Analysis of Contents Page 2

Clash

The colours of the contents page in Clash music magazine have a different theme to the colours on the cover. Unlike Q magazine the colour theme isn’t carried through. Yellow, grey and white are the colours used on the front cover whereas red, black, white and beige are the colours used in the contents page. The colours are bland and don’t represent anything to draw the reader in.

The page numbers and the article names are listed along the left-side third of the page. On the right side third of the page there are photographs taken to represent select and promote select pages that have big stories that are more likely to interest the reader than the other pages. This design layout fits together well, creating a clear layout, which is easy to read and associate with.

The biggest image on the contents page is an image of the band ‘Vampire Weekend’ that are featured on the cover. There are also other smaller images that link with the cover lines on the front of the magazine. The images represent the target reader by what they wear and what they wish to aspire to.

The band ‘Vampire Weekend’ are dressed the same as they were on the cover. They have been styled with a casual but smart style with a navy theme. They are dressed in shirts, ties and blazers, which are accompanied with jeans and trainers. They have also been styled with a ‘bed hair’ look to their hair that matches their casual/smart dress.

The sub-headings that are printed on the left-side third are bold and in black with a modern, funky font. The main features of the magazine are in a bigger size at the top of the page with the page numbers next to them in red. By making the font bigger and bolder the reader is more likely to be drawn in to that specific page. Underneath each bold sub-heading there is a short summary in black about the page. The layout has been carefully put together and fits well. Because of the bold headings at the top of the page, the contents page is easy to identify with at a glance and interests the reader straight away. For select pages a small images are placed on the right hand side of the page in order to promote the page and to interest the reader.

The language in the contents page is short and to the point. The language is persuasive as it uses phrases such as ‘Ones to watch!’ The language also gets the reader involved with the featured stories as the language is in a conversational tone.

Overall I think the contents page has been put together well however I think that the contents page doesn’t have the same ‘wow!’ factor that the cover of Clash magazine and the contents page of Q magazine has. The colours are more effective on the cover of the magazine and the theme should have been carried through to the contents page to make it better. The sub–headings give a good indication of what is featured in the magazine however you have to read the summary underneath to clearly understand. It’s designed to appeal to a young audience aged 16 -30 that buy the magazine as it represents their interests. The magazine has stories that appeal to the average reader. The readers are address by featuring bands that they know of and can relate to such as Vampire Weekend and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.