GQ - Audience & Industries blog tasks
Audience
Look through the GQ Media Kit and answer the following questions:
1) How does the media kit introduction describe GQ?
The GQ media kit is described as a cutting edge and progressive men's fashion magazine. It also states GQ to have "print excellence across journalism, photography and design".
2) What does the media kit suggest about masculinity?
The GQ kit describes Masculinity is evolving and becoming the centre of global pop culture. Furthermore, it explains how masculinity is a community for people to exchange ideas around fashion and cultural entertainment.
3) Pick out three statistics from the data on page 2 and explain what they suggest about the GQ audience.
- £7.7k average annual spend of fashion - upper class as they can afford to spend a lot of money on fashion
- 61% ABC1 - most of the audience is upper class
- £1.2k average annual spend on beauty - audiences also believe masculinity is changing
- 61% AB1
This reflects how GQ's audiences have enough money to spend on luxury items, not only clothing but self care. Their online presence has also shown how consumers prefer to make purchases online rather than in person which shows how dynamic audiences are and how companies need to change to adapt to audiences new needs.
4) Look at page 3 - brand highlights. What special editions do GQ run and what do these suggest about the GQ audience?
They host events about stars who are moving the culture forward and are changing the way we think. This suggests that their audiences want change their beliefs in modern masculinity as they see them selves fitting into this new modern world where women are starting to hold more power and men can be more fluid with their identity.
Some events include:
- Men of the year
-GQ Hype
-GQ Hero's
5) Still on page 3, what does the video and social series section suggest about how magazine audiences are changing?
It suggests how magazine audiences are now moving towards social channels and prefer video content about life style and fashion rather then content they actually have to read. This may reflect how competition of other media content has affected magazine industries. For example, short form content on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube which audiences prefer and have gotten used to.
Media Magazine feature: GQ
Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on GQ (MM82 - page 12). Answer the following questions:
1) What are the elements that go into choosing a cover stars for GQ?
The editors of GQ choose people who are famous and are at their peak at the right time - "endings are often more popular than beginnings." This allows them to bring in a pre existing audience of those who were already interested in the cover star.
2) How is the magazine constructed to serve the target audience?
All shoots in the magazine are done in GQ's style to show the newest and best men's fashion. This shows how they provide content for both younger and older men and consider what those two distinct age groups are looking for in the first place. They also provide online content for newer, younger audiences who aren't primarily readers of magazines and are used to consuming visual content.
3) What does the article suggest about GQ's advertisers and sponsorships - and what in turn does this tell us about the GQ audience?
Advertisers that editors have chosen may not be about fashion but tend to align their brand with GQ's and their beliefs about masculinity being fluid rather then set and toxic. Sponsors and advertisers are typically high end which are within audiences spend budget reflecting the upper class audience they have.
4) What is GQ Hype - and how does it reflect the impact of digital media on traditional print media?
GQ Hype is a weekly, online only cover celebrity which is used as a middle ground for those who wouldn't bring in many audiences with a physical print. This helps the brand to adapt to changing customer needs as audiences need something convenient to enjoy which typically would be via convergence with new, emerging technology.
5) Finally, what does the article say about additional revenue streams for print magazines like GQ?
It states that additional revenue streams are vital for print magazine businesses to survive and allows them to see what area they are strong in so they can focus more money in those areas for a higher, less risk source of profit.
Industries
Your industries contexts are divided into three areas - Conde Nast, GQ's website and social media content and the impact of digital media on print industries.
Condé Nast
Read this Guardian news article on editorial changes at Condé Nast and answer the following questions:
1) Who was previously GQ editor for 22 years?
Dylan Jones was previously the GQ editor for 22 years.
2) What happened to the 'lads' mag' boom magazines such as Nuts, Maxim and Loaded?
Circulation decreased and went online only or either closed down due to the lack of profit and readership.
3) What changes have been taking place at Condé Nast in recent years and why?
Read this Press Gazette article on Conde Nast. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article suggest about Condé Nast's recent strategy?
