https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6 spark magazine en-us 2017-08-02 15:35:48 UTC 2026-01-11 13:29:11 UTC hello@padlet.com heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/179958263

The masthead is bold and in the centre of the page showing importance. It is filling the entire top third of the magazine. This will be he first place that the audience's eye will be attracted to and therefore allows for the magazine's name to be more memorable as it is the first thing everyone sees. The text box's (sell lines) do not go right to the edge of the page but only go within the confines of the length that the masthead goes. 

The word spark itself is very short and snappy. This makes it easy to remember and kind of hints at what may be within as 'spark' sounds quite bright and energetic.

Spark uses the same font on all of their media platforms including radio, website and their printed regional magazine. This also helps with the memorability of the brand as it may throw people off if the masthead looks different on every platform. All they did in this cover was slightly alter the look by adding some splatters to link in with the colour run that is spoken about within the magazine and featured on the cover.

The font is very curvy and soft making it look friendly, relaxed and inviting.

The lower case letters are used to relax the cover of the magazine as the capitals might be overwhelming with the colours going on.

The pure white contrasts with the bright colours in the background which I think is very effective as it makes the masthead stand out but not so much as to make it look out of place or tacky.

]]> 2017-08-02 15:38:12 UTC https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/179958263 heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/179958535

This sell line is basic but bold with a stand out white colour. The paint splatter effect has also been used again to show continuity within the cover and also to make it blend in more.

The font is the second largest on the page to represent it's importance.

The strategic highlight of the words "Full Colour" is also attracting to the eye and ties in with the image.

For a change, the main image is slightly over lapped by the sell line but it does not cover any main features of the image so it is not a big issue although overlapping with the main image is very unusual.

By not specifying which city the magazine is referring to might show their success as a regional magazine because everyone knows which city they are referring to. This also makes the sentence come across as more confident in a way as they just comfortably refer to Sunderland/Newcastle as 'the city'.

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The same font is used in the cover lines as the masthead and main sell line but the cover lines use a smaller font and, depending on importance, switching from lower/upper case. This allows the audience to prioritise things to read quickly and easily just by scanning the page.

Each cover line has a head one that is capitalised to stand out and frame the leading text. The arrows also help to direct the view of the audience to the start of the cover line.

The cover lines are very short and give very little away which will help to encourage the audience to keep reading to find out more.

Beneath each headline is a brief summary of what the section entails, the majority of which relate right back to sunderland making it very specific to the region and easily targeting their target group for a regional magazine.

The magazine has used key words such as 'hot' and big' to emphasis and exaggerate to attract the audience.

Spark has used rhetorical questions and other persuasive techniques which shows that they are aiming at a younger audience as some of the used techniques are not needed for the older generations.

]]> 2017-08-04 11:50:00 UTC https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180120230 heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180120812 2017-08-04 12:04:08 UTC https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180120812 heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180121231

Spark bases each issue of it's magazine around an event that is happening in the area, in this case it is the colour run. I feel that this is a very effective method as it will not only be feeding off of the pre-existing buzz from the event but also this means it will be appealing to anyone taking part.

The model's big smile creates a happy and youthful vibe which an indirect mode of address creates a friendly and comfortable environment in which their target group of younger people will feel very comfortable.

The dominant image and the main sell line form a more obvious link when looking at what is written on her shirt and hair band, they both read 'Colour runner' so that for people who did not know what the colour run was and/or looked like, it is blindly obvious.

Because the person does not look like your stereotypical model but just a normal person doing the colour run, it makes it far more relatable for the reader, encouraging them to form a bond with the model.

The colours are very vibrant and emphasised by the high key mix natural lighting, attracting the eye to the magazine. It also shows the event in a very happy and positive light.

The background is out of focus which forces peoples eyes on to the information and the model, making her stand out even more.

Graphics was also used to add extra paint to the edges of the page which helps it look even more exciting.

]]> 2017-08-04 12:12:42 UTC https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180121231 heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180121910

The issue number is under the masthead which is very conventional for magazines. it fits the shape of the letter 'p' which I really like and find it really effective. The font for this is bold but not so much as to stand out as the font is very small. it is simply there to inform but not to entertain which is why it is in such a basic font.

The date is also just under the issue number in the same font. This is also simply there to inform and is not meant to be a noticeable attribute to the cover. It also gives a season instead of a month or day meaning that this is probably a quarterly magazine with a new one every season. This could be very effective as this means they are unlikely to run out of information to give to the audience. This method would work very well for my magazine as I may run out of different advice and topics to give to the read. I find that the magazine could be more past paced if I only did 4 yearly. This also matches the target group as younger people are known to get bored with anything slow paced.

Pricing is not included on this magazine as well as there is no barcode. This is because may regional magazines are free. I think this is a very good convention of regional magazines as people in the area should have a right to know what is going on in their local area and shouldn't have to pay to know that. This would encourage me to make my magazine free and include more advertisements within it as a method of funding.

The website is placed centrally underneath the masthead. being this front and centre shows that the writers of the magazine were very sure of the capability of their target group with technology. This makes the magazine feel very modern and professional.

]]> 2017-08-04 12:25:57 UTC https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180121910 heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180122944

The colour scheme of spark is usually black, white and orange but they have changed it for this issue to make a more direct link to the featured article.

They still often use white in their bold text to stand out against the colour and keep some of their roots.

The rest of the colours are pink, green, blue and yellow which are very vibrant and will attract their younger target group because of the youthful vibe of which these colours provide. Although these colours would not fit in to my magazine as it is meant to be more of a relaxing and calm feel, I think that the colours are very effective for what this magazine's aim is. It is strongly linked with the main sell line and the dominant image making the colour scheme extremely successful.

]]> 2017-08-04 12:45:40 UTC https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180122944 heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180123469

Spark has included additional features/puff that allows people to win an empire cinema ticket and enter a writing competition.

Again it is obvious that spark's target audience is the younger generation as they are pushing for a really outgoing and overly stimulating magazine to keep the younger reader's attention.

]]> 2017-08-04 12:54:06 UTC https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180123469 heatherj5545 https://padlet.com/heatherj5545/2mfxya0mrah6/wish/180123853

Even though the page has more writing on than other regional magazines such as The Crack, the dominant image is so bright and bold with it,s close up of the woman, the page does not actually look like it has that much writing on simply because of the overwhelming bright colours.

The way in which the text frames the image makes the image stand out but also adds a professional feel as the text looks professionally aligned with the page, adding a neatend up aesthetic compared to the abstract dominant image which I really like.

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