2. The main colours of the page are red,
white and black
The combination of the three colours
featured (red, black and white) are
considered chic and appear up to-date
and modern. By contrasting these bold
colours on a plain white background
without leaving a lot of negative space
helps the text and the images stand out
more. By only using these three colours it
creates cohesion over the two pages.
The contents page consists of page
numbers, subheadings and mini
descriptions and images.
The structure of the contents page is split
into 3 columns which is quite conventional
so that the layout doesn’t look messy.
The page numbers are important as they
tell us where we can find the articles
within the magazine. The different page
numbers have different font sizes which
gives the impression that the page
numbers with the biggest fonts emphasise
the importance of the artist and how big
The use of photography
Jay Z’s image is the largest in size and takes up most of the space on,
from the left side, which could be hinting that his article is the most
exclusive about him compared to the other top 10 music stars that are
going to be talked about in the magazine. The photograph is the same
shade of red as the logo therefore it is achieving cohesion with the
brand identity of the magazine. By making the page number larger it is
showing it is one of the main articles and a longer, extra special feature.
3. Mise en scene
The clothes which Kanye West is wearing is
what you would class as ‘fashionable’ in the
music industry or in general. This gives us the
impression that Vibe magazine is not only just
about music but also things such as fashion,
celebrities, art and culture.
Colour scheme
The main colour used in the contents page is grey which could
connote that Kanye west as an artist is quite mysterious however the
use of the colour red for the heart could symbolise his passion for
music and that it means a lot to him as the heart is visible. Not only
could red connote his passion for music but his love life in general
and the use of the hand could symbolise how he keeps it personal.
The background is a plain grey which draws the readers attention
more to the foreground being Kanye. However the use of the letter V
reminds the reader what magazine they are reading, also it can show
that Kanye West is bigger than the magazine as he’s in front of the
‘V’.
Layout
The masthead is a large letter ‘V’ which is the abbreviation of
the magazine name ‘Vibe’. The fact that it is continued on
shows the importance of the magazine. This is used to remind
the audience of who created the magazine and to make them
further purchase the magazine. It is constantly featured on
‘Vibe’ magazine contents pages and is positioned in the top
half of the page which maintains the continuity of ‘Vibe’s
magazines. The ‘V’ is written in grey which matches the colour
scheme and the black and white image of Kanye West.
4. Language
‘PRIDE ON THE NAME OF LOVE’, ‘DOLLARS TO DONUTS’, ’ A
BALLARD FOR THE FALLEN SOILDER’, ‘HEARTBREAK
HOTEL’.
These contents also relate to rap and money. They are
presented in capital, Times New Roman, which is a
traditional formal, neat font, for a traditional, formal,
neat magazine. The mode of address is a mix of formal
and informal and is aimed at an urban sophisticated
audience. It also speaks out to the audience in a casual,
friendly way suggesting that this is a friendly magazine.‘
PRIDE ON THE NAME OF LOVE’ reflects that the
magazine involves love and that it is loving for the
readership and is a friendly magazine where you can
find the latest facts about artists, it also links with the
heart on his heart. If you can in the contents, there is
question mark: ‘What’s the deal with Kanye?
Misinterpreted, misunderstood?’ This rhetorical
question allows the reader to figure out what the
answer is making them intrigued wanting to see the
rest of the magazine to find out more.
5. Image
Once again Vibe magazine has
obtained its identity by always
making the image of the artist the
main thing about the contents
page.
The image is of a male rapper
which could suggest that this
particular issue of the magazine
was targeted at males however
since there is skin and tattoos
being exposed, it can also suggest
they are trying to attract the
female readers. The shot used is a
medium-close up shot and he is
positioned in a violent pose. He is
holding his chains towards his face
as if he was about to break them.
The jewellery also represents the
rappers wealth and success as it is
very flashy and he is not just
wearing on piece, there are
several neck chains.
The hat is common for rappers to
wear and he is following the codes
and conventions of R&B by
wearing one in the image. The
models facial expression is also
very aggressive. He looks as if he is
growling at the audience at this is
to show that he is very powerful
and strong
Layout
The way the contents page title is
broken is common in all Vibe magazine
issues which helps them to maintain
its brand identity. Also by the use of
‘V’ behind each artist helps to
emphasise the brand and also
maintain the identity.
The subheadings are in a serif font. It
is very formal and looks like
handwriting. The formality of the sub-headings
contrast with the violence in
the image which makes the models
aggression stand out even more.
The way the text is broken makes it
easier for the reader to understand
the text and choose the article they
wish to read. This shows already that
the target audience is of a younger
generation who are not fond of
reading large amounts of text