MetaMag

MetaMag APRIL 2017

SINGAPORE

A MAGAZINE ABOUT MAGAZINES

What’s a cover story?

&

Trends

Find out on page 26!

Convergence

A brief history of magazines in Singapore

Magazines are going digital

Ads, ads, and MORE ads Sacha Armstrong and a pull quote from her tweet

APRIL 2017

S$5.90

How to layer your pieces in style Get a flat stomach without doing crunches

7 Things

youin can typically find a Magazine

editors’ note

T

his is how an editors’ note is like. Written by (surprise!) the magazine’s editor(s), they are brief texts placed at the introductory pages. It can range in topics, but the note usually involves summarising the issue’s contents while touching on current affairs in a way that explains the relevance of the articles. For example, is the issue focusing on health because Chinese New Year is approaching? Because the festive snacks are really unhealthy, and illness rates in Singapore tend to soar during this period. Is the increase of travel articles due to the upcoming holiday season? Fun fact: in Singapore, the most popular months to travel overseas are June and December, as those are the longest school holidays in the year.

In the spirit of being a “meta-magazine”, we’ll take this opportunity to explain who we are and what exactly MetaMag is. We are a group of three students from Singapore Institute of Management-University at Buffalo (SIM-UB) taking COM 240 (Survey of Mass Communication). The concept of MetaMag is to be an online magazine about magazines, i.e. a meta-magazine. For example, this editors’ note that you’re reading now describes the purpose of an editors’ note, while our “advertisement spread” in the later pages explains how advertisements work in Singaporean magazines. The rest of the contents cover a wide range of other topics like the history of magazines and convergence in publishing in the form of vox pops, articles, infographics and sidebars. Also, this magazine is interactive, which means there are hyperlinks all around! From images to videos, texts to even the contents page, most things are clickable – just look out for this icon: to locate them! Bigger icons indicate multiple hyperlinks for the whole section.

Our aim is to educate an international audience of the unique ways in which Singaporean magazines operate, while providing an overview of the dynamics of magazines as a form of mass communication. As such, we have specially curated each section in this magazine to be informative, engaging, and fun to read!

We hope you enjoy our work as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it!

Zachary Soh 2

Casia Chew

Joselin Leong Cursor by BomSymbol from the Noun Project

MM

what’s inside A contents page lists a few main sections and the feature story so readers know where to turn to to find what they want to read.

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Fitness: From Flab to Fab

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Vox Pops

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Advertisement about Advertisements

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Magazines in Singapore

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Fashion: Blast to the Past

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Trends and Convergence in Magazine Publishing

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Online Presence

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Personality Quiz: What time is it?

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Subcribe to MetaMag

Lookbook: Wanderlust

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The Cover and its Elements 35

Beauty

Be prepared to encounter lots of ads in this meta-magazine! Its sole purpose is to mimic the look of a typical fashion magazine while providing examples of our explanations. Read more about ads on page 05!

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A D V ER T I SEMENT /ədˈvɜː.tɪs.mənt/ (n.) a notice or an announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event

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C

olourful and branded with a logo, advertisements found in magazines are aplenty. In fact, they usually make the bulk of any magazine issue, filling more than half the pages. For fashion magazines (like what MetaMag is imitating), advertisements generally promote material goods or services pertaining to fashion, beauty and fitness. These marketing efforts aim to either generate desire or to create a lasting impression for the brand.

Advertisements are sometimes placed near related articles for effect, but are also peppered throughout the magazine. Lately, with brands adopting social media as a tool for marketing, advertisements include links not only to their website for more information, but also to their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and/or YouTube accounts to garner a larger following. Some campaigns even include hashtags to encourage customer interaction and viral marketing, a concept we learnt in our textbook!

With hypercommercialism and the sheer abundance of them in magazines, most readers are desensitised to advertisements and would instinctively thumb through the pages. As a counter to the pervasiveness of advertisements in this medium, brands employ popular models, movie stars or socialites to endorse their products in order to attract the attention of readers and instil trust in them.

