Evaluation Of Accent Magazine

Accent is a contemporary modern music magazine which fixates on Desi and RnB music in particular. It aims to bridge a gap between two of the most highly successful types of music due to the sheer amounts of audiences each of them have. The general outlook of this magazine looks quite mature and professional which shows that this magazine offers more than just entertainment; it offers the reader factual information, such as news about upcoming events within the Asian and RnB music scene, opinions can be read and expressed through our inbox facility and we are constantly on the lookout for fresh new talent to promote across to the readers; much like Nisha, the artist on the cover of my magazine. I believe that there is a market out there to exploit with a magazine such as mine. This is because it unifies two genres of music. Usually, a majority of music magazines concentrate on one genre, such as Rock with NME or Pop with Top of the Pops. Desi and RnB music have a wide range of audiences; many young artists coming through the ranks are producing music which involves both types of music, and so it would be ideal to release a magazine of this calibre as it would already be an interest in it.
The demographic that I am targeting with my magazine, includes both male and females from the ages of 16-25. A lot of youngsters within this age bracket identify themselves with a series of artists that have already established themselves such as Jay Sean; an Asian male singer who has taken the American charts by storm by collaborating with the likes of Lil Wayne and Sean Paul. Youngsters are constantly being exposed to RnB music in films such as ‘Kidulthood to Adulthood’ and on music channel such as MTV Base and Kiss as well as the Internet. On the other hand, Desi music is promoted by live performances which create hype amongst the crowds.
Before I finalised which type of music magazine this was going to be, I sent out a questionnaire which asked people questions surrounding their taste in music. I also asked practical questions such as how often do they purchase a magazine and how much are they willing to spend on it. I received feedback in the form of quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data is mainly factual and based on statistics, which makes it easier to convert into graphs. Qualitative data is more detailed and in depth. This refers to the comments I got back regarding the layouts and colour schemes of my templates.
I have chosen to name my magazine ‘Accent’. This is reminiscent of how some people may view Desi music. A lot of the musical content that the public have seen from Asian artists has come from the Indian Film Industry of Bollywood. A majority of their music didn’t acknowledge mainstream cultural music such as Hip Hop and RnB. They were seen in a rather stereotypical manner as to having an ‘Accent’. I wanted to show how much Desi music has developed over the last few years. A big time producer such as Rishi Rich has worked with artists like Craig David and Missy Elliot. The interest of this type of music isn’t only growing in the UK but in the US too. Examples of this can be attributed to Jay Sean who raised awareness of Desi music within the US. This has prompted established artists such as Snoop Dogg and Akon to work on tracks with successful Asian writers and producers. Hence, the title of my magazine will promote a sense of pride amongst its readership by drawing attention towards the music’s ‘foreign’ roots. The word ‘Accent’ in terms of music refers to a stress or emphasis given to a certain note, which is what I am aiming to do with my own magazine; highlight this particular genre of music.

In terms of the typography, which is the style of lettering associated with the semi logical connotations it may carry, I have made use of the font Elephant. Fonts with serifs attached to them have connotations of being traditional and old as they have been used frequently in the past. I wanted this to reflect how Desi music started out. It drew a lot of comparisons to traditional Indian music that was considered holy and religious at the time. As the times changed, they have gradually moved away from this and began to experiment with other types of music. The ‘A’ has been increased in size to draw attention straight towards the title of the magazine. I have also added a shadow effect in white which is placed behind the main lettering. The use of black and white for the title has connotations of a multicultural society and how they have merged socially. This further enhances the idea of Indians being able to work within the music industry of RnB, which is predominantly made up of Black people. Another reason for using black and white colours shows my audience that I am aware of the Asian roots of music but that I am also trying to promote the genre of Desi music to a more multicultural audience.

