Print Media: Essentials Magazine (Research)

Print: I decided to look at a magazine with a different production company because it allows me to see how house styles differ among different genres of Lifestyle and institutions.

Essentials Magazine

Content Type
'Essentials' Magazine focuses on female Lifestyle. It covers a variety of topics which relate to the female life from appearance to living. It's content is made up of seven main topics of which are:Beauty, Fashion, Food, Health, Shopping, Things To Do and Tips.

Readership/Target Audience

The primary audience is females, which is not only suggested by the content but also the feminine colourings and the female image on the front cover- which suggests female dominance. However a male may pick up the magazine if they see it lying around the house and read it. Due to the fact 'IPC Media' (the magazine institution) created the magazine to contain ways of living an affordable yet stylish lifestyle, the magazine is likely to be aimed at the demographic category of B and lower. This is because in the category of B, professionals are likely to want to show of their wealth and position but may not have the large amount of money that those in the A category do. So, 'Essentials' allows for those in the B category to be stylish but at an affordable price. Similarly this applies to those in a lower category who may want to live a stylish life yet cant afford it. Furthermore the content relating to shopping, food and tips suggests that the magazine is aimed at busy woman who are in the range from 30- middle aged. 'IPC Media' also back this up by stating that the magazine is aimed at 'modern woman with busy lives'. In terms of the 'Uses and Gratifications' theory the audience is likely to use the magazine for personal identity. This is because the magazine's content could be used to create an identity in that it gives information on how to live a stylish lifestyle such as how to follow fashion and achieve beauty looks. Also the audience may gain pleasure from reading the magazine because they may enjoy the content or because of familiarity in the genre such as identifying with some areas of the content in the magazine.

House Style
Essentials Magazine always features a woman on the front cover, it is never a man. Also positive language is always used, not just on the front cover but in subheadings of articles, such as 'Amazing', You can do it!' and 'Beautiful You'. This connotes that the magazine is cheerful, supportive and positive which may attract an audience because it creates a sense of acceptance. Colour themes run throughout every page which creates a well thought about look to the structure of the magazine and looks organised. This suggests that the content of the magazine is reliable and so the audience can depend on the information which is provided. Images adorn the articles and add colour to the pages. The theme is quite often simplistic which relates to the audience being busy woman because it is easy to read, and so it can be read quickly.

Industry & Where It Fits In
The magazine covers a broad variety of subjects which relate to a female lifestyle. It fits in with the fashion and health industry because it covers areas such as beauty, fashion, food and health. These are widely considered topics, especially in the growing interest of fashion as people conform to what is desired and popular at the moment. Also 'Essentials' magazine has a respectable reputation. This is because it hit the news when dropping cover models for 'real woman' which suggests the magazine receives good publicity and relates well to the feelings of woman.

History/Traditions
The first issue of 'Essentials' magazine was published in 1988, and has been published monthly ever since by 'IPC Media'. Recently the magazine has launched a new feature where the reader can download an app called 'Blippar' on their mobile phones, take a photo of the cover and then themselves which generates an image of the reader on the front cover of the magazine. This may appeal to the audience because it gives them power. The magazine is English and has it's own webpage where readers or the general public can sign up for a 'Life's Little Essentials' weekly e-mail as well as subscribing to the magazine. The magazine is also available to download on e-media platforms: iPad, Kindle, Google Play and Nook, with international editions available.

Evaluation
Through the research into the history and traditions of 'Essentials' magazine I have learnt that as technology develops, magazines are appearing on different media platforms. I think that this is important to consider as I create my magazine because I may be able to include features which incorporate the different media platforms. For example this magazine is accessible on e-media devices such as iPad and Kindle. I could advertise this feature in my magazine which shows how my magazine can be accessed via different platforms. Also the magazine is aimed at woman with a busy lifestyle and so a simplistic and sophisticated layout is used. However my idea is one which will require a reasonable amount of free time and dedication and so I think that the layout of 'Country Living' (collage) is more suitable because it suggests the uniqueness and effort put into each craft. The research into the layout allowed me to see how things are set out depending on the purpose and audience of the magazine. Furthermore, although my idea doesn't involve health and  beauty, I think that the positive language used in the house style on 'Essentials' magazine is an appealing feature. It suggests that the magazine is positive and happy which will attract a dedicated audience. I think that I should use similar language on my front cover to attract and audience and create a positive look to the magazine.