Conventions of a Front Cover

Today during my lesson we viewed different magazine covers and revised a few key terms used in the magazine industry. This was very useful to understand the detailed cover of a magazine and all the specific features which help them sell successfully and stand out compared to others.

There are many conventions on a magazine front cover such as the central image. These both draw a customer to the magazine and help it become eye catching within a shop. The cover model on a magazine is also important for sales because it would be crucial for the customer to want to read about them. This is why celebrities are a good way to entice potential customers.

The mast head is the name of the magazine. On the majority of magazines it is at the top of the magazine cover. It is used to catch the quick attention of the reader and give a glance at what sort of subject the magazine will focus on. If it is a well know brand, then it will help for customers to find the magazine they are looking for.

The Tagline is normally found under the masthead. It is usually used to support the brand name. It can also be useful in giving a hint at what the magazine is about or even who the magazines target audience is. This is useful for those who only want to have a quick scan of the magazine when browsing in a shop.

The use of colour is vital in portraying what the magazine is about. Different topics will be linked with a theme colour. For example, the colour red may be associated with gossip. Which is why magazines such as Heat use the colour red for their Mast head.

Another feature that is always seen as a theme on a front cover is the font of the writing. The different texts and sub-headings may use similar font to come across as professional and simple. However, some may change the font and alternate between serif fonts and non-serifs. This would show the customer whether the magazine was aimed at being formal or whether it was made to be read as amusement.

Furthermore, anchorage is there to be helpful for readers. It is a caption for images used and explains what the image is of. This is helpful for those with weaker eyesight or to back up an article being used. It directly explains what the image depicts.