Oh Comely - Audience blog tasks

Read Meet the Editor - Oh Comely in Media Magazine 65 (p26). You can find this in our Media Magazine archive. This gives you a brilliant introduction to the magazine. Answer the following questions:

1) Summarise the ownership and production of Oh Comely - how did it start and who owns it?

It started with three university friends and the thought that women were negatively portrayed in magazines.

2) What is the print circulation and how many subscribers do they have?

The print circulation per issue is 10,000 copies and they have 3000 subscribers.

3) How does the editor Alice Snape characterise the typical Oh Comely reader?

18-35-year-old creative, intelligent women who may or may not be settled into careers and are looking for inspiration from other women/interesting characters. Oh Comely readers are educated and politically aware and looking for a unique and thought-provoking look at the kind of lives they aspire to lead.

4) What are the key aspects of the magazine's design aesthetic discussed by the editor? How might this link to audience pleasures?

The magazine’s design reflects the words, it’s thoughtful, beautiful – the clean and minimal layout allows the words and pictures to shine. We work very closely with illustrators who create original works of art for our features - readers could see themselves reflected in the design.

5) How does the magazine represent women in terms of its production team and editorial decisions?

It's run by a fully female team 


Now read the Oh Comely website page on advertising and audience to get a good idea of the demographics and psychographics for the Oh Comely target audience. Answer the following questions:

1) How does Oh Comely introduce itself ('what it's all about')?

Oh Comely is a powerful mix of words and pictures, stylishly presented and much loved by its readers. It provides an alternative to the ‘pile-it-high-sell-it-cheap’ aesthetic of mainstream magazines for young women, and this is why it has carved a loyal niche of fans. It is a breath of fresh air for a creative audience desperate to find something that speaks to them directly in an accessible, intelligent and interesting voice.

Its time has come. 

2) How do the print circulation/readership statistics for Oh Comely compare to Men's Health?

the print circulation for Oh Comely is 10k whereas Men's Health is close to 120k. The readership for MH is nearly a million but for OC it's just 3k.

3) How is Oh Comely distributed to the audience?

It is distributed via WHSmith, independants and international retailers

4) What do you think the target audience demographics for Oh Comely might be? Some details are provided by the magazine (e.g. average age 27) and you can fill in further gaps using the Media Magazine interview with the editor.

A woman who is around the age of 27 and has strong views on female equality and who are very modern.

5) What psychographic groups might be attracted to Oh Comely? If you've forgotten this, revise psychographics here!

I think that the groups most attracted to OC would be Explorers, Succeeders, and Aspirers

6) What social class classification would you expect most Oh Comely readers to be? Why?

ABC1/AB would be the right one as they are more likely to form sophisticated opinions and would know a lot more about the misrepresentation of women in contemporary media.

7) What level of education would you expect for most Oh Comely readers? Why?

Oxford level or first degree (top-of-the-class students) because they are educated with the knowledge that women aren't given an equal say in magazines.

8) What audience pleasures are offered by Oh Comely?

Personal identity -  Readers enjoy having their quirky, creative lifestyle and feminist viewpoint endorsed and reflected by the magazine.

Personal relationship - readers get to know the editorial team

surveillance - readers learn about niche events and stories

9) It has been suggested Oh Comely is a “magazine about people, their quirks and creativity rather than money and what it can buy”. How does the design and advertising content of Oh Comely support this view?

Oh Comely focuses itself on niche topics, releasing six issues annually. They make sure their readers get a different and very personal takeaway from their stories. They cover things that don't make a lot of profit but value the underdog/niche industry. (links to Hesmondhalgh cultural industries - commerce vs artistic value)

10) Why do you think Oh Comely has been able to build a loyal audience of subscribers in the years since it launched? Think about audience demand, rival magazines and the overall media landscape in the digital age.

The Oh Comely readers, of which there are roughly 25,000, are given personal introductions to the editorial team. This is to build a personal relationship between the readers and it make the readers feel very valued and feel they are a part of something.

Unlike rival magazines like Vogue, they explore niche stories, people and events, which focuses on educating and enlightening their rederbase rather than profit off their subscriptions. They have kept their head above the water through using the internet as a medium through which fourth-wave feminists can interact with the magazine's content. 

