a word that is not symmetrical.
I love the font used for the Harper's Bazaar masthead as it has elements of the other two fonts that I enjoy. It has the thin and thick sections that I think look appealing, and it combines the thinness of Elle's font that I like, but still has the letters close together like Vogue's masthead. I will certainly use a serif font as they signify elegance, class and sophistication and so represent the magazine as these things. These are the things I really want to make my magazine.
The font used here is again serif and so looks very classy. The letters are slightly more spread out and thin compared to the Vogue masthead. In my opinion, I prefer the Vogue on as I love how the thin sections contrast with the thick and how rounded it all looks. Although, I do love how symmetrical this one looks. The word 'Elle' is symmetrical so perhaps I could think of something similar for my masthead in order to achieve this look for my masthead. Although I do think this will be extremely hard, so I will most likely use a similar font to the Vogue masthead and have a word that is not symmetrical.

After playing around with fonts I decided to go with a font named 'Didot' as it looks very classy and sophisticated which is what I want. Here is how it looks with my magazine name:
I like the distance between the letters and how the Q makes it look more unique as it hangs below the rest of the letters. I think this font will represent my magazine as sophisticated, elegant and tasteful.
How Different Magazines Target Different Age Groups
This Teen Vogue magazine targets a teenage audience aged 13-18. This TA is clearly reflected with the features of the magazine.
- The main colours used are bright pink and bright blue, these colours are very child-like and extravagant. They don't appear to look very classy, so they wouldn't attract an older audience. The colours would certainly be more eye-catching for a younger teen audience.
- The word 'cool' has been used. This isn't sophisticated at all so wouldn't appeal to an older audience, meaning it targets a teen audience much better.
- The sans serif font used for the features is again not very sophisticated, especially the 'Glam Alert' font, targeting a younger audience of teens.
- There is a puff used in the shape of a star, it is bright pink. This targets a younger audience as it doesn't look very professional, so an adult wouldn't really appreciate the way it looks.
- The models costume and hair is very extravagant and bold, this look wouldn't really work with an adults, sophisticated magazine, so therefore it works much better for this teen edition.
- Celebrities such as Katy Perry, Selena Gomez and One Direction are mentioned. These people are all aimed at a younger audience - teenagers. So including features about them will attract the teenage audience, and repel the older audience who will probably have no interest in them.

This Vogue magazine targets a sophisticated, older teen and adult audience aged 16-25. This TA is clearly reflected with the features of the magazine.

