Newspaper so far

The image above is a screen shot of my newspaper, Portishead Post, front cover so far. As you can see my newspaper is almost complete, however I am still hoping to make some changes to it so that it looks more conventional. For example, most newspaper front covers, The Times, have their main image containing people from the story. My newspaper differs from this as in my front cover picture I have no people in it that can relate to the story. To change this I will have to retake my picture of the sea front and place people in it, as in the article I have stated that the teenagers involved did not want to be named, I will have to consider asking a police member if I can take a picture of them and use it for my front cover picture. This would relate to my story as a police officer is involved in the incident. 

The picture above is a screen shot of my newspapers inside page. As you can see, like my front cover, I have almost completed this page also. After several past changes to the layout of my second page, I realised that I liked this format the most as it is as traditional as The Post. I have also thought about adapting my picture for my second page, as it is quite similar to the picture on the left hand side column. For example, I may change the story picture to the woman holding up a pair of her old trousers which fitted her before she lost all her weight, this would help emphasis how much weight she has lost through going to the gym and healthy eating. However I do like my two pictures, as they're quite similar, but the picture on the left side column is of the artist holding up his winning painting, whilst the story picture is of the woman holding a cardboard cut out of her former self. 

Newspaper poster research

Through my research I have found that different newspaper use different ways in attracting audiences through advert posters. For example, Metro, target working class audiences in full time work, whilst The Times focus on middle class professionals.
For my poster I will be aiming to attract audiences within Portishead, mostly 16-50 year olds which are both working and middle class. This is mainly because Portishead is a mixture of different classes and I would like to try to hook majority of them. However I have decided this age of 16-50 years because I think this is the popular age that will be interested in reading my newspaper as I write about quite up to date news and give information which they can relate themselves to, for example "Teens In Mud Rescue Drama" can attract a young audience as they'll want to get the latest gossip but also parents inform the readers about their experience of the situation. This would apply to parent readers and their teenage children. I think my that my newspaper would be best suited for an audience which is not in full time work, perhaps still learning at college and learning to drive as I use adverts that would hook readers which are or thinking about driving. My audience would also have to be quite interested in health and fitness as a story in my newspaper is based on a women who became fit through working hard at the gym, and one of my adverts are about getting classes for a good price.
For my poster I think that I will adopt a similar idea as Metro because I believe this is the newspaper which is most like mine and has more of the layout in which I think will attract my target audience. However I do prefer the colour scheme on The Times newspaper because I think it is very vibrant and is very prominent over all the other newspaper posters as it has such a stark colour contrast, from a black background to a bright blue and red. I think that I will have to do a similar colour scheme to keep my readers engaged in the poster. Similar to The Times I am going to be advertising a product that the readers can get for free, this will lead the audiences to buy my newspaper as they will be interested in getting their hands on the free product that comes with it.
For my advertising I think I will use something like a booklet or a magazine which targets the same audience as my newspaper does. Perhaps a small magazine on new social locations in Portishead or on health and fitness as this will apply to the readers which don't have a full time job or the majority which are interested in keeping or getting fit.
If I was to do a poster on advertising new restaurants and pubs in Portishead I think that I wouldn't attract as many readers as doing a fitness magazine as the readers can find information on new locations in Portishead on free websites and in other newspapers, but if I do it on a guide fitness and healthy eating more readers will be interested as it is usually hard to find all the information you want on this subject on one website or one newspaper.
On my newspaper poster I will be promoting a magazine on health and fitness. It will be a free magazine which comes with the newspaper when bought. In my magazine their will be a large range of different exercises, information on how to keep fit, whats best to eat and what isn't. I will name my free magazine "Major Health and Fitness" as I think this is simple and not gender based as most fitness magazines aim at a specific gender.
As my poster will be advertising a fitness magazine, I do not think that using a black background will project movement. So I have thought about using a background similar to that of The Star, having a light background, for example a white or grey then using vibrant colours for my images like The Times.
I will also incorporate the same colour I use throughout my newspaper, the light purple/blue which I use for my dateline as i think this will help audiences to associate my poster with my newspaper.

