Tuesday, 25 June 2019

AUDIENCE RESEARCH - Target Audience

TARGET AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC
       For my entertainment magazine, I would have a primary target audience of fun-loving 16-25 year olds from a mass market demographic. As I aim to attract a mass market audience, it is important that for my magazine, I strive to include all socio-economic groups, genders and those from different UK locations. In terms of the adjective ‘fun-loving’, I would aim to make my magazine reflect and interest those who are consuming the magazine to enjoy themselves rather than focusing on predominantly serious issues. However I would aim to have some coverage of important issues that are facing my target audience at the moment to increase the relevancy of my magazine and to interest a mass market demographic, but this coverage will be light as to not make my magazine predominantly negative reflecting hard news. In terms of Blumler and Katz’ Uses and Gratifications theory, I would use my magazine to predominantly fulfil the entertainment category, otherwise known as escapism, so that I can provide a sense of enjoyment to my carefree and fun-loving target audience and creating a way for them to temporarily forget their worries. I would also aim for my magazine and website to be used to fulfil the other categories of educating, creating a sense of identity and encouraging social interaction among my mass market target audience.

TARGET AUDIENCE’S INTERESTS
       From my research into defining this target audience, I discovered that this audience’s, which has a large proportion of students, spending contributes to approximately £20 billion to the UK economy each year, according to PMYB. I also discovered that in campaign’s Freshers Marketing Report in 2018 which revealed that 87% of 18-24 year olds want their brands to inform, inspire and entertain them, which is relevant to how my chosen brief is for an entertainment magazine. This report also found out that 33% of students claim to spend more than 20 hours online every week whilst at University. I think that this is important to remember because it shows that a large proportion of my target audience are heavy internet users because of recent technological developments within the last decade. Therefore, I will take into account the online aspect of my magazine through the use of an easily accessible website and in terms of the distribution methods that I use. Finally, this report helped brands to understand that this particular generation expects services ‘on demand’, which is reflect through the use of online streaming services such as Netflix, and that they want choice. It was also stated that these audiences are beginning to develop as independent consumers and audiences are now defining themselves through the brands that they chose and the development of online platforms provides a great platform for audiences to do this.
       At the moment, many brands are struggling to target 16-25 year old consumers because recent technological developments have changed the way that audiences consume media products. Younger target audiences, like mine, are arguably tired of traditional ad forms and sometimes even avoid these ads altogether, which makes them far less successful for brands but in particular when they are trying to engage this particular target audience. This target audience are also represented as valuing their peers opinion and that they are a lot more likely to research and go on to consume a product if it has been recommended to them by someone of a similar target audience demographic. This research reflects how brands are increasingly utilising social media and its influencers to help to market their products to their target audience to maximise sales and revenue.
       Furthermore, in terms of audience research into my target audience, I read the Youth Trends Report that was published in 2016. Although this report is slightly outdated, a lot of the information is still relevant in creating a clear and detailed audience demographic. From this report, I was informed that only 24% of 16-24 year olds believe that Tinder dating culture has a place in society and that the new youth consumer prefers many ‘old-school’ approaches to life, especially when it comes to different ways to fall in love, even though they are now more connected and have access to different digital platforms that can help them find a date. Additionally, 49% of 18-24 year olds defined themselves as something other than completely heterosexual as they have a more extensive view on gender than any previous generation.
       In terms of what my target audience demographic generally engage with, in 2017, there was a large increase in the usage of student discount apps and sites, such as Unidays. 18 year olds used this app the most at 91% but it was less popular with the higher end of my target audience demographic. Similarly, the popularity of social media sites such as Snapchat and Instagram has remained constant over recent years, with 73% of students from my target audience using both of these sites. As of 2018, Netflix was the most popular entertainment service, with 72% of students using it in 2018. Also, in 2018, for the first time, the amount spent on music, video and games [£7.2bn] was higher than the amount spent on books, magazines and newspapers [£7.1bn]. This development in what my target audience are engaging with will be helpful when thinking about the production and distribution of my magazine because this trend reflects how my target audience engage with a lot of online and digital media services and products.

EXAMPLES OF MAGAZINES WITH A SIMILAR TARGET AUDIENCE

- ELLE
Front covers;
Image result for Elle front coverImage result for Elle front coverImage result for Elle front cover

Contents pages;
Image result for elle contents pagesImage result for elle contents pagesImage result for elle contents pages

- ENTERTAINMENT 
Front covers;
Image result for entertainment magazineImage result for entertainment magazineImage result for entertainment magazine

Contents pages;
Image result for entertainment weekly contents pageImage result for entertainment weekly contents pageImage result for entertainment weekly contents page

- BILLBOARD
Front covers;
Image result for billboard front coverImage result for billboard front coverImage result for billboard front cover

Contents pages;
Image result for billboard contents pageImage result for billboard contents pageImage result for billboard contents page

- COSMOPOLITAN
Front covers;
Image result for cosmopolitan front coversImage result for cosmopolitan front coversImage result for cosmopolitan front covers

Contents pages;
Image result for cosmopolitan contents pageImage result for cosmopolitan contents pageImage result for cosmopolitan contents page

- PEOPLE
Front covers;
Image result for people magazine front coverImage result for people magazine front coverImage result for people magazine front cover

- US WEEKLY
Front pages;
Image result for us weekly front coverImage result for us weekly front coverImage result for us weekly front cover

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