Research and Planning: Initial Planning (Double Page Spread)

After gathering my audience responses from my questionnaire I was able to put together a series of initial plans on what my double page spread may look like. I used their answers as it will therefore give me ideas on what my target audience would like to see in a new Indie/Rock music magazine

Idea 1:



Positives:

• Easy on the eye - quick and simple to find out what page is number is what article etc

• Not too much text - this keeps the reader interested and not to be put off by lots of writing. This appeals to the target audience as it connotes a youthful and informal air.

• Like the quote boxes - interesting and something different. Also it picks out an important piece of the text so that the reader does not have to read all the way through it to find funny or important bits.

• The uneven masthead - this keeps with the design of the contents page and cover, providing a theme and constants for the reader to identify with. The unevenness also appeals to the target audience as it provides a fun and informal air to the magazine.

Negatives:

• No point to the design in the right hand corner. Not needed and irrelevant.

Improvements:

• Get rid of design in top right as there is no need for it.

• Add editor pick or something similar.

• Add a prompt, e.g. go to our website to watch the rest of the exclusive interview.

Overall: 7/10


Idea 2:



Positives:

• Like the logo of the band - gives the reader something to relate to and fans will be able to link the band with the magazine, providing a borrowed value.

• Like the quote boxes - interesting and something different. Also it picks out an important piece of the text so that the reader does not have to read all the way through it to find funny or important bits.

Negatives:

• Too much text - boring for the reader and the target audience of young people do not want to read lots and lots of text in articles.

• Layout too messy - Too cluttered and this makes it harder to find key points etc.

• The picture of the band is not big enough - looks like the text takes over from the photo and has priority yet the target audience does not want to read a lot of text.
  

Improvements:

• Less text.

• Clearer layout - stay in with the current theme.

• Larger picture of the band.

Overall: 3/10

Idea 3:



Positives:

• Well presented - easy to see where everything is and simple to find anything that the reader wants to.

• The five facts - interesting and fun, which relates to the target audience. However they preferred the facts somewhere else.

• How the masthead goes over the both pages - quirky and connects the pages together.

• Like the burst (We Luv) - eye catching and is fun and informal.

• Like the prompt to visit the website in the bottom right hand corner - prompts the reader to visit the websites other formats and therefore provides bigger audience appeal.
  

Negatives:

• Don't like the banner - boring, the straight line across doesn't have any imagination and there is no need for it.

• No need for two pictures - overloaded and too many and not enough text.

Improvements:

• Use the band logo.

• No need for two pictures.

• No banner - boring.

Overall: 5/10

Overall my target audience preferred the first version. They liked the layout as it was evenly spaced out and the fun masthead, at odd angles, draws the attention to the magazine. The uneven and odd angles also connote the magazines fun, youthful and informal air, whilst having the similar mastheads for both the cover and the contents page establish a brand image and a theme. The odd angles also help to reflect the Indie music industry as it connotes rebellion against the mainstream magazine layouts and designs. They liked how there were quote boxes as it draws the readers attention and provides either a funny or interesting piece of the text that th reader can pick out quickly rather than read all the way through the text. The informal language also helps to appeal to the target audience of young people.

The improvements that they gave were to include a small burst, maybe an Editor's pick etc, which further connotes the fun, youthful and informal side to the magazine. To get rid of the design in the top right as there is no need for it and to add a prompt, similar to the one in Idea 3, e.g. go to our website to watch the rest of the exclusive interview. This also promotes the other media formats of the magazine, drawing more people into reading it and gaining a wider public knowledge.