The NME magazine cover from September 2009 features rapper Dizzee Rascal. The bold masthead at the top and eye-catching colors make the cover stand out on store shelves. Dizzee Rascal's happy expression represents the magazine's lighthearted tone. Graffiti in the background ties into the urban roots of rap music. The cover uses visual elements and a celebrity endorsement to attract its target audience of music fans interested in both established and up-and-coming artists.
1. Analysis of
Magazine
Front Covers
Cover 1.NME
Sept 2009
Dizzee Rascal
Edition
2. The flash is used to offer something different to the target audience if they are not
• The masthead is positioned at the top really interested in this weeks main artist, Dizzee Rascal. It still provides other
of the magazine and is big and bold so consumers an incentive to buy the magazine so they are broadening there target
it can be seen when the magazine is audience. It is in red which stands out and also keeps consistent with the colour
on the shelves in the shops. scheme already being used.
• The colours used are eye catching and
The header and footer tell us
the white border makes it stand out
what else is in the magazine
from the rest of the page.
and the footer also gives us
• The letters ‘NME’ sound like the word
details of other artists
‘Enemy’ which suggests the magazine
features in the magazine,
is of an urban root and enforces the
some of them who are not
‘rebellious’ aspect to the magazine.
rappers like the main image is
of.
• The main image is of Dizzee Rascal, a
rapper, which goes with the urban
roots of the magazine. The background is of graffiti which
• The facial expressions of the rapper links with the ‘street boy’
are happy which represents the light- association with rap artists like
hearted tone of the magazine. Dizzee Rascal. It keeps the whole
• The image looks like its coming out of tone and theme consistent.
the page as some of the image goes
over the masthead and also because it The main cover line is an Anchor of
is a canted angle shot. ‘Dizzee Rascal’ which shows who the
• The image is very page dominating image is and also it gives us an idea of
because it is the only image on the what the main double page spread in
page. the magazine will be of. The font of it is
bold and all in capitals which makes it
There is a pull quote which takes up nearly a
stand out and it is positioned at a slight
quarter of the page. It is used to show something
angle which adds a quirky edge to it,
that the artist who is the main image, Dizzee
representing the tone of the magazine
Rascal, has said. It suggests that he has said this
once again.
in an interview which could be featured in the
magazine which is another incentive for the
There is a barcode at the bottom
customer to buy it.
corner of the page so when the
magazine is purchased it can be
scanned at the till. There is also the
price of the magazine so customers
know how much they will be paying
but the price is written in a very
small font so that customers do not
instantly see it which may stop them
from even looking at it more.
3. Target Audience Of The Magazine
Methods used to
attract the target
audience:
•Professional colours
•Fun layout
•Celebrity Endorsement
•Relates the current music
•Price isn't too high
•Informal tone
4. About NME…
Produced by IPC Media Gradually moved toward a magazine Music publication in the
format during the 1980s, changing UK published weekly
from newsprint in 1998 since March 1952.
It is mostly an indie An online version of NME was The first British Paper to
magazine that focuses launched in 1996. It is now world’s include a singles chart in
on up and coming artists biggest standalone music site, with the 14th November 1952
but it also features over 7 million users per month. edition.
established artists.
5. With more than 60 iconic media brands, IPC
creates content for multiple platforms,
About IPC…
across print, online, mobile, tablets and
events.
IPC produce Now, Chat and Woman; TV
entertainment brands including What's on
TV, TV Times and TV & Satellite Week
and the goodtoknow network.
Their men's portfolio, IPC Inspire, has a
wealth of leisure brands including Country
Life, Horse & Hound, Rugby World and
Decanter, as well as lifestyle brands
including Nuts, Mousebreaker and NME.
IPC Southbank is their upmarket women's
division and comprises luxury fashion
brands including Marie Claire and
InStyle, lifestyle brands including
woman&home and Essentials and home
interest brands including Ideal Home.
As the UK's leading consumer magazine
publisher they engage with 26m UK adults -
almost two thirds of UK women and 42% of
UK men.