To make the spreads visually appealing, there is thoughtful art direction behind each and every campaign. Picture a perfume advertisement; how did the company sell a scent using visuals alone? The advertisements need to demonstrate the product and its results in one still image. The photographs are hence subject to post-processing and image manipulation to better sell their products or services. Nonetheless, advertisements are windows on society’s beauty standards and social cultures at any time period.

BY CASIA CHEW

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Magazines in

BY JOSELIN LEONG

D

id you know? Popular magazines began in Singapore as early as the 1960s! There are actually many magazine distributors in Singapore, like Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), Mediacorp, and Allscript, each of which holds many brands.

then

1960

1 981 Her World launched in Singapore – “Singapore’s most established monthly women’s magazine with highest readership”, focusing on “fashion and beauty, women’s issues, career, health, relationships and lifestyle trends”.

Localisation & Diversity Although Singaporeans are exposed to mostly foreign magazines, there are home-grown magazines out there that are created for the locals, by the locals – and these magazines are targeted towards different groups of people! For instance, Teenage is meant for preteens or teens who are maturing and in search of the hottest fashion trends. It even has a ‘Dear Kelly’ column which allows teens to send in their concerns, and seek advice from ‘Kelly’ who aims to provide comfort through the column.

Another example is Singapore Health, a bilingual health magazine initiated

by Singapore General Hospital and the SingHealth Group, which provides readers with health tips and information so that they can take charge of their own health!

As such, we can see how magazines in Singapore are specially customised in accordance to certain criteria like interest and demographics. This is known as audience segmentation, a term our textbook mentions!

For example, Nuyou and Nanyou focus on relationship issues, while The Women’s Weekly and Men’s Health centre on fashion and beauty. From teens to young adults, soon-to-be-parents to elderly citizens with health concerns, there is a magazine out there for everybody.

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Sing

iWeekly – Chinese version of an entertainment and lifestyle magazine, attempting to add spice to busy lives of Singaporeans!

20 0 3 Men’s Health Singapore launched – focusing on “men’s fitness, health, sex and relationships, grooming and style”, “most read Men’s magazine”.

Health No. 1 – “Chinese health and lifestyle magazine that offers the best of both worlds – western and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)”.

20 0 9

gapore 1990

1988 Teenage – “Singapore’s first and number one youth publication”, “ultimate companion guide for young adults” on the latest entertainment news, fashion, and music trends.

8 Days – Entertainment magazine predominantly on the latest celebrity gossip, and television news, including film and music reviews, travel, and a horoscope section.

20 0 1

1994

UW (U-Weekly, initially launched as You Weekly) – “Singapore’s first hybrid entertainment, lifestyle and social news magazine”.

CLEO Singapore established – “provide young women with fun, intelligent and empowering articles”.

NSMAN – tailored for SAFRA (association for National Servicemen), covering “food, entertainment, food, fitness” and specific segments for the SAFRA members.

Nylon Singapore established – “focuses on pop culture and fashion”, “includes beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology, and travel”.

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20 15

now 9

Media Censorship As compared to other countries, Singapore is perhaps notoriously known to have strictly censored media, in which any content must be approved by the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA).

One example of Singapore’s strict censorship is the launch of Cosmopolitan Singapore in 2011. It was touted as an act of loosening censorship rules in Singapore, given that the magazine was “known for its sex guides and adult content”. But the magazine’s content was limited as “it never went as far as its overseas counterparts”, eventually ceasing circulation in 2014 due to its “unsustainability”.

Decline of Readership

the industry AUGUST 2014 SPH reported 6% fall in newspaper and magazine operating revenue

AUGUST 2016 SPH reported a decline of 7.6% in newspaper and magazine business

We can see that the readership has been falling from the net profit made by the print industry. This is a result of the rise of social and digital media.

