Alex Bowles' AS Blog: 2017

Initially, we researched into ‘Vibe’ magazine to use as our guide to learn from and take inspiration from. Although the product in itself had many things for us to learn, we also investigated the distribution process they went through to deliver that product to their customers/ target audience. From researching ‘Vibe’ and looking at their magazines we took inspiration from this and created our own, and carefully thought about presentation techniques and styles so that we could distribute ours easier. Following on from looking at the big magazine distributors, we came to a conclusion that big magazine distributors would not be willing to take on any new magazines as there would be too many risks. Because of this, our magazine would choose Bauer media group for distribution, for the purpose of starting up the magazine and gaining a customer base that can help it grow, however, production would be in-house for the purpose of keeping the unique style.

"Bauer Media Group is a European-based media company, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany that manages a portfolio of more than 600 magazines, over 400 digital products and 50 radio and TV stations around the world."(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauer_Media_Group) These figures show that this institution has a high reputation with a variety of distribution methods to allow access of media products to customers, which highlights that they are specialists in promoting a wide variety of different styled media products in order to suit different audiences. Because of this, it is possible that they may be able to publish my magazine, by finding and abusing a gap in the industry for my unique style and genre of magazine, which can then already gain publicity and profits from their already existing customer base.

The Bauer Media Group is conventionally known for publishing music magazines, for example, 'Q Magazine' is one which they produce, that targets a large customer base with their variety of artists and genres targeted with the use of different cover artists for every edition, which means that there is room for my genre of magazine in the Bauer Media Group, if not as a separate magazine, then by synergising with already existing magazines such as ‘Q’ for the purpose of gaining more recognition and customers or by converging with other magazines that are more specific to my style/genre.

The younger target audience is focussed on by Bauer with their use of marketing and distribution with using apps, websites and paper versions of their magazines, digital products and tv/radio stations. This method suits the modern world of technology and can therefore target a wider audience with a number of different methods, rather than just having a printed magazine, so audiences anywhere can view their products. Products by Bauer, mainly magazines use the uses and gratifications theory as a way for the audience/reader to use their products as a way to relax and as a distraction from work. With the use of web 2.0 and digital marketing, this allows for Bauer’s products to be talked about and discussed online, which has its positive and negative effects, but the two step flow effect online is a factor which would bring in more customers, from existing customers telling their friends and other online users. Idolization and the male/female gaze also come into place when attracting customers, as Bauer used many well-known artists in ‘Q’ to attract consumers to the product.

The images below show my magazine cover compared to an edition of 'Q' magazine with Jay-Z on the cover, which shows how my magazine relates to some of Bauer's work, showing that they are a good media group to distribute my magazine if they are willing to, by them having already existing customers for the hip-hop/R&B genre.