Research into target audience - primary

What catches your eye about the front cover, the contents page and the double page spread? 
Why?

- The main image catches my eye from the front cover,contents page and double page spread because it's the largest thing on all the pages and jumps out at you.
- The images also catch my attention first as i enjoy looking at pictures more than reading the content, so i tend to look at the images first.
- The selling line on the front cover catches my attention, as it mentions a band a enjoy to listen to, making me want to read more. Similarly, i also look at the text first on the contents page and double page spread, as the mastheads of these pages are the largest text on the page and grab my attention.
- The masthead of the front cover attracts me as it is a well known, popular magazine. The contents "Band index" also catches my attention as it offers a wide range of bands that could interest me. And finally, the double page spread, the main image speaks to me most as it is the largest and brightest thing on the page.

 Does the colour scheme catch your eye? 
Why?

- Yes, as the colours all contrast each other but also work together. The background being the lightest colour contrasts with the other colours, to make them shout out more to the readers and catch their attention, as it has done mine.
- The colour scheme works well together, and uses common and simple colours make simple things on the cover catch out, as well as the rest of the magazine.
- The colour scheme does catch my eye, as it is the same colour scheme through out the hole magazine and is used for each issue, making it easy to identify.
- The colours Red, White and Black are used all the way through the hole magazine, making every page stand out to the reader as the colours contrast each other, and will make images of different colours stand out to the reader.

Does the layout of the magazine appeal to it’s target audience?

- The way the magazine is laid out, could appeal to any target audience as it doesn't  specifically show who it is aimed at, making it harder for new readers to understand the genre of magazine. 

- I honestly think that the layout of the magazine appeal to it's target audience, as the simple layout and colours show that the genre can be aimed at all types of people, suggesting that the magazine doesn't specifically aim to one group of people, but aims to a wide range of people. 

- The layout of the magazine is calm and simple, which is the type of music and content that is inside, you don't have hard core metal bands in this magazine. Which is shown by the layout. 

- The layout of the magazine caters for all types of audience, which is shown by it's layout. The main image suggests the type of content inside. 

Does the magazine include similarities to other music magazines?



- The magazine does include some similarities, such as colour scheme, but this magazine shows a different layout to the contents page to any other magazine, making it appeal more to it's target audience as it has the slightest bit of individuality.
- The layout of the front cover is similar to other music magazines, the use of the image and character placement but only has similar content to magazines such as Q.
- The magazine uses simple colours to make it's main image and content stand out to the reader like most magazines, as this is a great way to catch the readers attention.
- NME has many similarities, such as colour scheme, layout and content to other magazines, however, the contents page is set out in a unique and different way compared to other magazines, making it that slightest different and may be that one set closer to catching more readers attention compared to magazines such as Q and Karrang.

Is the contents page and the double page spread easy to read? 


- The contens page has alot of information cramped into one page, making it harder to read for some viewers, but on the over hand, readers may prefer it this way as there is much more contents to choose from. The double page spread on the other hand is rather simple and has alot of spare room, making it more relaxing and calm to the readers, making it easier from to read.
- I find the double page spread and the contents page easy to read. Others may find the conents page hard to understand, where as i find the less spare space and more text easier, as there is more to read and more to take in. The colour scheme also makes it easier to read by separating the contents page making it even more easier.
- The double page spread uses simple colours and has lots of free space, making it easier to read, however, some people may dislike this has space is being wasted unlike the contents page where there is little spare space to be seen, but some reader may dislike this also as it may seem confusing to read and understand.
- The contents page holds to much information about the magazine as the contents is all crowded together and may seem difficult to read.

How this will influence my final product;


Using the feedback above on other popular magazines, i intend on using this feedback to make my own magazine appealing to it's target audience. Shown by the first question asked, i will follow this example by making my main image the largest things on the page, as it is seems to be the thing that attracts the audience most, but also put great detail into the selling lines and masthead as it is also shown that they partly catch the readers attention.

The second question will influence my final product as it is shown that the dark colours that NME have used are appealing to the audience and also contrast with the light, yet simple background and text on the page, making it jump out to the target audience eye and persuade them to purchase the magazine. The colour scheme is used through out the magazine, making it more recognisable to the target audience, and making it easier to identify.

I intend on using similar methods to other magazines, for example, i am very attracted to NME's contents page, so i plan on using a similar contents page to this. However, i also want my magazine to be different to other magazines, making it unique and more popular to my younger audience.

Shown by the last question, people have many different views on the layout of the contents page and double page spread. This feedback will influence my product as i intend on having my contents page packed with selling lines to make the reader want to read the content further. However, i plan on having my double page spread simple, using more of a main image and less writing. Making it apply to people who enjoy reading and people who prefer reading little, as some pages will have alot of content, however some will have little content and more images.