- The colours used are much more sophisticated and classy. The grey works really well with the dark red costume and deep pink masthead. This will attract an older audience due to the elegance of the colours.
- The font used for the features is a sans serif font, like the Teen Vogue magazine, however it is much thinner, which makes it look much more appealing and elegant. It would appeal to the older TA as it looks more classy, which they would appreciate.
- The models make up looks very detailed and neat. It is bold, but yet she still looks classy. Although the Teen Vogue edition features a model also with heavy make up, the model in this Vogue magazine looks much more sophisticated and classy, targeting an older more sophisticated audience.
- The magazine just looks overall much more sophisticated. I believe the colour really make the difference as they look much more elegant and appeal more to an older audience.
Thursday, 19 July 2018
More Target Audience Research
As my target audience is very wide (16-25), I have decided to split it into 3 age groups so that I can really look at how different they all are, and work out how to appeal to them all.
16-18 year old:
This is college age, so they will most likely be living with their parents. They are group A/B so might have money from their parents, meaning that providing their parents give them money, they will be able to afford high fashion clothes, like the ones depicted in my magazine. They may have part time jobs at this age so could also have a fair amount of money of their own. I think I should include some clothes that are more affordable because it is unfair to expect this auidence to have the same amount of money as those aged 25.
19-21 year old:
This is University age, so these people will probably have a fairly well paid part time job that provides them will a good amount of money. Either that, or they will have a full time job or apprenticeship. Both of these will mean they have a lot of money, and as they're group A/B, it is likely they will have good financial support from their parents. This means they will be able to afford high fashion clothes, similar to the ones depicted in my magazine.
22-25 year old:
At this age, it is likely that they will be in a full time job. They will most likely have a lot of money of their own by now, so won't have to rely on money from their family. They will be more independent now, and more free to go out and do as they please. They will therefore probably be very into shopping high fashion clothes and accessories, which means they will be influenced by my magazine and want to buy the products depicted. I can include very expensive clothes, as this audience, being group A/B, can probably afford them.
Bauer Media Research
Bauer Media is a large European based media company that
manages several magazines, iital products, radio and TV stations across the
world.Following their purchase of Emap in 2007, The Bauer Media Group obtained
a collection of media brands, including heat and Grazia as well as many
national radio brands including KISS FM UK and Magic, and regional radio brands
across major UK cities. In 2013, Bauer Media also acquired the Absolute Radio
Group from Times of India.
Bauer Media broadcasts TV music channels including The Box
TV. In the UK it is the sister company of H Bauer Publishin, who publish titles
including Take a Break.
Magazines
Today we are Britain’s biggest magazine publisher.
Our magazine heritage stretches back to 1953 with the launch of Angling Times and the acquisition in 1956 of Motor Cycle News, both still iconic brands within our portfolio. More recently, Closer was launched in 2002 and Britain’s first weekly glossy, Grazia, was launched in 2005.
Our Women’s Weekly magazines include Take A Break, which has long been the UK’s best-selling women’s weekly title, and TV Choice, the UK’s biggest selling magazine. In 2015, we created a new niche within the growing gardening market, with the launch of Modern Gardens, for an audience who want to enjoy their outdoor living space, without having to become expert gardeners.
Digital
Our digital business is harnessed under the Bauer Xcel umbrella, to leverage our scale and accelerate our digital ambitions, organically and through acquisition. Today we have 40 million unique users accessing Bauer brands globally and in the UK, we have over 100 websites and 50 digital editions of our print brands.
Radio
The seeds of Bauer Media’s radio business were planted in1990 with the acquisition of London dance station KISS FM. Today we operate 69 commercial, local, national and digital stations in the UK, including Absolute Radio, Magic, KISS and the Bauer City Network of 22 iconic local brands, situated in cities across the UK.
Bauer Media UK has the biggest commercial digital radio audience, with over half of total Bauer Radio listening taking place via a digital device.
In March 2016, Bauer Media began broadcasting six of its national radio stations on the UK’s second national DAB digital radio multiplex network, including two new launches; Mellow Magic and Magic Chilled.
In May 2016, Bauer Media announced the acquisition of the market-leading Midlands-based commercial radio group, Orion Media, which incorporates the Free Radio and Gem radio brands, further strengthening the Bauer City Network across one of the UK’s fastest-growing regions.
