SC: Magic Numbers Magazine Advert

Product Analysis

Magazine advert: The Magic Numbers – The Runaway

This magazine advert is very basic yet at the same time effective. It uses intertextuality as it uses the same image from the cover of the album itself. The advert consists of one main image, the title of the album, the band name, release date, a small review and some basic information about the album.
The layout of the advert is tidy and centred, with a very professional look, all based around the image in the middle of the advert: a large finger print. This image draws the readers attention very well as it is set on a dull red/brown background which contrasts with the image and text on top of it which is light blue. The whole advert has a matching house style, with the image and text all in a matching light blue on top of the continuous dull background, this adds to the professional feel. The image itself could represent two things about the band and the album. Fingerprints are most commonly associated with identity, which suggests the band is attempting to create a new identity for them selves, and are presenting this to the audience using the fingerprint as a symbol of this, this would suggest to the audience that they style of music has changed or evolved some how, urging the audience to go out and buy the album. On the other hand, fingerprints can often be associated with the unknown, and create a sense of enigma in the advert; this suggests that the band are not telling the audience much about the album, attempting to make the audience curious about the album and hopefully buy it.
There is no image of the band itself in the advert, most likely because it is not their debut album and the audience will most probably know who they are already. This shows the band feel established enough to not front the album advert, something that most debut artists do.
This enigmas theme is added to by the lack of detail in the information at the bottom of the advert. There is only on small review at the bottom for example, whereas traditionally album adverts have several. Again the information on the album is very basic and limited, there are no song title’s advertised as would suit typical advert conventions.
The final aspects of the advert include where the album will be sold (major distributors) and the official website of the band to help promote both the band and the album; both are common conventions of album adverts in magazines.