Magazines: Tatler CSP

Print magazine Tatler is our first Close Study Product in this unit. We need to study the media language and representation of people, places and groups on the front cover of Tatler (January 2021).

Some of the key notes from the lesson are here:

General

• Tatler is Britain’s oldest magazine (founded in 1901).
• Targeted at upper classes and upper-middle classes.
• Lifestyle magazine with focus on fashion; high society events such as balls and celebrities such as the Royal family and members of the aristocracy (people with inherited wealth, titles and land.)
• There are versions in Russia, Hong Kong and Indonesia.
• Over the years, Tatler has remained interested in the lives of the Royal family, but has tried to re-invent itself as more ‘edgy’ and modern in recent years, to try and target a younger audience. 

Watch this trailer for BBC's Posh People - a documentary about Tatler, the oldest magazine in Britain.

 

And here's the first episode of the documentary - Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous:

Media Language

• This refers to how the producers communicate their message to the audience through the media text. 
• Mise-en-scene: what you see - remember CLAMPS (Costume / Lighting / Actors / Make-up / Props / Setting)
• Typography / Fonts: serif title and sans serif cover lines. 
• Words used and their connotations. 
• Colour schemes: usually two or three in a magazine. Sometimes title matches or is juxtaposed with colours elsewhere on the cover.

Representations

• Tend to reflect dominant representations/stereotypes of wealthy upper-class British people on the cover through images and cover lines.
• The cover star is Emma Weymouth (aka Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath) and is a rare black cover star for Tatler. Emma Thynn's father is a Nigerian oil billionaire and her mother is an English socialite (socialite: a person who is well known in fashionable society). This cover star shows Tatler is trying to update its representation of race in the magazine in response to recent cultural changes such as the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Average age of Tatler reader is 41 but the cover tends to focus on celebrities or models who are younger than this (due to dominant ideals of beauty in the Media).
• Cover lines (stories inside) tend to focus on preoccupations of upper classes e.g ‘Inside the new British establishment'; Blond ambition (about Boris Johnson's brother); Off-duty Royal dressing. 

Social and cultural contexts

• The issues that Tatler is concerned with tend to be political but not in a particularly gritty way because the magazine is more interested in fashion, merchandise, beauty and ‘lifestyle’ rather than dealing with news in any depth. Hence references to Boris Johnson's brother and 'the workings of the Westminster web'.
• The preoccupation with parties, private schools, luxury holidays and exclusivity (the ‘Tatler Privilege Club’) assumes a high level of income and an elitist attitude which may alienate or offend people from a different social class. 81% of the readership has an above average income. 44% buy shoes or clothes more than once a month so the cultural context of the magazine could be judged as ‘niche’ (for the few) rather than ‘mainstream’ (for everyone).
• Some of the stories featured in Tatler can be seen as outdated as they are concerned with riding, hunting and shooting which are pursuits generally only enjoyed by upper classes. 

Here's an annotated copy of the cover of Tatler to help you (you'll need your Greenford Google login to access this).

Tatler: Case Study Blog Tasks

Work through the following tasks and questions to build a detailed case study for Tatler issue January 2021 (below). This will give you plenty of background information to use in an exam question on print magazines. First, create a new blogpost called Tatler CSP: Blog Task.

Introduction - Tatler Media Pack

1) Look at the Tatler Media Pack. Go to page 2: How does the editor introduce the magazine?

2) Now go to page 4 of the Media Pack. Focus on the print magazine (NOT tatler.com - the website). List the key demographic details: age, gender %, ABC1 % (social class), HHI (Household Income), % of those living in London and the South East. What do these demographic details suggest about the average Tatler reader?

3) Look at page 6. What do Tatler readers think about fashion? How much do they spend?

4) Go to page 10. What are the special editions of Tatler that run throughout the year? What does this suggest about the Tatler audience? What about the pyschographic audience group that best fits Tatler?


Media Language

1) What different examples of typography can you find on the cover of Tatler? What are the connotations of the serif and sans serif fonts?

2) How do the cover lines appeal to the Tatler target audience?

3) What are the connotations of the Tatler colour scheme on this particular front cover?

4) How is the central image designed to create interest in the magazine? Find three reasons for your answer. (E.g. the model, the mise-en-scene such as props, costume and make-up, body position, facial expression etc.)

Representations

1) What celebrities or famous people are mentioned on the cover? Why do you think Tatler put them on the cover?

2) What do the cover lines suggest about the lifestyle of rich people in the UK?

3) Looking at the image and cover lines together, what different groups of people are represented on the cover and how are they represented? (E.g. men/women/rich people/race & ethnicity etc.) 

4) Are there any stereotypes being reinforced or subverted? How? Why?

