COVERED
INDUSTRY RESPONSES
ANDREW LOSOWSKY Writer & Editor (Turning Pages, We Love Magazines) JEREMY LESLIE Magazine Creative, Author and Writer of MagCulture DAVID HEPWORTH Development Hell Ltd (The Word) Editorial Director JAMES WEST Dazed & Confused Art Director DARREN TAYLOR Rock Sound Editor ED LE FROY Big Cheese Designer MIRANDA YARDLEY Terrorizer Managing Director/Publisher
DOMINIQUE MARSHALL
JEREMY LESLIE How important do you think the magazine cover design is in terms of attracting a target audience? The magazine is the essential sales tool for a consumer magazine. It is a poster for the issue, and thus vital, the only thing a potential buyer will judge an issue on. You have to get the reader to pick up a copy and flick through. And that’s the cover’s job. What do you think consumers are mostly attracted to: The magazine name? The features displayed? The cover image? It depends on the market. If a loyal reader, the name counts for a lot (ie The Economist). But if its a weekly celebrity magazine, the face and headline matters more, that audience are more promiscuous. “The magazine cover is the greatest sales pitch of all” - what are your thoughts on this statement? As I said, the cover’s the poster. The greatest sales pitch of all? Its the most overwrought and over-worked sales pitch that’s for sure, editors and art directors agonise over every decision. And then its passed to the publisher who changes it all. The volume of shouting and selling on covers has surpassed what’s necesary and become a chaotic babble. Sadly. Perhaps a blank cover will stand out better now?
What personally attracts you to pick up a magazine? I’m too close in to see properly, my opinion is not relevant. I buy/receive loads of mags and I’m generally doing so because i want to check out a redesign/new issue/new launch and not because I’be judged a cover as appealing. What makes a magazine cover successful? Success = the buyer picking up and becoming a reader. So whatever it takes to infleunce that decision. Agian, if you’re an Economist reader, a photo of Cheryl Cole and a flouro headline will not work. But equally an illustration and polite list of subjects won’t work for Heat. What makes a magazine cover unsuccessful? First failure: the buyer doesn’t buy. But jump that, then second fail: a promise not kept inside.
ANDREW LOSOWSKY How important do you think the magazine cover design is in terms of attracting your target audience? It depends on how a magazine is distributed, and in what form. If you’re handing it out at Tube stations, not so much; if it comes free inside a newspaper, almost not at all. If it’s on the newsstand, or to be picked up for free, then it’s extremely important. What do you think consumers are mostly attracted to: The magazine name? The features displayed? The cover image? It depends on what consumers, in what circumstances. There is no single answer; some are attracted to the name, but the fact that they don’t subscribe suggests that they still need to be persuaded by the stories within. Others are pure dilettantes, picking up only what interests them, when they have a need for something to read. But it would take a hell of a cover to get a typical middle-aged football fan to purchase OK! for themselves, or for a left-wing reader to pay for an obviously right-wing magazine. “Magazine editors worry more about the cover than any other part of the magazine…” How far would you agree with this statement? Disagree. Publishers tend to worry about covers more than the content; for editors, it’s an important element, but not their main preoccupation. COVERED: Industry Responses
What personally attracts you to pick up a magazine? Anything that suggests that the inside content might surprise me. What do you think of the opinion that magazine designers aren’t ambitious enough, and aren’t going after ‘big ideas’ that will shock the public? The public don’t need to be shocked in order to include a big idea. And a cover can’t do all the work - in general, the newsstand is less vibrant and risk-taking than I would like. The design is just a part of that. What makes a magazine cover successful? It catches the eye, it surprises, it evokes a reaction, it intrigues. What makes a magazine cover unsuccessful? None of the above.
DAVID HEPWORTH How important do you think the magazine cover design is in terms of attracting a target audience? Traditionally, 50% of the magazine’s impact is down to the cover. What do you think consumers are mostly attracted to: The magazine name? The features displayed? The cover image? Combination of name and image.
The things that have changed magazine cover design most have been the move to using recognizable faces (which women’s magazines didn’t bother with before the 90s) and the massive decline in football at the news stand. In a world where subscription might matter more than individual issue sales, brand identity might matter more than the look of a particular issue.
“The magazine cover is the greatest sales pitch of all” - what are your thoughts on this statement? True. What do you think of the opinion that magazine designers aren’t ambitious enough, and aren’t going after ‘big ideas’ that will shock the public? It’s nothing to do with designers. They just do what editors tell them. Big ideas are fine for Hoxton style magazines. They’re no use on Cosmo.
