GQ

Question 1

Front Cover

Answer 1

Masthead:x Gold font, top-left (Z-pattern) – connotes luxury and premium branding.

Colour Scheme: Black, white, gold, orange – suggests masculinity, sophistication, and cohesion.

Main Image: Long shot of Raheem Sterling, shirtless – star appeal and hypermasculinity (muscles, tattoos).

Direct Address: Eye contact creates connection with audience.

Clothing & Pose: Leather combat trousers, confident stance – mix of fashion and dominance, aligns with GQ’s luxury lifestyle focus.

Cover Lines:

“Guardian Angel…” – portrays Sterling as a moral protector, saviour of football (Proppian hero).

Fashion advice like “How to wear a broken suit” – appeals to the stylish, image-conscious male.

Mix of content: fashion, politics (Andy Burnham), celebrity (Machine Gun Kelly) – widens appeal, caters to ABC1 audience.

Language: Use of hyperbole (“living nightmare”, “totally nuts”) creates intrigue and dramatic effect (Barthes’ enigma codes).

Question 2

Ethnicity

Answer 2

Sterling (British Jamaican) challenges underrepresentation of Black men in media.

Represents a positive Black role model, not just through success in sport, but also activism (e.g. anti-racism work).

Winged imagery and religious tattoos elevate him to almost mythic status (angelic protector).

Question 3

Masculinity

Answer 3

Modern masculinity portrayed as needing success, wealth, physique, style – “having it all”.

Sterling’s body, jewellery, and watch represent physical strength and capitalist success.

GQ reflects ideas of the metrosexual and spornosexual male – image-conscious, fashion-savvy, body-focused.

Question 4

Cultural Context

Answer 4

GQ adapting to post-2020 pressures to be more racially inclusive.

Magazine continues to promote consumerist values for men – fashion must-haves, grooming, lifestyle aspiration.

Mix of high culture (politics, activism) and pop culture (rap, fashion) reflects a hybrid magazine genre.

Question 5

Gender Steryotypes

Answer 5

Male success defined by wealth, control, and influence (Sterling, Burnham).

Reinforces gender norms through physical appearance and materialism.

But also shows broader masculinity – Sterling as father, moral voice, thoughtful activist.