Denotation:
The magazine cover is of a man in a business suit with a brief case in his left had standing in front of some cars set on fire. The mast head is behind the main image so the main focus is on the man. There are cover lines used on the cover showing there is content being put in the magazine. The presentation of the magazine is very professional.
Connotation:
The main image covers most of the magazine where we have the model in a business suit and a briefcase which shows he may be off to business but judging by the background he has just finished business. With the fire at the back and the cars being brutally destroyed but the model not having even one scratch on him suggests that he is made to look like this immortal male figure. The colours used are very calming but juxtaposition is used where it contrast with the red from the fire which connotes death, blood and danger.
MastHead:
The Masthead of this magazine is very simple but very effective.it is in a bold white font which goes with the colour scheme used on the cover but stands out enough so that we as the reader can easily see that it is the mast head. When thinking of white you think of peace and harmony, which contrasts with the fire from the background and the aggression shown by the model.
Composition:
The main character 50 Cent is positioned in a strong, powerful way which shows dominance. Which will attract a female audience as they like a man that can take care of them and where the boots in the relationship. His facial expressions also show that he is angry which will again attract a female audience because some females do like a 'bad boy'.
Costume:
50 cent is wearing a business suit which shows that he is not just a musician but a business man which many young men strive to be in this day and age so this is good marketing for vibe magazine. It also shows that he is sophisticated and has a lot of wealth and suggests that money might be contained in the briefcase. This costume will also attract females who just want a man for their money as it shows he is wealthy.
Non Verbal Communication:
50 cents facial expression and body language shows that he is angry and frustrated. His shoulders are raised high and his arms are out rather wide suggests he is ready for action. He looks very intimidating which links in with a lot of hip hop rappers of today intimidating some of the audience members that have heard there music.
Lighting:
High key lighting is used so we are able to see everything that is on the cover from the background to 50 cent the main character.
Setting:
It is set in a parking lot type place. Where a medium long shot is used so that we are able to see enough of the background to understand what is happening in the setting.
Target audience:
The target audience for this magazine would be young males aged from 16-30 aspiring to be business men and teenage girls who are prone to crushes for men in suits.
Denotation:
This front cover is of two characters in what looks like a lab. We can see this through the costumes and the props they are holding. Most of the cover lines are on the left side of the cover other than the main cover line which is on the right.
Connotation:
The main image of the two characters shows they are in a science lab. But due to the fact that the white character is holding a musical note suggests that they are experimenting with music which shows they may be making music whilst in the lab. Also in hip hop slang, rappers often refer to their studio as a 'lab'. The colours used go well with each other which creates a humble tone to the cover.
MastHead:
The mast head is in a bright yellow bold font which makes it easy for us as the reader to see and makes it obvious that it is the mast head. The colour yellow connotes brightness and also the sun. As it is positioned above the rappers it could be a metaphor for the sun which shows that the sun is beaming on the characters so it could suggest they have a bright future ahead of themselves.
Costume:
The costume worn by the two characters show that they are in a lab, but underneath both male characters white lab jackets is a shirt and tie which shows that they are also there for business which could attract business orientated readers. This could also suggest they are undercover and hiding something from us the readers which are revealed in the magazine so this could be a way in which they market the magazine to gain more customers.
Non Verbal Communication:
The NVC shown by both characters makes it clear to see that they are both very focused on what they are doing. The black character is focused on the camera maybe showing that he has finished doing his work but the other character looks rather confused looking at the music note which shows he still has work to do and isn't ready for any distractions.
Lighting:
High key lighting is used so we can see everything going on in the main image.
Setting:
Set in a lab which could be a metaphor for a studio.
Target audience:
The target audience for this front cover could be middle aged men as the lab and clothing worn by the characters show that they are of age and also they are old time hip hop rappers so adults would be familiar with who they are.
