Role of Relevant Regulatory Bodies P5 (d)

Role of Relevant Regulatory Bodies

Meaning and Purpose

A regulatory body is an expert body, but is not a membership organisation and its core purpose is to protect the public. However, different to professional bodies, it is introduced on the primary basis of legal authority. The regulatory body practises regulatory functions by forcing improvements, proposing restrictions and conditions.

There are several regulatory bodies within the Magazine industry, however some extracts shown e.g. images or written text include a number of regulatory bodies that accurately stamp the appropriate age rating of the magazines. This is done with the governments examinations and support.

PCC - Press Complaints Commission
This is an independent body which handles complaints and concerns from constituents of the public about the editorial chapters of newspapers and magazines, involving their websites, and some online-only publications.

OFCOM
Ofcom is another independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. TV and radio branches, fixed line telecoms and mobiles, and the airwaves over which wireless devices operate fall within its authority. OFCOM examines complaints about programmes transmitted by all broadcasters licensed in the UK against the BROADCASTING CODE, but complaints about accuracy and impartiality in BBC TV and radio programmes are with by the BBC Trust.

There has been a lot of anxiety from members of the public that magazine cover women/men create an unrealistic view of celebrities to the general public, portraying a false idea of what people can achieve to look like, making viewers feel inadequate in fashion, looks and achievements. Because of this, many people complain to the above associations to raise these issues, so that they can be dealt with and passed on to the media companies.

How regulatory bodies affect Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair magazines contain news that the public will read about celebrities and products from a wide spectrum of areas. It is important that Vanity Fair are clear with all these regulatory bodies but especially the PCC (Press Complaints Commission) and must taken into consideration.

Within the fashion industry, there is a lot of concern about how "zero size" models are used on covers. These concerns have come about from people, particularly young woman, feeling inadequate about their bodies compared to these very thin models. This is the cause for many people getting eat disorders and becoming very unwell due to the fact that they try and become as thin as these "zero size" models. This is where the role of regulatory bodies comes in where they handle complaints from customers and make sure correct action is taken. Vanity Fair need to be careful of these, however because they normally used models and celebrities of all different sizes on their covers, this should not be an issue.

Vanity Fair has not been certified as any age appropriate, however, images are included in the magazine that can be seen as inappropriate. Vanity Fair must take this into consideration when distributing the magazines as parents should be warned about what the issue contains if it unsuitable for child viewing.

Relevant Legal and Ethical Issues P5 (c)

Copyright

Meaning and Purpose
For this task I am going to be demonstrating what the law of copyright is and how the company of Vanity Fair is effected by it. I have included information about Conde Nast (Vanity Fairs' parent company) as well because of the fact that everything will be run through them before Vanity Fair publish an issue, meaning they have an effect on how an issue turns out.

Originally from the UK in 1911, Copyright is the regulation that gives creators of media products, the right to control how they are used and distributed. It gives them the right to stop others from copying their work through broadcasts, public performances, adaptations, copies, issuing, renting and lending copies to the public. Some instances allow the producer to also have the right to be recognised as the creator and object to any alterations of her/his work.

The types of work protected by this law are:

• Literary - song lyrics, manuscripts, manuals, computer programs, commercial documents, leaflets, newsletters & articles etc. 
• Drama - plays, dance performances etc. 
• Musical - Recordings and score. 
• Artistic - Photography, painting, sculptures, architecture, technical drawings/diagrams, maps and logos. 
• Typographical arrangement of published editions - Magazines, periodicals, etc. 
• Sound recording - May be recordings of other copyright works, e.g. musical and/or literary. 
• Film - Video footage, films, broadcasts and cable programmes. 

At what level does Copyright Occur?

This law gives producers the necessary right to decide how their work is used by others, if they allow it. It occurs whenever an individual creates a piece of work that is original and demonstrates a level or labour, skill or judgement.

Currently, Conde Nast is working with the American Health Commission, where 19 international Editors from the Conde Nast corporation have made a pact to encourage a healthier approach to body image within the industry. VOGUE has been specifically placed to engage with these issues in order to make a difference and The Health Initiative build on the successful work begun by the Council of Fashion Designers of American with the support of American VOGUE and the British Fashion Council with the help of British VOGUE.