I have aimed to create a brand identity that would make my magazine easily recognisable from other music magazines. To enable this, I produced design elements and used colour schemes that would distinguish my magazine from others. The red triangle in the top left hand corner of the cover is the design element that my audience preferred when I presented them with my templates. The colour red in general is bright and eye catching. To place it in that position on the cover would entice readers to look at the magazine. The four colours that I have used include black, white, red and grey. They are simple colours that have used effectively to create a brand identity that differs from other magazines. Black, white and grey colours have been used in the form of flashbacks in many RnB music videos which symbolise the past. Adding the colour red to the mix initiates the start of something new; in this case it is Nisha’s music career.

On top of the cover you can see that I have included a banner which states ‘INSIDE…WIN A CHANCE TO SPEND THE DAY WITH DJ H AND DJ RAGS’. This is an additional incentive that will entice readers to buy my magazine. I have chosen to use this duo as they are popular with British Asian audiences. The ‘inside’ is in italics to reflect the exclusively of this competition; it cannot be found on the cover of any other magazine.

The small introduction to the artist Nisha invites readers to come and get to know her. It reads ‘Get up close and personal with Britain’s rising new star’. Although she is branded as a ‘star’, her introduction to the readers is on a more personal level. It sees the reader being on par with the artist, which increases the artist’s likability as the readers are more inclined to accept them. The alignment of this phrase is towards the left; however the words have been positioned in an uneven manner. This appears to look edgy and chic, which my young audience would identify with. It also helps to construct the representation of the cover star herself. The words ‘close’ and ‘personal’ have the italic effect on them to show that this feature will be intriguing and very open, in terms of what the artist will reveal about herself. These also act as buzzwords, which are phrased to sound particularly stylish and interesting to the reader and so it draws them into the magazine. Moreover, these two words will have a subconscious effect on men more than women due to the fact that they sound flirtatious and inviting. They are luring men into buying the magazine, simply because they have the opportunity to get ‘up close and personal’ with an attractive female artist. This ties in with the famous theory of the male gaze, constituted by the author of ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, Laura Mulvey. She believes that the spectator is a male and that they derive pleasure from a voyeuristic and dominant perspective. Women are seen to be photographed in an objective manner and cut into abstract shapes purely based on their attractiveness towards men. Looking at the image of Nisha, you can see that she is a beautiful young woman but also a strong independent hard worker. She fits into the banner of ‘beauty and brains’, which are characteristics that men desire in a woman. This draws them into the magazine, despite them not being aware of this. From the image of the artist, you can see that her facial expression is very feminine as she is smiling, but also very dominant. She knows what she’s doing and she seems determined to break into the music industry. The low cut dress she is wearing could indicate her being submissive and vulnerable towards the seniors around her. Her arms are down by her side, which isn’t a very uplifting posture. It doesn’t look like she’s confident enough to speak out within the industry just yet, which relates to the fact that she’s still young and new in the business; she has to learn her trade. It could also be seen as a sign of weakness; that she’s giving in to the pressures around her. Moreover, she is posing, which makes her submissive in the eyes of men. She is also making direct eye contact, therefore controlling her gaze, which shows that she is successful at appearing to be submissive to men. In regards to other women, they too would attempt to be like her, to show that they can equal her submission which men fall for.

The idea of hyper reality is also linked her image, as it has been cropped, edited and air brushed. The term ‘hyper reality’, comes from a social theorist named Jean Baudrillard. He proposed that an additional world had been created through digital technology which enhances the idea of reality into something that is not feasible. The image of Nisha has been airbrushed and given a new touch to make her look more beautiful. More women would wish to look like her as she appears to be perfect with no flaws on her skin, in her hair etc. The image then becomes a stimulation of reality, rather than reality itself. The readers will mistake this and fall into hegemony, which essentially is power by consent. What is presented to the readers through media isn’t necessarily real or true, but the readers accept this as their own thoughts and opinions. As a society, we give permission to institutions to control us. This links in with the Marxist theory that all the major institutions that are higher up in society are owned and controlled by men. Living in a patriarchal society has led us to believe what we are told by men!