Fewer people are reading the magazines today, as quoted from a TODAY’s article, “Singapore University of Social Sciences’ head of communication programme Brian Lee stated that traditional media industries have been affected greatly because of the speed of technological progression.” There are challenges caused by the changes in media consumption and content that magazines have to overcome in order to survive in this tight competition.

Some challenges include staying relevant to the youths who are actively engaged with digital media, and having the ability to disseminate information swiftly and interestingly. The failure to do so will lead to eventual closure for the magazines – it’s likened to our education system in Singapore where we strive for our best so that we can retain our edge in the competitive environment.

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blast

to the

past

PHOTOGRAPHER Daniel Chan STYLIST Charmaine Low HAIR & MAKE UP Charmaine Low MODEL Charmaine Low Find Charmaine on Instagram: @chachachachara

Slip dress, $49.90, Bottomshop; Bracelet, $12.90, H&N; Scrunchie, $4.90, H&N; Heels, $129.90, Ten West

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Cropped top, $59.90, Sara; Midi skirt, $69.90, Sara; Halter bikini top, model’s own; Socks, $8.90, Sad Socks; Heels, $129.90, Ten West

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Tartan dress, $79.90, Bottomshop; Choker, $25.90, H&N; Heels, $129.90, Ten West

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the

cover and its

Elements

The camera loves her. From coolly resting against a wall to sitting poised on the floor, Sacha Armstrong exudes charisma and effortless style in whatever she does – and it shows in her Instagram photos. Casia Chew speaks to the 24-year-old fashionista as she dishes out travel tips, love advice, and her favourite beauty tricks.

BY CASIA CHEW

orry, we lied in the above summary. Sacha Armstrong is indeed the cover model for this issue of MetaMag, which means this spread should ideally revolve around her. Unfortunately (or fortunately), in line with the purpose of MetaMag, this article will not be talking about romance or skincare. Instead, this “cover story” will educate you about what a cover story actually is – and it is quite literally a story about the cover.

A cover story, also called a feature article, is the main piece of a magazine’s issue. Typically occupying a few pages, it sits near the middle of the magazine and is given more prominence than the other articles in that issue. The subject (usually a model, celebrity or influential figure) fronts the cover page with its accompanying cover line in the hotspot, i.e. the top left just under the logo, which gives the story highest visibility on the newsstands.

The article focuses on a person in detail, but in the case of magazines categories that focus on aspects other than fashion or people, the topic could be an event, a place or a brand. It discusses the life of the cover model or useful tips on fashion styling, beauty, relationships, or anything under their area of expertise they have to offer to readers. Notable quotes from the person might be emphasised on with pull quotes (see page 28), an excerpt of what one has said, to intrigue readers to actually read the article and not simply skim through it. Sponsors might collaborate in this feature to sell their clothes, accessories or cosmetics in the spread, but not in the form of an advertorial. Above all, it has to be something of interest to the readers and complementary to the magazine’s theme to snag the most valuable spot in each issue.

For weekly or daily, and sometimes monthly publications, current events or trends are zeroed in on in the main article. However, as these are fleeting, monthly magazines (and those of longer intervals) usually discuss a single theme per issue, and have cover stories concentrating on the chosen thread.

PHOTOGRAPHER Sacha Armstrong | STYLIST Sacha Armstrong | HAIR & MAKE UP Sacha Armstrong

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“ur a copycat” 28

Anatomy of the cover page

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he cover page is the most prominent component of any magazine, and is the visual identity of both the team behind the publication as well as its readers.

As most magazines are specialised to target lifestyles and interests, the look and feel of the cover has to be reflective of its contents. This is to appeal to the specific groups of readers they are intending to attract.

When you are seated at the hair salon, how does your hair stylist know what magazines will engage you? Somehow they will be able to select a few copies that you find interesting or already read! From interacting with you, they would have gauged your tastes through your physical appearance – your gender and age group, your outfit, your demeanour, and the likes. There is an association between readers and the type of magazines they read because of the different groups of readership.

