Magazine Front Cover Elements

Through my research into magazine front covers, I have found that it is extremely important to maximise impact and appeal of my magazine so that it stands out at the point of sale as a massive amount of magazines are sold in retail. For this to be successful the front cover must be as eye-catching as possible and immediately set the tone. This is done by the font style, contrasting colour palette, framing of the image and mise-en-scene.

As my magazine is a music magazine with a hybrid genre it will have a broad readership, but overall this is still a niche market of music fans. It is aimed at all 16-19 year olds so my front cover must connote youthfulness and fun immediately to entice the reader. To do this I will include semiotic signs and pay careful attention to the layout; for example I will place 'boring' information unobtrusively, privilege one article over the others, and use only one bold main image.

The cover image must be relevant to my audience and content and create impact. This is often a well known star who people are attracted to, or can aspire to. The cover star's pose is also a main factor in its appeal, for example on a mens magazine, a romantic/sexual pose will strike their attention. Typically availability will be hinted at by a dreamy, self-absorbed female icon in this pose.

For my own magazine I would have my model in an invitational pose, including emphasised eyes, a mysterious look and a hint of a smile. This will appeal to both genders and the element of mystery will be relatable to the social group reformers. Other poses I have found are the super-smiler; a full face shot, big smile and confident look, and the chocolate box; slight parting of the lips, face is shot full on and the emphasis is on flawless beauty.