I chose this website to analyse as my magazine is a hybrid between the fashion and regional genres; this website represents the fashion genre.
Home page -
Home page -
This home page is similar to the previous one I analysed in the sense that it shares a similar colour palette of a white background and black text. It also shares a similar layout and a very 'polished' look. The difference however is that this website takes this 'polished' effect and makes it the most important aspect of the page. This is because Vogue has a reputation as the world's most important and influential fashion magazine. It does not want to appear to need the readers as it is so stylish and prestigious that the readership is required to follow Vogue's rules and they are guaranteed to do this because of how high a status this magazine has.
The colour palette of black and white used on this website reinforces the point I was previously making as they do not need to use bright, bold colours to get their readers' attention as Vogue does not care to create eye catching features and text because they know they will always have readers. Another reason for this colour palette is likely to be because black and white are extremely stylish and classy colours which also happens to be the connotations surrounding Vogue. Another convention that this website has taken and made into their own is the side bar which enables the audience to be able to navigate their way around the site. The colour white carries connotations such as 'pure' and 'innocent' which hints to who the target audience of Vogue are. These connotations suggest that Vogue wants their audience to be pure and innocent and by using these colours, they are more likely to draw this type of person in. For example, white is rarely seen being used in magazines and on websites that have the opposite target audience (such as Kerrang! who's target audience are stereotypically far from pure and innocent because they listen to heavy, loud and violent music and are proud of it). The colour black carries a wider range of connotations than the colour white does, and it is used universally on websites that appeal to any audiences. However, in the fashion world, black is the colour that carries connotations such as 'classy', 'chic', and is stereotypically the colour that suggests a person is fashionable and keeps up to date with fashion. This is seen in the use of the phrase 'little black dress' which is the safe option when deciding what to wear because it will always be in fashion, pleasing on the eye and will typically make you look good as it suits any skin colours and personalities. This suggests that Vogue wanted to go for the 'safe' option when choosing a colour palette as these 2 colours (black and white) will never go out of fashion and also appeal to most personalities (which goes against their carelessness of wanting to attract any kind of audience and rather suggests that they want to attract any type of audience.
As this magazine is well known for using high end designer clothing and accessories the text 'The £200 wardrobe' disputes a lot of connotations that surround Vogue as in a normal issue of Vogue there would be very little items that are under £200, let alone a whole 'wardrobe'. The target audience is mainly women who have a large disposable income so can afford items shown in this magazine so this feature is not likely to appeal to them. This text is almost as big as the masthead and is in the centre of the home page which shows that it is the feature Vogue want the readers to read the most out of any others on the site. This is interesting as this feature disputes connotations that surround Vogue such as high end, elite etc as you would not be able to buy any designer items for under £200 so therefore are not worthy of being featured in Vogue. A convention that suggests Vogue are aware of this fact are the fonts used. The text '£200 wardrobe' is in a different, more plain font than 'Vogue' is. This suggests that even if you can get a whole outfit for £200, you will just be plain and will definitely not reach the standards that designer clothes are at. The strapline underneath the main text of this feature starts with 'sort yourself out' which is another reason that shows Vogue are aware of the connotations that surround non-designer clothing in the fashion world. Telling the readers to sort themselves out is suggesting that people who can not afford designer clothes need to sort themselves out as they are more than likely a 'mess' as they do not wear designer clothes.
The links at the top that show the audience what is currently 'trending' supports the idea that Vogue have a strong sense of power so they can dictate what is 'cool' and what is not. This is what the readers of this website absolutely have to know about as it is what everyone in the fashion world is talking about and you will be out of the loop if you do not know about these trends. Marx suggested that media platforms design their products especially to maintain their sense of power and make lower class people stay lower class. This relates to Vogue as they are extremely powerful and maintain this by creating the trends and strongly reinforcing them. They make sure lower class citizens stay lower class by featuring high-end fashion in their magazine and website which the lower class definitely can not afford. They also make sure that the lower-classes stay there by making the physical copy of the magazine around the £4.00 mark; a price that only those with a large disposable income will be able to afford. This suggests that the social grades of the target audience of Vogue is B-A (middle class to higher-middle class, including anyone above A (high class)).