Newspaper poster research

The image to the right is of a poster which is made for The Metro newspaper. The Metro's audience are 18-44 years old which are in full time work. It is a free newspaper which is given out on buses, trains and public places. However this could imply that they're aiming at the working population as it is usually given out on the mornings and this is the peak time in which people are travelling to work. It has a mixture of different genres, such as puzzles to celebrity news, also by contrast, including political news.
We see through this poster maybe The Metro's main readers, that of being men which are in well paid jobs, due to the well fitted, fashionable suit. He also seems as though he is placing it behind a "Kama Sutra" book with the text on the left side saying "Your dirty little secret..." it implies that The Metro isn't for anybody, that it contains a sense of danger. However it could also be that The Metro is aware that some of it's readers are embarrassed to admit they read their newspaper, because it is a free newspaper which is given out to anybody that wants it. By hiding it behind the Kama Sutra it's as though the man is trying to hold on to some of his masculinity and that he is in power, but mainly he doesn't want to be seen reading the free newspaper. This may seem as though The Metro is putting themselves down, but in fact they're just trying to show their audience that it doesn't matter who you are, even male business men read their newspaper so this creates a consensus.
There is also a colour scheme going on, that of dark blue, white, red and purple. This colours are all know to be compared to royalty and riches, because of their deep textures. Also by keeping the white text and royal blue surrounding the masthead and "Your dirty little secret..." this helps to keep the layout of the poster flowing and keeps it together. The audience will also be able to associate these colours with each other and will know it's come from The Metro. By placing the vibrant purple colour above the mans grey suit this helps the poster hook it's readers, as they're two opposites.
They also show they have different technological convergences, through promoting their website on the bottom right. Although it is pushed down to the bottom right, it does still make itself prominent by its writing being in white whilst it has the dark background of the boring grey.

The picture to the left is a poster for The Press, a well known English newspaper. Through this poster they're promoting that it is their birthday, that the newspaper has been running for 150 years. This suggests that the newspaper is obvious a very big competitor against all other newspapers, as it has been around for such a long time. It also gives the readers a chance to trust The Press, because if they didn't submit good up to date news they wouldn't still be publishing their newspaper to the country.
The use of the image of candles lightly faded implies that they are trying to keep their quite relaxed atmosphere and trying to make sure that the main attention is on the text, the amount of years they have been around. They do this through making the "5" swing down the overlapping a few of the candles so that it keeps its dominance. The font size of the numbers are also about triple the size of any of the texts on the page so that it reinforces the idea of this being the most important part of the poster.
The colour scheme of white, black, yellow and light blue runs through out the poster and the same colour is not repeated next to it, as though it is always white, blue, yellow white and so on. Although when the reader first looks at the poster they're drawn to the large white numbers contrasting the blue background, the reader also will easily notice the vibrant yellow used as a background for the bottom text and image, as well as it being the font colour for the "It's our birthday" at the top of the page.

The image to the right is a post for The Star. In my opinion this poster is pretty boring as it hasn't really got much on it and has a lot of free space, which makes the poster feel empty and lifeless. However, the newspaper shaped into an aeroplane with many different colours is very prominent and this maybe why they kept the back ground so simple, so that it sounds out. However although the image is clear and noticeable, the text on the poster is hard to read as it is the same colour as the background just a different shade. Although the "We're up there with the best" is a stark contrast to the background and other texts and it is in bold black and is a larger font size. I believe that this is the main reason in which this poster is created, to engage with the audience that they are still as good as other newspapers such as, The Press, even if they haven't been around for 150 years. Through doing this, Star aren't putting down its competitors but saying that they're just as good. They have also kept the colour scheme, similar to all the other newspaper posters. The Star have kept their masthead colour, that being a light blue and use it twice in their poster so that it can be easily recognised by the public.
As the poster is promoting that it is sponsoring the RAF Crossford Air Show it implies that the newspaper are one with the local community as it is a local show, this will make the audience feel as though they're getting involved and the newspaper are representing them and the community. Through doing this they also gain the trust of the readers because they are getting involved in a local event that the community will be involved in.

