Healthy Magazine

For part of the planning for our own music magazine we have to analyse magazines. The first magazine cover we analysed was Healthy.
The cover is the most important part of the magazine because it’s the first thing people see so it has to draw them in and make them want to buy it. The way the cover looks is dictated by the publishing and editorial strategy that it is designed to put across.
There are tow selling lines on the cover of Healthy magazine. The first one, ’The UK’s top selling health magazine’, draws the reader in by saying it’s a popular magazine so therefore it must be good. The second selling line, ‘Your natural health expert’, says a bit more about the magazine. The vocabulary used draws the reader in. By saying natural, the reader immediately thinks no toxins or chemicals and by saying expert the reader thinks professional advice.
The main cover line and important cover lines are shown on the left side of the cover because in shop where not all of the cover is shown it still needs to draw the reader in, this is called the left third. This also means that the title must be easily recognised so the publishers use a recognisable typeface so that in cases where only the left third of the magazine is shown regular readers can recognise the magazine and pick it up quickly and easily.
The image on the front of the magazine is important because it is usually the biggest and most upfront feature on the cover. There is usually only a single image however multiple images may be used to illustrate the contents.
The models in the images are chosen to look younger than the target market (except in teen magazines) because, in the case on Healthy magazine, the readers will want to buy the magazine thinking the advice and tips inside will make them look as young and as healthy as the model.
When the cover image is being shot photographers focus on the eyes with wide-open pupils because it invites the reader in and makes them feel welcomed.
Numbers are used a lot on magazine front covers and the bigger the better. Editors prefer numbers such as 88 (as shown on the flash button on the cover of Healthy’ to 80 because it sounds like there are more things in the magazine.
The colour red is used a lot on the cover because it stands out and contrasts with the blue background. Editors tend to avoid the colour white but I think it has been used in this case because it signifies purity which is related to being healthy.
The month and year (date line) is shown on the cover so in situations like when someone is reading it on a train etc the know how recent or old the magazine is.