The mise-en-scene on this page includes the female model wearing dark clothes and dark make up which matches the colour of the text - there is no colour at all on this page except in the section where they are advertising that you can subscribe to the magazine. These clothes make the model stand out as she is against the white background and makes her look the centre of attention a long with the text next to her. Another feature of the model which shows she was more than likely chosen on purpose is the colour of her skin. As she has fairly dark skin, the contrast of this on the white background causes the eye to be drawn to her. By using a model with darker skin and a more Oriental look than the average reader (the average reader of Vogue is aged 37 and mostly white females), it is likely to give Vogue a wider target audience and makes the magazine seem more versatile and slightly exotic. This model reinforces the stereotype of high-end models being skinny as she has sharp cheek and jaw bones which means not only does this follow generic conventions of a magazine, this is likely to appeal to almost every reader of Vogue as they are highly likely to aspire to look like this and also wear similar clothes to the ones that the model is wearing as the target audience will see how classy and sophisticated she looks so they will want to go out and buy these clothes so they can look classy and sophisticated too. This gives an indication of the target audience as they will typically be females because of the female model in the main image.
The colour palette of black and white used on this website reinforces the point I was previously making as they do not need to use bright, bold colours to get their readers' attention as Vogue does not care to create eye catching features and text because they know they will always have readers. Another reason for this colour palette is likely to be because black and white are extremely stylish and classy colours which also happens to be the connotations surrounding Vogue. Another convention that this website has taken and made into their own is the side bar which enables the audience to be able to navigate their way around the site. The colour white carries connotations such as 'pure' and 'innocent' which hints to who the target audience of Vogue are. These connotations suggest that Vogue wants their audience to be pure and innocent and by using these colours, they are more likely to draw this type of person in. For example, white is rarely seen being used in magazines and on websites that have the opposite target audience (such as Kerrang! who's target audience are stereotypically far from pure and innocent because they listen to heavy, loud and violent music and are proud of it). The colour black carries a wider range of connotations than the colour white does, and it is used universally on websites that appeal to any audiences. However, in the fashion world, black is the colour that carries connotations such as 'classy', 'chic', and is stereotypically the colour that suggests a person is fashionable and keeps up to date with fashion. This is seen in the use of the phrase 'little black dress' which is the safe option when deciding what to wear because it will always be in fashion, pleasing on the eye and will typically make you look good as it suits any skin colours and personalities. This suggests that Vogue wanted to go for the 'safe' option when choosing a colour palette as these 2 colours (black and white) will never go out of fashion and also appeal to most personalities (which goes against their carelessness of wanting to attract any kind of audience and rather suggests that they want to attract any type of audience.
As this magazine is well known for using high end designer clothing and accessories the text 'The £200 wardrobe' disputes a lot of connotations that surround Vogue as in a normal issue of Vogue there would be very little items that are under £200, let alone a whole 'wardrobe'. The target audience is mainly women who have a large disposable income so can afford items shown in this magazine so this feature is not likely to appeal to them. This text is almost as big as the masthead and is in the centre of the home page which shows that it is the feature Vogue want the readers to read the most out of any others on the site. This is interesting as this feature disputes connotations that surround Vogue such as high end, elite etc as you would not be able to buy any designer items for under £200 so therefore are not worthy of being featured in Vogue. A convention that suggests Vogue are aware of this fact are the fonts used. The text '£200 wardrobe' is in a different, more plain font than 'Vogue' is. This suggests that even if you can get a whole outfit for £200, you will just be plain and will definitely not reach the standards that designer clothes are at. The strapline underneath the main text of this feature starts with 'sort yourself out' which is another reason that shows Vogue are aware of the connotations that surround non-designer clothing in the fashion world. Telling the readers to sort themselves out is suggesting that people who can not afford designer clothes need to sort themselves out as they are more than likely a 'mess' as they do not wear designer clothes.