Social and cultural contexts

1) What types of people are NOT featured in Tatler? (Watch the clip above again if you need help with this - the clue is in the title 'Posh People')

2) Tatler runs special issues on holidays, spa breaks, cosmetic surgery, watches and jewellery and private schools. What does this suggest about the magazine's representation of life in Britain? 

3) What audience groups might be offended or insulted by the front cover of Tatler? 

4) Find three other front covers for Tatler from different months. What issues, subjects or people are regularly featured in Tatler?


Grade 8/9 Extension Tasks

As an extension, you may want to watch the documentary about Tatler linked above to find out more on the social and cultural contexts for the magazine. Then, think about or write answers to these questions:

1) What would be the preferred and oppositional readings to this cover of Tatler?

2) Are there any misrepresentations or under-representations of certain groups? What might this suggest about the target audience?

3) How does the front cover engage audiences with possible narratives? Look for stories, cliffhangers, dramatic cover lines etc.

4) Read this Guardian article on the BBC documentary about Tatler called Posh People. What does the article suggest about the people who produce and read Tatler?

Complete for homework - due date on SatchelOne.

Advertising CSP 3: Represent NHS Blood campaign

Our final close-study product for Advertising and Marketing is the NHS Blood and Transplant online campaign video 'Represent' featuring Lady Leshurr.

This product provides an excellent opportunity to explore a range of different representations: ethnicity, masculinity, femininity, class, age, disability and ability and place. It's also a different type of advert as it's not promoting a product but instead is a campaign designed to influence the audience's behaviour.

Sample Questions for Advertising and Marketing

In your Media exams, you are likely to get questions similar to these:

1) Why do advertisers use stereotypes? [6 marks]

2) Explain how advertisements reflect the social and cultural contexts in which they were created. [12 marks]

Think about how you might answer those questions based on the CSPs we have studied.

Advertising Campaigns

Some adverts are produced in a series as a campaign. An advertising campaign is a series of advertisements that share a singular theme, message or idea. These are used to raise awareness of an issue or of the brand itself. The best campaigns have an emotional impact on audiences.

An advertising campaign will usually appear across multiple media platforms - print, broadcast and online.

Represent: Background Information

Lady Leshurr is an English rapper, singer and producer. She is famous for her freestyling rap style and has her own clothing line. 

This is the advert CSP:

This is a 'making of' video about how the Represent video was made:

The two articles we read in the lesson provide details on the campaign and how it was developed. This also gives information on why blood from people with a BAME background is so vital. 

GLOW words to use in connection to this campaign

• Literal – the actual, obvious meaning 
• Semiotics - the message behind what you see (hidden messages)
• Reinforce stereotype – when a representation is what we expect
• Challenge/subvert stereotype - When a representation goes against what we normally see in the media
• Mass - A mass audience is made up of a large group of people (men, women, children, elderly)
• Niche - A niche audience is a small subset with very unique interests or characteristics 

Codes and Conventions of Urban Music Videos

• There are many low-angled, close up shots in hip hop videos, to imply the artists’ power over their audience. The low angle gives them the power, because they look down on the audience and the close up gives status because it implies they’re important enough to have a frame to themselves.
• Sections of direct contact with the camera (the artist usually spends a lot of time looking straight into the camera as if to talk or have a conversation with the audience and relate to them)
• Props regarding costume tend to be used, for e.g. gold jewellery (male rap artists are commonly known to wear heavy chains or prominent rings)
• Show a clear display of emotions – if the tone of the song is angry, the artist is likely to present this through their gestures and facial expressions.
• Strong editing cuts between concept / performance and narrative.

Represent NHS Blood & Transplant campaign: Blog tasks

Work through the tasks in this blogpost to make sure you're an expert on this CSP.

1) What is an advertising campaign?

2) What is the objective of the NHS Represent campaign? 

3) What does this advert want people to do once they've seen it (the 'call to action')? 

4) Why is the advert called 'Represent'? 

5) Why have the producers chosen celebrities to feature in the advert? Give an example of three well-known people who appear in the advert and why they are famous - make sure you write their names and spell them accurately.

6) What are the connotations of the slow-paced long shot of empty chairs at the end of the advert?

7) How does the advert match the key conventions of a typical urban music video?

8) How does the advert subvert stereotypes? Give three examples (e.g. ethnicity, masculinity, femininity, age, class, disability/ability etc.) 

9) How does the advert reinforce certain stereotypes? Could there be an oppositional reading where some audiences would find this advert offensive or reinforcing negative stereotypes?

10) Choose one key moment from the advert and write an analysis of the connotations of camera shots and mise-en-scene (CLAMPS).


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

1) Read this MOBO press release about the "B Positive" campaign - the follow-up to the Represent advert. How does it aim to build on the success of the Represent campaign?

2) How is celebrity endorsement or star power used to make the campaign stand out?

