Magazine: Industries and Mens Health

Hearst Publishings:

1.
Hearst Communications is a conglomerate. It is based in New York City.

2.

• ELLE
• Esquire
• Men's Health
• Cosmopolitan

3.

$10.8 billion

4.

• Cosmopolitan
• Esquire
• ELLE
• Women's Health

Around 17 million users online. 30% reach women and 25% reach men.

5.

• Increase events and partnerships
• Take advantage of the digital age to use influencers to promote

6.

Over 10%

7.

• premium content should be profit-orientated
• paywalls haven't been planed

8.

• Hearst sets up roughly 100 events per year
• creation of merchandise to sell and diversify.

9.

Men's health is increasing in circulation but only by 0.51%

10.

• The #MendTheGap plays a big role in helping the company
• The company's range of gym equipment on sale

The impact of digital media on the print magazines industry:

1.

The digital age is growing ad more people are going on the internet to find out about news and other fashion trends or food trends etc. This means more platforms are opening to allow people to find these resources for free. If it is free online then there would be a decline in sales for traditional print magazines.

2.

News and affairs that affect current society.

3.

A struggle for fashion magazines as fashion trends are all over snapchat, Instagram, the internet in general which can all be accessible for free.

4.

• Sales of the top 100 actively purchased print titles within the UK
• Readers dropped from 23.8 million to 13.9 million (42%) in just 7 years

5.

65% of the total revenue

6.

Diversification as it can find a new way to attract previous customers by providing something that is more up to date in today's society.

7.

He states that 'we sell early 5 million a month, that's hardly dead' which shows he believes that the magazine industry is getting into the online side of the world also securing '20 million unique UK users per month'.

8.

Men's health uses its brand for gym equipment for sale in order to use it as a revenue stream.

9.

In current digital age, there are a lot of fake news online, however, magazines have the argument of being completely true compared to the online world.

10.

Audiences of Men's Health see the magazine as more of a guide to a better life rather than an entertainment source. It's something that can helps their life by reading and following the instructions within it.

The Men's Health website and social media:

1.

The key conventions like the font or the colour schemes are similar.

2.

• News regarding health, weight loss, workouts etc.
• The promotion of products are also included in the newsletter which is where Men's Health earn some revenue.

3.

• Fitness
• Style
• Workouts
• Mental strength

This could suggest that the brand promotes very traditional masculine ideologies and has very static brand values.

4.

The section on style gives audiences instructions on how to style themselves and how to keep up with fashion trends. This is targeted at men who have an interest in improving what they look like.

5.

I believe that Men's Health is trying to go into the digital magazine sector in order to fit with the current digital age. An advantage of digital first is that it is able to reach a wider range of audience at ease but a disadvantage would be that their print magazine demand would decline eventually pushing that side of Men's Health out.

6.

The twitter posts offers audiences an insight to any offers or tips for a healthier lifestyle which leads onto their website in order to attract more customers. EG. "People who smoke weed before or after the gym spend more time working out, according to a new study"

7.
The images used include images of workouts and other healthy images in order to attract audiences who class as aspires who aim to be a better them.

8.
Gratification and personal identity is achievable through the Instagram's posts of physically fit men doing heavy weight workouts which is what makes audiences aspire to be like them.

9.
I think that they are trying to do both but more trying to get into the online magazine market since it is clear that the digital age as evolved so much that majority of audiences are on the internet. This number is only to grow in the future.

10.
I think that the online Men's Health is successful at representing its values from the bold serif font to the blue white black colour scheme to the main cover image all speaks traditional male values and how to be a stronger, healthier you. I also believe that the digital magazine will take over the print version of the magazine since more and more people will choose the internet over actual magazines. In other words, only older generations really go out their way to buy magazines and over time they will pass and new generations are not likely to purchase these print magazines therefore making the hard copy of the magazine run out of customers.

Mens Health: Language and Representation

Language:

1.
Men's Health has a very conventional white background and central image that is place bang in the middle of the front page. The main image they decided to use was a well know figure, Vin Diesel (star power). In the image, we can see Vin Diesel putting a very serious expression on and in a strong stance to show off his muscles. This can be linked to masculinity as it may very represent some traditional masculinity views such as having to be strong with muscles and not showing emotions etc. These ideologies have been fitted into the magazine to suggest that the person is heroic, dominant and strong which is very suitable for this type of magazine. The use of different fonts (serif and sans serif) allows the magazine to target different audience groups which different education levels.