JAMES WEST How important do you think the magazine cover design is in terms of attracting a target audience?
“The magazine cover is the greatest sales pitch of all” - what are your thoughts on this statement?
Vital.
As with the question about what attracts you to the magazine, different things will attract different readers. But above all the cover is definitely one of the most important selling tools and can make or break an issue, regardless of what’s inside.
What do you think consumers are mostly attracted to: The magazine name? The features displayed? The cover image? Different groups will be attracted to different things. Regular readers might look for the logo or shelf position, casual browsers who don’t know the publication might be attracted by the cover image or cover lines. But then regular readers will also be attracted by these. So it’s a combination of things. A striking image is most important. Are any research methods carried out in order to find out what your target audience is attracted to?
What personally attracts you to pick up a magazine? I buy most magazines, I am a collector so I don’t get too selective! What makes a magazine cover successful? There is no exact science. Research shows that eye contact sells magazines, but then that’s a very general statement and might not apply to all titles and audiences, or covers
If they buy the magazine, they like it! Are there any rules that the team works by when it comes to creating the cover for each issue? The covers follow a general design template, but the concept for the cover shoot and story will be discussed each issue – but the cover stars and photographic treatment will both be something that is considered to be of interest to the Dazed reader.
What makes a magazine cover unsuccessful? An image that is not engaging on some level. You can also ruin a cover by plastering it with cover lines. But then that works well for some kinds of magazine. It all depends on your audience.
COVERED: Industry Responses
DARREN TAYLOR How important do you think the magazine cover design is in terms of attracting your target audience?
Magazine editors worry more about the cover than any other part of the magazine…” How far would you agree with this statement?
Very important. It’s the first thing a potential buyer will see so it needs to shout/catch them and draw them in.
This is essentially true - the cover is the major selling factor for the magazine but having strong contents inside the mag once a potential reader has made the purchase is also just as important.
What do you think consumers are mostly attracted to: The magazine name? The features displayed? The cover image? The brand name is important and we have regular people who purchase on a monthly basis but at the end of the day the cover band is the most important factor and many people will buy it for that reason alone.
What personally attracts you to pick up a magazine? Aa strong cover image, the features that i will find inside. At the end of the day you buy the magazine because it promises you information that you feel you need to know.
Are any research methods carried out in order to find out what your target audience is attracted to? Yes, we do readers’ surveys on a regular basis to work out who is reading the magazine via print or online. Are there any rules that the team works by when it comes to creating the cover for each issue? Having a strong image for the cover is essential. The band on the cover need to have good eye-contact with the reader too. Then we building everything else around the image including a strong quote/coverline to attract the reader to want to investigate further. ED LE FROY How important do you think the magazine cover design is in terms of attracting your target audience?
Are there any rules that are followed when it comes to creating the cover for each issue?
Vital.
Make it different from the one before! Got to be ‘understandable’ from 20ft away.
What do you think consumers are mostly attracted to: The magazine name? The features displayed? The cover image? Cover image
“Magazine editors worry more about the cover than any other part of the magazine…” How far would you agree with this statement?
Are any research methods carried out in order to find out what your target audience is attracted to?
Yes, totally. We can spend days on it.
Um, not really, it’s usually who is guaranteed to sell the most amount of mags - usually by having a new album / tour. As far as market research goes it’s usually the PR companies that prewarn us of what’s going to appeal to their target audience, i.e. ours.
COVERED: Industry Responses
What personally attracts you to pick up a magazine? Cover image!
MIRANDA YARDLEY How important do you think the magazine cover design is in terms of attracting your target audience?
Are there any rules that the team works by when it comes to creating the cover for each issue?
Critically. A consumer makes their decision in 1-2 seconds, so you live or die by the cover.
Yes, see (2)
What do you think consumers are mostly attracted to: The magazine name? The features displayed? The cover image? Branding and cover image, need a face on the cover. You should also identify your 4-5 types of reader and ensure the cover caters to each key group. Are any research methods carried out in order to find out what your target audience is attracted to? Yes, both informal (talking to people at shows and interns) and formal (end of year poll)
“Magazine editors worry more about the cover than any other part of the magazine…” How far would you agree with this statement? They often don’t, but it is central to any editor’s role to produce a killer cover every time. What personally attracts you to pick up a magazine? I’m a geek so I’m brand loyal to geek mags. But the cover is important (lesson here: I once bought Classic Rock ‘cos it had an iconic Hendrix picture on the cover, the Hendrix content was a single album in an admittedly sizeable “100 Best” feature),
COVERED: Industry Responses
COVERED: Industry Responses