Vogue Flashcards
(22 cards)
how has the magazine industry changed since the 1960s?
Then : the marketplace was less crowded, and the industry was dominated by a small number of major companies
Now : Industry is still dominated by major companies but there is a much wider range of titles available, and greater competition for readers
What have magazines done to survive the changing climate of the industry?
Magazines now have a strong online presence, some even becoming online-only magazines — print circulation is falling and digital sales are rising due to the development of technology
Magazines have merged with other more successful/popular magazines
Some magazines have developed USPs and secured a loyal audience — wider range of niche or specialised magazines available
When is the set edition from
July 1965
How did women’s roles change in the 1960s?
Post WW2 the economy was growing which meant high employment rates - this created job opportunities for women
Women began attending uni - gave them intellectual and financial independence
Women realised they weren’t being paid the same as men
Adverts were criticised for offering a limited view of women
Women’s rights were ‘hot news’ by the end of the 60s - women’s liberal movement
Demand for equal pay/opportunities - protests and marches
Who publishes vogue? Who own them? What else do they publish?
Conde Nast
They are considered a major mainstream publisher
They are owned by Advance Publications (a large conglomerate)
GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Wired
When did the magazine become popular and why? How many were they selling per week?
In the post WW2 period - there was a big economic boom so people buying lots of things with their new disposable income - so women were enjoying consumerism and the idea of ‘treating yourself’
12 million copies
Who is the cover model in the set edition
Sophia Loren
Famous in the 60s for being an exotic beauty
When did vogue start?
When did they launch a UK version?
1892
1916
How many copies does vogue sell per month now?
200,000 copies
Vogue has been able to retain its readership and circulation figures
How does hesmondhalghs media industries theory relate?
Replicating successful formats to maximise profits :
Vogue has a huge range of international editions to target various global audiences eg Italian, German, Spanish, japan, India, Mexico etc
They work with celebrities :
Celebrities on the front cover eg exclusive photos and articles about people like the royal family draws in global audiences and makes the magazine seem luxurious
People guest editing the magazine eg famous artists like Andy Warhol create their own guest edited version of the magazine using their art style in collaboration with the fashion photography
What risks did Conde Nast take with vogue?
One of the first magazines to :
Start using colour photography (more expensive but their target audience could afford it)
Feature a black woman on the cover (changing the face of fashion and paved the way for more models of colour to appear in mainstream magazines
It created a brand identity of vogue as being very modern and cutting edge as they pushed boundaries
How has Conde Nast diversified?
They have their own fashion and design college where aspiring fashion designers can learn their craft under the guise of learning from the best
They have the Conde Nast Luxury Conference where people can go to work shops and hear people speak who are high end luxury designers and brands
They have a restaurant and bars division where they launched branded restaurants relating to some of their magazines eg vogue cafe
Give an example of a famous vogue editor? Why is she significant
Anna Wintour
Having her at your fashion show was a sign of quality for a lot of designers
She made huge changes to the magazine :
she changed the style of vogue, changed the kind of models they used (she used a lot more Hollywood models instead of just fashion models)
She started teen vogue and men’s vogue
What is the vogue fashion fund?
Fund there to give financial support of new designers (clothes, shows, promotional materials)
Way of finding, nurturing and promoting new talent
All about adding to vogues brand image - Conde Nast turned this idea into a reality tv show with Amazon
How much does vogue charge brands for a one full page advert?
What’s are reader opinions of adverts in vogue?
£36,000
Vogue includes a huge number of pages of adverts - it makes them lots of money
Vogue readers embrace the adverts in the magazine bc they seen vogue as an opinion leader giving them ideas about how to love a certain lifestyle
How has vogue adapted to technological change?
Digital version of vogue available which can be taken directly onto phones and tablets
Strong social media presence eg insta, twitter
How does Stuart halls representation theory relate?
The exotic nature of her beauty makes use of Middle Eastern stereotypes -her jewellery and headwear make her seem like a Turkish dancer
Represents ethnic minorities as ‘other’
How does van Zoonen’s theory relate to the product
Challenges :
Not sexualised
Edition features a financial article where they interview a woman who works for the Financial Times - she talks about women having financial independence and power which presents women as powerful (counter typical representation at the time)
This subverts stereotypes of women as just submissive housewives
Supports:
Cutex advert where woman appears to be naked - sexualised
Revlon advert - women are ‘alluring’ and ‘beguiling’ - sexualised
Imperial leather advert - see a mother and son - women as mothers
Who is the target audience for vogue? How is this shown? How does this affect their representation of women?
Higher class wealthy women (AB demographic)
Complex language, formal clothing, page references to royalty, lords, art and formal events shows a large representation of higher class (target audience)
These upper class people are represented as utopia, idealised to create aspirational role models
Lots of representations of women as domestic (traditional stereotypes)
Might be because higher class women had less pressure on them to go to work so they did lead lives more centred around leisure and family
How does bell hooks relate?
All the models are white which suggests that women of other ethnicities are undesirable and discriminated against
How does Gerbners cultivation theory relate?
Magazine features a strong female celebrity that empowers women readers to see how they too can be beautiful and empowering
How does Curran and seaton relate to the product
Conde Nast is part of a large conglomerate which could limit creativity - typical representations of women as domestic
HOWEVER vogue has been known to take risks and be different from other magazines in the industry therefore are not limited in creativity
