Digital Mock-up

This is a draft using images found on the internet that are similar to the ones I plan on taking. It was created on Microsoft Office Publisher.

Target Audience

When deciding on my target audience, I had to consider the demographics and psychographics. I have to consider the consumers’ beliefs, opinions, lifestyle, attitude, values and interests. I have chosen the 15-24 age range because this is when people start to think about going to college or university and this generation has similar interests and attitudes towards college-life before entering the workforce.

Analysis of College Magazine 3/3

King Edward VI College 2009/2010

The main imageis very simple and represents the students at the college as studous and happy which is a very positive thing. The subject in the image highlights that the target audience is teenagers (16-19) – she is also looking happy and as if she is thinking about something  which connotes pleasing thoughts of progression into further education. This image differs from my brief because the MCU contains of the head and shoulders of the subject but she is not making eye contact with the audience although she has a thoughtful look on her face. The text uses anchorage by featuring a college student to make it relevant to the purpose of the magazine and its target audience. There is use of the conventional large font title followed by a smaller font size to highlight the main articles in bold which is much easier to read. There is also a non-bold explanation text underneath teasing the contents. The background behinf the student is blurred which allows the audience to focus on the text and images which makes them more prominent. There is a clear colour sceme (with a brown background to project the text it is beneath) consisting of light blue and light green. The writing below each point is in white to differentiate it from the title helping it dominate. The same font is used on the front cover for each element and these colours are not associated with either females or males, this helps include the range of the target audience. The colours alternate per heading which makes the cover look more attractive to the eye. They have used the title ‘King Ed’s’which is shortened for King Edward (the name of the college) – here they are trying to connect with the students by using everyday terminology and teenage slang which will appeal to their target audience of 16 to 19 year olds.

The contents is presented in a textbox with curved edges . the table of contents is organised into a textbox layout in an instructional structure in chronological order which is convienient for the reader. The page numbers are right alighned which seperates the page numbers from the text. There is a different use of colour on this page – the red and yellow text boxes on a beige background and the clarity and juxtaposition of the different information sections represents organisation of the students and the college at which they attend. There is an image of two student conversing happily which shows that they are enjoying their time at college and it is a social and friendly place to be giving the impression that there is nothing bad about this college – this links to the front cover image because that shows the academic side where as this shows the social aspects of college life. The contents is shared on a page with a letter from the editor making the magazine more personal to the student.

Analysis of College Magazine 2/3

Reigate College May 2011

In this masthead, the main image only covers half the page but, because there are no other images, and it is on a plain background the attention is drawn to the pair of hands. The target audience for this magazine is 16 to 19 years olds. This image contrasts to the other magazines which feature students themselves. The reader gets the impression these are students hands because one of the articles has the title ‘festivals’ and the subject is wearing a festival band – they are also in a position which looks like they are raised in the air and in the middle of clapping which gives a sense of happiness and enthusiasm which represents the college and students in a positive way. The close-up shot of just the hands draws attention away from the image but attracts the title and even more so – the text presented in a column down the right hand side of the page. The text uses anchorage by featuring a person with positive attitudes and the articles cover most interests of a stereotypical teenager – this magazine is mainly aimed at the students in particular and their interests so the purpose of the magazine is to make the college look like a fun place to be. Similar to the previous magazine, there is use of the large font title and a smaller font size for the other text. However on this front cover, the text down the right hand side does not tease the contents or give an insight to what the main article is about – it lists the subjects and topics covered in the magazine to broaden the range of readers because it covers most hobbies and interests. The colour scheme and house-style is consistent throughout the magazine (light blue, dark blue and white) with bold writing. The plain, light-coloured background allows the audience to focus on the text and image which makes them more prominent. The date of publish is shown in this masthead to attract the reader’s attention and to show it is an up-to-date copy of the college magazine “May 2011” – this also shows that the magazine is published monthly. There is no barcode or price label included on the page indicating it does not cost anything.

This contents page has a very projecting title with an original and exaggerated font but still relating to the colour scheme by using a light blue colour which is quite an electric, positive colour. There are no images on this page which draws attention to the title even more so. The contents are presented as a list using centre positioned text which draws attention to the centre of the page making it easier to read. The text is in a larger size font, in black and with a space between each line making each individual topic clearer and easier to read. There is a small explanation in non-bold underneath some of the topics to describe some of the main articles but there are no pages to indicate where to find them.  

Analysis of College Magazine 1/3

Lewisham College Summer Edition 2011

The main image fills the front page, is very simple and represents the college and the students that study there in a positive way. The subject in the image highlights that the target audience is teenagers (16-18) – she is also looking happy which connotes enthusiasm of progression into further education. This image differs from my brief because the MCU does not consist of just the head and shoulders but is a long-shot used to show the full body – she is also not making eye contact with the audience. The long-shot enables us to see the costume and posture of the model – her costume connotes that she is a stereotypical teenager. The text uses anchorage by featuring a college student to make it relevant to the purpose of the magazine and its target audience. There is use of the conventional large font title followed by a smaller font size to highlight the main article in bold which is much easier to read. There is also a non-bold explanation text underneath teasing the contents. The plain black background allows the audience to focus on the text and images which makes them more prominent. The clarity of the colour scheme (white on black) and the information hint could act as a connotation to show the magazine is a light-read and the college itself is not a complex place to be – it is a place social and relaxing but also a place of work. The same font is used on the front cover for each element and the colour white is not associated with either females or males, this helps include the range of the target audience. The date of publish is shown in this masthead to attract the reader’s attention and to show it is an up-to-date copy of the college magazine. The barcode and price are not featured on the page implying that it is free of charge.

The majority of the contents page is filled with letter from ‘Maxine Room’ – she has an excitable expression which signifies her excitement and encouragement towards the target audience showing enthusiasm when thinking about progression into further education. This letter acts as an introduction and sets the main topic of the magazine. The contents is presented as a list in bold black writing with a small explanation in non-bold underneath each point and a page number to the right – the style and size of the text makes it difficult to read but it is consistent. The contents are listed in chronological order making it easier to use and indicating the level of organisation required at college. 

Choice of College

I have chosen to use Wyke 6^th Form College for my magazine because this is the college I attend, making it easier to access parts of the building and take photos to feature in the magazine. I will know what is going on at the college and I know others who attend/teach at the college if I needed to ask any questions.