I think that this is a controversial subject due the segment of the industry this has begun in. It is good that they are starting here as this is possibly the most judgemental and harsh section in the magazine industry and by changing the way they portray fashion, it will have a huge impact on the public and generally change the way people look at fashion. However, I think that this point is slightly hypocritical of Conde Nast as this industry is one of the main causes for eating disorders, making readers feel bad about themselves. So by saying they are trying to promote good body image, this is good as they are trying to change people's perception on health, however, some of the responsibility is on this industry for causing these problems in the first place.

Issues of Representations P5 (b)

Issues with Representation

Meaning and Purpose

There have been and still are many issues with representation within the media magazine industry. For this task I am going to be discussing what some of these issues are and how Vanity Fair and Conde Nast have effected and responded to representation issues. 

There are a few issues with representation of products when it covers to fashion and beauty magazines that have stood for a while. Cover women and sometimes men, are always made to look almost flawless in their images. This is done during the editing process, where any imperfections can be modified. This is done to make the celebrity/model on the cover look perfect.

The issues with photoshopping images is that they then are not realistic to the public viewers who do aspire to be like these women/men on the cover. This could then result in these people who desire to be like these celebrities, feeling bad about themselves, as they will feel as through they will never be able to look like them or be as "perfect" as them. This is an issue because many people look up to these celebrities to give them confidence. So by portraying these people as "faultless" in their looks, audience member could be dishearten from thinking that they could ever look like these people, however in actuality, they probably have better e.g. skin than the celebrity does, (without the photoshop.)

The issue with representation here is nobody looks as perfect as this, even celebrities. So by placing them on the cover, with flawless skin, figures and hair, products, beauty treatments and the celebrities themselves are being misrepresented, as this is not how they actually look. Photoshopping has become quite a big issue in the media over the last 10 years. This is due to the impact that photoshopped images have on readers. Articles and TV segments have even been put into place, discussing these issues as many people are concerned with the impact these covers could have on people, especially in the young teenager category as studies have shown that the number of teenagers with eating disorders have increased, as well as the amount of make-up used.

Here is a link to an article discussing recent news of Topshop having to change the "zero sized" model they used for their website advertisement. The screenshot below demonstrates the model that Topshop used, explaining why there was controversy over this cover.

A recent article in The Guardian has shown the truth behind why being "size zero" has been obsessed over for that last 10 years. The source of this article is VOGUE's former editor who explains this fixation period of being skinny. Here is the link to this article - http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/jul/05/vogue-truth-size-zero-kirstie-clements

This controversy has come from the idea that people should aspire to be like these models, to be healthy and fit and confident. However, some of the models used are so thin that it has caused viewers/readers to feel bad about themselves rather than motivate them to become fit and healthy. This is the issue with representation as many people will be offended by the people used to represent a company. This could prevent possible customers from purchasing certain issues in the future.

This is an image of a "zero size" model posing on the runway. This is an issue with representation as it suggests promotion of not eating and being very thin, which is not the best option if someones body is not naturally like that or if unhealthy methods have been used to achieve size. However, Vanity Fair is well known for using models and celebrities of all different sizes. This is to brush off the stereotype of fashion magazines, that they only use "size zero" models.

Kate Upton is a current A-List celebrity. She is well known for her curvy figure and Vanity Fair have used her for their covers and extracts several times. This erases issues with representation from the aspect of whatever size you are is fine and Vanity Fair are promoting that by photographing models and celebrities of all different sizes. 

Product impact and effect on the audience P5 (a)

Product Impact and the Effect on the Audience

Purpose
The purpose of this task is to discuss the positive effect such as, good role models, and negative effects such as, copycat violence, of product impact.

Meaning
The meaning of this task is to research the debates surrounding the fashion industry about controversy and the influence and impact on the public.

A media product will create an effect/impression on its audience either immediately or over a longer period of time. Vanity Fair issues have an effect on women everywhere and is changing the way they look lifestyle choices within the fashion industry. Moral panic can be caused by the effect that the product has on the audience. If seen as threatening to the majority of people, products can impact the public with positive or negative effects. Vanity Fair magazines have an impact on what people think and have the power to change people views of current events.

Vanity Fair may be categorised by some people and put into the gossip magazine segment. However, this is false as the magazine is "an iconic fashion magazine, that celebrates the latest fashion and beauty trends.

A.

The products that Vanity Fair produce, can influence a number of different categories of people. 

