If it is fashion… there are designers… if there are designers, there are models…ramps… if there are models, there are agencies…photographers…stylists……welcome to the dazzling world of glamour!
Both, the fashion & the modeling (most of the time) seem collectively as one not two, but surely there is a blurred line between these two. It depends up to you if you want to make that line apparent or you want to vanish it. May be it is a smart way to target both in one shot that is why '100 communications', a Delhi based fashion event company has recently launched a bi-monthly magazine- 'Mega Modelz'.
Rough ramp to walk
'Models & Trends' (http://mediajunction.blogspot.com/2007/06/four-fs.html), Style & Speak (http://mediajunction.blogspot.com/2007/09/style-statement.html), FAD (http://mediajunction.blogspot.com/2007/12/magazine-on-fashion-day-2-day.html), FnL, Images:BOF, Gladrags and Asiana (Wedding & Fashion) are few of existing magazines in the same space- a mix of fashion-trends–modeling which are going to be tough competition for Mega Modelz.
Content
Inaugural issue of 'Mega Modelz' clearly shows the confusion of editorial direction. The structure of magazine, selection of stories, presentation of content gives a very shallow & disoriented editorial impression. What worse it could be that the cover story of inaugural issue itself is a wrong story to be even in the issue, forget about putting it as a cover story. On the cover it says- 'New age supermodels?' which as a cover story doesn’t convey what it is all about. And top of that, in the 5 pages long & shorter than around 600 words story, it gives a negative verdict (page 31) – 'An era truly had come to an end' because new faces (cricket- bollywood celebs) have stepped in modeling!
Content is poorly scattered across the magazine. Everything is there in one issue but it looks like a mess. Photographers, fashion makers, and models of course… everyone is featured or interviewed under various sections/columns names. At the end of issue, it is carrying a directory of modeling agencies, advertising agencies & photographers. It could be useful for its TG if it wasn’t erroneous (entire list of photographers' names from A to L is missing from alphabetical listing).
Design
Cover is looking attractive but credit goes to stunning photograph. Other elements on the cover are placed badly. It could be a great cover with a little efforts on layout & placing text on the cover as it has got very strong & perfect picture for its kind of cover.
Inside pages are looking mediocre as they don’t have any design style sheet. No guidelines for putting text on pictures, columns, text leading, type faces, font sizes.. nothing seems as per guidelines (which is for sure not there). It seems that designer was free to pick & use any font whichever was installed on his machine.
Printing
Most of the pictures looks like stock pictures or seems as taken from agencies. That is why there is no consistency in quality of photographs. Prepress work is done carelessly as you can't see true skin color in most of the pictures. Printing could be improved and that could makeup the weaknesses of color correction work. Cover is printed well, specially the back cover was needed that kind of excellence to print that advertisement.
Product
A tall size (21 x 29.5 cms) bi-monthly magazine of 100 pages is priced at Rs100 which is quite OK for its kind of product. Unless it is opened, magazine looks very classy that gives it a look of a rich product.
As a conclusion, if it doesn’t improve on main content of the magazine and if it not kept focused editorially, it will start looking a me-too kind of magazine with some glossy pictures.
----------------------------------------------------------
Content .......................: ●●◐○○
Design & Layout ..........: ●●○○○
Printing ........................: ●●◐○○
Product ........................: ●●◐○○
Value for Money ...........: ●●◐○○
----------------------------------------------------------
‘VIRDI’CT ......................: ●●◐○○
----------------------------------------------------------
How to use ‘VIRDI’CT..??
●○○○○ Browse & leave it
●●○○○ Borrow & Read it
●●●○○ Buy it occasionally
●●●●○ Buy regularly
●●●●● Subscribe it now!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment