Magazine publication design has many elements which all work together in order to form and make up the magazine. It is these elements, which help to individualize the magazine, create a brand and reach a certain target market. Features such as typography, colour, layout, advertising and the chosen information to print, all contribute to the genetic individual character of magazine publication design. Magazines utilizing these tools create a competitive market with a great choice for the consumer to choose from, whether it is a commercial or high-end magazine. Each and every different publication design layout and detailing was a conscious decision made for a purpose to reach specific targets and to portray a certain image or message.
The sole purpose of a magazine is to make money; this is primarily achieved through the advertisements which are placed in the magazine itself. Companies will pay a high fee to the magazine to place advertisements; the magazine has the freedom to choose where exactly this advertisement will feature. However, they are unable to alter or change the advertisement itself, thus the publication needs to make careful decisions as to what brands they choose to place in their magazine. For example, ‘Vogue’, being a high-end magazine, would not advertise a brand like ‘Supre’; it would be more inclined to advertise brands such as ‘Cartier’ and ‘Moet and Chandon’. These companies, which advertise in magazines, normally advertise in multiple magazines that have a similar target market such as ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ and ‘Vogue’, both featuring the same ‘Chanel’ advertisement.
Typography in magazine publication design plays a very important role to artistically set themselves apart from other magazines. A choice in typeface aids to express the mood, the aim to reach a certain target market and the overall aesthetic of the magazine. San Serif is form of typeface, which is more modern in nature, and is normally associated with more commercial fashion magazines, targetting people who are looking for cheaper options, such as ‘Cosmopolitan’, ‘Cleo’, and ‘Shop til you drop’. Serif is the other form of typeface, which uses small arms or legs off the letter. In magazine publication design, this typeface is seen at the higher end spectrum of the market, in magazines such as ‘Elle’, ‘Vogue’ and ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ who use this form for their masthead. Although there are at times exceptions, it is the choice of the magazine’s intentions. This can be done through the font’s thickness, spacing, size and shape. It is these conscious choices which help shape the overall image of the magazine.
The graphic designers who take charge of the general layout and aesthetics of the magazine publication design determine this overall image of the magazine. The way this is designed has a purpose and intention which can obviously vary between magazines. High-end magazines such as ‘Vogue’, ‘Marie Claire’, ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ and commercial magazines including ‘Grazia’ and ‘Shop til you drop’, all clutter their pages with new products and images that the consumer ‘needs’ to buy. They use celebrities to endorse these products and show cheaper options, but the ultimate goal is to fill the page with as many options as possible to the consumer, centered on price and style. The design aesthetics these magazines have chosen have been product based. Whereas ‘i.D.’, ‘Oyster’ and ‘V’ magazine, focus more on creating a beautiful photo and sending a message to their audience.
Colour also plays a vital role in magazine publication design as well as the information chosen to print help to make up the magazine’s character. It is the way colour is used which translates the ideas. Minimal colour used with clean-cut edges creates a high end, sophisticated feeling, whilst magazines which use bursts of a number of colours are normally cheap, commercial magazines. The choice of information that magazines choose to publish, further contributes to the genetic make up of the publication. The issues the magazine focuses on reveals the aimed target markets. For example, dolly doctor, in ‘Dolly’ magazine, is sex and relationship advice based Q & A’s aimed at young teens. Whilst ‘RUSSH’, features things such as up and coming models.
From what has been stated above, it has been made obvious that the dematerialization of magazine publication design is quite complicated and there are many tools and elements which help form a successful magazine. This success comes from making informed decisions based around advertising, typography, colour, layout and the chosen information to print, all of which differ from magazine to magazine depending on its intentions and the target markets.
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