Unit 6 Assignment 2 Audience Information

Addressing the Audience

Selection (contents, words, images, sound, sequences,

colours, fonts)

The contents in cosmopolitan is mostly sex, money, food,

clothes, perfume, make up and famous people.

This page is a good example for this section. As you can see,
there are many different fonts. Theres one font for the title
of the page, another for his name then two more for the
titles of the boxes then the actual information. The words
in this magazine are very sophisticated compared to other
mags such as chat and magazines like that. Words like
crowd-pleaser and wellbeing, words that are not chatty
words. This magazine is a lot more formal than the others.
There is only one image which is the main focus, and the
sequence is all the boxes are places around him so that you
can see his face and his clothes. The colours are very bland,
using greys, blacks and whites but the one box to the left.
This is blue as it is the main part and is needed to stand out.

On the website, it uses similar words. Words like shine-boosting, locks and thick manes. This article is
talking about a beginners guide to finding the best hair oil. This is one on the articles in the beauty
section.

The next article is in the gossip section and its called Harry Styles is going to be a guest on James
Cordens Late Late Show for a whole week! this is more chatty than the other sections using words
like skyping, shoots that down and cracking job.

Construction (content, narratives, layout, captions, anchorage)

The contents in cosmopolitan is mostly sex,

money, food, clothes, perfume, make up and
famous people.

Each page has a structure/layout, most being quite blocky or in columns. Nothing is random, although
it looks random; everything is placed where it is for a reason. There is only one image, in the one on
the left, which is the main focus, and the sequence is all the boxes are places around him so that you
can see his face and his clothes. The captions are usually small but big enough to the one of the first
things to read and this is usually a witty one liner that gives a sarcastic spin on the headline of the
page. The example on the left has his name then a man who can act, sing and gyrate like a pepper
grinder.

The layout on the website is the bar at the top with all the buttons, then when you click on one there
is the name or headline at the top then there is the main picture, then some information below it then
another picture and so on.

Codes and Conventions (linguistics, visual, audio, symbolic,

technical)

The visual of the images are fake and made up. No photo is live
action, it is a background of single colour in the studio, told to
wear this and stand like that. There is no audio in magazines.
Everything in the magazine, has a symbolic meaning.

Audience Feedback

Focus Groups

This magazine is targeted at women between the ages of 18-49.

The statistics I will be talking about is a questionnaire and a study
on 18,224 people. More of the buyers are younger according to
the demographic profile on the cosmo effect. 5,225
women between 18 24 and 3,832 women between
25 and 34 bought cosmopolitan. The most common
age to buy this magazine is 31.3 years old. It recons
that 9,678 attends or have graduated college so I think
this could mean they are targeting a more sophisticated audience. 10,357 are employed and 7,308 of
those are working full time. 7,003 are single, 5,895 are married and 2,571 are div/wid/sep. The
importance of that last statistic, I think is that 8,212 are women that have children and 5,333 are
working women with children.

Audience Panels

Nancy Hill from nanjodogz 19:45 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

Has anyone seen the article in Cosmopolitan about reusable tampons? I guess they are knitted. I'm
just curious if anyone has seen it or is this old news and already been discussed? I guess the writer did
not have a terrible review, she just said she would not advise using them.

Deborah Halcomb from DaytonaDamsel 19:51 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

No it sounds pretty yukky to me.

Inactive Etsy Member 19:52 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

Nope. And my thoughts on that are 'nope, nope and nope'

Laura Weber from StoneChaosBeadworks 19:55 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

Medical waste.

Popitay from Popitay 19:56 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

WHY ?????? Yuk

Sue 19:58 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

Gross!

Mindy B. from IndieBambinoToys 19:59 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

Personally I prefer organic cotton tampons with no applicator, but I can see how some people might
want to wash and re-use them, not much different than re-usable pads, which I also use.

T.L. Prince from TheCleverCoyote 20:05 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

For some creepy, weird-o reason my spidey sense was tingling about an hour and half ago. I was
thinking about biodegradable tampons and handmade tampons out of the blue for some strange
reason.I wondered how hippies would make their own tampons.

I came across this thread and had a good chuckle! When my senses go off it's a little spooky!

Erin Yilmaz 20:06 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

hmm, interesting, I have never heard of that. Not much different is grossness level than cloth diapering
(which I did with my son), but yarn seems so scratchy and hairy...I just can't imagine using that
material. :) :) :)

Moongal from LightotheMoon 20:31 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

I don't think it's terrible. But then, I mostly used cloth diapers on my baby. What did women use all
those years before the 20th century? I do agree, though, it would have to be very soft yarn or how
uncomfortable.

ForestDaydream from ForestDaydream 20:51 21 Jun, 2016 EDT

I wonder about the risk factor of Toxic Shock Syndrome?

Questionnaire

Cosmopolitan have many quizzes, mostly on their website.

Quizzes such as:

Quiz: Which Olsen Twin Are You?

