Company Magazine Analysis

I have decided to analyse front cover, contents page and double page spreads for the same magazine, as then I will be able to see how house-style is continued throughout a magazine and how the cover and the content draws in the selected target audience. Although Company is not a music magazine it shares some conventions and is aimed towards a similar audience to what I am likely to aim my own product at. Company magazine claims it is 'for your freedom years' which suggests it is for women aged between 18 and 25 who are just starting out in their careers and haven't yet settled down into their future adult lives; marriage, children ect.

This cover really sums up the content of the magazine, it lists the best features inside the magazine and probably the ones that will best attract their reader. Such as 'obsessed with hair' with bullet points underneath expanding on what will be found within the feature. The cover star, Jade Thompson, had just won BINTM, a show heavily supported by the magazine throughout its showing as Company's editor worked closely with the show and probably watched by the reader, this means they would be interested in her feature. Especially as Company were the first magazine to get a photo shoot and interview with the model. This gives Company a good reputation and will encourage future sales. Jade is also wearing a leather get-up which was very fashionable at the time of publishing and matches tagline 'LADYLIKE LEATHER'.

I could not get a good picture of a Company magazine contents page, however I had analysed one from my own copy of company. This was a more recent version of company so the house style was slightly different as the magazine was re-launched at the start of 2012. The contents were spread over two pages, the first had a background featuring a model and Rizzle Kicks from a photo shoot used within a fashion feature in the magazine and a interview with Rizzle Kicks. Along the right-hand side is a pink box listing the contents. On the next page the contents list is continued, along with photograph with page numbers in them, referencing them to different articles listed on the page. This is good as when deciding whether or not a magazine is worth buying the potential buyer might flick through and look at the contents page, a picture supposedly speaks a thousand words and when in a rush you are more likely to take notice of pictures.

This is a Company double-page spread. Most of the space is take up by the picture, but this is along with the caption 'attitude? what attitude?' looks really good and gives the feature character and oomph. There is a column of writing introducing the interview which carries onto the next page. The picture has obviously been taken for the purpose of the article rather than just snapped by the paparazzi outside a club or while the celeb is doing their own day to day activities. This shows the star is in favour of the magazine, even though she was paid to be their, it gives the magazine a edge and encourages the reader to be a part of their readership.