After taking everything into consideration and after lookign at my case study in more detail I decided to set up a Myspace Page that would allow readers access to my magazine in a different format as well as adding to the brand identity.
I also felt it was quite an important decision as most of the music that will be in the magazine has been grown from formats such as Myspace and having that link between Myspace and my magazine it shows that, as a brand, there is an understanding between audience and product, and that their needs are being taken into account as savy consumers.
The Myspace page will also help with audience participation in the magazine as this will give them the outlet to write into the magazine with reviews and interview questions as well as providing them the opportunities to get further involved with their own images and content ideas. This is where my USP is coming from,, this concept is completely new within the music press and I hope to fill a whole with it that will be filled for a long time.
Saturday 17 January 2009
Final conclusions
Now, after drawing up some initial plans I have gone on to create some flat plans that have provided some opportunities for my focus group to intervene and help with some decisions.
Thee flat plan to the left was creaed on photshop as a basic layout and helped me to determin text placement and see how my ideas would translate onto page.
Thee flat plan to the left was creaed on photshop as a basic layout and helped me to determin text placement and see how my ideas would translate onto page.
The image that was used in my flat plan was not an original as I wanted to use the image to explain to my focus group the sort of representations I wanted to come across in my product. It was also a way of helping me establish how the cover image should look when I came to adding to my final product. This initial flat plan was a basic outline of my ideas and the photo really inspired me to create my pwn image similar to the one on the plan as I felt that it was very appropriate and eye catching. I put this plan to my focus group to gain some insight into whether my ideas would relate back to my audience. There opinions are expressed below:
Aidee:- I absoloutely love the effect that this is trying to create and I feel that if you can use an image that is similar to the one above then the final product should be really good and effective.
Raees:- I think the layout really works and is positioned in the right place. I do think, however that the title of the magazine should be made more prominant.
Will:- I think that the title font works really well and the product really relates to the target audience. I also think that you should use a colour theme like you have in your plan on your final product as this will make it even more professional.
After hearing what my focus group had to say I went away and really thought about my image compositions. From previous research I knew that I wanted my image to link in with my main article and I thought that having my text focused around the center image would be the best and most professional layout. I ended up taking very few images as after I took the first couple I could really see how I needed to get the final image and this happened within a few trials.
The first image i took was a test shot so I could get the right composition and framing for the following pictures. I liked the angle of the shot however I felt that there was too much background in the image and therefore it was unuseable.
The next image I took was more indicative of the look I was trying to aceive although there was something about I didn't quite like. I felt that the there was to much of a wide angle on the shot and once again there was too much background interference to make the image work.
The third image I took ended up being the final image. I loved the angles and the way the guitar drew the eye across the picture. I also feel that by having the artist looking away from the audience would have a better effect as it connotes a connection between music and the artist, something that is important to my audience. After making my decision I took the image and edited it in photshop, where I put a crop around the edges as well as editing the contrast and buring the edges of the picture to get my final result. If i was to change one thing it would be the positioning of the arm in the image as I feel that this is a little to prominant and draws the eye away.
Also taking on board what my focus group said about layout and colour's I decided to stick with the same colours that I used in my flat plan as I liked the way they all worked together and they also work well with the colour tone in my final image. The colours are bold enough to stand out against a dark background yet they are serene enough not to put off the older ranges of my demographic. Colour was also a vital part to my masthead and I felt that the wrong colours would ruin the magazine, therefore I stuck with three very similar colours that again, work well together as well as giving the masthead an interesting look and creative design.
In regards to the layout and font face of my text I took inspiration from the Billboard magazine I researched previously as I felt that their text positioning worked really well. My flat plan showed me that the balance of text postioning was important meaning that I had to carefully place my text inorder to make my magazine appear professional and balance it out against the main image, leading to the final text placements. I also felt it would be better to place the text on the opposite side to the mast head as this would create the balance I was aiming for, most professional music magazines seem to follow the same principle.
In regards to the layout and font face of my text I took inspiration from the Billboard magazine I researched previously as I felt that their text positioning worked really well. My flat plan showed me that the balance of text postioning was important meaning that I had to carefully place my text inorder to make my magazine appear professional and balance it out against the main image, leading to the final text placements. I also felt it would be better to place the text on the opposite side to the mast head as this would create the balance I was aiming for, most professional music magazines seem to follow the same principle.
In terms of content I want to include articles about current events in news, sport and entertainment as I feel this will broaden my target audience as well as giving my magazine a more professional and sophisticated feel. I think it is important to include the different genres of content on the front page as readers can make an informed desicion about whethe or not to buy into my brand.
