Magazine Analysis | Ebony Magazine

               
  Tyra Banks on the cover of Ebony Magazine.

Ebony is a magazine which is aimed at the African American Market. Many famous African American celebrities have been featured on the cover such as, Michelle Obama, Martin Luther King, Beyonce etc. I would also say this particular magazine is aimed at women as it uses an elite person who is known for being independent.

The masthead reads Ebony which has relations to the fact that the magazine is aimed at african americans therefore calling the magazine ebony indicates that it is for black people as the colour ebony is black. The bold white text printed on the red background stands out compared to to the rest of the magazine as its colour theme is grey, beige and white. This can also signify the sophistication of the magazine as it doesn't use bold harsh colours. The masthead also shows the word 'ebo' which in  Africa means a Tuesday baby and I have found that Tyra was in fact born on a Tuesday so this could have been done deliberately to add more depth or personality to the cover. Moreover, the word masthead looks like the word 'Ego' and as most people know Tyra Banks is known to have a big personality or being a diva almost as we have seen on shows like Americas Next Top Model.

The stap line of the magazine is about a successful African American actor Jamie Foxx who is known as being very successful which also empowers the ethnicity of being African American which is the main ideology of the magazine itself. The streamline is also an interrogative sentence as it is implying he has got an oscar before and is used to getting awards as it uses the phrase 'next oscar' so it means that he has previously received one or more.

The main image is of Tyra Banks and she looks as if she is comfortable and relaxed. The hand under her chin indicates that she is used to having her photo taken. The positioning of the main image is taking up most of the front cover which reinforces the text next to her which reads 'The Tyra Way' so its showing how she is the main focus of the magazine. Her look on the front cover is very stripped back the colours of her makeup and clothes all tie in together which makes the magazine look aesthetically pleasing.

The monochromatic theme also adds to the sophistication of the front cover. The grey background is used to make Tyra be the focus of the magazine because if a bright colour like pink or orange used it would not only take away the class of the cover but take the spotlight away from the elite person on the front. Tyra Banks is a household name for most people so using her will have an impact on not just the more mature people but also the younger generation which I think is a unique selling point. In addition to this, Tyra is seen as a strong independent women so the over isn't just showing the empowerment of African American people they are promoting strong female figures which i think empowers will empower women to not hold back and fulfil there ambitions.

The interpellation of the magazine draw the readers in as it says '12 ways to avoid holiday weight gain' because as readers we know that Tyra is a model and is known for being slim so using this elite person to give 'tips and tricks almost' people are most likely to read on and listen. It says in the bottom corner "How i survived a stroke" and the "survived a stroke" part of the sentence is a lot larger than the rest of the text on the page which will draw the reader in. At the top corner of the magazine it offers incentives which is also a selling point that some magazines use to sell there magazine.