Thus this idealised representation of Nisha relates to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. By buying this magazine, my audience would be ‘buying’ a little piece of their aspirations or dreams, which fits into the idea of self actualisation. Maslow states that a person feels the need to fulfil their potential and exceed what they are capable of. In this case, women who aspire to be like Nisha may go to extreme lengths to become successful and as beautiful as her.

Moving onto the typography, you can see that I have chosen a sans serif font, Eras Demi to write ‘Nisha’ on the cover. This is because she is a new upcoming artist, which is reflected in the fact that no serifs are present on the typography. She represents fresh talent. Other girls would aspire to be like her as she can relate to them. Her name has been centralised to show that she is the main person within the magazine. The position she is in seems achievable, which would incline more teenage girls to become her fans. This in turn would boost the amount of teenage girls within my audience which would help the sales of my magazine. Older women would also aspire to be like her as she is seen as an object of desire by men. The impact of hyper reality goes to the lengths of women actually changing themselves to be like her just to show men that they too can be ‘good’ at being submissive.
The quote beneath her name is from the interview within the magazine. This is given to create a buzz about the interview. It reads, ‘I want to be recognised as one of the best’. This shows her drive and ambition to enhance her music career. The word ‘best’ is in red because it’s a state that she wants to achieve.

The other cover stories on the right hand side include quotes too, which give the reader a taste of what’s to come. I have used high profile artists which my readers would know about so that they could relate to the magazine. Having someone that they are familiar with on the cover, may make them more inclined to buy my magazine as there is a level of comfort. The quotes are highlighted in red and made bold since they represent the essence of their article. You can tell that the story on Preeya Kalidas is going to be about her latest attempt to start her music career.
In the bottom left hand corner, there is a section of artists who are also featured within the magazine. It is easy for the reader to tell that their stories will be smaller in comparison to the other, simply due to the size of their names and the fact that they are in black and white. However, including these on the cover would suggest to the reader that the magazine is ‘packed’ with content.

The design element on the right hand side encourages readers to ‘DOWNLOAD the latest tracks’. This automatically makes the reader think about the magazine’s website and whether or not they have the latest songs on their IPod. I’m aiming to create a symbiotic relationship between my magazine and the website as they interlock with each other. Both of these forms of media would boost the recognition of my magazine. The internet is growing every day, and due to its popularity amongst my demographic it would create a ‘buzz’ about my magazine. The website would offer content which differs slightly from the publication so that readers would have more choice. Going back to the design element, this is the only shape on my front cover and so it will stand out to the reader. Its importance will be acknowledged by people as it contains many outlines, which will attract the reader’s attention.

The uses and gratifications theory tries to analyse why people access or use the media, and what they get out of it. As I am producing a magazine, it is important that I know this information as it will ensure that it will have maximum impact on my readership. The five aspects of this theory include entertainment, information, personal identification, participation and social interaction. Accent magazine not only offers entertainment in the form of additional incentives (competition in banner) but it is also informative. The main feature on Nisha and the cover stories on the right are news worthy items. They are based on factual information which shows that my magazine values serious journalism. As I have stated previously, Nisha is able to relate to everyone within my demographic in some way. Readers will therefore identify with her personally, whether it’s to do with her age or how she looks, my readers will empathise with her. The website has been posted in the bottom right hand corner along with the message about downloading the latest tracks. My readers will be able to actively be involved with the magazine as they can log onto the site and apply for an account. They can also leave a comment of that they thought about a certain song or music video within our forum section. Participation is a new phenomenon within the uses and gratifications theory. It is based on new technological advances. Although it wasn’t part of the theory in the past, it is relevant in the modern world of today due to the increase in digital technology. Readers are able to get in touch with the magazine, whether it’s to download music or enter a competition.

Finally the price, date, issue number and website information are in a smaller sized Calibri font. You will be able to recognise that they are important pieces of information that are placed on the cover.

My contents page sees a few changes which includes the font of the title. Eras Demi has been used for this page to give a refreshing new impression of my magazine. It reflects the new things that are featured within the magazine, such as new artists, new songs etc. I have also changed the fill to white, which symbolises well being and purity. This could also be taken as a colour which reflects a good life and being successful. I have used the same red triangle in the exact same position, which helps create my brand identity as I am using it as a visual motif.

