Magazine Associates : Companies magazines are connected to use of twitter

The first company I have chosen to analyse is Judy's Vintage is a company that run an affordable vintage fair they are connected to Her Vintage Life magazine.

There Twitter page is covered in there 1950s inspired logo this is also in there background which is a 1950s inspired advert. This tells us  that there brand is vintage based and supports mostly the 1950s style. They have to heading image behind there profile picture this could be because the background is bright and decorative and they did not want these to conflict. There profile picture is their logo this is placed throughout the page so it build a brand identity that we can instantly recognize. There bio simply states their curator and creators which are "vintage at Goodwood" and "vintage at the South Bank" this gives the brand credibility because it is linked to big well known events.They have also tried to attract customers with facts in the bio such as the fact they are the biggest vintage fair in Britain and also that they visit 30 cities nationwide. Like many Twitter pages it has a link to the webpage this is further free promotion as it allows people to find details. They have a large following of 10.8 K but only follow 2,701 people this may mean they exclusively follow other companies and  people they wish to work with. They tweet often and are followed by well known pages such as Vintage Festival and Vintage guide to Britain.

Most tweets by Judys Vintage are conversations. The first is a conversation with the group visit York this tweet is about the fair that will take place at The Hospitium in that local area this allows them to promote their own events for free across social media they have also included chatty talk to the conversation using a smily emoji and small sentences.

The next tweet is also a conversation between a customer and friend of the business again it has the relaxed chatty vibe that most of their tweets do. It simply asks is the person is going to go out tonight this allows is to see that they care about their customers and what they are doing with the vintage garments.

1) what are they tweeting about ?
They mostly tweet about local events like the ones seen above that promote an event in York that even talk to companies that promote tourism and events in York so their promotion is reaching further out audiences. They also have many conversations between them and customers and friends of the company they are more informal tweets that do not push their brand. These tweets help the customers relax and find the company non threatening like new companies can be.

2) What do the tweets contain?
There are limited hashtags or anything connected to the tweets that i have found on their page but they do retweets things that are said on other pages about their event this allows followers to see what other people not just themselves think and the events. They feature many conversations on their page giving details about the fairs that they are running  to customers personally this makes us think that the company cares for its many customers and followers.

3) How are they using social media to promote/further their brand?
They are using twitter for free promotion they can see the fairs that they run by tweeting well know companies about them and then the companies can retweet and reply allowing the audience to just keep growing. This also allows them to constant customers and give a more personal service.

The second company I have chosen to analyse is called Vintage Green Clothing they were following nearly all of the companies and magazines that I can chosen to analyse. They are a vintage clothing store.

Vintage green has carried through a grey theme by using plain grey for the background and connects it to the head image of a grey garment with sequins this automatically tells you the company is about vintage clothing. The bio tells you a similar story that they are set up selling vintage clothing on etsy and then connects you to their store. They have only a small following of 78 but they are followed by larger companies such as Brag vintage and Lipstick & Curls. They have not tweeted much this maybe because they are a small UK based company but social media sites like twitter allow small companies like this to grow.

The first tweet is a image linked tweet about a top they are selling on their sight. They have a simple short sentence that reads " pretty in pink" this is all that is needed when describing what is in the image it allows people to see the stock that they have found and what types of clothing they sell. They have only used images and a website link to the full item within this tweet this is promotion of the stock. 

The last tweet featured in this image is about a picture they have put on Instagram of a 60s Kaleidoscope  in this tweet they have tweeted what they are doing right know which allows you to pick up the fact they are a small business with few workers this provides personalities to come across. They have also used the #1960s this allows anyone who is not following them to see if they are looking up this hashtag. They have finished this tweet with a link to the other social media network to further promote their brand.

1) What are they tweeting about ?

They mostly tweet about their stock and what the company is doing whether this is playing in the office or attending many different events. They also try to link to other social media sites as much as they can. This promotes the buiness allowing people who do not know about the company before to see what they are about and the standard of service they provide. 

2) What do the tweets contain ? 

