Magazine Advert Analysis - Miss Miller

The purpose of a magazine album advert has a variety of reasons towards why it is important when promoting the artist as well as the album. Some of which include another source of promotion of an artist's album, which then allows a wider target audience to be familiar with the artist and their new album, making it more popular and known. This is also an act of a constant reminder of the upcoming album, allowing this type of album to stay fresh in audiences minds and not be forgotten about. Including it in a magazine album advert can also link in with other advertisements of the album to create more marketing. There can also be another beneficial opportunity for the album as other companies can push the sales further, then making more audiences aware of the upcoming album. This type of promotion can also benefit the magazine as it can have relations towards particular articles within the piece.

One of the artists I have chosen to analysis is Adele. This links in with my chosen artist for my music video of Amy Winehouse as they both have similar types of music which range in Soul. The audience are immediately able to recognise the album cover is related to soul type of music due to the depressive state it presents. This is shown through the use of the colour being expressed to show a level of depression and that is is very clear to tell, due to the two colours of black and white that are used to show a clear light of a particular scenario, without making the situation more confusing for the audience. These two colours are effective as they set the mood for the album. These two colours are much more effective for the genre of soul than using bright neon colours, as they represent happiness and lots of positive energy; which would be more suitable for the genre of dance adverts. Another effective use within the album cover is the facial expressions, in both pictures of the artist, is shown to be looking down. This can leave a range of negative interpretations towards the audience, which they will only find out the real meaning when they purchase the album. This is effective as it engages the audience towards what's going to be involved within the album but not giving too much away, allowing subtle hints. The subtle hints involve her looking down, which show her to be the opposite of confident. Instead, showing her to be very reserved and deep in some sort of negative thought. The representation of the artist is shown to be very low, sad and depressed. Using close ups helps the audience to recognise this in a more immediate manner. The choice of images are effective as the audiences are able to see that the artist is upset and in a negative mind set at that particular time. The main image that is used has a lot of meaning to it(close up enlarged upon magazine advert, curving to the right hand side.) I think this due to the artists shadow of her face from the lighting being positioned from the left side. This then leaves the right side of the artists face being nearly completely covered by shadow. Adele almost looks as if she is fading into the black background of the album cover. This can portray a range of negative things for the audience as it can shows like the darkness is eating away at her, and she is allowing it due to how upset she feels. This makes the audience why she is in this state, causing them to be curious and interesting, resulting towards them purchasing the album. The design and layout is quite plain, not too much is going on, except close ups of the artist which is shown to be the brightest part of the magazine advert. This then shows the importance of this character towards the album and the essential role she plays.

Another album cover I have decided to analyse is by the artist Paloma Faith. I chose to analyse this as this artist has similar music to my chosen artist for my music video of Amy Winehouse. Paloma Faith's music ranges in jazz to soul music. When you first look at this magazine advert, you are able to see the artist being replicated as different characters all in one fraction. This can leave a range of interpretations towards the audience. The advert doesn't give much away, which can intrigue the audience towards purchasing the album to find out the mystery of all these different characters. This magazine advert portrays to me that the artist has a range of different personalities, due to particular scenarios which she has experienced which has caused her to react in different ways. The colours presented are very bright and vibrant, which is shown to be high key lighting. There are a range of filler lights which are directed in a variety of different areas. This is to show the spotlight upon the artist, which looks similar towards the performance of artists on stage, all glammed up with dresses on with the strong light of spotlight upon them. These bright colours are unconventional towards the genre of soul, as the colours are shown to be very bright, which represents happiness and excitement. Soul music adverts usually are filtered in an off tone effect, or only black and white to represent elements of sadness, discourage, low confidence etc.
 The artist is shown in a variety of different characters, these include a witch, a mask covering her face, long green dress, provocative clothing and a Victorian like fashion, very exaggerated, big and sparkly. The audience are still able to easily tell that all the character are the same person, by keeping the style and colour of the hair, and type of the makeup used the same. She is shown to be completely different characters, which shows her with an element of extraordinary, the fact that she is more complex than to remain one person. Although these characters are very different, they still seem to be close due to the positioning of the characters, shown to be very close and some holding others. This can represent the artist is trying to use her strong elements to help herself where she feels weak, non dominant and not powerful.  This can also lead to many negative interpretations, such as this artist is schizophrenic, causing her to behave in a number of different personalities. The choice of images are shown to be all combined into one. The setting of the magazine advert is shown to be in a large hallway, which doors open where the light sources are. This type of hallway is shown to be large and decorated in a luxurious way, different from hallways in standards size houses. This can then leave an interpretation that the setting is a hotel like building. This type of connotation can then leave the audience to understand that her mixture of personas are the equivalent of a booked out, 5 star (from the luxurious detail on the walls) hotel. The typography is mainly in all capitals to grab the readers attention as well as the bright lights which highlight the characters facial expression and detailing upon the costume. The font is not shown to be bold, to ensure the audience are firstly engaged with the picture of the magazine advert, which then makes them want to see more, then leading onto reading the language presented. The artists name is shown to have a bigger and different style of font to allow the audience to recognise the importance of herself towards the album in an overall view. Within the language, facts are presented so the audience are more aware and know more about the album. These include the artists name, the album name, the tracks it includes and the date it is released.

