Sport Magazines
1) Kick!
Here is my first example for sport magazine. Its quite obvious that this publication is a football magazine targeted towards to younger generation. Therefore a magazine for male children. I say this because of how busy the cover is. There is so much energy and thats something you can link with young boys of the age around 8-11. Again a child of this age is (as a stereotype) quite loud. On this cover I can locate more than 10 exclamation marks. Finally young children love to collect things like stickers and cars. This magazine gives you free stickers and 10 free posters. For me anyway I find it not legible, but for someone of a younger age its perfect! Just the design they need to keep them interested.
2) France Football
Now this magazine is obviously a magazine for football loving men. The layout, type and imagery are simple and just say- this is a magazine targeted at those who love football. I honestly think this is the worst magazine cover I have seen in a while. That statement might change as this week goes on and I discover more magazine covers from different areas. The representation of Ronaldinho seems conventional for the magazine. The gold football connotes in this case success and is saying to the viewer that Ronaldinho has won in some way. I was going to talk about colour to. This is a French magazine, the colours are very similar to the flag- Apart from there being no blue. But possibly in other issues this is something they concentrate on.
3) Kingdom Magazine (Rollerblading Publication)
Rollerblading is such a sorry sport in that there is no money in the industry. This magazine was owned by my friend but had to close down after only 4 issues. It was such a love of mine and I am such a fan of it. Maybe why I like the design so much? I think the imagery gives away what the magazine is. I love the title too. The 'O' being this 'Kingdom Inline Media' with conventions taken from the royal air force. The text down the side I think could maybe be a bit bigger as in terms of legibility its not that clear. The colour however makes the text stand out massively against the black & white photograph. This would most defiantly attract a rollerblader. It has all the right conventions to do such a duty.
4) Sidewalk (Skateboarding)
Again with SideWalk their magazines are hugely conventional for such an area. The title is nice and clear and the imagery gives off a massive hint that this is indeed a skateboarding magazine targeted at skateboarders. The information at the side when the magazine is shown at full size is legible and thats the same with the font used.
5) Maximim Golf (American)
Yes its very clear to see that its a Golf magazine but this must be the WORST magazine cover out there to date. Its just terrible. Who designs these? I get the idea that golfers just want to news and monthly gossip. The text is huge! The red 'Hit It Dead Solid PERFECT'' DOESNT EVEN MAKE SENCE first of all and its completely taking away the title and imagery. I think the reason the magazine is like this is because its american. I highly doubt you would find an English Golf magazine like this anywhere.
6) Golf Monthly
I think the only difference in the two is the USA version has exclamation marks dotted about and this one doesn't. This magazine isn't as 'cheesy' too. Again, I think that this is a rubbish front cover. Theres nothing creative about it. Just words splattered on top of a representation of a conventional stereotypical golf player.....and thats what makes it sell. Not the crap text and shoddy layout but the fact that this is a magazine about golf for people that play golf. They don't care what the design is saying, they just want the latest on how to putt professionally...I assume.
7) Surfer Magazine
I actually quite like this magazine cover. I like how the Title goes behind the wave making the wave appear much more dominant and powerful. Although it appears small here I like the text on the left hand side. The font really works for me. The surfer in the middle is positioned perfectly too, straight in the middle. Conventional and its easy to say this is a main stream surfer magazine.
8) Rugby World
This magazine just reminds me of the golf and football magazine. However they might be glad to know that I actually prefer this to the others. Its terrible it works. I'm not sure what else to say. The flag in the bottom left corner gives off the patriotic feel and the red and white text makes this statement more clear. Theres a lot happening image wise on the top, maybe this would attract the audience more, it gives off that theres a lot to the magazine in terms of information, gossip? general news would be better than gossip. Lastly have a Rugby legend on the front cover seals the plot. Any rugby fan will see this and most probably by it JUST because of the representation of Johnny!
9) Tennis World
This isn't in English so its probably not the best example but i chose it just because it doesn't look as rubbish as the Football, Rugby & Golf magazine. The colours work well with what the male representation is wearing. I think the representation works too, he's not playing table tennis. But I'M Guessing the clothes give it away or maybe even the fact he's Japanese/ Chinese. A huge stereotype there but for me thats what I see. I am mealy a viewing customer not even interested in the sport. The 2008 have the same colours as the Olympics so thats a very good connection.
10) OnBoard
OnBoard is a snowboarding magazine that I found in my room. I like the text used and the black and white works well. Very legible and unlike the other magazines there is no other added text. I think the sub heading pretty much gives you a good idea of what you are getting in side ' The European Snowboard Photo Annual.
Conclusion for Sport Magazines.
After looking at a total of 10 magazines in this field I can say that half are good, and then other really arn't. The magazines to do with 'Extreme Sports' have very similar layout and look. The Titles, the imagery the text, the layout, they are all identical! Obviously apart from the main representaion. Football and Golf magazines (for example) are terrible! They contain no style or format. Its just mess on a page. Its almost like they are forgetting that there is a whole magazine inside where they can put that information thats ruining the front cover. Imagine Golf Monthly for example, but with the same look and fonts and general effect as Surfer or Sidewalk Magazine. The transformation would be incredible!