All of the tweets by them contain a link to their website or further social media sites this is because they are trying to promote their brand and sell their stock. They also add the occasional images of stock and there store.

3) How are they trying to further/promote their brand?

They mostly try to promote their stock as they have only a small audience social media is the best way to grow a wider audience. 

Finally, the last account that i have analysed is Vintage festival a company the runs vintage festivals and fairs. 

The background for this vintage inspired twitter account uses Polaroid photos of events they have held this gives a  feel for what they do. They carry this vintage through by using a painting of characters from the 1950s showing the cheerful essence of a party. There main profile pic is again a band logo this provides brand identity to the company. There bio gives a brief description about what they do and where they are based. They are a British company  that cover a wide amount of vintage life and culture. They are linked to many of the companies i have analysed such as vintage explorer and her vintage life.They have a large following of 24.8K  and are regular tweeters tweeting every week.

1) what are they tweeting about ?
they mostly tweet about general vintage culture like the first tweets shows . They talk about famous peoples birthdays and festivals that they are attending such as the classic car boot they also retweet many other peoples tweets on this event. They also tweet out to customers about their newsletters and other various things they do.

2) What do the tweets contain ?
A lot of their tweets are directly aimed at people either this is customers or other businesses this allows them to build contacts. They also do this by re tweeting people who are talking about the same event this allows them to reach people that are based around similair subjects. They also link their webpage in most links whether  this is just their homepage or their articles. They also link to youtube clips and other related websites to what they are talking about at the time. They also follow the hashtags  that are linked to the events that they are talking about this allows them to get involved in the wider conversation.

3) How are they using social media to promote/further their brand?
They have used twitter to get involved in the vintage based community this allows them to build contact this can be shown by the amount of re tweets. This is because they are not selling a particular product but instead work with other companies to create an event.

Magazines website layout

The first website i will look at will be for the magazine Her Vintage Layout because this if the same as my chosen genre of vintage life and fashion.

There home page :

Firstly they have there title and right at the top a information bar above the main title with there social media links and a current date and search icon these are common features on a webpage. I have also noticed that the page itself scrolls down over a background pattern looking like a popped out page. They have the basic top bar with the many hyperlinked and scroll down boxes taking you through the website and what it offers. On this top bar they have the categories home, about, magazine, competitions,book shop and music shop. Under this there is something  little less usual and that is a current update bar which tells you the articles they have done and when they have done telling you which are the most current. 

When you scroll down you come across this screen after a large image taken from one of there current photo shoots. This then goes on to show this page :

This page state basic information about the magazine telling you what they include on the page and how many people read there and magazine or use there social media sites. after this there is contact details for the magazine company this is helpful to include incase other businesses want to get hold of them. Down the side of this explanation there is large boxes linked to there many social media sites this promotes them for everything that they do. There is also a very helpful to the top button as this is a continuing page that scrolls down further and further.

What articles do the webpage contain ?
They have very few articles but they do produce articles that aren't printed in the magazine but mostly online these articles are mostly reviews on places, books and music that they sell on the site. There magazine does not contain webpage versions of there articles but instead links to places where you could buy the issue or a pdf file that contains a sample issue like this :

This is the page that shows you the interactive link to the PDF file that looks like the link below.

This is a small version of the magazine which is a teaser of what its like its articles are about local event such as vintage festivals and styles from the past that you could wear now. It also contains many tutorials. 

What can you say about the layout of the website? 

The layout throughout the website is a continuing scrolling page with a pattern background behind and the assistance of the back to the top button this is more like a blog layout then an normal webpage. The features included that are used in webpage layout is the title bar and helpful hyperlinked direction bar which are used on most webpages. 

Describe the fonts, colours, images and links used ?

The font used is plane ariel that is simple to understand i think this has been used for most of the website accept the logo where it is a taller deigned font with a vintage appeal as it looks slightly art deco. The theme colours for this website is black and white with the occasional red that mostly appears when things are elected i think that this simple choice of layout helps the website appeal for all ages. The images used are from photo shoots that they have done. They include the vintage style the magazine talks about but also show the modern side of the magazine. A lot of there images are from there social media sites such as intstagram.  The links are again to there social media but there is also links to places where there magazine is sold this is all for promotion. 

