How does your media product represent particualr social groups?
My magazine represent and reflect my social group, which was in this case teenagers from the ages from 14 to 17 years of age. Due to the genre of my music I wanted to focus on ("Hip Hop"), I took images that were similar to those I had seen on "Hip Hop" magazine front covers. As you can see the image on the top left hand "XXL" magazine front cover is in some ways similar to my own magaine "Lyrical".This demonstarte that my magazine represents similar social groups to other magazines that are present in the music industry e.g. "XXL". The similarities of these magazines can be seen with the posture in which the artists are placed. Both of the artists have one arm across their chest, whilst another is placed near their face, with angle of gaze to ensure that it engages readers. Due to the photographs being one of a mid shot, this creates an initmating atmoshphere and a sense of power to the reader, which is the convention of "Hip Hop" magazines, leading the focus to be on the artist body language and facial expression.
However the images differeinate as "XXL" gesture connotes some element of playfulness, this can be seen with the facial expression (with the showing of the teeth). In contrast one could argue that with the showing of the teeth, gives it a sense of aggression, which in affect makes the gesture very similar to my own image. Although not a lot of women have this persona of a hardcore impowering gesture, by chosing to place my artist in such a pose adds to the idea of powerful "Hip Hop" arists who are serious on making music and their image (how they are percieved). Through such expression, this allows the reader to have an idea of what the magazines would include e.g. by having a hardcore female artist on the front cover this gives an insight to the reader that article would be included on the subject of women making it in the "Hip Hop" scene.
The use of costume in these images suggests that in both cases, the artists are in a way high maintenance this is shown with the jewelleries which they are wearing. In the "Hip Hop" scene the earing of jewelleries (bling, bling) are very important, this is due to the fact that artists are associated and know to their fanson the bases on the jewelleries, this has led many artists to have their own masterpiece of unquiue jewelleries. Although with the wearing of such jewelleries connotes high maintence, this represents my social group well due to the fact that they have similar dress sense. By wearing such jewerlleries this therefore inspire and encourages my target audience, that those who want to trying to make it into the music business would one day make it, allowing them to own their own individual chains.
The colour scheme in both magazines are bold and eye cacthing. Despite the background of "XXL" being the same colour as my own background (grey), I wanted to use colours that would suite my social group. This led me to subvert from the convention of using red, instead I used colours that were unisex engaging wide range of readers. I used gold, connotating the idea of my magazine being famous (popular). This is helped through the use of purple giving it the feel of power and royality, which is the connotation of purple. By using colours such as purple, indicates the idea that even though the connotations of colours states power and authority, it also has a sense of femmine touch as purple is soft, often associated with romantic. This contrats the use of black which reinforces power, adding to the aggressive nature of "Hip Hop". This is balanced with the colour white making my front cover as a whole stand out, whilst attracting my social group who stated in my survey conducted (using "Survey Mokey"), that such colours attracted them due to the brightness.
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