Preliminary task Codes and Conventions of Magazine front covers.

Magazines have similarities in their context and design of their front covers. One of the most obvious ones being the font. As on most magazine front covers there is about two to three different fonts, not including the masthead, which is a separate font, creating a contrast in the main writing to the not as important content, therefore it stands out to the reader.

Another feature code and convention is the title/masthead itself. This is as it is big and bold on every magazine cover to draw the reader attention to the name and remember it. Certain magazines have the masthead overlapping with the main image or have other features overlaying it.

Next are taglines, as magazine front covers always follow their masthead with a tagline. The companies try to make there tagline catchy, so that it is rememberd therefore they make more of a sell.

Magazine front covers all include, a main image, puffs, barcodes, the price, buzz words, interviews, main coverlines and smaller images. All of which create an effect on the target audience.

In most of the magazines their are 3 main colours often black, white and red. The colours are all similar, e.g

Therefore we see that the magazine is consistant and follows a stuctured pattern and we get used to it and become attached to reading it. As well as this, the magazines similarly have clear, obvious themes which we again become attached to it and they in turn easily adapt into the media.

Most magazines on the front covers have extra information, drawing in the reader meaning they can only buy it to find out the stories and the rest of the information. Therefore it is put there as a teaser.