The links at the top that show the audience what is currently 'trending' supports the idea that Vogue have a strong sense of power so they can dictate what is 'cool' and what is not. This is what the readers of this website absolutely have to know about as it is what everyone in the fashion world is talking about and you will be out of the loop if you do not know about these trends. Marx suggested that media platforms design their products especially to maintain their sense of power and make lower class people stay lower class. This relates to Vogue as they are extremely powerful and maintain this by creating the trends and strongly reinforcing them. They make sure lower class citizens stay lower class by featuring high-end fashion in their magazine and website which the lower class definitely can not afford. They also make sure that the lower-classes stay there by making the physical copy of the magazine around the £4.00 mark; a price that only those with a large disposable income will be able to afford. This suggests that the social grades of the target audience of Vogue is B-A (middle class to higher-middle class, including anyone above A (high class)).
The mise-en-scene on this page includes the female model wearing dark clothes and dark make up which matches the colour of the text - there is no colour at all on this page except in the section where they are advertising that you can subscribe to the magazine. These clothes make the model stand out as she is against the white background and makes her look the centre of attention a long with the text next to her. Another feature of the model which shows she was more than likely chosen on purpose is the colour of her skin. As she has fairly dark skin, the contrast of this on the white background causes the eye to be drawn to her. By using a model with darker skin and a more Oriental look than the average reader (the average reader of Vogue is aged 37 and mostly white females), it is likely to give Vogue a wider target audience and makes the magazine seem more versatile and slightly exotic. This model reinforces the stereotype of high-end models being skinny as she has sharp cheek and jaw bones which means not only does this follow generic conventions of a magazine, this is likely to appeal to almost every reader of Vogue as they are highly likely to aspire to look like this and also wear similar clothes to the ones that the model is wearing as the target audience will see how classy and sophisticated she looks so they will want to go out and buy these clothes so they can look classy and sophisticated too. This gives an indication of the target audience as they will typically be females because of the female model in the main image.
Linked page #1 -
My first linked page uses exactly the same layout, colour palette and fonts as the home page but the variation being how the content is featured on the page, but even this is not very different from the home page and even more similar to my second linked page below. This gives the website a more classy, professional and 'clean' look as there is no unnecessary information, adverts, images etc causing clutter; this is interesting as in their printed magazines there is an enormous amount of adverts.
The text that was the largest on the home page is now not the largest which suggests that on the home page they made 'Vogue' the largest text so that it is clear of the website the audience has come to but when they get to the linked pages it is not so important anymore as the audience will know by now what website they are on; what is important is the content. This shows that the aim of this website is not to attract a new audience or to promote their name but to inform their existing audience on things that are important to Vogue in the fashion world and if it's important to Vogue it will be important to the readers, this links to the feature at the top of each page that tells the reader what is 'trending'. Another feature that links to this is the text 'You're all wearing' which makes the reader think that everyone is wearing these things. However Vogue did not want to be subtle about this and added the strapline 'Did your style make the cut this month?' which suggests that if it did not, they need to go out and buy these clothes straight away as if they are not wearing these clothes they are not 'street chic' and must go out and buy clothes of this style straight away else they are not cool. This relates to the Hypodermic Needle Theory which suggests that powerful media figures (such as Vogue) can use certain tools such as images and vocabulary to control their audience and 'inject' ideas into them.
Another feature that adds to the 'cool' connotation is the poses and the way the women are standing in the images used on the opening page of this linked page. These are not typical poses that women on the street would naturally stand like, it is almost as if Vogue had staged a photoshoot to look like it was taken in a natural environment of natural women who have no experience in the modelling industry. This means that the verisimilitude of the images is not strong as they do not seem as if they were taken in the middle of a busy street and of completely normal women who have no experience in the modelling industry (which is what the term 'street chic' suggests).
