Conventions of a Magazine Cover

Generic Features of a Magazine Cover

(This is a random example and not specific to either schools or music)





Masthead

The masthead is the name or title given to the publication. In this particular case, 'Empire' would be seen as the masthead.  It is usually allocated in the same position for every issue in order to give it a sense of authority and familiarity for those reading it. Additionally, readers need to be able to instantly identify the brand so it should be designed in a unique font or colour that is eye-catching or recognisable.

Main Image

The main image gives the reader a first glance impression of what the magazine will contain. Usually it will dominate most of the front cover and it is not uncommon for it to be placed in the foreground in front of the masthead (as above). This gives the picture a sense of depth, putting the image in the forefront of the frame adds scope to its visual flair. A frequent convention of images is that the people in the shot are often staring into the camera, an effective way of personalising the magazine by creating the illusion that the celebrity or subject is using direct address. In the above image, the main (and only) image is of Iron Man, showing us that the issue's main focus is on that particular film. Because he has a large following, audiences don't need much other information regarding the topic. However for a less common subject the camera work, lighting and angle need to evoke a level of intrigue to other readers. For example, those who weren't aware of the character above would notice the use of gold and crimson in both the image and font because they are vibrant colours.

Not only does the main image need to be relevant to the actual content of the magazine, but it also needs to establish expectation or maintain appeal.

Price and Date

The pricing of the magazine and other generic information (like the dateline, issue number etc.) will not be prioritised unless there is a significant change, for example if there was a rare discount. On most front covers, the price and date will be published in small print due to the fact that they aren't as important to publishers, and because advertisers want the audience to be drawn in by the visual appeal of the magazine before they consider the financials. This is a financial strategy employed to manipulate consumers into wanting the magazine before they see the price, so that they have at least taken the time to examine the cover whilst searching for the price tag. As well as this the barcode often appears on the cover.

Selling Line

The selling line tends to be a short and sharp description of the title's primary marketing point, indicating both the genre of the magazine and a possible audience. It is usually located near the masthead in order to act as a supplementary line of information, much like a sub-heading supports a heading. On the cover above, Empire uses the selling line 'The world's biggest movie magazine' which suggests popularity and that the magazine is centralised around the movie industry. This also diminishes competition through the use of the superlative 'biggest' and by giving it a global impact in 'world.'

Main Cover Line

Cover Lines are the short statements found on the front of magazines that describe or hint at the topics discussed inside. Rather obviously, the Main Cover Line draws attention to the main article within the magazine and is associated with the main image, and usually has an enticing word structure in order to appear witty or dramatic. On the other hand it can adopt a simplistic and blunt tone so as to relay information to the reader quickly. In the example above, 'Iron Man 3' is the main cover line because it is a clear and declarative statement that uses a larger font size to create importance.

Cover Lines

By default then, the Cover Lines are the other leading articles stated on the cover, and lure in the readers with other interests to show a broad range of coverage within the genre.  'Danny Boyle Returns to the Dark Side', 'Downey Jr's Lethal Weapon Flies Solo', 'Horror Preview' , 'Action Double Bill' and 'Episode VII: When Star Wars Met J.J.' are all cover lines that offer insight into the context of that particular issue, without giving too much away.