Travel Magazines
1) Islands
Travel magazines are simply a simply magazine with good and possible bad reviews about certain locations in the world where you might find yourself on holiday. The main purpose of such a magazine is to give you a good idea of where to go on holiday. This cover here is very conventional for this magazine. There is no reason to see the woman face or know her identity. All you need to know is that could be you in a couple of months. If she and the boat weren't there the cover would be much diffrent. It would probably look like a magazine aimed at Photographers. The text and font is boring but is there to be legible and readable, which therefore makes it perfect for the job. The audience isn't interested in perfect layout. They want a magazine that has beautiful photos and text that they can easily read.
2) Budget Travel
Representation of a conventional attractive couple, and judging by their huge smiles they are having the time of their life. The name Budget Travel says it all really, and the sub heading 'Beach Getaways $100) helps to let the audience know that they are in for a bargain. The target audience looks as if to be for a happily married couple from the ages of 27- 40? Just a wild guess. Or of course its just for anyone looking for a cheep holiday. The colour of the heading text and most of the other text too is purple which is quite a feminine colour
3) The Sunday Times
The sunday times travel magazine. Straight away its clear to see that this particular magazine is targeted at women. The representation, the text and the colour of the text. All very feminine. The photo is one that suggests there is no other place like this is the world. Somewhat of a perfect retreat for you and your partner?
4) Sherman's Travel
First thought is not the best Representation for a magazine trying to sell London to the mass. This front cover is basically implying that London is this horrible congested city where only black cabs exist? Looking back at that statement I would very much agree with that. In terms of running with stereotypes (which this front cover is obviously set out to do) they have done pretty well. Black Cabs, obvious connection with london and connotes lonson. The Red, White and Blue text is connecting with the union jack. Maybe, they wouldn't have anybody else but I conventional white british male sitting in the front of that cab. This isn't a racist remark against me or Britain but words almost can't explain why this has been said.
5) Budget Travel
Another very conventional travel magazine, The representation fits perfectly with the sub title, the sub title being 'Italy'. This picture looks very much like italy, of course it might not be but the huge Title is suggesting that this is Italy. The magazine after all isn't going to lie to you. At the bottom of the front cover there are other places that you can read about. Provence, bosten etc. The target audience for this magazine I would say would be around 30+ years old. Not any younger, this cover isn't actually exciting and won't attract a younger audience.
6) Islands
This cover has a very similar look to the cover above about Italy. Theres something else I didn't mention for the Italy cover and that there are no human representations what so ever which makes the cover seem almost a lot more dull and quite. Then again thats probably exactly what the audience wants , I quite retreat to an island where they can escape real life. Like the magazine above this magazine is target at people of the ages 30+. Younger people would most probably expect maybe a bit more action or a young representation enjoying the sun.
7) Escape Artist
Here is a very different looking magazine, keep thinking it is more of an art book but I like how unconventional it is. This would not attract anybody looking for a magazine to do with holidays. These illustrations won't work in our modern society, people want nice representations of people in beautiful scenery. This looks like its for a person or 50+ looking for inspiration on painting.
8) Travel
This is very much the same as the magazine/ book above. The painting is very nice but there is no information on the page. I think this suggests that this is not a magazine but again a book probably to do with art. 'Travel' possibly suggesting that you will travel on a journey viewing paintings from across the world (Just a thought). One thin about this is as someone who knows nothing about this publication I don't know what its about. I can only put one and one together and the one and one is the title and the painting. Possibly suggesting it is indeed a book on fine art.
9) Sherman's Travel
This Sherman's Travel is different to the other one (the other one being the magazine on london). To me this looks to much like a fashion magazine, this representation is unconventional and doesn't suggest a week out in the sun. 'Smart luxury awards...' doesn't say a lot either. I think that they could put Fashion Weekly or something at the top and everything else would work. Target audience would most defiantly be woman. Male gaze might come into it but over all this is a magazine targeted at woman. I just realised that this is a winter issue. Maybe this has something to do with the strange front cover. Finally you can link the suitcases to travel or traveling.
10) Come to Nigeria
Very conventional cover. A couple enjoying the sun and sea on the beach, thats something no one would say no to. The representations of the couple have their back to us suggesting that we are having a sneak preview on their holiday. The title is good, smart conventions with the Nigerian flag and this colour is carried on into the text at the bottom of the cover. Because it is just a magazine about Nigeria the target audience will simply be people looking for a good deal or good review of this country. The male and female representations make me think that this is directed at possibly a middle ages couple. 25- 35?
Conclusion for Holiday Magazines & Sport Magazines
The holiday magazine all look actually the same, they all have the same text, same representations, same information on the front. The look and layout of these magazines are strikingly similar to the football, golf and table tennis magazine. I think thats because compared to the extreme sport magazines they are mainstream and need to be simple and heavily conventional in order to work and attract an audience, who lets face it is pretty much anyone looking to go on holiday and the audience for golf, table tennis and football is most probably a lot bigger than the audience for an extreme sports magazine.