With readers also segmented by demographic groups, fashion magazines have to feature on the cover different models and celebrities who are admired by or relevant to the readers. For instance, whereas preteens would be excited seeing singersongwriter Taylor Swift on the cover, fashionistas would be drawn to supermodel Miranda Kerr. The outfits of the cover

models are always eye-catching and of a style suitable for the magazine’s readership, be they trendy, elegant or smart. Larger publications tend to have regional distributions so as to include contents that cater to their international readers.

The challenge of a cover page lies in its paradoxical need to be different yet the same. At a glance, people must be able to instantly recognise it amongst the other prints. However, due to its periodic nature, the covers ought to look distinct so that readers can differentiate the new issues from the previous ones. Familiarity is achieved by having an iconic masthead in a unique font, set in a static position across all issues, while contrasted by employing a rotation of colours for the logotype and cover lines.

Anniversary issues are often made special by using print finishes more decorative than usual, with techniques such as foil-stamping, embossing, and spot UV varnishing. This gives variation to the texture for certain parts of the cover, lending it a more luxurious feel that sets the commemoration issue apart from the others.

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models of

lookbooks M

BY ZACHARY SOH

odels and celebrities featured in Singaporean magazines are typically East Asian, Eurasian or Caucasian.

Dressed in Western-style fashion, they are usually fair-skinned and slim, with sharp jawlines and double eyelids.

As with U.S. magazines, the use of models in Singaporean magazines is surrounded with controversy. For example, colourism and the underrepresentation of racial minorities plays an important role in the discourse. In a nation where the Chinese make up the majority (74.3%), followed by Malays (13.4%), and Indians (9.1%), it is rare to see a racial minority on a Singaporean cover page, let alone a dark-skinned one. This reflects a deeper issue of the narrow beauty standards that Singaporean magazines tend to perpetuate – the notion that only the Chinese have the capacity to be physically attractive, while other racial groups do not.

But it is important to note that beauty standards apply to the Chinese as well – women with conventional East Asian features like button noses, monolids and yellow skin undertones are not usually featured. As such, it can be observed that Singaporean magazines tend to favour Asian women with European features in the areas of cover pages, feature stories, and advertisements.

Find Sacha on Instagram: @sachettes

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Be

Beautiful,

not Boring

BY CASIA CHEW

Perfect that pout with pink

T

rends come and go, but there will always be new products available for you to achieve the latest styles as seen on the red carpets! Whether it’s bronzer to contour your face with to get the sun-kissed complexion of Kim Kardashian, or swapping your black eyeliner out for a navy pencil for a fun and sexy look, the beauty column will always have your back.

Following trends also reflect how people often try to imitate the style of celebrities, and that beauty standards are influenced by those who are famous and physically attractive. Even in Singapore, despite our Asian features, we look to Hollywood stars for inspirations.

Add a pop of colour to your peepers

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VOX POPS

BY ZACHARY SOH “Vox pops” is from the Latin phrase vox populi, which literally means “voice of the people”. Unrehearsed, informal, and typically held in public spaces, they are basically short interviews with random people on the street – but everyone is asked the same question! Usually placed beside larger articles to serve as a complementary feature, they provide readers with varying perspectives on the issue at hand.

I did in the past when I was studying graphic design - I used to read design magazines to get inspiration! But now that I’ve graduated, I don’t buy magazines because everything I need can be found online. It’s just not worth the money.

“Do you read

magazines?”

I used to read them, but I stopped because of social media.

After all, I can read articles online, so I don’t have to buy the physical copy.

Ng Jia Yu, 22

Darren Chan, 24 Yes, but only the online versions though, because the companies tweet their articles or post them on Facebook. I read magazines like Cosmopolitan.com and Complex because they embody the ideals I like — Complex because it covers race issues and hip-hop culture, and Cosmopolitan.com because it reports on celebrity gossip and LGBT issues.

note the idea of convergence here !

