Preliminary: Evaluation of 'Vocalize' Issue 5 in terms of Target Audience

I think the target audience for Vocalize is young adults, male and female. I base this on the young, edgy, graffiti-looking style font and the bright, bold, upbeat colours. This is specifically attracting the target audience, as, the colours stand out and it is an irregularly used font, this interests the target audience and intrigues them. I also believe this is the target audience due to the theme of the issue: ‘Relationships’, as it is unlikely an adults magazine would use such a vague theme. This implies that a vague theme is used to not over complicate the issue, making it straight-forward and clear for its young, target audience, addressing them directly. The story’s highlighted in the contents page are also obviously directed to a young audience, for example, the ‘love, lust or bust’ quiz, or ‘weirdest celebrity couples’, this clearly addresses the target audience, making relevant and targeted articles for them. Also, the subheading used on the front page –‘we delve into your friendships, love lives and families’- is directly addressing the target audience through the use of the pronoun ‘your’. On the right hand side of the front cover is a woman in her wedding dress looking happy and excited. She is being portrayed as in a strong relationship –showing its relevance to the theme of the magazine. By having an image of someone on their wedding day is relevant to the theme of the magazine; it also targets the young audience, showing them love, which interests them.

In 1984 Lasswell gave his theory on the consumption of media products, his theory fits this particular media product quite well, saying there are 4 main reasons why this product may be consumed. One being for surveillance, meaning they will be reading this product to gain information, an article that gives information is the advice page.  Two being correlation, three being cultural transmission and finally entertainment. Entertainment particularly suits this product and it is its soul-purpose, and target to entertain the target audience.  Bulmer and Katz later re-evaluated and extended this theory, saying that one main reason for consumption of media is, Diversion. They believed that people may read a magazine such as this as a distraction, the articles suit this theory for example ‘weirdest couples’- although some may say this is for surveillance as it gives information, I don’t think this information is particularly beneficial intellectually hence, it is used as a type of diversion and entertainment. Bulmer and Katz second consumption specification is ‘personal relationships’ this is again targeted in the articles for example ‘teachers relationships’ or ‘agony aunts’ where you can empathise with people problems, and give them responses making you feel a personal relationship with the people.  Another group is personal identity; this is highlighted in the magazine through the agony aunt column, where frequent problems are mentioned and responses given, it gives the student the chance to see themselves within those problems, and the people. The final one being surveillance which was mentioned before in Lasswell’s theory.