Preliminary Project Research and Planning

I have found a student magazine called "The Eye" from Lewisham College in London, which I think is effective for a wider college audience because the content is varied.
It includes things such as; music, job oppurtunities, nights out etc.
Some ideas I can take from this magazine are the layout and the colour scheme is really bright and eye-catching. Also, the variety is good as I want my magazine to appeal to different people's interests.

http://www.lewisham.ac.uk/media/122445/eye%20issue%208.pdf

I came up with this audience profile inspired by student magazines I've previously looked at:

• You would rather live off pot noodle for a week than cook your own food
• You freak about not having enough variety of outfits to wear the whole week of college
• You refuse to go a week without updating your iPod
• You feel it is necessary to check your facebook page everytime you log on to a computer
• You claim to shop at Topshop, but somehow half your wardrobe has a Primark label
• A night out down the park with friends translates to your parents as "a girly night in"

College Magazine Analysis.

Magazines Used:
"Whats On" - http://www.utsunion.uts.edu.au/images/student-magazine/coverWhatsOned8web.jpg
"State College" - http://home.comcast.net/~tberner2003/scmcover.jpg
"Campus Life" - http://www.campuslifemagazine.ca/images/campus_life_magazine_cover_spring2008_large.gif

All three magazine covers have simular features, for example - articles such as how to find the best college wardrobe and top places to visit. The mastheads are common throughout, having similar fonts and layouts. The masthead on each also fits in with the colour scheme used on the rest of the page. For example, on "Campus Life" the colour of the text on the page uses the same colours as those featured on the background image.

I would prefer to read "Campus Life" because its more approachable; the person in the photograph appeals to my demographic by appearing friendly and genuine. The picture and layout itself I find quirky and original, plus there is a colour scheme which links the content of the magazine together, making it easier to digest.

The typical reader who would pick up "Campus Life" would be a post-modernist student, who would typically have an interest in music. These people would most likely have a moto or mantra, like "to have, to be, to play."
The reader would also have simular fashion sense to that of the guy in the photograph.

Audience Profile

Audience for Empire magazine

Psychographics

• Aspirers and radicals

Social values

• Hedonists

Jicnars scale

• B or A -- higher or intermediate managerial, administrative or professional

Age range

• 20 - 26 yr old males