Planning magazine advert - Miss Miller

A magazine advert serves the purpose of promoting an artists upcoming album and single. The promotion is done in order to raise awareness to the artists new music, with hopes in increasing their sales revenue. However, it isn't put in place to just increase sales but to also increase the artists brand image and fan base. Website addresses and social media information of the artist is shown on a magazine advert, to allow the audience to explore the artist further and keep up with them. Which improves there fan base and identity as an artist, which can then lead to an increase in sales. Magazine adverts are effective as they are placed in a magazine targeted at the right target audience, so readers are more likely to already be fans of the artist in the advert or have similar musical interests, for example, Q magazine aims their content to people who enjoy indie music. Therefore, if an indie artist was to put their advert in Q magazine it would be more likely to gain some extra fans for the artist than if the advert was put in a hip-hop magazine. A magazine advert is also very short and brief, making it quick and easy for the audience /reader to know who the magazine advert is for, what new album they have out and where they can buy it. This makes it very convenient for the audience and beneficial for the institution and artist.

I will be creating my own magazine advert to promote the album 'Heaven on earth' for my artist Nico Johnson. The advert will contain brief information and graphics to inform and appeal to the target audience which is 15-25 year olds. Planning is very important in terms of a magazine advert, as it allows you to form a basic idea and simple draft of what you have in mind for your magazine advert. Planning also allows you to be less inclined to make silly mistakes for example, album name on the magazine advert. It keeps you organised and reminds you of what to design and create next, allowing you to follow a vision which has already been drawn out. 

Colours

My magazine advert will follow a gray scale, black and white theme in order to convey the artist as authentic and simple. Black and white offers a high contrast, in Western culture black and white traditionally symbolizes good and evil, light and darkness and day and night. For a magazine advert black and white shows an insight into the artists mind an
d music style. For my advert, it conveys Nico as a simple guy with depth in his music as the black and white contrast look more serious. Which will allow the audience to take the artists music more seriously and build a connection with the artist.


Conventions of genre

The indie genre tends to use black and white images and effects, this gives an old fashioned, classical feel which creates a sad feeling to the audience. This allows the audience to be emotionally connected to the advert and to be persuaded to buy Nico Johnson's album. 
 It is also conventional that a picture taken in a isolated background and setting will be used. It creates mystery and a cool edgy identity as parts of the artist are hidden by the location appearing dark, gloomy and unidentified. It also allows the audience to focus more on the artists music on offer, rather than their fashion and physical appearance. As indie artists tend to be self-effacing, this will allow me to stay conventional to the indie genre. By using an image on the advert which is in an unidentified, edgy location with the artist wearing casual clothing and not looking into the camera, Sticks to indie conventions and allows the audience to be able to relate with the artist. 

Images used

The images used for my magazine advert will help portray my artist as humble and relatable. As mentioned above clothing, lighting and setting (mise-en-scene) of the image will help give a perception of my artist to their target audience. However, I will use simple, plain clothing to show that my artist is not superficial but is more emotional and deep. The lighting of the image will be low-key and have a lot of contrast to relate to the inner mind of my artist. Which is intense and heavy, transferring raw lyrics and music to the artist which can relate to the audiences circumstances and situations. For example, Runaway talks about problems at home involving family and parents.


Layout/design


The design and layout of my magazine advert will be landscape and text will be centred in the magazine advert. The text will be centred in order to show that it is important and the main focus of the magazine advert. It will be made landscape to show all the graphics in the photo, I feel that it would also look very different and unconventional, which is what indie artists aim to be, unconventional. This will make the advert stand out to the audience as it will look different and alternative, allowing them to be drawn to the advert and persuaded to buy their music. As the artist will be created for their indifference and creativity.



Typography

I aim to use a range of texts which come together well, the typography will reflect the indie genre and produce connotations for the artist. Larger and bolder typography will be used for the artists name on the advert so it will gain attention from the audience. Typography will look old, rustic, grungey and futuristic to contrast with the artists music style. It will display my artist graphically and more visually artistic.

Language

The style of language will be written in British dialect. For example, new 'hit' or 'smashing' these words are associated with the British language. It will help to appeal with my target audience as the target audience for my artist is British, so the advert will be promoted effectively. It will also allow my artist to be represented as someone connected with their roots and a talent from the UK. This can increase loyalty to the artist, for example, finding out an artist is British may encourage a British audience and society to stand by and support the artist. Therefore, this language draws attention to the artists nationality and background which can increase loyalty to the artists brand and image.

I found this plan very useful in generating ideas for my magazine advert. It allowed me to find out what different elements and techniques a magazine advert connotes, in relation to the indie genre. This made me more mindful of what to include in my magazine advert, for example, font style. As it can have a deeper meaning of the advert and can transmit to an audience subconscious views and perceptions of my artist, especially as the artist is new.