3) Research the following stars in more detail: Lady Leshurr, Ade Adepitan, Kanya King. Why are they famous? How do they help the campaign reach different segments of their niche audience?

4) How does the advert use genre and intertextuality to appeal to the target audience? You may need to research these key terms first in order to answer this question.

You will have lesson time to answer these questions but will need to complete for homework - due date on SatchelOne. 

Advertising CSP 2: Audrey Hepburn Galaxy Advert

Our second close-study product for Advertising and Marketing is the 2016 Galaxy chocolate advert 'Chauffeur' featuring a CGI version of Hollywood film star Audrey Hepburn.

This product provides an excellent opportunity to explore a range of different representations: celebrity, place (Italy), gender and more. 

Galaxy Advert: Background Information

This is the advert CSP:

You can read more about the incredible CGI technology that went into creating the advert here. There is also a Guardian feature from the production company behind the advert explaining the technical process. 

GLOW words to use for this CSP

• Intertextuality: When one media text refers to or suggests another media text
• Semiotic codes: The media language choices (‘signs’) that create connotations for the audience.

Historical context of confectionary advertising

Nostalgia, or a "yearning for yesterday," is a frequently used advertising tool.  It is particularly common in the chocolate industry.

This classic Flake advert from the 1980s creates a nostalgic atmosphere of a more innocent time: 

Galaxy brand identity

The Galaxy brand identity has focused on luxury and indulgence for over 25 years. This 1995 advert is a good example of the Galaxy brand and also features a nostalgic soundtrack:



Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn was a huge Hollywood star in the 1950s and 1960s. She was associated with Hollywood glamour and style and was also a fashion icon and model. She died in 1993 at the age of 63.

For the Galaxy advert, the advertising agency used a CGI-version of Hepburn from 1953, the year of her hit film Roman Holiday. The advert is set on the luxurious Italian Riviera which creates intertextuality and nostalgia – two key audience pleasures.

Intertextuality in Media Products

Intertextuality is where one media product (e.g. Galaxy) makes reference to other media products (e.g. Audrey Hepburn movies such as 1953 film Roman Holiday) to interest and engage the audience.

Narrative theories

We also need to learn narrative theories in GCSE Media Studies and the Galaxy advert is an ideal time to learn these. Narrative theories help us understand how media texts are constructed to engage an audience and keep them watching or reading until the end.

Propp’s  Character theory

Vladimir Propp stated that there were seven basic character functions when he analysed 100 fairy tales and that these were present in most narratives. Media products still use these recognisable character types today:

Hero, Villain, Heroine/Princess, Father, Donor, Helper/Sidekick, False Hero

Todorov: Equilibrium

Todorov suggested that all narratives follow a three part structure.

They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when a new equilibrium is restored.

Equilibrium > Disequilibrium > New equilibrium

This can be applied to most media narratives.

Galaxy Advert: Representations

The TV advertisement for Galaxy uses a range of stereotypes. Stereotypes are used so that information can be quickly communicated to the target audience. What stereotypes are used in this advert and why? Are they reinforced or subverted?

Place: Italy

Celebrity: Audrey Hepburn

Product: Galaxy chocolate

Time: 1950s

Gender: Men & Women

Galaxy 'Chauffeur' Advert: Blog Tasks

Create a blogpost called 'Galaxy Advert CSP' and then work through the following tasks to make sure you're an expert on this CSP. 

Re-watch the Galaxy advert above then answer the questions below:

1) What key conventions of TV advertising can you find in the Galaxy advert?

2) What is the key message the Galaxy advert is communicating about its chocolate? The slogan for the advert will help you with this question.

3) Who is Audrey Hepburn and why did Galaxy select Audrey Hepburn for this advert? 

4) In your own words, what is intertextuality?

5) What Audrey Hepburn films are referred to in this advert and how is this effect created (e.g. mise-en-scene - CLAMPS: costume, lighting, actors, make-up, props, setting)?

6) Which of Propp's character types are can be found in the advert and how do they change? (Note: just choose two or three character types that are definitely used in the advert - it does not use all seven). 

7) How does the advert's narrative (story) follow Todorov's theory of equilibrium?

8) What representation of celebrity can be found in this advert? Think about how Audrey Hepburn is presented. 

9) What representations of gender can you find in this advert?

10) How are stereotypes subverted at the end of the Galaxy advert to reflect modern social and cultural contexts? 

Grade 8/9 Extension Tasks

Read the Framestore case study and the Guardian feature again. How did they recreate an Audrey Hepburn film using location, casting and CGI?

Now read this Vintage Everyday feature behind the scenes of the Galaxy advert. What other background information do you learn here regarding the construction of the advert?

Women in the 1950s are represented very differently in two of our advertising CSPs: OMO and Galaxy. What similarities and differences can you find by analysing the two products?

Due date for this work on SatchelOne.