As you can see, I have separated two columns; features and regulars. My features column shows all the main stories that are going to be covered within this magazine. I have also imported images that relate to each of those stories and placed them next to the text to create a direct link between them. The image of Nisha is positioned at the top to symbolise her priory within my magazine, which is right at the top. Due to the size of the image, readers will assume that she is the main feature in this issue of the magazine. In terms of typography, I have used capitals to show that my magazine is quite mature. The use of capitals also suggests power and masculinity. The page numbers of each of the stories have been placed on a white background so that readers would be able to navigate around the page quickly so that they can find which page they wish to read. Below the titles of the articles I have added a one lined explanation of what they are about, which would help my readers understand what to expect from that article. Within the regulars section, you can see that I have added an ‘out and about’ section, which relates to my audience. Individuals within my demographic are young and so they go out regularly. This section will prove to be a hit with youngsters who are looking for a good night out or even a weekend away. Another important aspect of my contents page is that it is more ordered than the other pages, which allows easier visual navigation.

Moving onto the double page spread, you can see that I have gone back to using the same font that I used on the front cover, Elephant. This is because I wanted to introduce her studio name to the readers. Instead of using her full name Nisha, she has opted to use her nickname, Nish, which is used by her family and close friends. This will make the interview seem more personal to the readers, as they will feel like they know her.

The ‘Reveals All’ beneath her same is in Script MT Bold, which hasn’t been used on any of my pages so far. This font oozes femininity as the lettering is slender and curvy. The buzzword ‘reveals all’ makes this interview seem more intimate and special. The fact that it is underlined, gives it more importance. Men would be more inclined to respond to this by reading the article as the phrase sounds a little enticing and light hearted.

The interview is spread out in the space of three columns. I have used a very small sized font, which indicates that this interview is quite long and interesting. As you can see, I have used red to mark the questions I am asking as the interviewer and white for her responses. All these colours used, once again reinforce my brand identity and my demographic as they preferred these colour within my templates.

On the right hand side, you can see that I have used one image of Nisha. In this image she looks like a completely new person. The red dress she is wearing has a connotation of a warning that she’s sending out to all the other female artists about the competition she’s going to give them. She has the power, passion and drive to better herself. The hand on hip pose suggests that she is more confident and that she’s ready to stand up for herself if she needs to. It shows her in a very strong light. This image could also be consistent with the male gaze, as she is posing once again. She is aware of the fact that men are looking at her and so it makes it easier for her to ‘hold’ their gaze.

I have selected two quotes which reflect the control she had in the image used. One quote ‘There are going to be huge collaborations on the next one, it’s going to be huge’, shows that she’s moving up in the industry. The ‘huge’ is highlighted in red to remind people that Nisha’s future material is going to be a big hit with her fans. The second quote, ‘It was like a dream come true’, suggests that everyone’s dreams have the potential of coming true, which ties in with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. As many youngsters may relate to her, it would inspire them to follow their own dreams too.

In conclusion, I believe that my magazine would be well received within my demographic. The theme of my magazine has not been presented in any other publication which would encourage my audience to be interested in my magazine. I think that my colour scheme and layout helped promote a brand identity that was different to other magazines. In addition to that, I used a young Asian female on the cover, which a majority of my readers would identify with.
With regard to what went well within my project, I believe that the feedback I got from my audience was very helpful once I began to design my magazine. Once the questionnaires were handed out, it didn’t take long to gather the responses back, which was very efficient for me. However, I only asked 25 people. In the future I would aim to ask a wider scope of my audience to determine a more accurate response towards my magazine. I would aim to get an even number of people within either end of the age range. I would add more design elements on the front cover to attract my audience. This could include things like advertising a competition or a subscription of my magazine. On the double page spread, I would add more content on the second page rather than just having an image there, which would link to the cover star. This would include things like a summary of their background, facts about their personal life etc. This would then boost the cover star’s profile amongst their fans.