My Analysis of XXL’s Content Page

Page numbers

Sell Quote

Crosshead

Symbol

Icon(s)

Masthead

XXL’s logo

Subhead

The General Layout of XXL magazine is simplistic yet highly effective it also contains more information and detail compared to other magazines like Vibe. Instead of XXL labelling the contents page ‘contents’ they have decided to call it ‘the A-side’ which is unique to them. The content or ‘features’ column is located on the left side which is easily accessible to read. The main image is to the right side , it consists of a mid shoot of two famous hip-hop artists: 50 cent and Soulja Boy.

General Layout

The effect of XXL labelling their contents page ‘the A-side’ gives them an original feel. It is also exclusive to their magazine meaning it enables the reader to identify which magazine they are reading as it is like a trademark. The masthead is in a black sans serif bold font and the dash ‘-’ is in a red colour which draws the readers attention to it.

The name of the magazine is in a white bold sans serif font in front of a red background this is known as a wob. The XXL logo is situated at the end on the right side in a smaller font than the masthead this may be due to the fact that because the labelling of the page is ‘the A-side’ instead of just the typical ‘contents’ the masthead brands the publication and the XXL logo just reminds the reader which magazine they are reading.

The Masthead

XXL’s Logo

The ‘features’ subhead is another example of a wob. Instead of using a bold font for the word ‘features’ to draw the readers attention XXL have used red brackets. This adds to XXL’s original feel as it is unusual to see. The use of the ‘fast-forward’ symbol lets the reader know that there is more information further along in the magazine. As this is a hip-hop magazine the symbol adds to the contemporary side of things as it’s a symbol most young people would recognise. This is highly effective as it a feature that appeals to the target audience

Subhead

Symbol

Just like Vibes content page the crossheads in XXL’s contents page are in capital letters and are in bold font suggesting they are important snippets of that feature or story which draws the reader into reading more about them.

The content or ‘features’ list is in one column on the left side however it has been spilt into two sections separated by a rectangle shape. This divides the information and makes it easier for the reader to read as then there isn’t so much information crammed into one space making it look aesthetically pleasing.

Content Column

The cover stories subhead and page numbers are in a bigger font than the rest. This is so the reader can quickly access the information they need as majority of the time the whole point of the consumer buying the magazine is because they want to read the cover story. The page numbers are beside them in a bold font too similarly to Vibe which allows the reader to quickly identify what page that specific story or feature is on.

Content Column Continued

The main image are two artists of the hip-hop industry that young people would recognise thus appealing to XXL’s target audience. The sell quote situated over the right model (Soulja Boy) draws the readers attention by intriguing them with an actual quote form the rapper himself leading them into wanting to find out more.

Main Image

For the background of the page they have used a gradient of a light grey and white which is not over powering so that the main image, in this case 50 cent and Soulja Boy, are the main focus.

Background

The general colour scheme of XXL’s contents page is red, white, black and a light grey. This is a very simple yet highly effective choice. The effect of using red on the page is to make a statement and draw the reader to that particular part of the page, for example red is used as the background colour for the symbol. This choice of colours also adds to the contemporary feel of the magazine.

Colour Scheme