Effect on individuals/mass audiences - Many individuals will be effected by Vanity Fair magazines, as these products have the power to change peoples perceptions on topics such as fashion choices (hair, clothing and make-up styles.) This can be a very powerful reaction as many customers will change their appearances, views on celebrities and social politics, depending on what Vanity Fair 'says.' This can lead to an effect on mass audiences of people as the magazine will be spread to thousands of customers who will all interpret what they read in different ways. This could be seen in positives and negatives.

• Positives: Vanity Fair are well known for exhibiting celebrities of high class in their magazines or of high popularity. This is a positive as most audience members will look up to these celebrities and admire them. Therefore, by extracting iconic people of good taste in their magazines, Vanity Fair are promoting good role models to the public, helping to achieve a healthier outlook on current affairs. 

• Negatives: However, confrontational extracts have often been published in Vanity Fair magazines, that may have a negative effect of its audience members. The Copycat Theory could be put into practise here as many magazines are used to promote new film releases or celebrities that are well known for their violent behaviour. However, Vanity Fair's articles more include extracts that people have written, which could cause a conflict of interest. More promoting free expression rather than accepting violent behaviour. (The screenshots below, demonstrate the type of article that Vanity Fair publish, which could be seen as a conflict of interest).

This shows the introduction to the article that could have an effect on the public and could change their opinions on related affairs in positive or negative ways. This is why I have used it as an example for the type of confrontational extract that Vanity Fair publishes. 

Negative messages that this article could've sent: 

• Women are naive when it comes to men and their motives. 
• Black men at this time were drug pushers. 
• Women couldn't get anywhere in show business without the "help" of men.

Positive messages that this article could've sent: 

• Warned people about the effects of drugs. 
• Drugs can badly effect peoples metal/physical health. 
• Be aware of what is going on around you. 
• Not to be swayed by peers

Use and Gratification 

What does the theory suggest?

Instead of research what the media do to the audience, this approach studies what the audience does with the media. This approach also takes account of people's personalities and personal needs. 

Strengths of this approach?

The audience is seen as active, and reasonably intelligent. Life experience in general is regarded a as more influential that experience of media. The pleasures that the media offer audiences are not regarded as negative. 

Weaknesses of this approach?

Too much optimism about the 'power' and 'choices' of an active audience can distract is from the power certain texts have, or the influence that media institutions and ownership may have on texts and understandings. 

This method is the best fit for modern day audience media interaction. Vanity Fair has examples in this as their is interaction between audience members and media products have been demonstrated through press meeting and audience participation interviews with celebrities and work members. 

Advertising P4 (b)

Advertising

Purpose

The purpose of this task is to discuss the different methods of advertising that Vanity Fair use. 

Meaning 

This means that I will be able to find out the best method that Vanity Fair uses and how it impacts the company's sales revenue. 

There are a range of advertising methods that Vanity Fair could use, however they very often use their magazine to advertise for other products. Direct selling is a very good method of advertisement for magazines, as people need to see know about what the magazine includes before they purchase. 

Vanity Fair is a very well known fashion/lifestyle magazine with a name that represents class and high standards of fashion. Therefore their advertisement about the product does not need to go too much into detail due to the good name of the brand, the brand name sells itself as it have built its good reputation for years. Because of this, Vanity Fair normally uses large bill-boards and posters to advertise the magazine, as just by showing the name, people will know what the magazine will bring them.

Since the start of the company, Vanity Fair have always included A-List celebrities on the covers of their magazines like Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie. The above example of a cover shows the titles of articles that are included in that specific issues, it keeps up with the latest stories and captures the opinion of the celebrity themselves. This is interesting and is advertising for the other side of the story that not many people will get to hear.

Vanity Fair rarely if ever uses trailer advertisement to distribute their product. However, posters, websites and billboards are often used by them to promote their products. The screenshot above demonstrates that the magazines has been promoted on another website apart from its own. Through this, it is an example of how the Vanity Fair issue is advertised through websites.

The image above demonstrates advertisement that has been produced for the most recent release of Vanity Fair. This kind of advertisement is used in areas of high population such as on the sides of buildings of busy streets. Even through this method of advertisement promotes the issue well, website advertisement is the most effect source of promotion that this company uses. This is because of the accessibility that comes with viewing the magazine from the internet. This way, potential customers are able to oversee the copy before they purchase it, which not only improves sale but also helps Vanity Fair's reputation of being a reliable and a "magazine for the people."

As well as being advertising for their own magazine, Vanity Fair also promote products and people inside their magazines. This is done through images and articles, a lot of the time just showing an image of a product with a few short words to explain. This kind of advertisement is distributed through the magazines. 