Men's Health - Industries case study blog tasks

Hearst publishing

Research Hearst publishing by looking at the Hearst UK website and the Wikipedia entry for parent company and conglomerate Hearst Communications. Then, answer the following questions:

1) Hearst UK is part of Hearst Communications. What is Hearst Communications and where is it based?

Hearst is a publishing firm and deals with lots of publications such as Men's Health and Cosmopolitan. They are based in New York.

2) What media industries and brands make up the Hearst Communications conglomerate?

Esquire, Good Housekeeping and Country Living. San Francisco Chronicle, the HoustonChronicle, Cosmopolitan and Esquire.

3) What was the global revenue for Hearst Communications (in dollars) for the most recent year on record?

11.4 billion

4) Focusing on Hearst UK, what other magazine brands are part of Hearst UK publishing? How many UK people do they reach in print and online?

ASDA Magazine, Best, Digital Spy, Inside Soap, Town and Country


Now read this Campaign interview with Hearst UK CEO James Wildman and answer the following questions:

1) What is James Wildman's plan for Hearst UK?

To make the 22 publications become 22 iterations, to be more integrated and connected

2) What percentage ad decline are consumer magazines facing?

A 10% drop

3) What Wildman think about premium content and paywalls?

Wildman admits "the headwinds are tough" for online advertising. "I think we should charge for our premium content," he says, citing "the most extraordinary recipe archive" at Good Housekeeping as an example. But he says no paywalls are planned yet.

4) How has Hearst used diversification to grow the business?

They run events, sell merchandise and endorse other products

Finally, read this Hearst UK press release for their late 2018 ABC figures and answer two simple questions:

1) Is Men's Health increasing or decreasing in circulation?

increasing

2) What does the press release say about recent successes associated with Men's Health?

Men’s Health’s #MendTheGap campaign continues to help redress the disparity between attitudes toward mental and physical health, whilst its range of home gym equipment is the best-selling premium gym range in Argos


The impact of digital media on the print magazines industry

Read this BBC website feature on the print magazine industry and then this Guardian feature on the demise of NME magazine and print magazines in general. Now answer the following questions:

1) Why are traditional print magazines struggling?

Many can access the same content more easily online

2) What genre of magazines is currently bucking the trend and increasing sales? Why is this?

news and current affairs because we rely on these media sources to give us information

3) In contrast, what magazine genres are struggling? Give examples of magazines that have declined or stopped printing altogether.

showbiz magazines and fashion ones

4) Look at the Guardian article in detail. What statistics are provided to demonstrate the decline in the print magazines industry between 2010 and 2017? What about the percentage decline from 2000?

Revenue went from £512m to £250m in just 7 years. In 2000 it declined by 55%.

5) What percentage of ad revenue is taken by Google and Facebook?

65%

6) What strategies can magazine publishers use to remain in business in the digital age?

Include special and inclusive content. Advertising helps massively with magazines like Vogue. They also make other content that you can only access on their website.

7) Why does the Hearst UK CEO James Wildman suggest that the magazine industry is not dead?

The magazine industry is a lot more diverse than we think. 

8) What examples from the Guardian article are provided to demonstrate how magazines are finding new revenue streams? What is the Men's Health branding used for?

“Endorsement, accreditation and licensing are increasingly lucrative." The Men's Health brand is being used for home-gym equipment on sale at Argos.

9) What signs for optimism might there be for traditional magazine brands?

They have a loyal and traditional fanbase. They trust the news as there would be a editor, separating fake news. 

10) How does Men's Health fit into this picture? Why do you think Men's Health has remained successful in the digital age? Do you think Men's Health will continue to publish for many years to come? Why?

Men's Health will be in production for at least a decade because they can survive a lot off their health products. As society becomes more conscious about body image, they can exploit that market and get a lot of profit.


The Men's Health website and social media

Visit the Men's Health website, Twitter feed and Instagram. Answer the following questions:

1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?

It mainly focuses a ot on betterment and is even offering products like cream.

2) What is the Men's Health daily newsletter and what does it include? How does this help Hearst UK to make money?

It includes snippets and details of their other magazines. This helps to promote their other publications and increase readership.

3) Look at the Men's Health website menu bar. What are the menu options? What does this suggest about the representation of men and masculinity associated with Men's Health?

Fitness, Mental Health, Style, Nutrition and Workouts - this is the generalisation of what a 'perfect' man should take interest in.

4) Choose one of the menu sections (e.g. Mental Strength) and write a list of the features in that area of the website. What target audience are these features aimed at?