Bauer Media UK has also expanded its radio operation in to Europe, acquiring Nordic broadcaster SBS Radio in 2015. Reaching more than 10 million listeners weekly, through 20 highly demanded brands, SBS Radio is the leading commercial radio operator in Sweden and Denmark and is strongly positioned in Norway and Finland. And in February 2016, the KISS brand launched in Norway and Finland, with KISSTORY now also on-air in Norway.
TV
In 1996, we acquired digital music TV channel The Box, that has grown into Box Plus Network, a seven-channel joint venture TV business with Channel4. Reaching 16 million viewers per month and offering more music than any other TV network, Box Plus Network brands include 4Music, KISS, Magic, Boxhits and Kerrang!"
This was taken from the 'About' section on the Bauer Media
website, so it is all in their own words. Researching this has allowed me to
understand more about Bauer Media and what they own. They own Grazia magazine,
which is also a fashion magazine, so my magazine would fit in.
“Cultural connections
In an era where
audiences are ever harder to categorise, we build strong cultural connections,
drawing people together with the things that they really care about. Our brands
become the lens through which our audiences see the world.
Our focus is on deep
consumer insight and instinct, and when they collide, the sparks fly!Magazines
Today we are Britain’s biggest magazine publisher.
Our magazine heritage stretches back to 1953 with the launch of Angling Times and the acquisition in 1956 of Motor Cycle News, both still iconic brands within our portfolio. More recently, Closer was launched in 2002 and Britain’s first weekly glossy, Grazia, was launched in 2005.
Our Women’s Weekly magazines include Take A Break, which has long been the UK’s best-selling women’s weekly title, and TV Choice, the UK’s biggest selling magazine. In 2015, we created a new niche within the growing gardening market, with the launch of Modern Gardens, for an audience who want to enjoy their outdoor living space, without having to become expert gardeners.
Digital
Our digital business is harnessed under the Bauer Xcel umbrella, to leverage our scale and accelerate our digital ambitions, organically and through acquisition. Today we have 40 million unique users accessing Bauer brands globally and in the UK, we have over 100 websites and 50 digital editions of our print brands.
Radio
The seeds of Bauer Media’s radio business were planted in1990 with the acquisition of London dance station KISS FM. Today we operate 69 commercial, local, national and digital stations in the UK, including Absolute Radio, Magic, KISS and the Bauer City Network of 22 iconic local brands, situated in cities across the UK.
Bauer Media UK has the biggest commercial digital radio audience, with over half of total Bauer Radio listening taking place via a digital device.
In March 2016, Bauer Media began broadcasting six of its national radio stations on the UK’s second national DAB digital radio multiplex network, including two new launches; Mellow Magic and Magic Chilled.
In May 2016, Bauer Media announced the acquisition of the market-leading Midlands-based commercial radio group, Orion Media, which incorporates the Free Radio and Gem radio brands, further strengthening the Bauer City Network across one of the UK’s fastest-growing regions.
Bauer Media UK has also expanded its radio operation in to Europe, acquiring Nordic broadcaster SBS Radio in 2015. Reaching more than 10 million listeners weekly, through 20 highly demanded brands, SBS Radio is the leading commercial radio operator in Sweden and Denmark and is strongly positioned in Norway and Finland. And in February 2016, the KISS brand launched in Norway and Finland, with KISSTORY now also on-air in Norway.
TV
In 1996, we acquired digital music TV channel The Box, that has grown into Box Plus Network, a seven-channel joint venture TV business with Channel4. Reaching 16 million viewers per month and offering more music than any other TV network, Box Plus Network brands include 4Music, KISS, Magic, Boxhits and Kerrang!"
Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Initial Photography Feedback From TA
I have uploaded this image to Flickr as I like the way the background works in representing the model. I think the natural background represents her innocence and sincerity. It would work well as a front cover, providing the background was blurred so the focus isn't taken away from the model. I have received 3 comments, each from members of my target audience (16-25), therefore these comments will help me develop an understanding of what my TA like.
The comments are positive and reinforce what I thought about the image. Daisy's comment mentions the models innocence which is what I was going for, and the positive tone implies my TA like this representation which is good and means I will definitely use this representation for this model. I will find better locations that are also natural and take more pictures of her and I will ensure the background is blurred because I need to make sure the focus is solely on the model - I don't want any distractions. One comment talks about they like how natural the model is. This is good because I want my magazine to focus more on natural girls, representing purity and innocence rather than fully made up girls, and so it is good to know that my TA also enjoy this.