Distribution Channels P4 (a)

Distribution Channels

Purpose

The purpose of this task is to discuss the different methods of distribution that can be used by media companies and how they are performed. 

Meaning

Through this, I will be able to find out the meaning of why these methods are used and why Vanity Fair use a specific or various types of distribution to sell their products. 

Distribution of products is a method used to share a media product out among a wide number of recipients. Vanity Fair, being under subsidiary ownership, will have its products originally distributed from Condé Nast, their parent company. From this, they will use different distributing methods to disperse as many of their products as they can to potential customers. There are many ways in which their products can be distributed.

Direct Selling

Direct selling is the advertising and selling of products personally to customers away from a fixed retail location. Though this method, market research can also be performed as the element of personal contact allows salesmen to gather responses in depth and gives them the opportunity to choose their own customers while laying out a selling price. Many companies benefit from being able to maintain capital control within the company by this way of distribution. 

Advantages and Disadvantages:

(+) Allows companies to quickly determine if their product is successful or not. 

(+) Beneficial to test consumer responses with a small trial before upscaling and launching a full, costly product, potentially costing Vanity Fair more than they would be bringing in if the product were to fail. 

(+) Builds customers loyalty as many consumers enjoy receiving information about products and easily become regular customers. 

(-) The demand from consumers may stop uninvited contact from customers. 

(-) Many possible customers may not appreciate privacy violations or the complete idea of communication. 

(-) May generate poor quality lead and failing to bring a high number of repeat customers.

Vanity Fair use this method of distribution to sell their products to a variety of customers. Their products are displayed on racks in many stores to attract viewers. These racks are demonstrated in many different stores both affluent businesses and more mainstream retailers. This is so Vanity Fair can draw in a variety of customers all from different economic backgrounds, enabling them to sell to a wider audience. This personal way of selling allows customers to make clear choices on whether they want to purchase, but also enables them to see and review the hard copy products so analysis whether they think is a worthy buy before purchasing. This way it makes customers feel more in control of their purchases and reduces risk of returns to Vanity Fair. 

Wholesale Distribution

This method is the sale of goods or merchandise to anyone other than a standard consumer. When a business has difficulties defining who their target customers will be, but don't have the time luxury to go out and sell, their marketing plan can mainly concentrate of wholesale distribution. Though this method, the selling is left to wholesalers and retailers who have specialised skills in retail sales. 

Online Distribution

Online distribution is the delivery or DISTRIBUTION of media content such as audio, video, software and video games. This is a distribution method that is going against the traditional procedures. Through this, companies can cut out the "middle man" whilst maintaining the ability to sell to a wider market, making this technique very attractive to businesses such as Vanity Fair.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

(+) Lower costs

(+) Higher profit potential

(+) Instantly global (wide exposure)

(+) Convenient for customers as they have instant access to the product via Vanity Fair's website.

(+) Open 24/7, allows more access to customers to purchase, even when personal selling is not available.

(-) Limited public - not everyone has the internet resources or will know how to use it for shopping.

(-) Impersonal - do not get the face-to-face interaction with customers.

(-) Fear from customers - Many possible customers have a fear of inputting their personal information, e.g. credit card details, on the internet as this increases the risk of ID theft, fraud, violating peoples security.

Vanity Fair use online distribution methods in order to sell their products. This is a convenient method for both Vanity Fair and also its possible and regular customers, as this way, the company can bring in more revenue from these sales without spending any extra capital and customers can also just go on the internet and purchase, not having to go to any specific places, making it more convenient for them. As well as providing the option for the public to order and have their issues delivered, Vanity Fair also offer online issues, where viewers can purchase and read issues electronically, e.g. IPAD copies are offered to customers when they are purchasing Vanity Fair issues, this way, after purchasing the product, they can download and view the issues via their iPad. This emphasised on the "convenient" factor of the product as this will make it easier for customers to view magazines "on the go" rather than carrying the extra weight of a hard copy magazine.

Demographics of the target audience P3 (a-d)

Demographics of the target audience for Vanity Fair

Purpose

The purpose of this is to discuss the type of demographics that Vanity Fair aims their product towards. 

Meaning 

Through this, I will be able to review different methods can be used when trying to promote products to potential customers. 

'Demographics' means categorising people by quantifiable characteristics such as age, gender, class, race, etc. Magazine companies need to know who their target market are for their product.