Tanveen Vohra, 18

No, because I can read everything interesting on Reddit — from special interest stuff to current affairs. There is even a subsection called AskReddit, where people ask questions about anything and everything. If there is a question, it is asked!

No, I’ve never really bought a magazine before because there isn’t anything that interests me in them.

Toh Kai Ci, 21

Dominic Neo, 24 39

A

s technology continues to pervade our everyday lives, an increasing number of people are turning to the Internet or smart gadgets for information and entertainment.

Singapore is no stranger to this new phenomenon.

This is because that while Singapore’s media is strictly controlled, the Internet, however, provides a levelled ground for many alternative news sites like TheOnlineCitizen and Mothership.

On the Internet, these websites are free to publish unique, and sometimes, controversial content. As such, online media is one of the popular and rising media amongst Singaporeans.

Magazines these days are also available in online versions. For instance, SPH created a ‘magazine blog’ in hopes to “connect better with [users], and provide [them] with the latest happenings at SPH Magazines” via concise and interesting blog entries.

Trends & Conv

in Magazine

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TOP 20

online magazines among Singaporeans (2014), according to TheSmartLocal :

#1 theAsianparent

#11 Time Out Singapore

#2 The New Age Parents

#12 Men’s Folio

#3 TheSmartLocal

#13 Cosmopolitan

#4 Vulcan Post

#14 Expat Living Singapore

#5 SingaporeMotherhood

#15 L’Officiel Singapore

#6 KiasuParents

#16 City Nomads

#7 Stuff.tv Singapore

#17 epicure

#8 herworldPLUS

#18 Singapore Tatler

#9 Luxury Insider

#19 Lifestyle Asia

#10 Wardrobe Trends Fashion #20 RunSociety Of the list, three distinct categories dominating the rankings are family and parenting, fashion, and lifestyle. Most of the frequently read and popular online magazines are related to parenting, which truly highlights the ‘kiasu’ (Singlish term for ‘afraid to lose’, derived from Hokkien) nature of parents in Singapore! Furthermore, this indicates the change in certain demographics – parents today are way more tech-savvy than they were in the past; they are more educated today. A sizeable portion of the magazines are on lifestyle – nightlife, entertainment, and even luxury living – outlining the landscape of Singapore!

vergence

e Publishing

BY JOSELIN LEONG

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wan

PHOTOGRAPHER Anne Tan STYLIST Lynette Lee HAIR & MAKE UP Lynette Lee MODEL Lynette Lee

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In recent years, fashion spreads have adopted a more minimalistic layout, incorporating negative space as part of its design.

derlust

Find Lynette on Instagram: @pinkandglitteryfart

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Fitness:

BY CASIA CHEW

I

From Flab to Fab

s your stomach bulging from all the snacks you can’t seem to keep off? Hard-pressed to fit a daily jog into your schedule? Here’s a workout, courtesy of Shape magazine, to add to your routine to shave off that belly fat, all in the comfort of your own home!

Who would’ve thought that those crunches we’ve been struggling with aren’t nearly as effective as doing side planks?

How to do a side plank: A. Lie on your left side with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder and legs stacked. Place your right hand on your left shoulder or on your right hip.

B. Brace your abs and lift your hips off the floor until you're balancing on your forearm and feet so that your body forms a diagonal line. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds. If you can’t hold that long, stay up as long as you can and then repeat until you’ve held for 30 seconds total. Switch sides and repeat.

Watch this video for more abs exercises:

Having fitness related to beauty and fashion, rather than health, shows the extent to which people place emphasis on physical attractiveness in their lives. Staying in shape and being toned is now a prerequisite to being beautiful, reflecting the beauty standards of today. This is also evident through the portrayal of celebrities and models who appear on advertisements.