I uploaded this picture to Flickr because I think the colours work really well and I like the expression on my models face. It is very pure and natural. Again, I would blur the background so that the focus is on the model alone. I think it would still be equally effective because the deep green colour would still remain very apparent. I love how her costume compliments her features such as her eyes and I just really think these colours work together nicely. I will make sure that if I take another one that is similar to this, the background will be completely covered with greenery, so that when it is blurred, all you can see are several shades of green, complementing her costume and eyes.

Although I am not too keen on the background of this, I do like the pose and the costume. I think the costume is very unusual, which is good for a high fashion magazine and I like the pose because it is similar to what you would tend to see in a fashion magazine, so would work really well in mine. The facial expression especially is typical of a fashion magazine, so I will definitely ask her to pull this facial expression again. I think the costume doesn't work well with the background because the colours don't go very well. The costume is pastel so it would look better with a pastel background.
The comment confirms what I believed about the pose, I will definitely ask the model to do a similar pose when I take more pictures of her as it works very well, especially for a fashion magazine as the comment states.
Overall, I am pleased with the feedback from my initial photography and I have learnt from my TA's comments and they have helped me to decide that:
- I will stick to the nature theme with this model and keep her relatively natural looking.
- I will take pictures of her in the blue outfit depicted in the first two images.
- I will encourage her to pose in the way she did in the last picture.
Research of Websites 3 - Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar Website Research
Conventionally, the masthead is placed at the top in the centre of the website. It has a video behind it of a model in a floral, brightly coloured dress which makes the webpage look instantly very colourful. However, I do think it takes attention away from the masthead as the video is quite busy and distracting which may not be a good thing. Although, it is still very visible due to the large white serif font. The font being serif creates a graceful, sophisticated look, and it therefore represents the magazine as those things also. All 3 websites I have researched (Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Elle) have used a serif font, each very similar. I really enjoy the way it looks, therefore will most likely use a serif font for my masthead and logo.
The logo is placed in the top left corner which is conventional. Just like the other two websites (Vogue and Elle), it remains there when you scroll and you are able to press on it and be directed back to the homepage. This is very useful and time saving, as it means the audience won't have to scroll all the way back up, they can simply press the logo. The navigation bar has similar links to Elle's and Vogue's navigation bar, with links for 'fashion' and 'beauty'. These two links are typical of a fashion website. This navigation bar also has a celebrity link, that contains celebrity gossip articles. This attracts a younger audience of teens aged 16-19. However the Bazaar Bride link then attracts an older audience of 24-30 as it is all about wedding planning. Therefore the links help to widen the websites TA. Both these links address audiences concerns, whether the concerns be planning a wedding, or simply wondering what Meghan Markle has been wearing. The link to 'ShopBAZAAR' is effective because it promotes their products and encourages people to buy from them.

The menu option brings up a long list of links, including the ones in the navigation bar and more. There is a travel and food link which directs you to a page all about these things. There are several articles all about different places to travel to in the world. This almost works as a way of advertising destinations, as the pictures encourage people to go and experience the beautiful places in real life. There are articles about the best food places as well. The articles combine travel and food, as you have to travel long distances to most of the food places. This attracts a young audience of people aged around 19-21, as it is this age that people tend to go travelling at. Therefore these articles do actually address the audiences concerns, as people will read the articles to discover where they should go.
Also, there is a link for the newsletter. It takes you to a page where can sign up to the newsletter to 'find the latest fashion trends, news, and more, from casual to couture.' The lexical choices used encourage the reader to sign up so they can stay up to date with the latest trends.
There are various social media links which attract the younger teen audience, as they use social media frequently. It encourages the teens to follow the Harper's Bazaar page on each of the social media sites. This will mean that features from Harper's Bazaar will pop up on their news feeds on each social media site, so they're constantly up to date with fashion etc.
Conventionally, the masthead is placed at the top in the centre of the website. It has a video behind it of a model in a floral, brightly coloured dress which makes the webpage look instantly very colourful. However, I do think it takes attention away from the masthead as the video is quite busy and distracting which may not be a good thing. Although, it is still very visible due to the large white serif font. The font being serif creates a graceful, sophisticated look, and it therefore represents the magazine as those things also. All 3 websites I have researched (Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Elle) have used a serif font, each very similar. I really enjoy the way it looks, therefore will most likely use a serif font for my masthead and logo.