Here is a magazine album cover from the successful artist of Jessie J. The way the magazine advert is presented is successful when trying to convey her type of music and what kind of artist she is. The representation of the artist is very efficient. She is shown to be very dominant and confident due to her facial expressions, body language and positioning of the character. Her hands are shown on her head with her arms contracting away from the body, this shows that she is powerful and fierce as she is shown to be streaming. This type of emotion is also shown through her facial expressions due to the fierce look in her eye and her mouth open, insinuating that she is using her vocal cords to scream. This shows her to be similar towards the intimidating animal such as a lion (fe-lion.) Shows her to be the top of the food chain. The dark colours shown can suggest that her music is very serious and will be a mystery unless you purchase the album, this is an effective act of advertisement as it intruiging the audience to want to purchase this particular type of merchandise. Her dark and heavy makeup also suggests a dangerous side to her, but also allows male audiences to feel more attracted to her  Jessie J is also shown to be represented as edgy, bold and alternative than other female artists as they are stereotypically perceived to be shown as pretty, innocent and tasteful. The way Jessie presents herself represents her to be very independent and careless, which is effective when making a successful and extraordinary 'Star.' 

There is a little variety of colours used within the magazine advert. The lack of colour can convey a range of different meanings such as her purity of music. The srtist is not interested in the luxuries this type of careers includes, but only cares about the music, shows she'd rather go straight to e point of the advert rath than brain washing audiences to listening to the artists songs due to the fame and fortune they portray about themselves. The majority of the magazine advert is mainly black. This shows a sense if mystery, and a strong and powerful character. This is effective when trying to persue herself as an independent and successful woman which juxtaposes many female artists in this present time which maintain their life based around the male population. The white background then contrasts the black which can convey different personalities of the character, this can cost that she has an innocent element towards her and is not always fierce and intimdating. This shows that she is enabling the audience to witness different experiences of her life and how it has made her the person she is to this day. There is a range of successful design and layout presented within the magazine advert. The artist is shown to be placed in the center of the advertisement. This is effective as it highlights the importance towards her within the album. The design is very simplistic, not much is going on or anything too much in the audiences face, which represents her need to want to promote her music vomer than herself and let the music 'do all the talking.' The structure is very easy to read and flows nicely without anything such as colours clashing. 

There is only one image shown of the artist, which is specified as a close up. This is used to ensure the audience are able to focus upon how the artist is looking and what type of emotion they are trying to portray. Using herself within the magazine advert is seen as an element of self promotion, which links within Dyer's theory of crutual things an artist should do in order to become successful. This is effective as more audiences are then able to then recognise her face and are able to put her particular dace towards her songs, which then make the audience able to create a bond with her as they can feel like they know her. In the artists close up, her mouth is shown to be open. This can show provocative behaviour which is frequently used for female artists to be able to be sexually desired by males and females looking up to them to be as 'perfect' as them. This close up also allows the audience to see her hair style type. It is almost similar towards the famous Cleopatria, who in which was a ruler and very dominant many decades ago. This can lead to the interpretation from the audience that these type of women are whom Jessie J looks up to and admires rather than classless celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj who allow high populations of audiences to sexually objectify them. This type of hairstyle also shows her originality and extraordinary character, which can be refreshing for viewers to watch. There is a range of different trusses of typography and the style of the language. The use of gold font can represent her wealth from her success in a subtle way. Showing how much she has worked and it has paid off by involving expensive, luxurious things, which can influence particular audiences to purchase the album as they respect and look up to people who are dominant and powerful budget wise. The use of showing her name in a larger font shows her importance towards the album and the style of the language almost mimics a necklace of a gold chain, this is conventional towards the genre of R&B as it shows an interest towards fashion and a meaning of wealth within her life. The logo also links in with one of Dyer's theories when producing a successful artist within the music entertainment as it is advertisting a certain type of product. 

All of this analysis, I now have a more clear understanding towards the topic of magazine advert and will benefit me when planning my own for my music video. I looked at different types of soul and what included which makes it clear and effective towards the audience to what the artist is trying to portray. I have also analysed another magazine advert which ranges more in R&B to get more of an understanding towards similarities within the topic of magazine adverts and how different genres link in together. I feel more confident towards what I want to include within this. Some ideas I have developed include a close up or mid shot of the artist so the audience can be aware of how she physically looks. First impressions are extremely important in album covers so me and my group will ensure to include particular styles of hair, makeup and costume to represent the character in a rebellious way. These will include heavy makeup, such as dramatic winged eyeliner, red lipstick, alongside long hair with half of it done into a backcombed quiff. Part of the camera shot can also show the artists dress which can be red, to represent her as dangerous, different to just using plain colours etc. All of the magazine adverts analysed have the artists name in a bigger font than the rest of the writing, this has inspired me to also include within mine to emphasise the importance of the artist within the advert. Using a bigger font also helps to grab the audiences attention towards reading on the smaller font to find out more information.