Front cover analysis

Sarah Akanbi

O-Zone Magazine: Front Cover Analysis


The front cover of the latest edition of O-Zone magazine follows the conventions of a music magazine very well. The front cover is well presented. The masthead is positioned at the top of the page, in the largest font so that it is noticeable and the target audience is able to identify it amongst other magazines on the shelf. However the masthead is partially covered by the image on the front of the magazine, which shows this. This is a convention that most magazines follow, showing the target audience will still recognise this. The “O” in O-Zone is made in a unique way, with the “O” at a slant, joining in with the rest of the text “zone”. As the audience are familiar with the type of layout there is a house-style. The house-style is very important as the reader will always know the type of magazine they are looking for. The house-style includes the type of font, colour theme, music genre EST. The repetition of all this is important as the audience is familiar with it. In this particular edition the main colours used are black, red and white. Music magazines usually just use three colours; this is a typical magazine convention. Above the masthead is a strap line stating” Your favourite rappers favourite magazine”, this is making the audience feel that all the rappers that they listen to buy this particular magazine and that they are all featured in this magazine. This is almost like a lure as well, to get readers to buy the magazine that is full of information about their favourite rappers and knowing that they buy the magazines too.
The image is of the artist Lloyd at a medium close up. He is posited centre of the magazine cover with his tattoo on his chest visible. The image fits with the type of genre (hip-hop) as it is black and white making it dark. The facial expression used is of him looking as if he is screaming. This would make the reader want to read on and fid out why he is screaming and what he has got to say. Next to the image is his name in large bold grey font so that the audience knows who he is and are able to know that he is going to be featured in the article. Underneath this are other cover lines telling the target audience what other artists are featured in the magazine, this is in bold font using colours like grey, red and white. The white text is on the image and as the image is in black and white the white stands out more making it clear rather than having it in red or grey. This worked as it fits in with the house-style being used. Looking at the front cover you are able to see who the target audience is, it is a mature hip-hop magazine as the colours and fonts used are simple and not as bold as it would be as if it was a 15-20 year old target audience. The target audience for this magazine is between is 18-25year, however age groups at 15-18 still tend to buy it as well.
The magazine is first to promote artist who are not in the U.K yet. Black males tend to buy the magazine more 58% with only 42% of females buying it. 24% of white people buy the magazine. I think the magazine meets the target audience of mature men.