This is important for two main reasons: 

• To make sure that their product is attractive to their buyers. 
• To provide accurate data about their buyers to potential advertisers. 

Categorising potential target audience members can be done through different methods, most of which are effective however, some may be more appropriate for this specific product. With this information gathered from grouping, it will make it easier to know where and how to e.g. advertise or layout a product, in this case a Vanity Fair magazine.

The categories that market research is based upon are:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Socio-economic factors
• Lifestyle 

In order to gather this kind of information, market research must be done to review the change in demand of the target audience, enabling companies to adapt to this changes so they can produce a product or service that will appeal to their objective public.  This research can be done through methods such as:

• Questionnaires (online, paper copies or interviews) - This technique of research is useful as it allows companies to reach out to a larger sample of people. This way they can get more information on how people feel, allowing them to have a clearer idea of what their target audience is looking for. However, this method can be difficult as the response may lack data of depth, as not a lot of description will be put into the answers. 
• Customer panels (group session, variety of potential customers can sit down and discuss their views on new products.) - This way, companies can take note on the discussions held and narrow down the majority of views that are shared in these group consultation. 

Once a target market has been figured, it is a lot easier for companies to design their products in order to appeal to potential audience members.

Social Class Classification

The conventional method of measuring social class was corresponded to the job of the main wage-earner of a household. The National Readership Survey website uses this to categorise, putting people into categories of their professions, estimating how much they would earn. These levels are represented by these titles:

• A - HIGH RANKING PROFESSIONALS

• B - MIDDLE RANKING PROFESSIONALS 

• C1 - "WHITE COLLAR" WORKERS; JUNIOR MANAGERS, OFFICE CLERKS, BANK CLERKS, NURSES ETC..

• C2 - SKILLED MANUAL WORKERS; CARPENTERS, ELECTRICIANS ETC..

• D - SEMI AND UNSKILLED MANUAL WORKERS; DRIVERS, POST SORTERS, LABOURERS ETC..

• E - PEOPLE SUBSISTING ON STATE BENEFITS; THE UNEMPLOYED, PENSIONERS ETC.. 

One of the issues with this approach is that it doesn't divulge information about how MUCH people have to spend, e.g. plumber (C1) may earn more that a university lecturer (B).

The Magic Bullet Theory

This method suggests that the message communicated from media companies, is a metaphorical bullet (the product), being shot from a media gun ( the company), into the viewers heads (sub-conscious). Another name for this theory is the Hypodermic Needle Model. This method is shown in the image below, demonstrating an example of this model. 

This approach draws attention to the capacity that media companies/producers have, to the importance of the form of media to which audiences have access. However, this portrays the target audience as submissive and powerless, mostly used when the effects of media are on woman and children. 

The Copycat Theory

This theory suggests that people will replicate what they view in the media, e.g. youths watch Natural Born Killers, they will go out and imitate the storyline of the film. However, this theory is not a confirmed hypothesis, it is based on an assumption that has been maintain and encouraged by the press. 

The advantage of this approach is that is provides and copies the types of concerns that parent's have for their children's media use. This way, it may motivate parents to be more strict, stopping their children from e.g. watching a film that has a certificate above their child's age. However, this approach is seen to have varied levels of risk in different areas of the media spectrum, people have different limits to what they can handle in the media e.g. what one person may find very threatening, other's may find comfortable to watch. It is also hard to measure the long-term effects that media may have on audience members, often lending to moral panics, e.g. rap music leads to drug abuse.  

The Cultivation Theory

This is a theory that believes as audiences view more and more film, television and impressional photography, they will gradually evolve certain ideas about the world, some of which could be false. This theory trusts that every media product that is viewed will have some sort of effect on the way people look at the world. Through this, researchers have claimed that an individual becomes: 

• More materialistic. 
• Confused about environmental issues.
• More open to violence. 
• More racist. 
• No perception of the differences between reality and television. 

The way that this theory can be looked at positively, is that this approach highlights the fact that spectators gain a lot of knowledge about the world from the media, also recognising the important role that media has in our lives. This theory can be looked at as humans are learning and being educated by media. However, there are some weaknesses to this approach. Many people see media as encouraging views to believe false perceptions of parts of the world, e.g. Crimewatch feeds ideas that Britain's crime rate is increasing, although not actually measuring this idea against the accurate opinions of audience members.

