Final Magazine Submission

Completed Creative Critical Reflection

Creative Critical Reflection

3rd Quarter Submission Revisions

For my revisions to my 3rd quarter submission, I didn't change much about my title page. I received some good feedback on it, but I decided to change the color of one of the subheadings. The yellow made it stand out and gave the cover a vibrant and spring time look.

                                          Before                                                           After

I got really good feedback on my table of contents, so I decided not to change it too much. I conducted a third photo shoot, so I decided to add one of the pictures from that to my table of contents. I also moved some of the page numbers to make sure they were in the right spot on the picture.

                      Before                                                          After

For my article, I decided to change the entire layout. Originally, my partner and I had agreed that our articles should follow a very similar layout as that would ensure unity between the issues. Upon further research, we found that many magazines had articles within each issue that were formatted differently. For our magazine, this worked to differential between my craft article and her cooking article Throughout issues we decided that each different type of article would follow a slightly different format. This differentiates between the different types of articles in our magazine.

                         Before                                                                                             After

3rd Quarter Submission Feedback

I didn't get too much feedback on my project. Mr. Elsbree suggested that I move some of my subtitles up so that they would be directly over the white background rather than being over both the white background and the wood table. I also noticed that when you saw my cover on my blog, it appeared to be over saturated. I will definitely look into that. I was also questioned about the size of my pictures on the second page of my article. The sizing of the stacked pictures were different, which is not very conventional. My partner had also incorporated this technique into her article so we both made the decision to make the sizes of the pictures more similar. When I looked back at my midterm submission, I noticed that I had included a pull-out quote. I did not intentionally leave this out of my revision so I would like to add one back in before submitting my final submission. I got really good feedback on my table of contents, but I feel that it doesn't really match with my magazine. To remedy this I am planning on streamlining the color scheme more to give the magazine a more cohesive feeling.

Third Quarter Magazine Submission

Throughout the process of creating my magazine, I changed the title page, table of contents and article many times. Each change was focused on making the magazine more visually appealing, professional, and uniform with my partners magazine. The biggest change I made was the choice to redo my entire project with a different person. I felt that the original article wasn't what other magazine of our genre had in their magazine. The addition of branding also helped to make our product look more professional, but also more recognizable. I also changed the color theme of the issue. I felt that the purple didn't look right, so I went with a brighter, more vibrant pink.

CCR Draft #4

Throughout the creation of our magazine, we used several different forms of technology and computer software. We used applications such as Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, and iPhone editing apps as well. This software allowed us to edit the quality of the pictures we used, as well as the layout of our magazine pages. I used Microsoft Publisher to create my magazine. It allowed me to easily change the format, font styles, and overall layout of each of the magazine pages. I used Adobe Photoshop to edit my photos and set up my flat plan. The software allowed me to change the quality of my pictures and set up my flat plan exactly how I wanted it. I didn't rely on Microsoft Word as much, but I did use it to help with my planning for my article. I also used an iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 to take my pictures, as well as a Canon Rebel T6. I used several editing apps on my phone, in addition to Adobe Photoshop, to adjust and enhance contrast and saturation of the pictures I took. The last application I used was Google Chrome. This was an extremely helpful tool in conducting research about the target audience and distribution methods of competing magazines. Overall, the integration of technology and computer software enabled us to create a polished, professional product.

CCR Draft #3

Although we lacked experience at the beginning of this project, our design, writing and production skills improved significantly during the project. This began by thoroughly researching a variety of production and distribution techniques used by other magazines and publications in a variety of genres. Through the creation of our magazine, including the cover page, table of contents, and article, I was able to practice techniques I observed to create a professional looking product. For example, through our research of magazines similar to ours, such as Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Gardens, and HGTV Magazine, we observed that each company used a recognizable and easy to read font for their title, and always ensured that their text stood out. Each company relied on the use of bright colors to attract the attention of possible buyers. The bright colors not only made the cover more eye-catching, they also made the covers visually appealing, a trait I tried to mimic in the creation of my magazines. I was also able to strengthen my production skills through research, but most importantly, trial-and-error. I had to fail a few times before I was satisfied with the cover page as well as the remainder of the magazine. If it didn't work, I would change it until I was satisfied with the final product. This happened a lot during the production of my title page, I was very particular about what I wanted to achieve because this is the first thing you see when you look at the magazine, it was important to me to get it right and make it appealing to readers. To do this I changed my font, pictures, and experimented with the overall layout multiple times. I also added captions for pictures throughout the magazine, and ensured that the layouts were streamlined. Overall, through the process of extensive research and a lot of trial-and-error, I was able to create a professional magazine, while developing my productions skills.