The poster to the left is another by Metro. In this poster they're promoting a well known brand "Nike", by doing this it will help the Metro raise their own status. Nike is a global brand and is used by a large amount of the population. As they have many different products that aim at different crowds they pretty much cover majority of the wanting population. Through Metro advertising Nike this will help them up their own status, as the audience which buys Nike may buy The Metro because they're known by their favourite brand and this suggests that they can trust that newspaper. Or they may even buy the newspaper because it has a small part of Nike. However The Metro don't actually mention the name of Nike, but they do use the brand logo, I think this is because the logo is so apparent they feel they don't need to tell you directly who they're sponsoring. Even if the reader doesn't know the logo, this will make them curious, that they want to find out what brand the logo belongs to. It also implies that The Metro has different technological convergences as on other posters and in their newspaper they show off their website, however in this poster we see that they have put "#makeitcount"this is a usually used on social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook. This suggests that The Metro is up to date with technology as well as mainstream bands. This leads audiences to believe that The Metro is quite influential and can be trusted because of their amount of knowledge.

The image to the right is of a poster by The Times newspaper. They are promoting a new magazine that will come free with their newspaper, this would hook the attention of the audience as they will be interested in the extra part they will get. Some readers may just buy The Times because they're interested in getting the magazine on how the brain works, and as they can't get it anywhere else they will just purchase the newspaper with no intention on reading it. However this also gives us an idea of who the audience are, because The Times are giving away a scientific magazine it suggests that the readers are quite intelligent and interested in the human brain and it's reactions. Also as it is a well known magazine for free, Eureka, this will big up the newspaper. People will start to associate The Times with Eureka magazine and will start to trust the newspaper because they're promoting such a branded and smart magazine.
The image used on the poster is very much related to its topic, being about the human brain. By the masthead of the newspaper being above the image but cut in half this keeps the image central and interesting but also doesn't distract attention from the newspapers title. The colouring of the picture is vibrant as it starts off being a cool blue around the outside of the brain then by the middle is a bright lightened red. The detail on the brain is pretty simplistic but still makes an impact as the colours help to emphasis blood vessels and tissue in the brain. Also this contrasts the background as it is black and then they have added a mixture of vibrant colours in the middle of the poster for the brain.
By calling the magazine "The Brain Special." it makes the audience feel as though if they get the newspaper they will get something that no one else has and something that is important.
As well as keeping the same masthead, The Times also keep the same serif font, this is so that the audience can relate to the poster, as they will recognise the masthead and relate it to the actual newspaper as well as the poster they are seeing.
The quote "Be part of the times" is a pun, as it refers to the newspapers name as well as the concept of 'the times' in which we live in, which is a high tech modern age.  The way this is presented has an impact on the reader as they haven't just placed it on the same line or just below the rest of the text, they have left a space between it. I think this is to exaggerate the importance of becoming part of the family of The Times readers. By making the audience feel as though they will become part of something bigger then themselves, a large group, they feel empowered and as though they're not alone when reading it. It is also an imperative as the newspaper is instructing the reader to be part of the group which reads The Times, although it functions as an invitation to be in with the group who are up to date with the newest technology.
On the top left of the poster there is a crest which The Times use as their logo on their newspaper. However usually it is placed in between the two words, where the middle of the brain is. They may have done this so that they keep the attention on what the poster is about rather then the logo of the newspaper. But by keeping it on the poster The Times are keeping their differentiation from other newspaper posters, as audience will associate the cress logo with the newspaper. It is also easier for the readers to find the newspaper and get to the free magazine.

