Reveal: case study blog task

General

Look through the slides from the lesson on Reveal and use this information and your own research and analytical skills to answer the questions below. 

 


1) Based on your research, what type of people read Reveal? Consider demographics and psychographics.
The type of people that would read the magazine 'Reveal' would be either 'Strugglers' and 'Mainstreamers'.The demographics for this magazine is women aged 18-35 years old.Also women who are either in the lower class or middle class.

2) Look at the lesson slides: how does the editor introduce Reveal magazine?The editor introduces Reveal magazine as a magazine that delivers you 'fun,gossipy and full of advice' which reinforces the magazines identity as your 'best friend'.The editor from Hearst magazine also states that the magazine includes a strong focus on intimate aspects of some celebrities.


3) What is the difference between the Reveal and Tatler target audiences?The difference is mostly adult women,aged 18-34 unlike Tatler,which is London and south london centric,Reveal is bought by women all over the country.

4) What issues are Reveal readers interested in?
-Diet
-Motherhood
-Beauty 
-Social issues


Media language

1) How many of the 12 magazine cover key conventions feature on this edition of Reveal?Reveal uses some of the 12 key conventions such as:

• title of publication which is used in the top third of the magazine.
• slogans placed around it to show the audience some of the topics the magazine focuses on.
• Bar code,Date and Price shown in the top left of the magazine which appeals to the audience for it shows that the magazine is affordable.
• Language such as abbreviation 'carbs' and also alliteration used 'blooming baby bumps'.
• Flash line used in the middle of the magazine backed up by a image relating to it which can potentially anchor the audience to buy the magazine.

2) What is the font choice used on the cover and what does this choice connote? 
The font used for the cover is sans serif which connotes informality,modernity and inexpensiveness.

3) How do the cover lines appeal to the Reveal target audience?
The cover lines appeal to the Reveal target audience because of how simple and easy they are to interpret regardless of their social class.Additionally the median of Reveals target audience are women aged 28 years old and by the magazine including content such as gossip and maternity,it will certainly encourage them to purchase the magazine.Also demographics become irrelevant due to the simplicity of the magazine.
4) What are the connotations of the Reveal colour scheme on this particular front cover?
The colour scheme Reveal uses the colour pink which connotes maturity,feminism and confidence this also indicates that the magazine focuses on feminist content and is accurate in its information.Red suggests excitement and recreational activities , suggesting that Reveal is passionate about the magazine and wants to bring out content that the consumer will enjoy.Yellow connotes importance of noticing something which is clearly shown on the magazine how its only used on catchy and key statements written on the magazine.The colour yellow also connotes inexpensiveness which is used on the '99p' price logo.

5) How are images used to create interest in the magazine? Find three reasons for your answer. (E.g. mise-en-scene such as props, costume and make-up, body position, facial expression).
The image to the centre of the cover is edited in a way that makes it seem as if the two people are talking. This makes it seem like they are actually talking to one another rather than doing what they were originally doing, which also supports the flash line that accompanies it. At the bottom of the page, the two women are pictured with fast food, which is something that relates the psychographics of Reveal's since the Strugglers and Mainstreamers would eat junk food too, making the magazine relatable. In the bottom right corner of the cover, Beyoncé is pictured with her baby bump, which makes the magazine relateable to the audience, since a majority of them would be the at the age where they have children.

6) What differences can you find between the use of design and typography between Tatler and Reveal? List at least three and explain the effect on audiences. Tatler uses a Serif font to make it seem old and established to the audience, making it seem very civilised and formal,also it is highly contrasting Reveal, who uses a Sans-Serif font to make it seem modern and relatable to the audience. Tatler magazine uses a single image for its cover, which makes the magazine look neater and makes the magazine seem more appealing to its audience, contrasting Reveal, which uses multiple images in its front cover, causes the magazine to seem messy and unorganised. 

Representations

1) What different groups of people are represented on the cover? (Look at the image and text/cover lines)
Many groups of people are represented on the poster: Women; Men; Mothers; People in Relationships.

2) What type of celebrities are represented on the front cover?
The majority of the stars on the cover (all but Beyoncé) are reality television stars or presenters.

3) Are there any stereotypes being reinforced or subverted? How? Why?
The stereotype of women always dieting is being subverted because the cover mentions women cheating their diets, possibly to make the audience feel as if it acceptable to enjoy a snack every once in a while rather than dieting all the time.

4) What view of celebrities does Reveal want the reader to have?
Reveal wants the audience to think that these celebrities are ordinary people just like their readers.

5) What would be the preferred and oppositional readings to this cover of Reveal?

The preferred reading of this magazine would be that we receive exclusive gossip and its like our best-friend. This is because the magazine uses abbreviated terminology to make it sound as if it is somebody who is talking to us, rather than just giving us information. 

Social and cultural context

1) What aspects of British life are reflected in Reveal? How does this compare to Tatler?
In Reveal the British life is mainly targeted on population and motherhood, relationships. This is a high contrast to Tatler, which tends to focus on the higher class' lives and beauty, which is something that Reveal's audience rarely experiences.

2) What do the cover lines in Reveal suggest about the issues and lifestyle of Reveal readers?
They suggest that their audience spend a lot of time on relationships and gossip since these seem to be the primary topic of the cover lines. It also suggests that a few of them are mothers since they mention motherhood in the magazine too.

3) Find three other front covers for Reveal. What issues or features regularly appear in Reveal? 

The regular,common themes are relationship issues, dieting, maternity and general gossip.


4) Do any celebrities appear on more than one front cover of Reveal? Why do you think they are particularly popular with Reveal readers?Pete and Katie (his partner) are quite common. Reveal's audience tends to watch reality television, and he is a very famous reality television star, therefore the audience is always going to be interested in any news about him hence why Reveal tends to keep him on their magazine.