CCR Draft #2

Our product provides a resource for those looking for information, inspiration and know how relating to crafts or decorating. Detailed hands-on crafting and decorating ideas and instructions are presented in an easy and convenient format, inspiring people and giving them confidence to tackle any of the projects themselves. We  modelled our magazine on, what we believe, to be the best features of other more established magazines in the same field that also provide a website for their magazine which adds value to the customer. On the website we provide additional articles that may not be included in the magazine as well as videos giving detailed visual tutorials and troubleshooting segments on some of the projects for those who find themselves running into problems during the crafting process. Many of the companies we looked at also had social media accounts. This would be helpful in promoting and marketing our product so that it becomes recognizable to customers and creates brand recognition. It would be an exciting way to provide an ability to directly interact with the product. We also felt that it could be beneficial to include coupons and coupon codes for products we use throughout the magazine. This could be an incentive for people to purchase our product, as many other magazine companies have succeeded in doing. We decided that we would use the distribution company, Hearst magazines to distribute our product. This company is used by some of our competitors and appears to be highly competent. We found the magazines we researched were distributed in book stores and in supermarkets, so we decided that would be a good place to start. For our specific magazine, we also wanted to distribute it in specialty stores such as Michaels and other specialty craft store chains. This would ensure that our product was available to a larger audience. By ensuring that the covers of the magazines are appealing, we would create interest and encourage consumers to purchase our product. We also plan to have an option to sign up for a monthly subscription on our website. This way people could get the magazine conveniently delivered directly to their homes.

CCR Draft #1

Our product is not intended to challenge conventions. Our magazine includes a variety of topics, which I found to be similar to the magazine, Better Homes and Gardens. This allowed my partner and I to select a diverse assortment of articles and make our magazine more relevant to a larger audience of buyers. My table of contents aligns with other magazines that are in the same or similar genre. When considering layout of the article, my partner and I decided to create a cohesive theme by following the same template for all publications. We had the basics, such as a materials list and the location of the picture and the title. We also agreed that each article would follow the format of having only two columns, which we felt was the most appealing format among magazines of our genre. I chose to have my feature article focus on a craft, while my partners focused on a recipe. At the end of each article we inserted a small box that listed the materials required to complete the "craft" so that readers could easily complete the projects at home. This differs from most of the articles we researched. Many articles had the materials scattered throughout the article, but ours tried to make it easier for the reader to access. Our magazine doesn't have a serious or controversial tone, it has a much lighter tone and targets every-day people who want a little inspiration and practical advice to confidently exercise their creativity, either alone or with friends and family. Our article appeals to anyone who has a small amount of free time and a modest budget for example, a stay-at-home parent, retiree, teenager or anyone who enjoys practical home related pursuits.

Distribution - Good Housekeeping

While researching the magazine, Good Housekeeping, I looked over their website. It appears to be slightly different from their magazine, it focuses more on entertainment rather than more substantial topics or articles. In the magazine, I found some decorating tips, recipes, and a few crafts but these articles were not featured on their home page. Right now, most of their home page is dedicated to the Oscars as the event happened over the weekend. The articles talk about the best dresses and couples rather than the information we found in the print magazine. There are some tabs on the page which will take you to; home ideas, food, beauty, Easter ideas, and product reviews. The home idea page features decoration tips and ideas as well as some do-it-yourself crafts. It also houses product reviews on some household cleaning items. The food tabs houses many different recipes based on the season. There are also some reviews on recipes. They also have information about some food chains such as Chick-fil-a. The beauty tab features fashion tips and advice as well as some analysis of celebrity clothing selections and fashion choices. Under the Easter ideas tab, there are recipes, crafts, and decorating tips that are all related to Easter. the final tab is the product review tab. When you click on this tab, it takes you to a page called "Products We Test" and you can click on the different products and it will take you to reviews of specific products in the genre you clicked. The tabs are; appliances, beauty, clothing, cooking tools, electronics, food and drink, health and fitness, home and garden, kids' items and toys, and cars and travel. The brand also has a Twitter, Pintrest, and Facebook account where they advertise articles from their website and sometimes from print magazines. One of the most recognizable things about the Good Housekeeping brand is their "seal of approval" on products they have tested. This not only helps to bring attention to the products they are reviewing, but it also gives Good Housekeeping some publicity. If someone who doesn't know the Good Housekeeping seal of approval, they will be more likely to look up what it is and why its important. This can bring traffic to their website and in turn possibly to their print magazine.

