How does your media product represent particular social groups?

I have chosen an image of Jarvis Cocker, the lead singer of 'pulp', featured on the cover of the Nov' 2010 issue of NME. I feel he is both demographically and pyschographically similar to my own model. Both images are mid-shots, however NME's is slightly closer up. Another similarity is the expeltive gesture which both males are doing. This may give connotations of young males in this area of music, which would be true. However, when looking at facial expressions both are quite different. Jarvis Cocker appears quite agressive and indifferent, which is obviously the 'cool' for him. My models face is covered, however a hint of a smile can be seen, I feel this makes the cover slightly light hearted and less 'edgy' however, the 'edgy' is replenished by the gesture, although I feel my image is a lot softer. Because I used a studio setting I was able to control light, I tried to keep it quite natural and soft to give an opposite to the 'badboy' attitude. On NME because the light on Jarvis is much more dramatic I feel the overall 'badboy' effect is well achieved. I feel the overall 'look' of both models is quite similar, both have similar hairstyles and are dressed in plain black and white, however, NME's is slightly more formal than my own. I used more casual clothes to create quite a relaxed magazine that my audience can relate to, and not be intimidated or feel they must aspire to be like the man on the cover of the magazine. I feel my pose is quite comical as it is placed on the cover of a magazine where I know my audience enjoy this kind of expeltive humour and it would not shock nor offend them.

Demographically the models are sharing similarities because they are of the same gender, race and age. I believe it was important to use a male model because it appeals more to both genders of readers. Because my model is just an average young man, men will be more inclined to buy it because they won't be intimidated and will not have the fear of being ridiculed. Female readers will be inclined to buy it because of the 'attraction' feature.

I would like to hope that my magazine is targeted at a large range of social classes as I myself do not feel social classes appropriate, it largely fits into the social classes of ABC1 (upper class, middle class and lower middle class). My magazine is aimed to target people with similar interests from all walks of life, so it's more pyschographic specific rather than demographic.

In my mind, my magazine is aimed at Individuals, I feel my model is an Individual himself and therefore the audience can immediately make connections. In terms of advertisement, I feel my magazine could target both mainstream and niche companies as my magazine is slightly niche and mainstream itself. I feel my readers would prefer niche advertisement however would like to keep in the 'know-how' with mainstream advertisement.