How does the website promote the brand ?

The website overall keeps to the main theme colours of black,white and the ocassional red. This website does not promote the brand as much as others but does provide social media links and other links to wear to buy the magazine this is the only self promotion on the website. 

How does the website encourage the reader to buy the magazine?

The webpage does not feature articles like many others this means that you have to but the magazine to see the featured articles it does tell you what they are about but this is just like a sneak peek just like the taster issue that is free to download from the site. The many links to subscription pages and shops that sell the magazine. 

The second magazine page i will be looking at is Pretty nostalgic (http://prettynostalgic.co.uk/) this magazine is slightly different to the fashion magazine that i will be creating but does focus on the importance of vintage culture.

The homepage

Firstly the homepage shows us there overall style with the light pastels and girly vintage vibe. You can see that this magazine is for a women with a creative look. This front page has the normal structure of a magazine layout with the title line with there logo and stamps that connect to digital copies and a subscription sight. It has a main strolling image mostly images of the magazine a photography from within. They have the top bar listing all the basic pages on the wbesite.

This home page further scrolls downs to reveal social media links as well as a blog real. this is joined by a fill out form for the newsletter box. It also sits with a testimonial introduction.

1) What articles does the webpage contain?

The articles featured throughout the magazine and webpage are mostly on event such as craft fairs. They have also done a wide variety of reviews of shops and restaurants they have not placed any of there feature articles on the webpage, They also feature a competition page where not only there competitions are placed. All of the articles have an associated image even if this is just a drawing or painting this makes the article look more appealing.

2) What can you say about the layout of the webpage?

The main heading gives the magazines identity across with the color themes from the hard copies coming across on the webpage. They have chosen to use a standard head bar this is simple for those of all ages and experience. Down the sides of the page there is a changing colour depending on the page you are on these colours are all in the same style and again carry through the overall identity of the magazine. The large images break the page up so that the website is not boring and draws you in most of them are linked to articles or social media. The links being at the top of the page makes them easy to find and do not take over the website. 

3) Describe the fonts, colours, images and links used ? 

The Title is in its usual fluent italic-like font but the rest is in a fine large font that is mostly used throughout as it allows titles to be read clearly. Normal new romens has been used for all other text this is clear to understand and most are used to reading it. These font are being used so that people of all ages can read this makes me think that this magazine may have some older readers because of  the subject matter. The colours are pastel and bright they give the vintage overall look of the magazine they connect to the light subject matter of flowers and decoration which are used throughout the website and magazine. These colours tell me that the audience is female it also suggests that it might be for one that likes gardening and decorating. The images used are often photography of the event or person they have used an image of there magazine on their homepage. They do have the unique twist of using many pieces of artwork on there site next to articles that do not have associated images . I think this adds to the vintage appeal of the magazine. Most of the links on the website are just hyper-linked words there are a few image links but not many.

4) How does the website promote the brand?

The brand is mostly promoted through the colour scheme with the colours being both on the front cover of the magazine and on the webpage you instantly connect them. The Cover line is featured on the webpage this works like a logo and connects the two together it also connects there social media to the page as it is featured on all social media pages to.

5) How does the website encourage the reader to buy the magazine?

The webpage only allows you snippets of the articles and overall theme this leads to the reader wanting more about the magazine and what it features this may lead people to buy the magazine to find out. Overall its the curiosity that the magazines website creates that makes people wnat to buy the magazine after seeing it.

Finally the last magazine that i will analyse will be Vintage explorer (http://www.vintagexplorer.co.uk/) this is a magazine that is based on vintage ideals and life. This is for a unisex audience with views on not only vintage furniture and antiques but also the culture.