That print subscriptions are growing despite a shift to digital outputs such as social media and visual form content such as YouTube interviews which target a younger audience. Furthermore, they have boosted subscriptions and e-commerce to bring in more profit that they would loose with exclusively print media.
2) How does chief executive Roger Lynch describe Condé Nast and why?
It was no longer a magazine company as around 300 million people interact with them on websites and social media whereas there is only 70 million people who read the magazines. This shows how magazine companies are now turning into a new forms of content to adapt with changing consumer wants and needs.
3) What does Adam Baidawi say about Condé Nast, GQ and culture?
Adam Baidawi states: “Conde Nast, as much as anything else, is in the business of shaping and reflecting culture. Culture moves, and we have to move with it."
Read this FIPP feature on Condé Nast diversifying into video and streaming content. Answer the following questions:
1) How is Condé Nast moving away from traditional print products?
They are providing video content as audiences are now tending to prefer video content. This can be seen as an adaptation to changes in consumer needs as younger audiences prefer visual forms of content that they can access easily. This also shows the affects of new technology and convergence making us depend on technology for sources of entertainment and surveillance more.
2) What examples are provided of Condé Nast's video and streaming content?
Conde Nast has distributed interactive experiences across new channels to connect with audiences who are not reachable on cable and broadcast. This shows how with new technology, audiences are much more active and don't just want to be passive viewers anymore. Furthermore, this shows how parasocial relationships with celebrities is now promoted in this day and age as a way to bring in audiences and profits.
3) What does the end of the article suggest modern media audiences want?
The end of the article states that “Audiences want to be participants, not just passive viewers – and of course, they want content 100 per cent personalised for them” which is a true reflection of how the internet has made us more active viewers who want to participate.
1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?
3) What does GQ's Instagram feed suggest about the GQ brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?
The Instagram feed suggests that GQ is adaptive but also classy which appeals to a similar audience but with a difference of content length. It has also allowed audiences to be active and interact with the brand itself through comments. For example, audiences are allowed to critique or praise what they read right to the brand showing how audiences want media content to be personalised to themselves and want to be involved in that process.
4) In your opinion, is GQ's social media content designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?
GQ website, video and social media content
Visit the GQ website, Instagram and YouTube channel. Note that some of these may be blocked in school. Once you have looked over GQ's online content, answer the following questions:
1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?
Both the website and print versions of the magazine highlight how cover stars are role models to the average audience of GQ. They reflect them as being glamorous, successful stars who have worked hard which shows how they are promoting their content towards aspirers (psychographic - Young and Rubicam).
2) Analyse the top menu of the GQ website (e.g. Fashion / Grooming / Culture). What do the menu items suggest about GQ's audience?
2) Analyse the top menu of the GQ website (e.g. Fashion / Grooming / Culture). What do the menu items suggest about GQ's audience?
The top of the menu suggests that the target audience is men who believe in modern masculinity - masculinity is fluid and always changing and men can take care of themselves. The print versions of the magazine also reflects this by the topics they mention within the front cover show how GQ always attempts to draw in an audience who aligns with their views whether it be through print or online content.
3) What does GQ's Instagram feed suggest about the GQ brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?
The Instagram feed suggests that GQ is adaptive but also classy which appeals to a similar audience but with a difference of content length. It has also allowed audiences to be active and interact with the brand itself through comments. For example, audiences are allowed to critique or praise what they read right to the brand showing how audiences want media content to be personalised to themselves and want to be involved in that process.
4) In your opinion, is GQ's social media content designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?
I think that GQ's social media is designed to focus on building a digital audience as audiences are now seeming to prefer content which is accessible anywhere and that is short so they can gain information faster which you wouldn't get with a physical print. They recognise that audiences needs are changing as now we tend to prefer online, convenient content.
5) Evaluate the success of the GQ brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?
5) Evaluate the success of the GQ brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?
I believe it does successfully communicate with their target audience and is an example of how digital platforms will replace print magazines. They successfully do this as they reflect how they are moving to online content at the same pace as audiences. Furthermore, with sales decreasing over time, it reflects how many magazine companies will see a decrease in readership and will eventually have to shift to online content to avoid the risk of wasting money on print copies.
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