Psychographics

Psychographics is the process of segmentation for market research that is determined by potential viewers attitudes and aspirations. Market research tries to separate people into categories in a varied range of methods. Below are some examples of how spectators are split: 

• Mainstreamers, Aspirers, Succeeders, Individualists and Carers. 
• Good timers, Well-adjusted, Nerds and Problem kids. 

These are examples of what companies may divide people into sections using Psychographic methods. Below is an example of the different types that may be divided into these groups. 

Target Gender audience

The gender audience that Vanity Fair magazine is targeted at. This company's target audience is women, the magazine mostly involves images, articles and samples about women's fashion and latest celebrity events. This could appeal to the male demographic on some levels however, the objective audience is woman. 

Women tend to look up to celebrities when it comes to fashion choices such as clothing, make-up and hair styles. Vanity Fair include extracts showing latest celebrity fashion trends, with the intention to attract this section of the female demographic, the women that follow celebrities and are interested in their lives. Men do also take inspiration from male celebrities. However, Vanity Fair have made it clear that they are focusing on mainly women's fashion. This suggests that psychographic methods have been used to attract their target market as they have aimed their product towards women on a more personal level, e.g. confidence boosting tips on fashion choices.

Target Age audience

The target audience for Vanity Fair issues has not been firmly established. However, judging by the concept of each spread and the category of celebrities that are included in the issues, I would say that for each product (magazine), the target age would be around 16 - 50. This is my hypothesise because the issues always include A-List men and women celebrities, that women between these ages would be interested in. The articles are quite mature reads, normally involving information about a celebrities life with fairly sophisticated language used. This is why I don't think that it would appeal to many girls under the age of 16 as articles extracted can normally include description of fairly political views, which may confuse the younger/child demographic. 

This suggests that Vanity Fair have used 'demographic' market research as well to pin-point their target audience's interests. 

Media Kit Profile: 

This screenshot shows the average gender and age of Vanity Fair's readers. This is from the company's media kit and have chosen it to demonstrate the average age and gender of their customers. 

Vanity Fair issue. 2008.

   

Socio-Economic audience

Being a magazine that costs up to £29.90, the socio-economic category that Vanity Fair are targeting their products towards are going to be between the classifications of A - C1. However, shorter issues are put on sale for less money, available to people with lower income rates. This suggests that Vanity Fair have done the market research to consider the range of women that they want to appeal to, so by offering a product for less money, cutting out a few extracts, will attract women in households with lower social class scores as well. 

Media Kit Profile: 

This screenshot below shows the levels of income and type of lifestyle the average group of customers of Vanity Fair have. This is a segments from their media kit which provided me with the information that was required for this task. 

Readership Profile + Notes

Below is a screenshot of a media kit download option from the Conde Nast International website. Readership profiling is a task that all magazine companies need to complete when creating a new issue to launch on the market. Specific factors must be considered when defining readership profiles which include: 

• Age, gender, race and sexuality 
• Education
• Occupation
• Annual Income 
• Disposable income
• Socio-economic factors
• Culture
• Media Interests
• Buying Habits 
• Loyalty to Brands

Companies such as Vanity Fair update reader profiles every quarter following readership research. These are produced for advertisers to enable them to accurately place their business in a magazine that is going to sync with their target audience. Below is a screenshot from the Vanity Fair media kit, demonstrating statistics about the median age and average gender of the majority of their readers. 

Advertisement

To maintain this audience that Vanity Fair have, they must advertise and using marketing strategies that are best suited to these customers. To find this out, market research must be preformed by Vanity Fair, along with feedback, suggesting the type of products that would attract audience members. Below are examples of advertisements that Vanity Fair have included in their issues in order to attract their target market. This is also a source of finance for Vanity Fair as these slots are filled by paying companies, who have offered money to VF in exchange for advertisements in their magazines. 

The image above is an example of an advertisement that Vanity Fair include in their magazines. A form of market research will have been needed to identify what kind of products attract Vanity Fair's target audience. Therefore this ad has been included solely for the fact to attract Vanity Fair target market. 

This is another example of the advertisements that are included in Vanity Fair magazines. Ralph Lauren is a high class collection of designer clothing. Including this ad (to the right) in the magazine, Vanity Fair are demonstrating their level of class and the type of clothing lines they support. This not only attracts a specific market to the magazine, but also brings in additional revenue to VF, as companies such as Ralph Lauren and others, will pay a lot of money to have their products advertised in Vanity Fair. This builds the reputation of not only the advertised companies, but also Vanity Fairs as it shows that they support high class, authentic clothing and products. 

