Textual Analysis: College Magazine

Denotation
This magazine shows a photograph (it is a medium shot) of a man holding a Law,
Business and Society textbooks, along with other textbooks (names of them
cannot be seen) !e is smiling slightly and looking directly at the camera !e is
dressed in a plain white t"shirt, a black #acket, dark #eans and a chain$ it is %uite a
casual out&t The photograph is in colour and takes up all of the front page 't is
also placed in front of the bright, lime green masthead and a black background
The image is surrounded by se(en co(er lines in white and lime green and a
main co(er line There is also a barcode and a bright pink pu)
Masthead
The *+ollege, masthead is lime green and uses a sans serif font The letters are
all separated from each other The masthead head looks (ery modern suggesting
that the college is *up with the times, and is in keeping with present day,s
society The colour of the font is also %uite unisex, showing that the college is
Textual Analysis: College Magazine
trying to appeal to both male and female The colour is also (ibrant, creating the
impression that college itself is (ibrant, full of life and exciting, and that going to
college will be an en#oyable experience The name of the magazine is *college,
which tells the audience that the contents of the magazine will most likely be
related to education and will be %uite informati(e
Character:
The man in the co(er photograph is -e)rey *.ssassin, +ampbell who is a musician
and is well known for dancehall music (which is a genre of -amaican music) This
could suggest that the college is trying to appeal to a younger generation, and
that they know about di)erent cultures .lso, the fact that the magazine has
chosen to use a black man suggests that the college accepts students of all
ethnicities and come from di)erent backgrounds
Costume: !e is dressed in simple clothing/ a black #acket, white t"shirt, black
#eans and a chain The colour scheme of his out&t is casual which shows that the
college is %uite a casual place, you don,t ha(e to dress in suits to go there !is
chain is a cross which could symbolise the +hristian religion This could also
mean that the college accepts di)erent religions as well, they are trying to
branch out to a large audience
Props: !e is holding a Law, Business and Society book which is a representation
of intelligence Those are considered %uite di0cult topics to study so it could also
represent greatness at the college, and that their students do well there
NVC: !e is also smiling to further show that being able to get a good education is
a thing to be proud and happy about 't also suggests again that going to college
will be an en#oyable experience
Lighting & Setting: The background is black to gi(e the co(er %uite a *slick, and
*edgy, look to appeal to students !owe(er, the light is shining on him, gi(ing a
suggestion that he does ha(e a bright future (as it says in the main co(er line)
Cover-lines:
The main co(er line correlates to the photograph as it says, 12ancehall,s bright
future, -e)rey *.ssassin, +ampbell3 This refers to the type of music that he
makes and the fact that his career is on the rise$ that he will become something
great The main co(er line is about a music artist which suggests the fun side of
college life, and that it,s not all serious The other co(er lines around the image
are %uite informati(e and are more about the fun side of college rather than the
*learning in a classroom, side This is because they want to encourage students
to buy the magazine, so they show a more laid back side to college The co(er
line *4ake money on campus, shows that getting in(ol(ed in college life can help
you learn (aluable *entrepreneurial, skills that can be used in the future The
co(er lines are also in a modern looking sans serif font, which gi(es the
impression that the magazine will keep you up to date on things happening
around the college
Textual Analysis: College Magazine
Target Audience:
The target audience of this magazine is most likely to be young students, both
male and female, who are attending college They will want to be informed about
what is happening on campus