2.
Front cover:
The main cover uses 3 main colours, blue, black and white. This colour scheme tends to be associated with a more masculine colour scheme compared to colours like pink or purple which have been traditionally seen as more 'feminine'. The magazine also chose Vid Diesel to be their main/central image. In the majority if not all of this roles in films, he has been shown as a hyper masculine character which always plays the hero role. This can be related again to traditional masculinity and where our current society is with that. On the other hand, the magazine touches on the topic of mental illness, this subverts traditional masculinity and the expectations of traditional masculinity.

Editors letter:
The layout of this page takes a more modern approach with an artistic way of laying out the contents page. With numbers in different directions and the pictures not in a single row or even having pictures in it, it can attract a different group of audience, perhaps a more artistic audience. This will also help give off an aesthetic pleasure to current audiences. As for the editors letter, it is written informally and directly to the audience which is a convention within magazines such as GQ. With the informal language and direct eye address, it means that the audiences feel more included in the magazine which could link to the personal uses and gratifications theory which was personal relationships. A link between the editor and the audiences.

Article page:
The layout itself is a conventional layout of an article in a magazine. Two columns of writing about a specific topic. The reason why this page stands out is the content itself. This page features a man of older age talking about his story as to why despite his age, still decides to run marathons. In a magazine talking about health generally targeting younger audiences, seeing a feature of an older figure doesn't see to fit. However, this can also meet their goal in attempting to boost the motivation of their audiences to get out and get working out for a better lifestyle. Seeing an older generation who stereo typically are unable to do things such as running marathons, do the 'impossible' makes them think if he can do it then I can too. This method of motivation can really work against a mass audience.

3.
Todorov - The current equilibrium is the current unhealthy lifestyle of the audiences. The disequilibrium is the magazine getting them to go out and do exercise and to diet etc. The new equilibrium after that is the audience having a new and better lifestyle due to the events in the disequilibrium.

Propp - Character theory can be infused into this by viewing people like Vin Diesel or the marathon man as the hero who will be the main inspiration to the audiences change with the editor acting as the donor who lead the audiences to the hero's.

Barthes -

• Enigma - The cover lines
• Action - The image of the marathon man

4.

I think that the editors letter creates more male insecurities but purposely in order to make themselves sound more appealing and for financial gains. By creating these insecurities, it then means that the editor can tell the audience that by reading this magazine, it will include how to solve these so called insecurities. This encourages people to buy the magazine who feel self conscious about their insecurities.

5.

This page does this by featuring an older generation male who is stereotypically seen as incapable of restless actions like marathons doing exactly what they are expected unable to do. With this subverting of stereotypes, it can link to the theory since the stereotype itself is seen as the repetition and the way the marathon man subverts this is seen as the difference in the theory.

Representations:

1.

The first clue to gauntlets ideas of masculinity being shown within this magazine is the way masculinity is shown in the front cover. Vin Diesel who is depicted as a hyper masculine character, is used as the central image. This alone reinforces the traditional views of a man in the way that men should be strong and emotionless. On top on this, Vin Diesel tends to play the hero in films which is another way that the magazine supports the traditional masculinity views. Gauntlett also suggests a generational gap. Even though the magazine itself is aimed at an audience between their 20s to 40s, the featured article of the marathon man subverts man stereotypes which acts as a motivational element to the audience. Although unconventional in a health magazine, still a good idea and method.

2.

Zoonen said that the media often reinforces sex role stereotypes which is reinforced within Men's Health. By having Vin Diesel as the cover image, from the way he is posing to his facial expression and general vibe, it emits a very 'masculine' feel to it. Some of the cover lines add to this where some come across as strong and a bit aggressive once again being a more masculine trait to have. Women on the other hand tend to be put in a more submissive role. For women's health magazines, females are still sexualised more than men with more flesh shown and the female is always wearing make up and is very likely had a lot of editing done to the image to make them look more sexualised in order to gain more views.

3.

Corrosive masculinity can be linked to the CSP. She suggests that gender is just a set of connotations which the society normalises. This ultimately leads to terms such as normalised traumatisation which can create a lot of issues with genders. As for the male gender, it could make then have mental issues where they are being told to confine emotions and expressions as a proof of power. This may have led an amount of males feeling lost and create a feeling of not belonging.

Academic analysis:

1.

Men's Health also leads audiences on advice for a more healthier and fashionable lifestyle.

2.

Advertising can create a base to allowing men to gain self identification through products being advertised in the magazine.

3.

• Butler
• Zoonen
• Gauntlett

4.