The menu option brings up a long list of links, including the ones in the navigation bar and more. There is a travel and food link which directs you to a page all about these things. There are several articles all about different places to travel to in the world. This almost works as a way of advertising destinations, as the pictures encourage people to go and experience the beautiful places in real life. There are articles about the best food places as well. The articles combine travel and food, as you have to travel long distances to most of the food places. This attracts a young audience of people aged around 19-21, as it is this age that people tend to go travelling at. Therefore these articles do actually address the audiences concerns, as people will read the articles to discover where they should go.
Also, there is a link for the newsletter. It takes you to a page where can sign up to the newsletter to 'find the latest fashion trends, news, and more, from casual to couture.' The lexical choices used encourage the reader to sign up so they can stay up to date with the latest trends.
There are various social media links which attract the younger teen audience, as they use social media frequently. It encourages the teens to follow the Harper's Bazaar page on each of the social media sites. This will mean that features from Harper's Bazaar will pop up on their news feeds on each social media site, so they're constantly up to date with fashion etc.
There are stories to do with politics, which isn't really what you would expect from a fashion magazine. This helps to widen the audience as an older audience (30's) would be interested to know what the Queen said to Trump. The byline is useful because if the audience recognises a writer that they like, they're likely to press on and read the article. All 3 websites I have studied have had bylines so I will definitely include them on my website.
From looking at Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar websites I have discovered several features that are common and that I will use on my website. Some being:
- The masthead in a serif font, positioned at the top in the centre.
- The logo being in the top left corner, and it being a direct link back to the homepage.
- The navigation bar including links that appeal to everyone in my TA (16-25).
- Bylines on every article.
- Social media links.
- A moving image behind the masthead.
- I will include some square images like Vogue as it looks unique.
Tuesday, 17 July 2018
Research of Websites 2 - Elle
Elle Website Research
The masthead is placed conventionally at the top in the centre of the website. The font is large which allows it to stand out and be a very prominent feature, meaning you are constantly reminded of the name of the magazine. The font is a serif font which creates a classy, sophisticated representation for the magazine. The banner in which the masthead is placed has changing images in the background, therefore the colour of the font used changes from black and white depending on what works best with that certain image. I think this is very effective because it means that it is always interesting to see what the image will be when you go on the website.
Similar to Vogue, the logo is conventionally placed in the top left corner. It remains there when you scroll down on the website so there is a constant reminder of the name of the magazine. If you press on the logo it takes you back to the homepage, so therefore it is very useful for the audience as it makes it easier to navigate the website and get back to the homepage quickly.
The navigation bar is a conventional feature of a website and it is very diverse in the links displayed. You have the option to explore articles related to fashion and beauty which would attract younger audiences (16-25), but also cultural links. When selecting the culture link, you are taken to a page with many articles relating to culture. There is a large image of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle which appears instantly. This section of the website does relate to the audiences concerns because their are several articles about important topics that people are anxious about - such as articles surrounding Donald Trump. This helps create a wider audience as it will attract older people, aged 25-30.

The horoscopes link also addresses the audiences concerns because many people enjoy reading their horoscopes, so they would find this link very useful. This is similar to the life and love link as this works as an advice section where you have the ability to write to the website a concern you have, and you will be given advice by E. Jean. Clearly this directly addresses the audiences concerns as their issues are being explicitly dealt with by a professional who is giving them advice. It is especially effective because people who aren't confident enough to open up may see a story they relate to, and will therefore be able to get the advice they need without having to open up about the issue they have.

As part of the navigation bar, on the far left their is a menu option, that if you select, brings up a long list of links. This brings up the same links from the navigation bar as well as some extras. You have the option to search which is very useful because if you know exactly what you're looking for on the website, you can quickly search for it and it will be on your screen straight away. There is an option to look at videos which creates a wider audience as it attracts the younger generation (16-21) who prefer to watch videos as a way of taking in information.
There is also an option to take you to a page about the newsletter, where you are able to sign up to it. This encourages people to sign up to the newsletter, especially with the lexical choices used, "For the latest in fashion, beauty and culture, sign up and receive ELLE's bi-weekly newsletter". This sounds very appealing as people will want to stay up to date with these things, so consequently, will want to subscribe.
The follow option gives a list of social media sites which you are able to follow them on which is good for the younger audience (16-25).
The link 'win' uses a buzz word which encourages people to click on the link. The link takes you to a page full of competitions you can enter.
There are articles on the website about things other than fashion. For example, there is this article about Prince William, Prince Harry and Donald Trump. This most likely expands the audience that the website attracts as an older audience would enjoy to read this article (25-35). The articles also have bylines so you are able to see the writer before pressing on the link. This is effective because if you see an article written by someone you follow and enjoy reading their work, then you'll likely press on it and read this article. It represents Elle's audience as being sophisticated because they read hard news as well as the normal fashion articles with tips for clothing etc. At the top of the link it says 'Power and Politics' which is useful because people can read these headings and decide whether they want to view the article or not, without even having to read the headline. In contrast, there are the typical articles about fashion trends. For example, there is this one about a bag that is represented as being very good, meaning the article encourages people to buy the bag. There is a 'shop now' option making it easy to purchase. The heading for this one is 'Shopping' so if you're interested in viewing the latest trends to shop, you would simply scan these articles, reading the headings looking for ones that say 'shopping'.