In Style, they include fashion such as sweaters and what trainers Obama wears. They also have grooming pieces where they explain how to stop ageing. This is aimed at adults, aged between 25-50.

5) Do you think the Men's Health website is trying to sell the print version or simply build a digital audience? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a 'digital first' strategy?

They would lose all readership of their print version if they decide to value digital more however their readership could be increased by going online, which is much more accessible.

6) How does the Men's Health Twitter feed use 'clickbait' to try and get users to click through to the magazine's website? Give examples of tweets that are designed to get the audience to click through.

They said: Deploy these tips and watch your gains multiply - which isn't really true as it takes time to lose weight.

7) How does the Twitter feed uses images and video content alongside text and links?

They use videos and images to entice the audience and to make them agree and be attracted by a certain lifestyle. They use links to promote their digital content.

8) What does the Men's Health Instagram suggest about the Men's Health brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?

They want their models to push their 'fit' aesthetic and they post a lot of food posts which is an advertisement for their products. The audience is different as younger people can also access their socials so they think that it's better to promote more child-friendly content.

9) Is the Men's Health social media designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?

Print magazine because they have been doing it for a longer time and they have fiund much success that way.

10) Evaluate the success of the Men's Health brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?

I think the print is still the best edition. They have a lot more freedom online however but they fail to connect with the next generation of readers, there really isn't much to read for the younger ages, 18-21. I think within the next 20 years, the print edition will succumb to the digitalisation of the print industry.

Men's Health Language & Representation: blog tasks

1) Write an analysis of the media language choices on the cover of Men's Health - e.g. colour scheme, typography, language, photographic codes etc.

There isn't that much vibrancy when it comes to colour here. A series of blues and greens as well as the visible black and white makes this feel like a clean colour arrangement. The whole point of this is to make Vin Diesel to stand out as he is the 'star' of the edition. 

The language used is quite direct and making you think that you're not the 'perfect' man.

The title is in Serif and everything else is in Sans Serif.

Vin Diesel's flexed muscle could be a hint at hypermasculinity.

2) Identify three specific aspects/conventions/important points (e.g. cover lines, colour scheme, use of text, image etc.) from each page of the CSP that you could refer to in a future exam. Explain why that particular aspect of the CSP is important - think about connotations, representations, audience pleasures, reception theory etc.

Front cover: Representations of masculinity, font/typography and colour scheme - we see a clear message of masculinity they are trying to push which could be with or against current views

Editor's Letter and contents page: changing views of masculinity, audience effects, image use - the letter as well as the features show how readers are persuaded to read the edition.

Feature - True Grit - 'The Marathon Man': image analysis, the fact that he's old, 'perfect man' ideology - we see an interview with an old man who is basically, what these readers should aspire to.

3) Apply narrative theories to Men's Health - Todorov's equilibrium, Propp's character types, Barthes' action or enigma codes.

Vin Diesel could be the hero or the dispatcher as he is persuading them to lose weight and become a good man. The actual magazine could be the door as they enable you to have this knowledge of how you could better your life.

The reason why you choose this magazine could be because you have a problem (weight or other issues) and you need to seek a resolution to your problem and the magazine could provide you with an equilibrium and then a new equilibrium.

The addition of 'lose weight' or lifestyle suggestions make it seem to us that products to help with those are to come in the magazine.

4) Read the cover lines and the Editor's Letter. Does Men's Health offer a cure for male insecurities or does it create male insecurity?

It does a bit of both. It focuses not only on male physical health but also mental health. They don't have the BLAST BODY FAT style cover lines but they focus on the way that men cope with exercise or deal with their health. The editors letter makes the reader establish a personal connection which encourages them to invest in the ideals the magazine promotes.

5) How does the 'Marathon Man' feature page offer an example of Steve Neale's genre theory concerning 'repetition and difference'?

usually we would see a fit young man here but we see that typical view subverted as it's an old man featuring instead.

Representations

We have already covered many relevant theories in our work on Advertising and Marketing (for example, David Gauntlett's writing on Media, Gender and Identity). We now need to apply these theories and ideas to Men's Health and specifically the three pages from the Jan/Feb 2017 issue identified as our Close-Study Product.

Representations: applying theory

1) How can Gauntlett's ideas on masculinity, gender and identity be applied to the Men's Health CSP we have analysed?

