Front Page Analysis

Top Gear Magazine – automotive news and reviews

Masthead

Buzzwords

Main Image

Main Cover Line

Thumbnail Image

Footer

Header/Skyline

Top Gear Magazine• Readership: 1.6M• Circulation: 130K• Average Age: 35• ABC1’s: 55%• AB’s:28%• Male: 84%• Self Readership: 69%• Actively Purchased: 73%• Subscriptions: 33%• Average Time Reading: 44 minutes• Distributed by: BBC Worldwide, a commercial arm of the BBC who

receives funds through advertising.

Analysis• To achieve the magazine’s majority male audience, the

magazine uses grey, metallic colouring to stereotypically appeal to the target gender.

• The masthead is bold and in a very recognisable font, as the Top Gear name is a very recognisable and well-loved one, which gives the magazine some value, even to those who may not be interested in the magazine format.

• Buzzwords have been used to draw the reader into the significance of the car that has been presented. Being a ‘world exclusive’, it makes the magazine much more intriguing to read.

T3 Magazine – Gadgets and technology reviews

Main Cover Line

Thumbnail ImagesBuzzwords

Masthead Strip

Cover LinesMain Image

T3 Magazine & Analysis

• Very little information regarding audience is to be found online, but the circulation is quoted to be 53,000, as of December 2013.

• Though no official statistics are given, one can easily assume that the majority audience are males. This is because they are typically more likely to be interested in technology. Additionally, the magazine employs a use of male gaze to draw new readers in by using a model on the front cover. The magazine actually has no models inside – just technology – so one could come to the conclusion that they’re purely used to catch attention on the shelves.

• Uses of the cover lines being exaggerated like ‘the ultimate Android smartphone’ would catch technophile’s attention, as it’s a bold statement to make. They would then be interested into what makes it the ultimate.

• Thumbnail images of alternative pieces of technology that can be found in the magazine are featured on the front cover, so that the magazine can appeal to as many people as possible. Some people interested in technology may not be bothered about Android phones, so the magazine features a list containing: Apple TV, Laptops, Razors, and DSLRs. This ensures that the mag is showing how there’s something for everyone, which will attract more people.

• Distributed by Future PLC, a large media business who distributes magazines and hosts websites that target various different specific audiences with niche subjects.

Focus Magazine – Science and the future

Masthead

Tagline

Main Cover Line

Pug and Puff

Strip

Thumbnail Images

Main Image

Focus Magazine• Circulation: 63K• Readership: 220K• Subscribers: 56%• Male: 68%• AB: 40%• ABC1: 73%• Actively Purchased: 81%• Subscriptions: 56%• Circulation Market Share: 9%• Average Age: 45• Distributed by BBC Worldwide, the same as Top Gear magazine.

Analysis• The magazine main cover line is a very open-ended question, which promotes the

audience to actually think just what their lives will be like in 2054. By not giving a definitive answer on the front cover, it persuades audiences to purchase the magazine and look up what the answer would be.

• In a similar fashion to T3, Focus magazine has included thumbnail images with additional information to go besides them to aim for the audience who may not be interested in the future. For example, if the average age range is 45, many people may not even be around in 2054. Therefore, the magazine has included other extracts from the magazine in order to bring in a broad appeal as possible.

• The bold colours of the pug and puff catch the reader’s attention almost immediately after initially seeing the front cover of the magazine. It is filled with unexplainable and arguably unreal things such as ‘talking homes’ and ‘delivery robots’. In the same manner as the main cover line does, it interests the reader to find out the answer for these strange futuristic-sounding concepts.