2nd Contents Analysis: NME 21/2/16

After previously analysing the front cover of an NME magazine, it is clear to see that this particular music magazine has a very strong brand identity that is followed through onto the contents page. There are multiple conventions that this contents page follows to which I shall be exploring. Although this specific magazine was published in 2009, it is still very up to date and uses a variety of features to keep it stylish yet informative.

The overall design of this contents page is very typical of every issue created by NME and uses a rather common colour scheme of red, black and white. The font for NME is the same throughout the entire magazine which helps with branding and will make the name more recognisable. By having the name of the magazine in red and a font size that is equally as large as the word 'contents', it stands out on the page and comes across as a very important feature. This page fits the genre of this magazine just by using a colour combination like this which (noting from previous investigations) is extremely popular.  

There is only one image on this page which is rather unique for a contents page. I believe this has been done to draw attention to the particular story that it links to, in this case-  'The Arctic Monkeys'. The image is a mid shot of 2 members from the band which immediately intrigues the reader as to what event this may have been making them want to read the story in order to find out. The image is fairly dark which links to the edgy and grungy genre of the magazine as well as helping to section the page nicely. 

The layout is relatively simple and the writing is sectioned off into certain areas through the use of block sectioning and subheadings. There is no overlapping of text and the varying font size and colours help the individual stories and features to stand out as it makes the writing more prominent and eye-catching. It appeals to the target audience by giving snippets of information as opposed to huge sections of writing- there is part of the 'Arctic Monkey Story' which is given as a teaser. There are a series of black arrows on the right hand side of the page which tell the reader if the story was on the cover or not- allowing the reader to ensure they don't miss out on a main feature within the magazine. 

With regards to brand identity, the contents includes a discount code for a subscription to the magazine  as well as a web address for the magazine and a phone number. All the fonts are very repetitive which help construct a sense of branding as we recognise what the pages should look like the more we read on. The magazine company are represented as simplistic, edgy and inventive due to this effective contents page.

For my own contents page, I would like to follow some of the conventions this one follows. Firstly, I would like to include a subscription code as this is a popular convention of a music magazine and will be an added luxury for readers. Additionally, I will use a variety of fonts and have a simplistic colour scheme that will help to create a brand identity. Finally, I will alter the sizes of my fonts so that the reader can clearly distinguish between stories.