The article encourages their audiences to work hard for their body in secrecy but to show off their results in public. In other words, to show off their physical appearances but to hide the work put into it. As for evidence, the global market for male grooming products were said to have grown immensely in just under a decade with an annual rate of 5.7%.

5.
Men's Health being a health magazine shows the bodies of the male figures as strong in order to inspire the audience and make them want to work harder for a better body.

6.
The article suggests that men are also sexualised in the media alike females. New concepts of masculinity are socially constructed by the minute in order to fit this ideal type of man.

7.
Metrosexuality is the feeling of wanting to look good by investing in grooming products and self care products in order to have a nice physical appearance. This can be linked to Men's Health as there are adverts within the magazines for things like razors which are grooming products said to make a man look better.

8.
The section that discusses the topic of 'Homogenous bodies' touches on the stereotypical depictions of what masculinity is. The ideology that men should be strong, powerful, emotionless, expressionless etc just so that they are successful and wanted.

9.
The magazine offers different views on the topic of masculinity. Some that reinforce traditional views of masculinity and some that subvert them.

10.
I believe that Men's Health is smartly constructed in order to gain a most profitable outcome. The very first page (the front page/cover) suggest a traditional view of masculinity in order to point out insecurities to their male audience members. Then in the next page, the editors letter involves an informal article which in all tells the audience that there are tips within this magazine that can help them break away from these insecurities. Later on, the article of the marathon man acts as one of the first motivating factors for the audiences to have faith in the magazine and its content which would eventually lead to brand loyalty and a increase in amount of audience members through word of mouth. Therefore, I think that Men's Health shows both a negative and a positive view on masculinity.

Magazines: Men's Health - Audience

1.
They call themselves 'the biggest-selling men's lifestyle magazine, both in the UK and worldwide.' It then moves on to say that they are successful because of its work on health, wellbeing, nutrition and premium content of fashion, grooming, watches, tech and travel.

2.
The introduction suggests that men's health take a more traditional gentleman representation of masculinity which is reinforced by showing a range of physically fit men ad wealthy me.

3.
Men's health has the higher print circulation among ABC readers and the highest readership alone.

4.
Circulation is the number of copies printed and distributed to the public whereas readership is an estimate of how many people actually read the magazine.

5.

• Circulation - 180,000
• Readership in ABC1 - 643,000
• Readership in AB - 321,000

6.

Most of their views are from online mobile devices.

7.

• Facebook - 944,000
• Twitter - 285,000
• Instagram - 66,000

8.

• ABC1 with an age around 21 to 44 - 905,000
• People with a degree - 700,000
• People who earn over 50,000 - 200,000

9.

A stylish approach which is also contemporary, wearable and individual. People who buy men's health magazines spend around £1.1 billion on fashion per year.

10.

The average watch collection value is £4,123 which shows a high earning audience. This means they are likely to be successful and end up owning some sort of collection putting them into the aspires section.

11.

73% of readers, this could show that the audience members of men's health take pride in their appearance to other people and by also using skincare products, which is seen as a 'feminine' thing.

12.

The magazine suggests the their audiences spend a lot on sports wear and tech meaning they care about their lifestyle and are willing to invest in items that could benefit them health wise.

13.

• Urban Active - Sports fashion
• Synchronised - Watches
• Epicure - Food, drink and cooking

14.

The audience members of men's health can be organised into 2 main demographics/ psychographics. One of them are succeeders which have disposable income in order to purchase magazines like Men's Health. The other is aspirers which are always searching for ways of improving the current them.

15.

• Advertisements of other health related products.
• Survival of the fittest competition

16.

• 37 International Editions of the magazine
• Published in 60 different countries
• Has a 4.5 million Global Circulation
• A 26.7 million global readership
• 25 websites
• 19.3 million Social Media Footprint

17.

They suggest that the readers of Men's Health are fashion aware and take an interest in current trends. They also spark an interest in technology and sports equipment and are adventurous.

18.

Personal identity - seeing something the audience can relate to in the magazine

Surveillance - the interviews  in the written articles that talk about the persons lifestyle

Diversion - the inclusion of well known figures

19.

Since the range of the audience for men's health is around the ABC1 group, it is likely that they have white collar jobs since they have the time to have interests in fitness activities. They are also willing to spend some of their income on fashion trends and healthy food dieting for a better lifestyle.

20.

One of the main points is that Men's Health is available on the internet these days making it still very accessible. The audience members of Men's Health also see the magazine as a guidance of how to make themselves look better and feel better healthiness wise. This is why they are willing to keep buying the magazine/