The font used for the text 'You're all wearing' is more casual and 'messy' than the fonts used on other pages of this website. This gives the impression that because this page is about the audience of Vogue, it does not need to seem so classy, is the page Vogue puts the least effort into and does not need to conform with the rest of the website so that it stands out, as the rest of the websites content is mainly professional models and fashion designers. The text 'You're all wearing' is talking directly to the reader which will make the reader feel important and included in a world that usually only includes high-end models and designers. Even though this page can make the audience feel bad about themselves because they do not own any clothes that 'made the cut this month' it can also make readers feel good about themselves if they do own these clothes because the text talking directly at them gives the impression that Vogue know that they exist and will accept these readers into their world.
The text that was the largest on the home page is now not the largest which suggests that on the home page they made 'Vogue' the largest text so that it is clear of the website the audience has come to but when they get to the linked pages it is not so important anymore as the audience will know by now what website they are on; what is important is the content. This shows that the aim of this website is not to attract a new audience or to promote their name but to inform their existing audience on things that are important to Vogue in the fashion world and if it's important to Vogue it will be important to the readers, this links to the feature at the top of each page that tells the reader what is 'trending'. Another feature that links to this is the text 'You're all wearing' which makes the reader think that everyone is wearing these things. However Vogue did not want to be subtle about this and added the strapline 'Did your style make the cut this month?' which suggests that if it did not, they need to go out and buy these clothes straight away as if they are not wearing these clothes they are not 'street chic' and must go out and buy clothes of this style straight away else they are not cool. This relates to the Hypodermic Needle Theory which suggests that powerful media figures (such as Vogue) can use certain tools such as images and vocabulary to control their audience and 'inject' ideas into them.
Another feature that adds to the 'cool' connotation is the poses and the way the women are standing in the images used on the opening page of this linked page. These are not typical poses that women on the street would naturally stand like, it is almost as if Vogue had staged a photoshoot to look like it was taken in a natural environment of natural women who have no experience in the modelling industry. This means that the verisimilitude of the images is not strong as they do not seem as if they were taken in the middle of a busy street and of completely normal women who have no experience in the modelling industry (which is what the term 'street chic' suggests).
The font used for the text 'You're all wearing' is more casual and 'messy' than the fonts used on other pages of this website. This gives the impression that because this page is about the audience of Vogue, it does not need to seem so classy, is the page Vogue puts the least effort into and does not need to conform with the rest of the website so that it stands out, as the rest of the websites content is mainly professional models and fashion designers. The text 'You're all wearing' is talking directly to the reader which will make the reader feel important and included in a world that usually only includes high-end models and designers. Even though this page can make the audience feel bad about themselves because they do not own any clothes that 'made the cut this month' it can also make readers feel good about themselves if they do own these clothes because the text talking directly at them gives the impression that Vogue know that they exist and will accept these readers into their world.
Linked page #2 -
Similarly to the previous linked page which is also about the trends of this week (which is obvious as Vogue is a fashion magazine so they will not be talking about much else other than fashion) this has the title 'Fashion trends' which is similar to the previous page but this has models wearing the clothes and is about what is fashionable on the runway rather than the general public on the streets. The link for this page is higher up on the sidebar as this will highly appeal to dedicated typical Vogue readers as the catwalk is a vital part of the fashion industry and the only 2 things higher than it is news and fashion shows which are the 2 things people will come onto the website to view. A running theme through all of Vogue's pages is that there is not typical colour scheme in the images used, only the background and text. A similarity the linked pages do show however is the layout.
The target audience for this page is slightly different to the previous as not every reader of Vogue is interested in catwalk fashion as it is quite 'far out' and not what 'normal' people on the street will wear, unlike the clothing that is featured on the previous linked page. Another aspect that suggests that the target audience is different for this page than the previous is the poses and looks of the women on this page. On the previous page the models seemed 'cool', 'beautiful' and very stylish but the women on this page have a completely different look so even though the models on this page are catwalk models they seem more approachable and natural than the ones on the previous page. Vogue's use of colour on this page suggests that the target audience may be younger than other pages on their website. This is because Stanley Hall (1904) stated that youth need excitement else they will turn to violence and alcohol abuse etc. The excitement on this page is in the form of bright colours as they make this page seem more exciting than the previous ones (which were generally dull colours, if any).