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Online Presence

BY CASIA CHEW

A

s online magazines increase in popularity in comparison to its paper counterpart, different brands have put more marketing efforts towards building their online presence. It is not uncommon to find that on top of a website, magazines also have Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts to interact with their readers.

Vogue in particular, has created their own YouTube channel with regular videos on fashion, beauty, celebrities and how-tos. There are even series to engage readers and provide interviews with models, celebrities, and fashion industry big-names. One popular segment is 73 Questions, where the interviewer takes a tour around celebrities’ houses or workplaces asking them, of course, 73 questions in succession. Without the usual formalities of a typical interview, it is filmed in a single shot from the interviewer's perspective, giving it very spontaneous and honest vibes.

73 Questions with Victoria Beckham Technology has enabled magazines to reach their readers on a consistent and global level (more frequently than print magazines), allowing for the retention of consumer interest in their brand. Mobile devices also provide an environmentally friendly method for people to read their contents while doing away with the hassle and clutter of dealing with printed magazines.

The migration of readership from prints to websites means there is a shift in revenue outlet as well. While it is unwise to pull publications from the newsstands completely, magazines rely on advertisements online and product placements to make up for the loss of revenue through printed magazines, as well as to give advertisers and sponsors a reason to continue promoting through magazines.

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? t i s i e m i t t Wha

BY ZACHARY SOH Sometimes, magazines have personality quizzes to engage and interact with their readers. At the same time, they might try to sell to them certain accessories or clothes, suggesting a style suitable for every individual.

Which accessory would you wear?

Bracelet

Choker Anything chill and comfortable, to be honest Speaking of which, what best describes your style?

Crop tops, denim shorts, and Vans – you know, the usual

Coffee or tea?

Maxi skirts, flowy dresses, and anything floral!

Coffee

Girl, just say coffee!

A venti iced skinny hazelnut macchiato, sugar-free syrup, extra shot, light ice, no whip, a touch of vanilla syrup with 3 short sprinkles of cinnamon, please and thank you!

I’m always on time!

How punctual are you for class?

If you could choose to build one room in your home, which would you prefer?

A super chill room with artworks, soft music and scented candles

I’m mostly punctual, give or take a few times where there were traffic jams. I swear!

There’s class today?

Lying on bed with a facial mask on.

Every girl needs a ‘me’ moment!

fo r th e fu n pa rt y gi rl

Swatch

Tea

ic, for the ch lady feminine

Calvin Klein

How do you spend your free time?

At an art gallery

fo r th e a rt sy h ip st er

Thrift store

A gym – a girl needs a place for her cardio training!

Doing crunches.

Gotta get that #summer bod!

for the nkie fitness ju Fitbit

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Subscribe & Save 30% E

BY ZACHARY SOH

ver wondered why magazine subscription prices are so cheap? Our textbook talks about the Mass Circulation Era and the notion that circulation became the most important factor in setting advertising rates. As such, magazine prices were kept low to encourage large readerships and attract advertisers.

This applies to Singaporean magazines as well – a yearly subscription of Teenage costs S$36 ($25.75 USD), while weekly entertainment and lifestyle magazine 8 Days costs S$43.27 ($30.95 USD). That’s 83 cents an issue! Subscription durations are also typically one or two years, usually including free goodies like watches, toiletries and bags.

First 50 subscribers to MetaMag will receive an Estée Lauder beauty hamper worth $300!

12 issues for S$50 only!

MetaMag

SUBSCRIPTION FORM NAME

PHONE

MAILING ADDRESS

EMAIL ADDRESS SUBSCRIPTION TYPE

(tick one)

1 year (12 issues) - $70

1 year (12 issues) with digital access - $79

2 years (24 issues) with digital access - $100 Invoice will be sent to you via email upon receipt of subscription form.

Mail the filled subscription form to: MetaMag Subscription * P.O. Box 461 Singapore 599491 Or subscribe online at www.metamag.com.sg/subscribe ^ for instant digital access!

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* not a real address ^ not a real website

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