As well as taking into consideration my front page, I also need to produce a contents page and double page spread. Continuing from my research I read through Q magazine and analysed the pages I would need to emulate in my own product. I took a lot of inspiration from these pages and I want my own product to acheive a highly professional, yet stylish look that Q magazine acheived. They used clean cut lines and bold colours that linked with the title page, they were careful not to overfill the pages with information yet provide readers with the information they needed, I want the inside of my magazine to follow the same principles. What was really ovbious to me was when designing a double page spread it was common place to dedicate one entire page to an image and then go on to write the article on the following pages. I want to try and acheive this same look as I feel that it portrays a more refined effect.
My double page spread image is just as important as the front cover and I have listed below my thought processes in choosing an image. I want to make my double page spread tie in with my main article on my front page so to do this I thought it would be poignant to use the same person in the photo and link the cover page with the spread article, giving a considered effect to my product.
This is one of Two photo I ended up taking. I decided to make this my final image as it portrayed the effect I was aiming for. Once again I editied the final image in photoshop by increasing the contrast and saturation of the image to sharpen some of the lines and highlight certain elements of the image.
Monday 5 January 2009
Initial Findings
Research Conclusions
After looking at all the research I have gathered from studying the music press I now understand that the music press is an industry that has fallen under a lot of pressure over the past few years due to changes in the way mass consume their own music genres and media brands. There is an underground music scene that is slowly but steadily creeping into mainstream music culture and fans are finding new ways to bypass the mainstream and inject their own individual styles into the music press with fansites, fanzines and personalised Myspace pages. Audiences have begun to bramch out from more mainstream music ideals as they fear that music is fastlly becoming more about celebrity than talent and audiences dont appreciate the way most music magazines dictate the tastes in music to its readers. By creating brands and identities within music magazines most find this a way of stereotyping certain music tastes with specific cultural representations and this is becoming less widely accpeted by mass as auidences are now more open to accepting other genres of music.
This is key to creating a new brand that will be accpeted by audiences as when audiences feel that their needs and demands have been understood they will be willing to listen.
You need to give audiences a change to become the critic and to ask the questions, let them make up their own minds and show that there is an awareness of an underground music scene that has not been acknowledge in the past.
After looking at all the research I have gathered from studying the music press I now understand that the music press is an industry that has fallen under a lot of pressure over the past few years due to changes in the way mass consume their own music genres and media brands. There is an underground music scene that is slowly but steadily creeping into mainstream music culture and fans are finding new ways to bypass the mainstream and inject their own individual styles into the music press with fansites, fanzines and personalised Myspace pages. Audiences have begun to bramch out from more mainstream music ideals as they fear that music is fastlly becoming more about celebrity than talent and audiences dont appreciate the way most music magazines dictate the tastes in music to its readers. By creating brands and identities within music magazines most find this a way of stereotyping certain music tastes with specific cultural representations and this is becoming less widely accpeted by mass as auidences are now more open to accepting other genres of music.
This is key to creating a new brand that will be accpeted by audiences as when audiences feel that their needs and demands have been understood they will be willing to listen.
You need to give audiences a change to become the critic and to ask the questions, let them make up their own minds and show that there is an awareness of an underground music scene that has not been acknowledge in the past.
Product Conclusions
Taking the results of my questinnaire into consideration and the opinions of my focus group I have drawn together some initial conclusions that will help me in determining some flat plans and will allow me to gains some sort of focus.
I aim to produce a brand that enstils some back to basics music back into the music industry with focus on raw talent and the inspirations behind originality. My brand will be dedicated to acoustic music that has been homegrown from the underground music scene and will allow audiences access to their music. After doing some research into the music magazine industry I found that their were no magazines dedicated to acoustic music with the only option out there relating to professional music publications about how to create music based around acoustic styles. This tells me that here is a gap in the market for the type of brand I am offereing and I would face to no real competition in terms of content.
I hope to produce a product that incorporates audience participation in relation to interviews and reviews. I aim to do this by making my double page spread interview entirely dictated by questions sent in from readers. This will hopefully create a greater relationship between my audience and my brand.
As well as this i want to also include diversity in content by introducing politics, entertainment and sport into my magazine. This will widen my target audience demographic as well as targeting a wider range of readers.
Collated Results
To view my results from my questionnaire please click on the link below.
COLLATED RESULTS
COLLATED RESULTS
Questionnaire
What is more important to you as a consumer?
This question was asked inorder to determine what my audience would be looking for when deciding what they wish to purchase and it also allows me to understand, from their perspective, what they look for in new products and what they find most important. This will enable me to create aim and focus.
What entices you to a product?
This question was asked, again, for the same reasons as the previous. It gives me an insight into the buying habits of audiences and alos allows me to establish where my focus will be centered in the creation of my product.
