Creative Critical Reflection #3

How did your production skills develop through this project?
My production skills have increased significantly since the beginning of this project, seeing as though prior to this project I had none. I studied camera shots and angles in my product research in order to properly capture the intensity I desired within my magazine. The easiest part of the production process was writing the actual article. Because of my indecisive nature, I originally had three different covers with three different cover photos. I asked the opinions of some of my classmates and yielded the final product. I found attention to detail very difficult as far as the symmetry of text on both sides of the collum. Finishing touches that make the print seem more professional such as balancing the lighting through photo editing of my cover page. The largest production skill developed as much as my editing. I have learned that nothing is truly perfect, and can always be made better and Rome truly wasn't built in a day.

Creative Critical Reflection #2

How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
Before I answer how my magazine engages audiences, I must define who my audience is. As mentioned, my goal is to reach high school athletes and sports fans in my area and to provide them with high quality, and consistent sports news and updates. The engagement of said audience is not as difficult as it seems due to the large sports culture that exists in Florida. Schools have alumni and a devoted fan base of people in their area. Pride for where you come from will engage those to buy a copy of my magazine. As a real media text, the magazine would primarily be sold at Sarasota High School. Not only during the day, but during sports events as well. This can be accomplished by working with the teams that exist at my school and offering a kickback of all sales to help with the team's fundraising efforts. This creates a situation that is beneficial for the teams, the magazine, and the school. The largest audience of high school sporting events are the parents of athletes. By showcasing their kids and giving them a platform, Sailor Seasonal has successfully catered to our largest audience.

Creative Critical Reflection #1

How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
My project utilized the large, bold font found directly on the front cover of most magazines. This, along with the up-close shot of athletes training was meant to inspire readers for more action to be found within the pages of my magazine. By choosing an up close shot for my cover, my goal is to place readers right in the action, getting up close and personal with the people they were about to be reading about. I utilized the convention of branding by placing the logo on every page. The particular issue of my magazine, being wrestling challenges the conventions of high school sports magazines itself. Wrestling by far is not the most popular sport at my high school and others like it in my area. By focusing on a competitive sport that doesn't have a large following I can give athletes that deserve recognition for their hard work and talent that they deserve.

3rd quarter submission

Distribution Research #3

The magazine golf digest is one of the most popular sports magazine in the world. On the magazine's website, they attempt to convey the "one of us" advertising technique often seen in politics. Golf itself, viewed by society as a high class, or "rich man's" sport. The digest magazine tries to break this mold with the headline "EL CHEAPO" in front of an old car. This appeals to the consumers that view golf as out of their financial class. Effectively widening the audience of gold and consequentially, the magazine.

Distribution Research #2

Sports illustrated advertises its magazine on their website by offering their readers a subscribe offer within their website. At the end of each article is an offer to subscribe to the magazine. SI also utilizes a newsletter to advertise spread their name among fans. This is effective because it minimizes the work consumers need to get aces to their brand. Instead of searching for the website for sports news, risking competition with other brands, SI offers their newsletter as a way to minimize competition. Conveying themselves in a way that makes consumers think that they don't need any other sports news outlet.

Distribution Research #1

Distribution of a magazine can include door-to-door selling, negotiating with retailers and local businesses to stock your magazine, postage costs, labeling costs, delivery costs to retailers or businesses and other related expenses. Before you speak with magazine distribution professionals, you need to decide which of these services you do and do not need. 
ANTONOW, A. “Making the Most of Magazine Circulation and Distribution.” Business.com, 22 Feb. 2019, www.business.com/articles/making-the-most-of-magazine-circulation-and-distribution/.

The hardest part in selling or marketing a magazine is establishing a subscribed and committed base of readers. I believe that we do not need to go door to door in our community. However, because we are a school based paper, it would be attainable to reach out to teachers in order to gain support and a sense of school pride within our paper. The hardest part is making this paper apart of the already strong sporting culture within our school. Instead of working with other firms or businesses, we may work with sporting teams in order to gain access to exclusive interviews and content unavailable to other papers in the area. This leg up can be a key point in advertising.