College magazine cover and contents analysis

Both combinations of front covers and contents pages are contrasting in style within the use of colours, font, images etc. They provide different approaches to the simple college magazine and are effective examples of how the design targets particular demographics. 

In my opinion the first magazine is successful as it uses bold feminine colours which clearly contribute to its appeal towards teenage girls. It could be described as a more fashion and beauty orientated magazine although the headline states that it is suitable for college students. It seems to offer the reader constructive advice and addresses common issues among college students which is likely to keep the reader interested. The model, captured in the center by a casual mid shot is an example of the type of person a girl aged 16 - 18 might aspire to. Attractive and smart judging by her book bag and ambitious environment, she conveys qualities that any college magazine would aim to promote.

There is a large contrast in the production of the two magazine front covers, one is portrayed as fairly amateur however the other has an air of professionalism. 'Switch' may not be the perfect example of an accomplished magazine cover, I find it inspiring in regards to my magazine cover due to the image that has been used. It has a gritty feel and I find the brickwork in the background visually interesting. Again the cover is not perfect but illustrates a distinct sense of realism which is more appealing to the typical college student as there is a level of relatability, I plan to cary out a similar approach.  The reader immediately gets the impression that the character presented on the cover is the typical college student because of clothing, hair and age - despite coming across as a very masculine cover it manages to appeal to the student target group, its amateur and unpretentious.  

The contents pages are fairly simple, the structure and clear organisation is vital. The first contents page especially does this effectively, it even splits the pages in to categories such as money and exams - guiding the reader to whichever desired page. The layout is efficient yet not your average straight up and down plan. It appears to be unisex despite its prominent use of the colour pink, the colours have been carefully coordinated, possibly relating to the particular representative signature colours of that college. The second has a more chaotic tone, the images and colours may not be suitable for a college magazine however the misaligned text is aesthetically pleasing and unique.