Initially, masculinity was seen as a very solid concept. No emotions, no signs of weakness, only power. Gauntlett's idea of masculinity having generational differences is quite evident here as mental health is a key focus in this edition. 

2) How could van Zoonen's work on feminist and gender theory be applied to Men's Health?

The media here clearly reinforces dominant male stereotypes in the magazine. The central image of Vin Diesel not only reinforces sex-appropriate behaviours but also presents an image of a 'perfect' male. The cover lines further suggest that Men's Health is pushing an agenda that men HAVE TO BE strong. 

3) How could bell hooks's work on 'corrosive masculinity' apply to Men's Health?

bell hooks explains that because the patriarchy indoctrinates us from an early age and causes "normalised traumatisation". We see how Men's Health idolises Vin Diesel and his flexed muscles and makes the reader feel very insecure about their bodies. They target Aspirers and this creates a corrosive atmosphere about masculinity as it states that men should only be this one way and nothing else.
Representations: academic analysis

Read these extracts from the journal article exploring the representation of masculinity in Men's Health magazine and answer the following questions:

1) Why is Men's Health defined as a 'lifestyle magazine'?

It broadly covers many things that men would generally interested in.

2) Why is advertising significant in helping to shape masculine identity?

Advertising is the doorway into marketing, the media is consumed by the masses, so constructed ideas would be promoted. Men would be concerned about themselves so they would be tempted to read Men's Health is they saw an advert for it. 

3) The article suggests that the representation of masculinity in Men's Health is not fixed or natural and is subject to constant change. What media theorists that we have studied previously can be linked to these ideas?

Gauntlett, Butler, Van Zoonen

4) What does the article suggest Men's Health encourages its readers to be? What examples and statistics are provided to develop the idea of men as consumers?

They want their readers to be well-rounded and very fit men.

“the global market for male grooming products grew by an impressive average annual rate of 5.7% between 1997-2005”

5) What representations of the male body can be found in Men's Health?

That they need to have huge muscles, a good tan, good head of hair and to be athletically fit. 

6) What does the article suggest regarding the objectification of men?

“Men are increasingly and unapologetically objectified, both in terms of erotic spectacle and as targets of advertising for products beyond cars and beer, including many items once thought to be marketed for women

alone”

7) What is 'metrosexuality' and how can it be applied to Men's Health?

Metrosexuality is when a heterosexual male indulges in activities that 'men' wouldn't generally do.

8) What representation of men in Men's Health is discussed in the section 'Homogenous bodies'?

That men, like women, also are up to date with new fashion trends. They also continually push the same image of a man's body. "Therefore, in this construction of masculinity displayed within men’s magazines, there are hegemonic images that are repeatedly represented while others are subordinated, mainly in relation to questions of age, color, sexual orientation, and weight."

9) What are the conclusions drawn by the article with regards to the representation of masculinity in Men's Health?

Different views of masculinity are portrayed  such as metrosexuals but there are also undercurrents of a still 'fixed' representation of men. "MH presents an instrumentalized conception of the body, since it’s depicted as a machine that can be improved to perform better, faster and longer."

10) What is your own view of the representation of masculinity in Men's Health? Is it a positive representation that encourages men to the best they can be or is it a hypermasculine, consumer-driven representation designed to undermine men's confidence and objectify their bodies?

I think it's a mix of both of them. There are times in MH where we see a lot of products or features directed at the contemporary male who could indeed be metrosexual. In other aspects of the magazine such as the front page, we are treated to Vin Diesel's biceps being overly exaggerated. There's not really much metrosexuality there.

Men's Health - Audience blog tasks

Read the Men's Health Media Pack in full to get a good idea of the demographics and psychographics for the Men's Health target audience then answer the following questions:

1) How does the magazine introduce itself?

It says that it's "the biggest and best-selling men's lifestyle magazine both in the UK and worldwide. It’s success is built on a winning editorial formula which combines visually-engaging health, wellbeing and nutrition features with premium content covering fashion, grooming, watches, tech and travel."

2) What does the introduction suggest about the representation of masculinity in Men's Health's?

It assumes heteronormality and lists a few things that a 'real man; should incorporate into his life. It also suggests that men 'need' to read Men's Health through its 'best selling' tag. This entices men to conform to a constructed view of masculinity.

3) How do the print statistics for Men's Health compare to GQ and Esquire?