Distribution Research - Better Homes and Gardens

Through my research of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine (bhg), I found that they had a similar website layout to that of the Good Housekeeping website. It too is slightly different from the print magazine but contains a lot of the same information. The first thing you see when you go to their home page are cute crafts that they are featuring. They do have some crafts in their magazines but I have never seen some of the ones they had on the website. As you scroll down, you go through different genres of featured articles. They also have tabs that will take you to certain topics on the website. The first tab is the recipes tab. When you click on it, it takes you to a page very similar to the page the Good Housekeeping website took you to. The page contains a bunch of different recipe ideas and how-to's. The next tab is the decorating tab. When you click this tab, it takes you to articles about decorating but some of them are more "fashion hacks" types of articles. The next tab is the home improvement tab. It takes you to articles that are centered around DIY home improvement. Another tab is the Gardening tab. This will take you to articles about gardening, specifically DIY gardens and best plants for your garden. There are also a few articles on landscaping that is more centered around flowers. The fifth tab is the holiday tab. It changes based in season and upcoming holiday. It features many different types of articles but they all focus on a specific holiday. The next tab is the sales tab. This takes you to a different page that is dedicated to listing items for sale that they used in articles and linking them for the reader to find and buy. The next tab is the video tab. This tab has a bunch of how-to videos on a myriad of different subjects. These videos are pretty different from anything in the print magazine but some of them are slightly related. The next tab is the entertaining tab. When you click on this tab it takes you to articles and videos on how-to's for entertaining guests depending on the season. The next tab is the home services tab, which takes you to a search box which will give you free quotes from local companies. The next tab is the beauty and style tab. This takes you to all things beauty, from how-to's to reviews. The next tab is the magazine tab, which takes you to highlights for that months magazine. The final tab is the pets tab, which provides articles on how to train your pet, cute names, and animal products. Through further research I found that they have a Youtube, Pintrest, and Facebook page which all focus on advertising their magazine and website with highlights and sneak previews.

Distribution Research - HGTV

Through my research of the digital distribution of the HGTV magazine, I looked over their website. The website is not only dedicated to the HGTV magazine, it also houses many episodes of shows that have aired on their television show. It is relatively easy to find the magazine from the HGTV home page, but it is not clearly advertised on the website. Once you find the page for the magazine, they have an option to subscribe with a picture of the upcoming magazine as well as some information on the contents of the magazine. As you scroll down the page, there are some very short articles on houses and decorating, but nothing as substantial as is in the magazine. They also have an "Exclusively Online" section. It has a video of something that is related to the contents in the magazine, either decorating, tips and tricks, or do-it-yourself projects. The final section on the page is "Go Shopping," which features furniture that was used in many of the homes they featured throughout the page as well as some more unique pieces that could easily be added to any home. The HGTV brand also has a Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Pintrest account. On these accounts they advertise both their magazines and many of their television shows. Their youtube account mostly contains clips from their popular shows, but it also has some organization, decoration, and do-it-yourself projects. HGTV also has a newsletter that you can sign up for. There are many different options when signing up for the letter, you can sign up for specific information you want to receive from them.

Distribution - Traditional

Traditionally, magazines have been distributed in many different ways. Each magazine will have a publisher that fits with the type of magazine. The publishing company will then send the magazines out to supermarkets and other local shops where they can be purchased by consumers. For our magazine, we decided that the best publishing company would be Hearst. This company specializes in our type of magazine and currently are publishing magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, and Elle, which are similar to our magazine. These magazine are slightly different from our magazine, but Hearst also publishes Seventeen and The Food Network magazine, which, combined, have all the aspects of our magazine. To distribute our magazine, we would also want to be in supermarkets and stores, but we could also have a mailing list like some of the magazines we looked at. Consumers could subscribe to our magazine and have the magazine sent directly to their mailbox each time there is a new publication. Having our magazine in stores would be good exposure and help to make it more well-known, and having the mailing list would help us to maintain customers.

Revision of Article

For my article, I decided to take out some pieces and conduct the interview with a different person. After looking into articles that were of a similar topic as mine, I decided that I should just interview someone who would do the craft with me and guide me on how to do it. I decided on Ella because she knew how to make the distressed mason jars and had all of the materials. On the first page of the article, I added a large picture of her holding the jars as well as a large title and by-line. This really helped to make the page look more professional and more similar to the other articles I found that were of a similar genre. I also added more pictures to the article and moved the materials to the second page to ensure unity between my partners layout and my layout. Overall, I didn't change much of the writing, only the interview. I also decided to completely change the interview template. Instead of asking about the arts, I focused more on how to create the project and any tips and tricks. I found that this was much more common in magazines of a similar genre to mine.




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                        Before                                                                                             After

Revision of Table of Contents

To streamline our table of contents, we decided that we should have a similar set up. We decided that we would use the font Stencil as our headers, and underneath each title we decided to include a short description because we found that in many similar magazines, they included a short description to entice the viewer to read the article. We also decided that we would change the color of the page numbers for each article. I decided to go with a pastel pink while my partner went with a deep red as her magazine was the winter publication and mine was the spring publication. We also decided to add pictures at the top of the table of contents from the articles in the magazine and add the page number to further entice the reader to want to read our articles. I also decided to change the names of some of the articles that were featured in the magazine. I also redid the cover page craft that my article is centered around to be more spring themed.

