Analysis of a Magazine Front Cover

Image source: http://www.myfacemybody.com/2010/11/heat-magazine-steve-irwin-steve-handisides-common/




Even though photos of glamorous girls are used they are not posing and look natural, but also add interest to the stories. The main focus of the magazine is celebrities so on this particular cover there is Cheryl Cole who is very well known, and people would buy the magazine to find out about the latest events in her life.  As celebrities are written about this would add interest for the target audience who are 16-25 year olds.  

The colour scheme is red, white and yellow, so it means that the front cover is eye-catching. The word “BIG” is written in capitals and is around the same size as the title of the magazine. This helps to emphasise its importance in relation to the Cheryl Cole story. There is also an image of Katie Price in the top left hand corner, so re-enforces that the main focus within the magazine is celebrities, and that readers find it interesting getting to know what is happening in the lives of people like this.

Connotations of the title "heat" are fire and danger, so the fact that "Strictly" are getting "Dirty" links into this idea of being dangerous, with a daring side too. The magazine would interest men and women, as Cheryl Cole is a role model for females, so they would want to read the magazine and find out about her "renevation plan", whereas males would see her as being an attractive and successful woman, so they would want to read about her for this reason.