Do you think theme and continuity are important in terms of colour and style?
This question was important in relation to design as I would be able to draw conclusions from my results as to what my demographic find important in the layout of a magazine. It also helps me in planning ideas and initial concepts.
Would you prefer to see one main image on the front cover or a selection?
(Same reason as above)
In relation to text image ratio would you rather see more emphasis on the images than the text?
This was simply asked so I would be able to determine how important text will be in the layout of my cover, and whether or not it would play a more important part than the image. Again this was asked for layout focus.
When looking at content of a music magaqzine would you like to see a more realistic, casual approach with writting than a more formal stance?
This question was asked in realtion to the content of my magazine and how I should approach the way in which I edit the reviews and interviews. It was important for me to see whether or not my audience felt music journalism should me more formal or casual. I felt that by creating a magazne with a more laid back approach to music this would create my USP.
Would you buy a music magazine if you knew that it was soleyl dedicated to an acousitc genre of music??
I put this question together simply to see if my idea would hold up in practice.
Do you think that music magazines put to much empahsis on telling readers what to think than letting them make up their own minds?
This question was more general but it will allow me to understand how readers feel about the music press today and whethe or not I should follow the same conventions used by most music journalists out there.
Do you think there should be more variety in terms of content?Again, this question was realted to content and helped me to determine whether or not I should include more than just music in my magazine.
If yes please circle three below??
News
Sport
Entertainment
Film
Gaming
Politics
Gossip
By giving participants a choice I could definitavely make a final decision on the content of my magazine.
Would you like to have included in the magazine chances to participate in the reviews and interviews conducted?
This again was more general but It gace me the opportunity to decide whether or not mu audience should be more involved with the creation of my magazine.
This question was asked inorder to determine what my audience would be looking for when deciding what they wish to purchase and it also allows me to understand, from their perspective, what they look for in new products and what they find most important. This will enable me to create aim and focus.
What entices you to a product?
This question was asked, again, for the same reasons as the previous. It gives me an insight into the buying habits of audiences and alos allows me to establish where my focus will be centered in the creation of my product.
Do you think theme and continuity are important in terms of colour and style?
This question was important in relation to design as I would be able to draw conclusions from my results as to what my demographic find important in the layout of a magazine. It also helps me in planning ideas and initial concepts.
Would you prefer to see one main image on the front cover or a selection?
(Same reason as above)
In relation to text image ratio would you rather see more emphasis on the images than the text?
This was simply asked so I would be able to determine how important text will be in the layout of my cover, and whether or not it would play a more important part than the image. Again this was asked for layout focus.
When looking at content of a music magaqzine would you like to see a more realistic, casual approach with writting than a more formal stance?
This question was asked in realtion to the content of my magazine and how I should approach the way in which I edit the reviews and interviews. It was important for me to see whether or not my audience felt music journalism should me more formal or casual. I felt that by creating a magazne with a more laid back approach to music this would create my USP.
Would you buy a music magazine if you knew that it was soleyl dedicated to an acousitc genre of music??
I put this question together simply to see if my idea would hold up in practice.
Do you think that music magazines put to much empahsis on telling readers what to think than letting them make up their own minds?
This question was more general but it will allow me to understand how readers feel about the music press today and whethe or not I should follow the same conventions used by most music journalists out there.
Do you think there should be more variety in terms of content?Again, this question was realted to content and helped me to determine whether or not I should include more than just music in my magazine.
If yes please circle three below??
News
Sport
Entertainment
Film
Gaming
Politics
Gossip
By giving participants a choice I could definitavely make a final decision on the content of my magazine.
Would you like to have included in the magazine chances to participate in the reviews and interviews conducted?
This again was more general but It gace me the opportunity to decide whether or not mu audience should be more involved with the creation of my magazine.
Reader profile including mood board
After some close analysis into the sub culture that has surrounded my idea for music genre content in my magazine i have been able to establish a reader profile of the ideal reader for my brand. As well as get a better understand as to what my audience will demand fro my products and the specific culture references that they will expect to see in my contents and text. My brand readers will be interested in the stripped backed basics of music and keeping integrity within music. They don't consciously decide to break away from main stream culture but their beliefs in integrity have lead them away from the manufactured celebrity. Focus is on the talents and the lyrics as well as establishing new talent through new media forums.
My brand audience like to feel a connection between artists and themselves through lyrics or perhaps sometimes through the way certain artists are discovered, ie: Myspace
In their free time they like to participate in music festivals and will almost always play an instrument of their own as well as write music. Music is an escape for my brand readers and they will reject any product that undermines their inteligence and patronises their musical knowledge.
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