Vibe magazine targets a younger audience interested in R&B music. The front cover uses consistent colors of black, white and yellow throughout. The masthead stands out in white on black, while other text is in yellow. Drake, a popular R&B artist, is featured as the main image to identify the magazine's genre. The Guttenberg design principle draws the eye to the masthead in the primary optical area and to a banner saying "New" to encourage purchase.

1. Olivia Lyons
Media Coursework
Foundation Portfolio: Front cover analysis essay and labelled analysis
Vibe magazine is a magazine based on R+B
music and is therefore aimed at a younger
target audience, as this age group is
stereotypically associated with listening to this
genre of music. The magazines purpose is to
advertise new music and artists as well as
having interviews with the artists within this
music genre. The house style is consistent as
the same colours, black white and yellow, are
the only colours used on the front cover
making it simple but still effective. The
masthead stands out off the magazine and
from all the other text as it is white on a black
background with all the other text being
yellow. Also, the same font is used but sized
differently depending on its purpose. For
example, the masthead is much larger than the
text for the cover stories as it the title for the
magazine so is important that it catches the audience’s attention. The Guttenberg Design Principle
is used on this magazine cover. The ‘V’ of the masthead is in the primary optical area, making the
audience immediately aware with what magazine it is. Also, there is a banner across the letter saying
“New”. The purpose of this is to encourage the magazine to be bought as the viewers eyes are
naturally drawn to this area and the word “new” will make them want to know what is different
about this issue and what is going to be in the magazine. In the dead corner, to the bottom left, are
the barcode and the price. These are put here as the viewer’s eyes are not drawn to these areas, so
the price is often missed. The main image is of Drake, an extremely popular artist within this genre.
He is the main focal point on the front cover and the purpose of this is to immediately identify the
magazine as being specific to one particular genre.

2. Olivia Lyons
Media Coursework
Foundation Portfolio: Front cover analysis essay and labelled analysis
NME music magazine is based on rock and
indie music and is therefore targeted at a
niche audience, ranging from teenagers to
middle aged people. The magazines purpose
is to advertise new music within this genre,
give music news, reviews and gossip as well
as advertise upcoming concerts and festivals.
The house style is consistent, using colours
such as black and red. These colours have
connotations of danger and death which
resemble the genres the magazine covers as
well as the target audience. Having the
masthead in red on a black background is
effective as it makes it stand out from all
other text on the front cover. This is done so
that the magazine can be immediately
identified amongst others. The same font is
used throughout the design, but the
different sizes determine the more
important information. For example The Killers are the main feature in the magazine, so their title is
in a much larger font than other, less important cover stories, such as a 15 page guide to the world’s
greatest rock festival. The main image is three separate images of the same person edited together
to look like one, this is of Brandon Flowers, the lead singer from The killers. The simple image is still
effective as each pose gives him a different personality, this reflects music within the ‘indie’ genre as
it is varied, from being quite upbeat and happy to heavy and emotion filled. The Guttenberg Design
Principle is used on this magazine cover to make the main image more quirky and interesting, other
than just having a portrait picture of his face, NME have merged three pictures of Brandon together
in order to make the front cover eye catching and to appeal to the audience. The masthead, the title
of the magazine, is in the primary optical area, along with a cover line for a preview special. The
purpose of this is that the viewer’s eyes are automatically drawn to this corner so by having a cover
line for a preview special, they will be persuaded to buy it to find out more. As it was on Vibes front
cover, the price is in the dead corner, an area of the page that the audience’s attention isn’t usually
drawn to. The purpose of this is that the price is often missed.