                                           Before                                                                           After

Revision of Cover Page

For my cover page, I decided to add more color to it as it is the Spring publication of our magazine. I also took photos in a different location to add to the spring theme. I talked to my partner and we both decided to change the font of our magazine as well. We changed it from Pristina to Elephant which gave us the look we were going for. I also changed the writing on the front of the magazine because I changed my flat plan to be more similar to my partners. I also made the different subheadings different colors to add to the spring theme but also to create interest on the page and make it more eye catching to possible readers. Overall, I kept a similar layout to the page, but the addition of more color definitely helped to make the cover page more eye catching and interesting.

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Branding Revision

We decided to add more branding to the pages of our magazines. We did this by streamlining the page numbers. Instead of just including a number, we added our magazine title as well as the publication month of the magazine. For my magazine, I decided that it would most likely be published in April so I included April in the page number. The picture below shows the branding we added to the table of contents page. The article pages are the exact same except the page number is changed based on what the page number of the article was on my flat plan. We found that a similar format was used in many of the magazines we researched.

Super Bowl Commercials

To research different advertising methods, we took advantage of the Super Bowl commercials. The first commercial we watched was the NFL one that was based on dirty dancing. We found that this commercial was advertising the NFL, even though it isn't a "purchasable" product. They are trying to increase their views for Sunday night football. Their target audience was most likely mid to late thirty's, as the movie Dirty Dancing was released in the 80's. The inclusion of Odell Beckham Jr. adds in a younger generation as he is more popular among people who are less than thirty years old. By referencing Dirty Dancing, the ad will also draw the attention of female viewers, which could increase the number of females that watch Sunday night football because more females watch the Super Bowl. The second advertisement we looked at was one for the Winter Olympics. The winter Olympics, like the NFL can't be purchased but through advertising, they can increase the views they receive. This commercial appealed to emotions, and made the viewer feel inspired, empowered, but also sympathetic towards Jackie Vonn. While the commercial was primarily targeted at parents, specifically moms, it also had a strong message for little girls. We noticed that both the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics were to be aired on NBC, which is also affiliated with the NFL. The final ad that we watched was for Australian Tourism. This commercial started out as if it were a movie. It relied heavily on celebrity appeal as it featured Chris Hemsworth, and the original Crocodile Dundee. While it appeared to be a movie trailer, throughout the commercial, they were showcasing everything you could do while in Australia. They made it interesting to watch by incorporating lots of humor. While this was an entertaining commercial, it's target audience was most likely slightly older. The celebritites featured in the advertisement were more popular with slightly older generations (around 30 to 54 years-old), as they also have the ability to spend more money on a trip to Australia.

Target Audience Research - Better Homes and Gardens

Through our research of the magazine Better Homes and Gardens, we found that their target audience was mostly middle-aged to older women. On their website, they claimed that the average age of their readers was 51 years old. It was also found that the majority of the females who purchased this magazine were more suburban women who were either retired or spent a lot of time at home, either with family or by themselves. This is similar to our target audience as we were also planning on gearing our magazine to a female population who has free time at home for crafts, cooking or decorating. This magazine has been successful in advertising their product through mobile apps, social media, and magazine sections in supermarkets, such as Walmart and Publix. To persuade a younger population to read their magazine, the company has switched to online advertising instead of print advertising, in hopes of attracting a younger audience in addition to their current audience. Additionally, throughout their magazine, they feature pictures that primarily consist of women. This makes sense as their target audience is geared more towards the female population. The article and projects/crafts that are featured in the magazines are also more feminine. Home projects are more geared towards a do-it-yourself decoration rather than a do-it-yourself dresser or backyard pond. Overall, to advertise their product, Better Homes and Gardens uses a combination of print and digital advertising to ensure the success of their product.

Target Audience Research - HGTV

Through our research, we found that this magazine is very similar to ours. It offers creative do-it-yourself projects and easy home decor. We found that the majority of their readers are female (approximately 60%) which follows the pattern we have seen with similar magazines. For this magazine, the age range was slightly lower than that of the the magazine we looked at, ranging from around 25 to 54 years old. This magazine had the largest age range of any of the ones we looked at. They also had some readers that were between the ages of 18 to 25, but they were the minority. We also found that the majority of the readers of this magazine are home owner and 40% had a college degree. This means that there is a large number of people who have free time at home to simple crafts and redecorate their homes, but also have the funds to do so. HGTV advertises their magazine through their television channel. In the magazine, they feature advice from trusted experts, and in many cases people that are seen on their television shows. They rely heavily on the fact that they are a well-known brand which has proven successful to them. They also have a website that advertises their television channel as well as their magazine. They also have a twitter, pintrest and Facebook account where they have pictures from homes or decoration tips as well as specific boards for shows such as Fixer Upper and Brother Vs. Brother