The circulation is a little higher than GQ. The readership in total men is where MH steals the show as it's 650 more than GQ. Total readership in both ABC1 and AB men is also significantly higher than both magazines. 

4) What is the difference between circulation and readership?

Circulation is the actual number of printed and distributed copies, numbers provided by the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Readership is an estimate of the people who actually read the magazine that has been distributed, statistics via the National Readership Survey.

5) What was the circulation of Men's Health in thousands at the time this Media Pack was published? What about the readership for ABC1 men? AB men? [Note: this Media Pack was published in 2016 and some of the figures have fallen since then. Up to date circulation figures can be found at the top of this blog post].

At the time of publishment, it was 995k. For ABC1 readers it's 643k and for AB readers it's 321k.

6) How do readers generally interact with the digital version of the magazine?

68% use their phone, 11% their tablet and 21% their desktop to access the website.

7) How many people do Men's Health reach across social media platforms?

Just under 1.3 million

8) What is the audience profile for Men's Health readers? 

905k of the readers are ABC1 and are aged between 25 and 44

700k have degrees 

200k have a salary of over £50k

9) What is the Men's Health fashion philosophy? How much do Men's Health readers collectively spend on fashion?

Stylish, contemporary, wearable and individual. They spend £1.1 billion on fashion, three times more than GQ readers.

10) What is the average watch collection value for the Men's Health audience? What do the statistics about watches suggest about the Men's Health audience demographics and psychographics?  

Average watch collection value is £4,123 which emphasises that the readers belong to ABC1 or AB demographic group. The readers could also be Aspirers or Succeeders.

11) What percentage of Men's Health readers use moisturiser daily? What does this suggest about Men's Health readers' view of masculinity?

73% of readers use moisturiser daily. This shows that gender fluidity is very common amongst Men's Health readers and that they can shift between feminine and masculine qualities. There isn't a huge sense of hypermasculinity even though it's a magazine meant for men.

12) What does the media pack suggest regarding the Men's Health audience for fitness and technology?

They suggest that readers are perhaps explorers of new technology and are 'up to date' on new forms of tech and are fit and healthy 'athletes' that always find new ways to stay fut.

13) Men's Health luxe is a series of magazines distributed with Men's Health targeting a specific aspect of the Men's Health audience. What are these three brand extension magazines called and what do they cover?

Urban Active, Synchronised and Epicure. Active sportswear, watches and cooking respectively.

14) What do the Men's Health luxe magazines suggest about the demographics and psychographics of the Men's Health audience?

That the readers SHOULD like watches, contemporary fashion and should look at trying to improve their cooking skills.

15) What additional brand extensions do Men's Health offer?

Survival of the fittest which is the biggest urban adventure race in the UK and the Men's health product range which offers things like healthy food and exercising equipment.

16) What are the global statistics for Men's Health?

Global Statistics
International Editions 37
Countries Published 60
Global Circulation 4.5M
Global Readership 26.7M
Websites 25
Uniques 23.7M

Social Media Footprint 19.3M

17) What does the 2017 calendar editorial specials suggest about the Men's Health audience?

The extra magazines added show that Men's Health are prompting them to become well-rounded men. The specials also suggest that its readers are adventurous, wealthy and ready to live their life to the fullest.

18) What audience pleasures are offered by the magazine?

Personal relationship: readers are pleased by seeing their lifestyle being reflected in the magazine they're reading

Surveillance: Men's Health is fixate on making its readers lead a healthier and more successful life

19) What lifestyle and job would you expect the average Men's Health reader to have?

A flashy/exercise-filled lifestyle. The average reader would drive around in something like an Audi S3 and would work as an investment banker or a car salesman.

20) Why do you think Men's Health has managed to (just) remain profitable when many other magazines have struggled due to the rise of digital media?

It's supporting various views of masculinity where others just conform to one 'stereotype' of masculinity. It promotes gender fluidity and therefore is more acceptable in society where many, thanks to social media, can voice their view on how masculinity is subjective and adjustable.

If it supports more broader and modern views of masculinity, that's the main reason why Men's Health has manages to keep its head above the water.

Advertising and Marketing index

Advertising: Introduction - narrative in advertising


Advertising: persuasive techniques


Advertising: the representation of women in advertising


Advertising: Gauntlett - Media, Gender and Identity reading and questions


Advertising: Score case study and wider reading


Advertising: Maybelline case study and wider reading


Advertising: Assessment