Logo final design

The image above is the hand drawn image of my logo design. It is similar to the first design, in the way that I have used the man, from the sculpture but just adapted it, adding winged heels and a  newspaper in his hand to tell the reader that the logo is there to send them the news. 

I adapted the idea of having it just of the sculpture of the human holding onto a long pole, which is in the Marina of Portishead to it being more revolved around the helper of the Greek Gods, Hermes. In a previous post about my choice in my logo I have explained fully why I have chosen to use Hermes, my main reason is that as he is known as being the deliverer of information to the Gods, he would good to use as the deliverer of my newspapers news. It will also make the customer feel as though they are like a God, that they are receiving the latest news quickly and this will conclude in them feeling important.

However there is other aspects of my logo that differs from the last design, as I no longer use the trophy “PP” stand as I believe that this is too much of a distraction and there is too much going on just for one logo. My new logo is simpler but is still powerful, as he is fist pumping the newspaper as though he is sending it straight to the reader.

I choose this colour of blue/purple because it mirrors that of my dateline and is part of my colour scheme, I believe by doing this it will make my newspaper look conventional and will make it come all together as though it is one piece. If I used a different colour I think this would disrupt the fact that it is all one newspaper and will make the layout look unprofessional, thous differentiating itself from conventional ways. By using a lighter blue rather then darker I have been able to successfully keep my detail on my logo, as when I used a deeper shade of blue I ended up loosing the outlines around his abs and also the newspapers slight detail. This made my logo look less professional and also lost some of his value and made it look much simpler then it actually is. 

I also included shadowing and a bolder outline around the figure of my man as I believe this made it stand out more, as before without the lining it seemed to not stand out and just blended in with the back ground, because of its quite pale colouring. However, I avoided this by using the outline shadowing tool in Photoshop. 

My final advert design

For my final advert I decided to do something that was conventional to all the newspapers that I have studied. This is that the advert is for a local business, which readers can easily get in touch with as they are in the area. Below is a sample of my advert.

The advert's main purpose is to sell miniature paintings of peoples pets, painted by a well known local artist. Readers will feel as though they can trust the artist and newspaper for promoting the artwork because he is the "winner of the famous Portishead Railway Art Competition", which is a great achievement and as it is on the rage at the moment, readers will already know of the poster which the artist painted to win. This gives the advert power over its competitors, as it is prominent and as people will buy the newspaper they will see the advert and consider using it. 

I have used the theme of Christmas to influence my advert, as Christmas is in two months time and this is something the audience may be thinking about, as they want to get presents for their loved ones. My colour scheme is green, red and white which reinforces the theme of Christmas, as these are the main colours used around this season. I also believe that by using a deep red my advert will become prominent on my second page and have a stark contrast to the bland white and black scheme of the newspaper itself. 

However if I was to have changed my advert I would have perhaps made the green writing lighter, although this may take away part of the Christmas theme and make my readers feel more with nature, rather then holiday spirt. I would also try to put some sort of frame around the paintings so that they look more fashionable and showy rather then just placed on there. I need to involve a type of heading or company name which will make it obvious what my advert is about, because at the moment the advert doesn't tell the reader what the topic is until they reader half way down it. Through achieving this I think I will name it "Pet Paintings" above the text and paintings so that it is the first thing that catches the readers eyes.

The image to the right is the newest version of my Pet Paintings advert. The changes I have made is that for the masthead. The new title is called Pet Paintings and is the name of the business, which is selling the paintings. I chose this name because I believe that it is catchy and it can relate to my newspaper title, as its initials are also “PP”. It also tells the reader straight what the advert is about, this defeats the vagueness I once had through having no title for my advert. By using a font, which is similar to real handwriting, I think I have made my advert look more artistic and this gives the reader an idea of what the advert is going to be about just by visually looking at it.

I also adapted the colour of my text, as it was once too dark to being easily noticeable, through doing this I kept the green but just lightened it up a bit. This ended with the text being more easily seen by the reader, instead of having to come so close to read it.