LIIAR analysis of VIBE- Front Cover

april/may 2010

VIBE magazine's masthead is in the stereotypically conventional colour of red, it is also in a big block, bold font all in capital letters. The fact the masthead is in the colour of red, connotates an impression of power and anger within the VIBE magazines context in this issue. Also the fact that some of the masthead has been covered by the artist shows that the magazine is popular enough to be recognisable even with having some of the masthead covered up. The colour of red is continued throughout the front cover of the magazine through the use of text it is contrasted against white text, creating both sets to be bold and stand out. In the use of text red and white are the only colours used on this front cover thus creating a house style. VIBE have used a medium close-up shot of a famous R&B star Trey Songz. This allows the act to show off his facique and endorse for Calvin klein briefs (synergy). It also shows off his tattoo's which connotate a hard man impression which is also supported by the backgroud of the magazine which is like a metal grill fence conontating the ideology of being in prison. Which fits in with the headline Trey Songz 'The hardest in R&B'.

The magazine is aimed an audience who like R&B and hip-hop music, although this is a niche audience, most of the music we know find in the charts are classed as R&B therefore the magazine is hitting a bigger audience than before.
The ideology behind this magazine cover, is a stereotypical 'hard man' as conveyed through the use of language, and the image used on the front cover.

This magazines audience would be a niche audience, however in the mainstream age range of 16-25. The magazine is mainly aimed at a male audience as its features are "4 ways to rock a suit" also talks about being the hardest which is stereotypical for men. We can also tell it is aimed at men by the picture of the male on the front and the red and white house colour.

The representation of the R&B artist on this front cover is stereotypical of a 'black man' or a 'gangster'. As he is placed half naked, showing off his tattoos infront of a grilled fence connotating the barriers of prison.