Real Media Text Research | Empire Front Cover Analysis
"Empire" is one of Bauer Media's most well-known brands with a supposed circulation of 145.177 (ABC July - December 2013) in print and digital versions. It oozes the quality of which fellow film magazines aspire too and it is heralded as the "best film magazine in the UK".
You can see the quality of the magazine in the issue displayed to the right, of which promises special, exclusive features and a marvelous cover design.
The cover itself is dominated by its Main Image and the adapted Masthead, which both are trying to resemble Guillermo Del Toro's franchise of "Hellboy". This particular issue is used as a promotional device for the franchise giving it pivotal coverage in the magazine to it's devoted film lovers in exchange for a high end exclusive which attracts more readers then per usual.
The Masthead is in it's usual big red font, but this time adapted into a fire covering which helps to expose the reader to Hellboy's dark back story and his fiery, passionate personality. It also is alot more eye-catching then usual making on-lookers naturally attracted to the cover. The size of the Main Image proves the high end nature of the exclusive as explored above. It heralds a large fan base and a devoted cult following and this is why the size is increased. The magazine also wanted to show off their exclusive symbolising their dominance in the film magazine market, but they also wanted to symbolise Hellboy's large and intimidating nature, adding this with his large clinching fist, it does this well. This does mix well with the black background which helps to contrast against the red fire, but it also suggests that Hellboy has a dark background and by going to watch the film you'll find out all the details.
The magazine's conventional layout is again presented, and possibly over used when looking at the two Pugs (one being exclusive for the digital version). Pugs help to try and seduce the reader in wit news and features completely unrelated to anything else on the cover. In this case the main Pug attempts to bring in readers with notions about "sex" which obviously is completely unlike anything else of the cover. The second Pug as said above is exclusively for the online, digital, versions making the experience of reading the magazine far easier then just picking it off the shelves as it promises more then pictures and words.
The sub-text of the middle left is used to act as a last ditch attempt to attract any 'on the fence' on-lookers, by offering news and features off topic to that in the Splash. Examples here consist of the films in the Indiana Jones and Hobbit franchises. This is also used to bring the devoted fans of those brands to buy the magazine.
You can see the quality of the magazine in the issue displayed to the right, of which promises special, exclusive features and a marvelous cover design.
The cover itself is dominated by its Main Image and the adapted Masthead, which both are trying to resemble Guillermo Del Toro's franchise of "Hellboy". This particular issue is used as a promotional device for the franchise giving it pivotal coverage in the magazine to it's devoted film lovers in exchange for a high end exclusive which attracts more readers then per usual.
The Masthead is in it's usual big red font, but this time adapted into a fire covering which helps to expose the reader to Hellboy's dark back story and his fiery, passionate personality. It also is alot more eye-catching then usual making on-lookers naturally attracted to the cover. The size of the Main Image proves the high end nature of the exclusive as explored above. It heralds a large fan base and a devoted cult following and this is why the size is increased. The magazine also wanted to show off their exclusive symbolising their dominance in the film magazine market, but they also wanted to symbolise Hellboy's large and intimidating nature, adding this with his large clinching fist, it does this well. This does mix well with the black background which helps to contrast against the red fire, but it also suggests that Hellboy has a dark background and by going to watch the film you'll find out all the details.
The magazine's conventional layout is again presented, and possibly over used when looking at the two Pugs (one being exclusive for the digital version). Pugs help to try and seduce the reader in wit news and features completely unrelated to anything else on the cover. In this case the main Pug attempts to bring in readers with notions about "sex" which obviously is completely unlike anything else of the cover. The second Pug as said above is exclusively for the online, digital, versions making the experience of reading the magazine far easier then just picking it off the shelves as it promises more then pictures and words.
The sub-text of the middle left is used to act as a last ditch attempt to attract any 'on the fence' on-lookers, by offering news and features off topic to that in the Splash. Examples here consist of the films in the Indiana Jones and Hobbit franchises. This is also used to bring the devoted fans of those brands to buy the magazine.