By Peggy Truong and Brooke Shunatona

QUIZ: How Would You Complete This Outfit?

By Charles Manning

QUIZ: Which Disney Prince Is Your Soul Mate?

By Peggy Truong

QUIZ: Which Song Should You Walk Down the Aisle to...

By Peggy Truong

QUIZ: Who Said It: A Kardashian-Jenner or Ernest...

By Laura Beck

QUIZ: Can You Tell the Difference Between a Designer Bag and a Knock-Off?

Some of these fakes are seriously spot on!

By Charles Manning

QUIZ: Does This Sexy Body Part Belong to Luke, Liam, or Chris Hemsworth?

Test your Hemsworth expertise!

By Peggy Truong

Quiz: Will He Be Great in Bed?

Only one way to find out...

By Lane Moore

QUIZ: Which BSB Member Is Your One True

Love?

Will you get down with a bad boy or show the

sweet one the shape of your heart?

By Peggy Truong

Trailing and testing

The concept of this is to make sure that it is what the people like. Which? carries out systematic testing
of consumer products and financial services, the results of which are published in reports in Which?
magazine and on the Which? website. Tests are carried out on goods, services, and suppliers. Testing
covers reliability, performance, safety, energy efficiency and value-for-money, as relevant in different
cases. Top-rated products are awarded the Which? 'Best Buy' status logo, an accreditation recognised
by industry and consumers. Which? first used the phrase in its second magazine edition in 1958, to
describe Boots 365 talcum powder. Conversely, the worst-performing products are labelled 'Don't
Buys'.

Reviews

12/9/2013 Keeps me busy for days (5 STARS)

By sln4 From USA

I have been reading cosmopolitan since I was a teen. At one time, I collected them and I had every
single issue for years. I hated throwing them away because sometimes I would go back to look at the
tips that were in them. One of my favourite parts was the embarrassing stories that readers would
send in because they were so funny. I loved every part of this magazine, so I never skipped over
anything.

Therefore, it took me a few hours just to finish it! The price is higher than normal magazines, but it's
also a lot thicker too. It contains stories from readers, articles on fashion and hair and lots of tips and
ideas for your life.

11/9/2011 Can't get enough (5 STARS)

By bluberry72 From Chapel Hill, NC

I think this magaizine is better for an older crowd. There are too many sexual articles and talk in this
magazine. So, do not leave it around for your kids to get their hands on. There is a lot of good tips and
its just fun to read. Very sex oriented magazine, but who doesnt want to be their best in bed.

11/9/2011 Original (4 STARS)

By beautifulprincezz From Bronx, NY

This magazine is my favorite by far, the bedroom tips and the gyn stuff is what I enjoy reading each
month. I like that this magazine was desgin just for woman, and it does boost confidence, because you
realize that you are not alone. Cosmopalition is the best magazine by far.

Complaints

11/11/2012 Never received what I paid for!!! (1 STAR)

By OutragedCustomer From USA

After responding to a solicitation for this magazine subscription, at just $5 per year, with an option of
2 years for $10... (I chose/checked the box and filled in $10 for 2 years). After being charged $5 on my
credit card for this company and not receiving my magazine for 3-4 months, I began contacting them
(it is extremely difficult to find out where to contact...but they have never responded to multiple
emails sent). Finally, in April I began receiving my FIRST magazine; however, I noticed that the mailing
label indicated my subscription would end in December the same year...it should actually be March,
2014!!! After sending at least three additional emails, with NO response, I finally received a magazine
indicating one additional month added to my subscription?!?!? About 5 months after receiving my
very first issue of this 2-year subscription, I have repeatedly been harassed and billed $25 for
automatic renewal. NON-EXISTENT CUSTOMER SERVICE and definite "BAIT & SWITCH" tactics in place!

11/10/2011 call me old-fashioned...but I find it a bit vulgar (1 STAR)

By boss8760 From Strawberry Plains, TN

Cosmo seems to be the one of the most popular fashion/beauty magazines on the market. So
naturally I read it when I graduated from my Seventeen magazine years ago. I have tried numerous
times to pick up a Cosmo and get what every other woman seems to be getting from this magazine,
but I don't. Call me old-fashioned (I'm not really), but I find it a bit vulgar. Everything is about sex. I
am a christian though not necessarily an avid church-goer however I try to live a christian lifestyle
which is hard enough being a single woman in her twenties. Personally, I don't feel that I need I need
that much advice about sex. And I would really like to feel comfortable reading a magazine say around
my parents or out in public with out having "7 Steps to a Great Orgasm" plastered all over the front of
my magazine....but that's just me.

11/15/2013 Used to be good, now lame (3 STARS)

By DeniseMQ from USA

I used to love Cosmo, it had some thought provoking articles to balance out the fluff. Now, it seems
like every magazine has the exact same information, and a lot of it is now about finding the right man
and having hot sex.

I'm no prude, but there's only so much about those topics I can take. It's a fun enough magazine to
skim in the waiting room of a doctor's office, but that's about it.