Appendix 4

• Research Bauer www.bauer.co.uk
• Research IPC Media www.ipcmedia.com

1. List which music magazines they own.
Bauer own:
Pop
Kerrang
Mojo
Q

IPC own:
Guitar & Bass
NME

2. What are their main sub-genres?
Bauer magazine’s main sub genres include; Heavy metal/rock, teen and indie.
IPC magazine’s sub genres include; Indie and rock.

3. Do they cater for mainstream or niche audiences?
Bauer’s magazines, Kerrang! and Mojo are specifically aimed at a niche audience whereas Q is aimed at a mainstream audience.
IPC magazines like NME and Guitar & Bass are aimed at niche audiences.

4. Pick 3 and try to expand on their demographic readership and find circulation figures (ABCs). Detail how the magazine tries to target this demographic with reference to content (images/articles).
Kerrang!’s total circulation on issues per week is 52,272. This is a high circulation rate which means that it is a mainstream magazine; the readers can be anyone within a certain age range, although people who listen to rock are more likely to read this, the images are usually dark and the people in the images usually have an ‘aggressive look on their face, which connotes that it is a Rock/ Metal music magazine. Whereas Q has a circulation figure of 103,017, which is big and makes it another mainstream magazine, although people who listen to indie are more likely to read this, also Q is more likely to have black and white images on it with people looking quite ‘serious’ about their music but laid back at the same time. Finally NME is another mainstream music magazine that a lot of people are likely to read, this magazine will more likely have a Rock/Indie photo to show the reader what they are actually about to read.

5. How do these magazines use the process of synergy to sell the brand? Give as many examples as you can.
They use the process of synergy to sell their by using their websites and TV to advertise their magazine, also they will advertise new albums in the magazine to promote that product so people buy the primary product they are trying to promote. For example Kerrang! Will advertise their magazine on their TV channel.