The home page:

 Firstly the homepage tells us the overall feel of the magazine with neutral colours that appeal to both sexes but I would say that this looks like its mostly for men. It has the basic cover line and head bar. but they have also featured a side bar with a rolling tweets connecting in all the social media that most magazines use nowadays. They have started the page by using a small info box with an image of the magazine and what is featured inside this is kept up to date with every image. I do like the fact that they have a leave a message box this allows people to have interaction with magazine just like the social media sites do. They have also added a editor letter introducing the magazine to anyone that's never read it before.

1) What articles does the website contain ?

The magazine is mostly about culture during the 50s and 60s the article that i found as seen above is about films from these eras it describes why they are so iconic and why we should still be watching them. Most if the articles that have been paced on the website are short blog posts that are the first 2 or 3 paragraphs of a full article. They have ended the articles with "continues in the magazine" this intrigues the reader and sells the magazine.

2) What can you say about the layout of the magazine? 

The layout of this magazine is more intellectually challenging then the ones before there is a lot more word per page and has considerable less images. This maybe because its for an older person so they have kept darker colours and side bars with retro wall paper in to keep this smart looking effect. The layout has been kept as grid this is shown by the lack of shapes on the page so that everything is square or rectangles this does give it a professional look.

3) Describe the fonts, colours, images and links used ?

 The colours used on this webpage are dark and sophisticated this gives the page a professional look this maybe because it is aimed at a male audience.Down the side of each page there is a beige 60s wallpaper this gives the vintage vibe that the whole magazine brings. The fonts on the page are plain with an italic font used just for titles all writing is in black and grey depending on where it is on the page. These fonts are used as there simplicity allows any age to read. There are not many photographs on this page instead they have gone with illustrations just like the ones featured on the magazine these are styled like posters. There are many social media links on the page with simple button connections but all other connections are made through typed hyper-links.

4) How does the website promote the brand?

The brand is mostly shown through the use of illustration and old looking colours these are linked to the vintage title of the magazine. I do say that this website does not promote the brand as much as the other magazines do they do try to sell the magazine on the webpage but to not create a brand identity. 

5) How does the website encourage the reader to buy the magazine?

The magazine articles featured on the webpage all dont end properly they are all linked further on the the full articles that you have to buy the magazine for. They have many links to subscription services and connected events that you can but their magazine this is there promotion methods as they are a smaller company.

Rosie magazine Website

I have created my weebly website called www.Rosiemagazine.weebly.com. This is the basic that i have done including a header and involving my photos and an introduction paragraph. This is what it looks like right now.

I have also further added a youtube video of the images from my photoshoot as well as social media links.  I found this on many other website pages.

For my second page i have created a simple columned page with separated sections and dividers this is simple easy to read and not cluttered with ads and image seen on some websites. I have also kept a theme font for titles throughout.

The second page keeps to the same fonts with a simple layout and i have kept the social media sharing options on this page. I have kept this simple so it is open for all ages.

Final evaluation
How do you feel your website conform to the choosen genre and brand identity?

I fell that my website meets all the features that I have found on websites of my genre. I have continued a theme of vintage fashion throughout using not only images from my photo shoot but using a vintage font for all titles and introduction pages. I have kept both pages simple with plain white background which is easy to write on I have used the same simple layout throughout my work so that it is easy to access and read by all ages. For the main title and head bar I have used an image of my front cover this allows the reader to instantly recognize the magazine either if they have only saw a hard copy or if they have seen the website this brings an element of brand identity. On both pages I have linked to social media sites this is seen on most websites as it provides a way to interact with the audience and see what they think it also gives the company free promotion through others.  By using a Youtube clip on the front page I have allowed the audience to see what the magazine is about this is also done by the welcoming paragraph this is a feature that I saw on many other webpages. This was mostly inspired by Her Vintage Life magazines webpage which kept to the simple black and white layout this has a clean look and was easy to read then other cluttered magazine sites that I have found. I created the page to look professional as my target audience if for the older teens and professional adults this simple layout allows them to read quickly and clearly as most people think that articles on webpages are sometimes over cluttered by images and links to other webpages.