College Magazine Analysis #2

College Magazine Analysis #2

Featured on this college magazine cover is a pretty, young, active female, smiling with a direct mode of address. Her eye contact involves the audience as if she’s sending a warm welcome; influencing them to buy the magazine. Her representation reflects on the college, giving them a moral reputation – it manipulates the audience into attending or purchasing the magazine, since it gives them the mindset that if she appears so proficient and happy, so can they. Moreover, the mis-en-scene is blurred out behind her, emphasizing her significance.

Part of the females' head is covering the masthead, suggesting that the magazine is popular enough to be known without revealing the whole of it; it also makes the female seem as if she’s the main subject on the cover, making it the first thing that the audience set eyes on. The masthead is a simple, red, bold text at the top of the magazine. The connotation of the color red is a symbol of passion, ambition and power which informs the audience of the traits the college includes. However, another connotation for the color red is danger, blood and anger which may signify the wrong representation of the college to the audience. Along with the color of the masthead, the rest of the magazine uses a color scheme of red and blue. The majority of the audience will see this as a symbol of royalty or a symbol of strength and unity, because they’re liberal colors; therefore holding a good impression of the magazine. Another reason the color scheme has been chosen is because both red and blue are primary colors, making the magazine look more simple yet professional.

Furthermore, a range of sell lines are mentioned around the main image. Shocking facts that nobody knew about before such as “saliva being a drug” make the audience intrigued; a popular factor of getting an audience to purchase a magazine. They follow the same house style to maintain familiarity for the readers. The font style, size and color are sustained also, to make it easier to read. The title of a topic is usually bigger than the remaining information underneath it to highlight the most significant part to the readers. Buzz words are also used such as “exclusive” to make the magazine appear original and fashionable; the audience would see this as a chance to “get with it.”

Lastly, the main audience this magazine is attempting to appeal to is young (17-25), aspiring students, possibly of both genders because of the red and blue color scheme. A secondary audience for this magazine would be teachers of both genders or younger teenagers who are planning their future.