Analysis of a Media Product P2 (a-g)

Analysis of Vanity Fair Media Product

Purpose

The purpose of this task is to learn about how different products and people are publicised through this form of publishing. 

Meaning

This means that I will be able to look at the different portrayals that Vanity Fair have aimed to achieve from these covers. 

1)

This is an analysis of a magazine cover produced by Vanity Fair in AUGUST 2013. I have chosen this image because I think that is is a good example of the way lighting can be used to highlight an object and someones faces well.

Purpose
The purpose of this cover is to advertise for a jewellery line and to gain publicity for the model Gemma Arterton. The earring that Arterton is wearing is clearly highlighted in this cover and has almost been given it own section in the cover so people can see the whole product. The genre/print of this cover is non-fiction, gender specific to women and for people of special interest in fashion.

Form
The genre of this cover is a fashion magazine. The style of the cover is about the contrast between glamour and a natural look I feel. I think this because of the style of the earrings and the way that Gemma Arterton has been portrayed. The print forms shows black and white colours that dominate the cover which highlight Arterton's face well and clearly shows her skin and her face. This suggests quite a natural look I think as they have shot her to look like she doesn't have much make-up on and her hair has been styled simply by just being pulled back. However, in contrast to this natural look, she is wearing big shiny earrings which suggest glamour to me and I think that Gemma and the earrings are in contrast to each other as they both demonstrate different styles that women would go for.

Content
The print content of this cover is for advertisement of fashion products and also for publicity of celebrities. This magazine cover has a small section of narrative text from the Masthead of the cover is says "Vanity Fair on Jewellery", this is just telling its reader what the content of the magazine contains and this is shown through this piece of narrative text.

Meaning
The meaning of the cover is created through images that have been shot with black and white colouring, showing a celebrity to help with their publicity but to also advertise for new fashion products such as jewellery.

2)

This is my second analysis of a media product from Vanity Fair. I have chosen this cover because I think that interesting colours have been used and I am interested in analysing why they have been used.

Purpose
The purpose of this cover is to advertise the content of the magazine on the front, to grab the attention of potential customers. The cover also puts Jessica Simpson in the limelight, helping her to gain publicity.

Form
The genre of this cover is again a fashion magazine. The style of this cover is to create a bright, more summer season look to the magazine. I think this because of the clothes that Jessica Simpson has been dressed, but also the exposure and shadowing of the image, it creates the effect that the sun is shining onto her. Even through the colours used are in contrast with each other, all of the shades used are fairly bright, summery colours.

Content
The print content of this cover is publicity of celebrities and to demonstrate extracts of peoples work, both of which the magazines contain. Narrative text dominates a lot of this cover. Through this, readers are going to be attracted to the bright bold font that has been used.

Meaning
The meaning of this cover is to gain publicity for celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, (in this case), and to demonstrate journalism, photography, fashion and design skill throughout the issue to interest audience members persuading them to purchase more.

P2, g)

This is a clip showing the people who work for Vogue and the detail and position they have within Vogue. I use this as an example of audio-visual production process because it is a good demonstration of the work that goes into composing and putting together a magazine and the different jobs needed for the magazine. I have used this video as a reference for Vanity Fair, as the same production and detail will go to making the Vanity Fair issues as they will for Vogue.

Pre-Production Stages:

Editorial Stage

During this stage, editors get together with publishers and executive chief members of staff to discuss what work to publish and the technical issues that may be involved. These decisions may to maintain the house style of the magazine and go with the classic Vanity Fair formation. This involved editors using copy edit to make sure the issue matches the style and grammatical requirements for each target market. These meeting happen at the beginning of the work day and are essential due to the amount of attention to detail needed, along with helping the team stay up to date with latest developments.

The Design Stage

This stage occurs when the final narrative is decided and agreed upon, then moving on to the next stage of design. This involves including artwork/photographs being commissioned or confirmed in the layout. Conditional on the number of photographs their are to be included, image may be licenced from photo libraries. This works for issues that are particularly generous in illustrations the publisher may potentially communicate with a picture researcher of whom can find and licence the photographs required for the work/issue. This stage is in preparation for the printing process. A team is needed for this stage as lots of setting up needs to be done in order create an efficient work space. Equipment needs to be set up and stylists are needed to prepare the product, whether that be a model or tangible object such as lipstick.