Similar to Vogue, the logo is conventionally placed in the top left corner. It remains there when you scroll down on the website so there is a constant reminder of the name of the magazine. If you press on the logo it takes you back to the homepage, so therefore it is very useful for the audience as it makes it easier to navigate the website and get back to the homepage quickly.
The navigation bar is a conventional feature of a website and it is very diverse in the links displayed. You have the option to explore articles related to fashion and beauty which would attract younger audiences (16-25), but also cultural links. When selecting the culture link, you are taken to a page with many articles relating to culture. There is a large image of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle which appears instantly. This section of the website does relate to the audiences concerns because their are several articles about important topics that people are anxious about - such as articles surrounding Donald Trump. This helps create a wider audience as it will attract older people, aged 25-30.

The horoscopes link also addresses the audiences concerns because many people enjoy reading their horoscopes, so they would find this link very useful. This is similar to the life and love link as this works as an advice section where you have the ability to write to the website a concern you have, and you will be given advice by E. Jean. Clearly this directly addresses the audiences concerns as their issues are being explicitly dealt with by a professional who is giving them advice. It is especially effective because people who aren't confident enough to open up may see a story they relate to, and will therefore be able to get the advice they need without having to open up about the issue they have.

As part of the navigation bar, on the far left their is a menu option, that if you select, brings up a long list of links. This brings up the same links from the navigation bar as well as some extras. You have the option to search which is very useful because if you know exactly what you're looking for on the website, you can quickly search for it and it will be on your screen straight away. There is an option to look at videos which creates a wider audience as it attracts the younger generation (16-21) who prefer to watch videos as a way of taking in information.
There is also an option to take you to a page about the newsletter, where you are able to sign up to it. This encourages people to sign up to the newsletter, especially with the lexical choices used, "For the latest in fashion, beauty and culture, sign up and receive ELLE's bi-weekly newsletter". This sounds very appealing as people will want to stay up to date with these things, so consequently, will want to subscribe.
The follow option gives a list of social media sites which you are able to follow them on which is good for the younger audience (16-25).
The link 'win' uses a buzz word which encourages people to click on the link. The link takes you to a page full of competitions you can enter.
There are articles on the website about things other than fashion. For example, there is this article about Prince William, Prince Harry and Donald Trump. This most likely expands the audience that the website attracts as an older audience would enjoy to read this article (25-35). The articles also have bylines so you are able to see the writer before pressing on the link. This is effective because if you see an article written by someone you follow and enjoy reading their work, then you'll likely press on it and read this article. It represents Elle's audience as being sophisticated because they read hard news as well as the normal fashion articles with tips for clothing etc. At the top of the link it says 'Power and Politics' which is useful because people can read these headings and decide whether they want to view the article or not, without even having to read the headline. In contrast, there are the typical articles about fashion trends. For example, there is this one about a bag that is represented as being very good, meaning the article encourages people to buy the bag. There is a 'shop now' option making it easy to purchase. The heading for this one is 'Shopping' so if you're interested in viewing the latest trends to shop, you would simply scan these articles, reading the headings looking for ones that say 'shopping'.

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