“XXL” CASE STUDY

Background Details

First published in 1997. The first issue featured rappers Jay Z and

Master P. To begin with the magazine only featured

Rap but as it got more popular it began to feature Hip Hop to help sales.

XXL is a music magazine that has featured many rap/hip hop artists.

It is based in New York City and only releases 6 editions a year.

The first editions of XXL

The main image presents a typical male who is usually black as the stereotype of rappers is African American typically.

The colour scheme is mainly red, black and white which has been the same through out the years since the first publication.

Other rap artist that feature in the magazine will be on the front cover some where on most front covers of XXL

The artist on the front cover will usually be wearing some sort of jewellery and have tattoos on show. Also the artist will often have a hardened face to help them look cool and serious.

XXL Today Its issued only 6 times a year but has recently

decided to stop printing because of the decrease in sales.

XXL have a website online where you can find out tons of information about latest albums, all of the big Hip Hop artists, new songs etc.

Follows a standard magazine layout with colours and text.

Other than music XXL covers fashion and culture.

The cost of the magazine is $5 which is £3.14 in the UK.

Homepage of XXL

Target Audience The fans of Rap music will be the target

audience of XXL. Aged between 16-34. Predominantly male readers Active rap fans who listen and like to know the

latest about hip hop. Interested in video games, fashion, gangs and

possibly drugs. Sees XXL as a rap magazine that will cover all

of their favourite artists.

XXL’s Mission Statement and Ideal Reader:XXL mission is to take a mature real and intelligent approach to hip hop music. XXL keeps up with hip hops energy and targets the people that live for urban music. The general target audience for XXL magazine is 78% male readers, with the median age of 27, and 44.7% college buyers, and 67% African Americans. Priced at $5.99 XXL is the number 1 selling magazine on the newsstand which outsells magazines like Rolling Stone, Vibe, and spin. The readers of XXL purvey hip hop culture; consume music, and fashion and lifestyle on a level that defines logic. The readers are either in clubs, online, onstage, and at shops (places they can gain or access music from). XXL readers helped the magazine to become NO.1 most influential brand in rap media. XXL is no.1 selling ABC audited music publication sold worldwide and is the hip hops media brand

Style XXL features a lot of iconography associated

with hip hop/rap and the style around it e.g. jewellery, tattoos, money, violence, guns.

The magazine is laid out in a professional way with capitalised text to have a stronger impact on the audience.

Red, black and white are the main colours of the magazine which go well with primary colours such as yellow and blue.

These styles suggest that the readership is mainly male.

The facial expressions of these two artists are straight and serious. 50 cent is covering his face which suggests he is hiding, possibly crime.

Tattoos on show and baggy clothing being rap related, giving the target audience a fashion sense to follow.

The magazines main colours of black, red and white.

Big bold text to catch attention from the target audience and others.

Very professionally laid out and has a clean cut/smart feel to it.

Mode of Address The mode of Address of XXL is casual and

quite basic and therefore there isn’t much text to present.

As there isn’t much text on this magazine there isn’t any text to analyse. The only text on there mainly is rap artists names.

The lack of writing means that the magazine wants you to focus on the main image because the magazine will most likely have a big story about the front cover artist.

As you can see that the main sell line is short and attention seeking. It also goes with the artist that is on the front cover, Lil Wayne.

The rest of the text is on the right side of the magazine which brings in the rule of thirds meaning that this is what the audience will see last.

Also the text on the right is just the other artists featured in this magazine.

Ownership Owned by Vanessa Staten Produced by Harris Publications. First issue 1997, final issue 0ctober 2014. XXL took over struggling DJ magazine

Scratch and had other special projects such as Hip Hop Soul, Eye Candy and Shady45.

Published by Townsquare Media. Based in New York – America. Has a website called www.XXLMag.com.

1997 - 2014

Harris Publishing, Inc is a full service publishing company which includes 15 different niche publications and five specialty events in those niche areas. 

Harris Publishing is well known and respected in these industries for its writing, photography and design.

In 1971, Harris Publishing began and quickly launched three magazines: Potato Grower, SnoWest and Sugar Producer. Other publications in boating, golf, trucks, lifestyle, snowmobiling, and industry publications were added through the years. 

In publishing these titles it was obvious there was a need for related events. Harris Publishing filled these needs in the boating, snowmobiling, and golf areas and started the National Houseboat Expo, On the Water Expo, Intermountain Snowmobile Show, Idaho Snowmobile Show, and the Mountain West Golf. Expo

In keeping with our tradition of setting the pace in the ever changing market they have partnered with the leading digital and print fulfilment company. 

Harris Publishing “will continue to align our publications, events, websites and marketing in ways that will promote our clients needs.” 

Harris Publishing, Inc also owns Falls Printing, LLC.