Sales and Marketing Stage

This stage is very similar to the editorial stage. When front cover photographs or prints are produced, sales people might start discussing the Vanity Fair magazine with their customers to increase the chances of early interest. Publishing firms often produce state of the art information sheets that may be delivered to customers or oversees publishers to engage potential sales. This early interest is calculated with the information feeding back through the editorial process, possibly effecting the formatting of Vanity Fair and the strategy employed to sell it.

Printing

When the editing and design stage is complete, the printing process begins. The starting step requires the production of a pre-press proof, which the printers send for final checking and sign-off by the publisher. This demonstrates the Vanity Fair magazine as it will appear once printed and symbolises the final chance for the publisher to find and correct any mistakes/errors. Once this has been completed, the physical printing process begins and hard copies are produced.

Distribution

This is the final stage of the production process involving making the product available to the public, offering it in retail stores for sale. Once Vanity Fair issues have been printed, the companies publisher might use variations of channels to distribute it. Magazines are most commonly sold in advance directly by the publisher, sent to subscribers, then distributed either through the postal systems of by street newspaper and magazine carriers, commonly known as newsagents.

Competitors P1 (d)

Competitors

Purpose

The purpose of this task is to find out Vanity Fair's biggest rivals and discuss the advantages and disadvantages between the business and its competitors. 

Meaning 

This means that through this research I will be able to oversee what position Vanity Fair is in compared to the other companies within Conde Nast, helping me to discuss its popularity and position within the market. 

Vanity Fair is one of many fashion/lifestyle magazines that are sold on the market. The magazine industry is huge, consisting of many retail businesses each competing to gain loyalty from regular and potential customers. Conde Nast is not just the parent company of Vanity Fair, it subsidises many other fashion/lifestyle companies that include: 

• Vanity Fair
• Vogue
• Teen Vogue 
• Allure
• Architectural Digest 
• The New Yorker
• Golf Digest
• Golf World 
• GQ 
• Lucky
• Conde Nast Traveller 
• Glamour
• Details
• Self 
• W
• Wired
• Ars Technica 
• Bon Appétit 
• Epicurious 
• Brides 

These fellow subsidiary companies will all be in competition with Vanity Fair as they will aim their products towards the same segments of the market, all being fashion/lifestyle magazines. 

The magazine industry is a very competitive market. This is due to the constant changes in customer demands and updated fashion and/or lifestyle trends. This means that magazine companies need to always be up-to-date with these latest market movements, otherwise they would be at risk of losing customers to companies that have adapted well to adjustments in customer needs, resulting in potential capital shortfall from decrease in sales. This industry is very competitive as it is all about the company that releases "IT" first. Whether it be an article or latest fashion breakthrough, each of these fashion/lifestyle magazine companies are all competing to release the next best thing first. This is is order to gain more customers, being seen as the most up-to-date business and is the main reason why this market is so competitive.

Vanity Fair is well known for being in competition with The New Yorker magazine. Many articles have been published discussing the competition between these two magazines, however the debate has never been settled of which one is most popular due to the constant changes in customer trends. 

The screenshots above are from Vanity Fair UK's media kit. They show statistics of Vanity Fair's most recent conclusions of media rates.

The screenshot below shows Vanity Fair's Print Audience, Average Monthly Unique Visitors and Press and Social Impressions Generated in the Past Year.

I have looked at the statistics of sales for each magazine company that is subsidised by Conde Nast. The screenshots below show the individual statistics for each subsidiary, which will help to compare them and see which company has made the most progress in the past year. I have highlighted Vanity Fair's statistics because this is the information I am interesting in for this unit. It tells me that an ABC (Auditory Bureau of Circulation) of 90, 018 posted for Vanity Fair actively purchased sale have improved by 2.7%.

The Auditory Bureau of Circulation

The ABC is a circulation auditing organisation that certifies and audits the circulations of major publications including newspapers and magazines.

Biggest Competitor - Vogue

Vanity Fair and Vogue have always been the most common rivals within Conde Nast. This is because of the similar genres they follow and both appeal to the same time segment of the market.

Vanity Fair Advantages:

• Covers a wider range of topics to Vogue, more than just fashion
• Both appealing to men and women
• Reliable sources
• Good reputation

Vanity Fair Disadvantages: 

• Vogue comes with the brand name, (people will buy Vogue because of the brand) and Vanity Fair does not come with the same kudos as Vogue. 
• Many readers are not interested in the politics, so Vogue is more suited to fashion.