A feature that sets this page apart from the other linked page is the graphology used. The text on the side of the main images on this linked page is in a different font to the text on the previous linked page and is a more classic font whereas the font on the previous page is 'sloppy' and much more casual. This font also matches the font used on the main feature on the home page which is surprising as that feature is directed at cheaper clothing etc whereas the fashion used on this linked page is high end as it is straight from the catwalk so it would be expected that the main feature on the home page would have the 'sloppier' font as it ties in with the feature more.
The use of the word 'desire' on this page denotes that the readers should be passionate about the fashion featured on this page because they 'desire' it. This links with the use of the word 'dreamy' as it denotes that the audience have been or will be dreaming about the fashion featured on this page, which suggests that the target audience is people heavily influenced by fashion.
The women featured in Vogue are carefully selected so that they make the clothes they are modeling look as good as they possibly can, in order to make the audience buy them. The women are also carefully selected so that people will buy the magazine and visit the website because they want to see more of these women whether it's because they are attracted to them or aspire to be like them. This is a prime example of Laura Mulvey's Female Gaze which states that women look the way they do in media products in order to attract an audience who want to look at them or look like them.
The target audience for this page is slightly different to the previous as not every reader of Vogue is interested in catwalk fashion as it is quite 'far out' and not what 'normal' people on the street will wear, unlike the clothing that is featured on the previous linked page. Another aspect that suggests that the target audience is different for this page than the previous is the poses and looks of the women on this page. On the previous page the models seemed 'cool', 'beautiful' and very stylish but the women on this page have a completely different look so even though the models on this page are catwalk models they seem more approachable and natural than the ones on the previous page. Vogue's use of colour on this page suggests that the target audience may be younger than other pages on their website. This is because Stanley Hall (1904) stated that youth need excitement else they will turn to violence and alcohol abuse etc. The excitement on this page is in the form of bright colours as they make this page seem more exciting than the previous ones (which were generally dull colours, if any).
A feature that sets this page apart from the other linked page is the graphology used. The text on the side of the main images on this linked page is in a different font to the text on the previous linked page and is a more classic font whereas the font on the previous page is 'sloppy' and much more casual. This font also matches the font used on the main feature on the home page which is surprising as that feature is directed at cheaper clothing etc whereas the fashion used on this linked page is high end as it is straight from the catwalk so it would be expected that the main feature on the home page would have the 'sloppier' font as it ties in with the feature more.
The use of the word 'desire' on this page denotes that the readers should be passionate about the fashion featured on this page because they 'desire' it. This links with the use of the word 'dreamy' as it denotes that the audience have been or will be dreaming about the fashion featured on this page, which suggests that the target audience is people heavily influenced by fashion.
The women featured in Vogue are carefully selected so that they make the clothes they are modeling look as good as they possibly can, in order to make the audience buy them. The women are also carefully selected so that people will buy the magazine and visit the website because they want to see more of these women whether it's because they are attracted to them or aspire to be like them. This is a prime example of Laura Mulvey's Female Gaze which states that women look the way they do in media products in order to attract an audience who want to look at them or look like them.
There is some excellent and proficient research here which will inform your planning. Your focus on typography and address are strong as well as your analysis of colour. Perhaps some focus on how 'women' are represented in the images would be beneficial.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mr Bennett. In terms of your blog generally, it is really starting to take shape you have made great progress this year, well done! In terms of your blog you just need to make the suggested changes and complete the last posts from the check list.
ReplyDeleteTarget for Practical:
1) Make sure your typography choices fit the genre.
3) Make sure your products all link and create a brand image.
Writing Targets (for blog planning and essays):
1) Make sure you are using theory to support all post.
2) Make sure you remember to use as much media language and terminology as possible (Photoshop terms, Dreamweaver Terms, photography terms and general media language).
Improvements here confirm the excellent elements and high levels of proficiency in response to similar products and you maintain a focus on audience /your production from your other posts.
ReplyDelete