Format My magazine will be the standard magazine size (22cm x 28.5cm), this is the standard for most magazines and is what the audience expect to see. This size also is a good compromise between price and ease of reading, because anything bigger than this would be very expensive to print, but a smaller size would mean that the magazine wouldn't be as enjoyable as the text would be harder to read and the images would be smaller.
Working Title The working title is 'The Q', I chose this because the Q stands for queer, which has always been used as a slur but is now being actively reclaimed by the LGBT community. This title is also short and snappy so it is very easy to remember. I think this name also gives the feeling that the magazine focuses on LGBT people, which is the feeling I want to give as I want my magazine to appeal to a demographic that is often overlooked.
Genre The genre of my magazine is lifestyle and fashion. I chose these because these are two of the most popular genres, so there is a big market for these magazines, and lots of frequent magazine readers might be keen to see what new titles can be added to the area they already enjoy reading about.
Content Since The Q is a lifestyle magazine, it will include articles covering various topics including current affairs, interviews with influential people in the community, runway looks of the season, the latest trends, historical LGBT events and photography inserts.
Audience The audience of my magazine are 18-30 years olds who use social media a lot and are interested in fashion and beauty as well as current affairs. The majority of the target audience will be LGBTQ+, as most of the content and articles are made for them, but no specific gender is targeted.
Length My magazine will have about 100 pages per issue, as this is long enough to include lots of image-heavy spreads, and the readers will also feel like they have got their money’s worth. Frequency & Cost My magazine will be released 4 times a year for each season, as this gives plenty of time to create all the content needed to create a full issue with lots of articles and spreads. It also allows for each issue to be quite expensive, because of the high production values, and readers won't feel like they are being ripped off as the magazine doesn't come out very often. I want my magazine to be about £4-6 per issue, this is because the vast majority of a magazine company's profit comes from magazine sales, so the price needs to make up for the money spent on producing the magazine. Also, my target audience will be people who have more disposable income, so this won't be a ridiculous amount to spend on a magazine.
P2: Create a proposal and client documentation to support the pitch
I made these presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint, I used a grid to place the elements on the page and make sure I had left appropriate margins to fit the conventions of a magazine. All images are sourced from the internet and sample text is found from news providers like The Guardian.
These sample covers and spreads will assist in my presentation because the investors can see my creative vision and I can show them what the final magazine would look like. Rather than trying to describe what the magazine will look like, I can show them and my design ideas could put me ahead of other candidates.
My ideas definitely meet the brief because my magazine has the feeling of an independent magazine with the simple, clean layout and high fashion images. Many of my articles are image-based, which is conventional for an independent magazine. My front covers are based heavily on Dazed magazine, as they have fairly little text and a quirky and bright photography style.
P3: Create a pitch to communicate an idea to the client
From watching this presentation, I learned that gestures are very important, and you need to find a healthy balance between too many and not enough. Little to no hand gestures can make your presentation seem robotic, but too many gestures can distract the audience from what you are saying. Most hand gestures come naturally while you are speaking, but it's a good idea to keep in mind not to extend them too far outside of a 1m diameter around you.
I also learnt about how to use humour effectively in a presentation. The use of humour depends on context and the topic of your presentation, there are some instances where you need to be more formal and professional, but for other audiences (e.g. children and teenagers) using humour can make your presentation more relaxed and memorable.
From this presentation, I learned that a simplistic presentation layout is helpful because your audience have some visual aids to help them remember your key points - and also to prompt the person giving the presentation. Simple presentations help your audience to listen more to your words than reading the slides, but also keeps them focused.
I also learned the importance of body language any making eye contact. Confident body language makes your audience feel energised by your presentation and an open stance makes you seem friendly and approachable - this makes your audience feel more invited to ask questions. Making eye contact is very important to a successful presentation as audiences are more likely to take your message on board if they feel a personal connection with you. Eye contact also shows that you are confident, and believe in your ideas. If you aren't confident in/believe in what you're saying then your audience won't be either.
M2: Identify potential client questions and amend pitch and proposal documentation
After giving a practice presentation to my peers, I identified some questions that could be asked, and gained some constructive criticism.
Questions: - What do you think makes an independent magazine? - Where did you find the information for your audience breakdown? - Why will your magazine stand out on the newsstand? - How will your magazine translate to digital media? - How much money will you need to start up?
Points to improve: - Flashcards would make the presentation more professional and seamless - My presentation looks a little too similar to my peers'
From these points identified, I will improve on some by making changes to my presentation, and others I will identify how I can answer questions, as I am being assessed on my ability to respond to feedback.
The changes I made to my presentation were mostly to the font style and house style. I changed the font across all slides from Helvetica Neue Thin to Calibri Regular, as this font is easier to read on a big screen and it is a less formal font. I also changed the colour from navy blue to purple, as this is more interesting and is less similar to the Bauer Media logo colour, so I can establish that I am not a part of Bauer Media myself, I am instead presenting my idea to the company. I also added an estimation of how much the magazine would cost to start up on the 'Team, costs and advertising' slide, as this would be something Bauer would like to know when hearing my pitch.