Evaluation Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

Without an audience, a magazine means nothing, so it was important to take every opportunity I could to attract potential buyers and get my my product noticed by public eye. Throughout the course of creating my magazine, I was aware of who my target audience would be, so I had to make sure I included features that would be entertaining and appeal to these people within the category in order to gain more readers. Many items were included among the cover and contents that would engage readers and not only persuade the audience to want to see what is inside, but also to help influence them into becoming regular readers.

One of the obvious pulls of attraction would be the artist themselves. On the front of almost every magazine of this type, the band or singers name would be printed on the cover in large, bold text - often greater in size than the actual magazine masthead or other embodied features, so they appear prominent. This would make it the centre of attention, proving their importance. Most magazine brands of this sort use music stars on their covers that would be instantly recognised by their target audience, and are likely to have a large following, therefore by flaunting the artists title, it will increase peoples chances of noticing the magazine and consequently making a purchase. I felt it was only evident that I should do the same, assuming Leanna is a familiar artist within the specified genre, as this would attract interest from the many who are a supporter of her and at the same time satisfy the magazine's loyal audience.

Another element used to attract my target audience was the inclusion of a pull quote, extracted from the inner interview with Leanna. The pull quote is used as a bait to its audience, as it lures people in and further extends their interest in reading the magazine. It is essential to choose an effective quote from the artist in order to create this desired impact, as something too minute or insignificant would not excite the potential buyer into wanting to learn more. To serve its purpose, it must be able to schock and entice the reader, so the most controversial statement spoken within th interview is often used, as shown above with the phrase "Kiss my ass!" I believed it would improve sales of my magazine by the addition of a pull quote, stating "Now I can do it my way", in a bold red that leaps out from the page. This portrays a rebellious attitude, and with the word 'evolution' also used among the heading, it suggests she has taken a change in direction, whilst unleashing a new sense of independence. As Leanna is supposedly a famous and global star within the music world, this should allure more people into purchasing the magazine, as they would be curious of Leanna's story and temptation will prevail.


Although debatable, the most important factor for the readers are usually its content, and which particular music artists are relevant to the issue. Most would purchase the magazine depending on whether any of the bands they admire are featured inside, therefore I believe it is a good idea to include as many artist names on the cover as possible, without looking over-crowded and elaborate. I made reference to ten varied artists on my cover, across the top banner and among the different headings, in hope that people find a particular musician that interest them and buy a copy of the magazine. However, I had to ensure that the correct names were chosen to feature, as they should be instantly recognisable to its target audience. I decided to use the artists on the cover that I knew were popular within the indie and alternative music industry, and would attract immediate attention from all that take notice of the genre. An even further list of artists were included within a "Band Index", printed on the contents page. They were each ordered alphabetically, so again, people are able to easily locate the musicians they enjoy and make a purchase if necessary.

To maintain a steady amount of readers, I decided to include a special offer on the contents page to those who pay weekly subscriptions of Dare, as it is also necessary to consider the future of the magazine. This should especially appeal to the already loyal followers of a magazine, as it would save them 75p with each issue. However, it may also convince others to become regular readers themselves. Many people within my target group, between the age bracket of approximately 16 and 22, are likely to struggle to afford purchasing every issue at its usual price. This is because they are often still students within education, and perhaps without an occupation - so therefore would have very little income of their own, if at all. This reduction in price would induce its potential buyer and prompt many into paying for the subscription.

UPS: Unique Selling Point

In order to distinguish my music magazine from any other and help it stand out from the crowd, a UPS is important. Dare shares similar music tastes to those included in NME, so I must ensure that I include something that would undoubtedly seperate the two. NME tends to focus on festivals, gigs and the live aspect of music, whereas my magazine will be essential for all the latest news and freshest releases. By issuing Dare every week, it would not give enough time for the news to become "out of date", therefore offering exclusivity to the buyer.