Analysis of mastheads: Smash Hits.

Smash Hits was a pop magazine that was aimed at, initally, teenagers of both genders. Above is the masthead that would of featured on these earlier issues. The colour of red indicate that the magazine is is for both genders, as it is a colour that both males and females like. The type face is a strong font that again attracts both male and female readers in.

This masthead is the one on the newer magazines after they redesigned it to boost circulation. This redesign also changed the focus away from chart followers of both genders to young teenage girls who wanted celebrity gossip. The masthead reinforces this.

The type face used is very similar to that on Top Of The Pops, with the bubble writing look and the title being in lower case. It has a more of a younger feel to it, especially with the exclamation mark that isn't present in the older issues. The colours used are more 'girly' but also have a pop feel to it, especailly the yellow which is very bright. The use of the black outline, which again is very similar to TOTP, makes the colours stand out even more as well as making the masthead look younger. In all this masthead looks very childish, like the sort of thing a girl of this age would draw, especailly when you compare it to the earlier masthead.


The wording of the masthead is very to the point, as the reader will know straight away that the magazine will focus on the biggest hits at the time. It makes it point quickly and efficently.


For my magazine my masthead will have elements of both of these mastheads in them. As my magazine will be for both male and females of the older teenage years, the type face will be similar to the earlier mastheads of Smash Hits. However I will use the same sort of pop colours that are featured on the later mastheads, except I will make the colours relevent to both genders.