GQ - Audience & Industries blog tasks

 

GQ - Audience & Industries blog GQ Media Kit

1. 1. How does the media kit introduction describe GQ?

   
   

   • GQ is described as a flagship publication for men’s style and fashion.
   2. What does the media kit suggest about masculinity?

   
   

   • Masculinity is evolving, which has increased the popularity of men’s fashion.

   
   

   3. Pick out three statistics from the data on page 2 and explain what they suggest about the GQ audience.

   
   

   • 61% are ABC1, indicating the audience is mostly upper or middle class with disposable income.
   • £138k is the average household income, showing that readers have significant spending power.
   • £7.7k per year is spent on fashion, suggesting the audience values appearance and style.

   
   

   4. Look at page 3 - brand highlights. What special editions do GQ run and what do these suggest about the GQ audience?

   
   

   • GQ HEROES: ISSUE & EVENT – a festival of ideas bringing together innovators, thinkers, and cultural icons for three days of panels and performances.
   • MEN OF THE YEAR – the 2021 awards reached a global audience with 3,200 news articles generating over 9.8 billion views.
   • TENTPOLE VIDEO AND SOCIAL SERIES – GQ’s videos had over 45 million views in 2021, with more than 10 million hours of content watched.
   • These show that GQ’s audience is interested in high-profile events, influential figures, and multimedia content.

   
   

   5. Still on page 3, what does the video and social series section suggest about how magazine audiences are changing?

   
   

   • The audience has grown 30% online, showing that more readers prefer digital content over print.

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Media Magazine Feature: GQ (MM82)

   
   

   
   

   1. What are the elements that go into choosing a cover star for GQ?

   
   

   • Usually the most famous person of the month, often promoting a new project like a film. Sometimes there is no specific “hook,” as a celebrity might appear to enhance their own brand image.

   
   

   2. How is the magazine constructed to serve the target audience?

   
   

   • The magazine places strong focus on men’s style, reflecting the audience’s main interest.

   
   

   3. What does the article suggest about GQ’s advertisers and sponsorships – and what in turn does this tell us about the GQ audience?

   
   

   • GQ features high-end luxury brands, indicating that its audience values wealth, class, and prestigious brands.

   
   

   4. What is GQ Hype – and how does it reflect the impact of digital media on traditional print media?

   
   

   • GQ Hype offers one weekly edition, maintaining GQ’s prestige and cover design, while gaining more attention online via Instagram and Twitter than other online-only content.

   
   

   5. Finally, what does the article say about additional revenue streams for print magazines like GQ?

   
   

   • Print magazines cannot survive on print sales alone; they continue to focus on high-end luxury brand partnerships for revenue.

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Industries Contexts – Condé Nast

   
   

   
   

   Guardian news article

   
   

   1. Who was previously GQ editor for 22 years?
   • Dylan Jones.

   
   

   2. What happened to the ‘lads’ mag’ boom magazines such as Nuts, Maxim and Loaded?

   
   

   • He tried to distance GQ from them.

   
   

   3. What changes have been taking place at Condé Nast in recent years and why?

   
   

   • Condé Nast has become more cautious after individuals were exposed for comments that harmed the company’s reputation.

   
   

   
   

   Press Gazette article

   
   

   1. What does the article suggest about Condé Nast’s recent strategy?

   
   

   • They are reducing duplication of content across platforms.

   
   

   2. How does chief executive Roger Lynch describe Condé Nast and why?

   
   

   • Lynch says they are no longer just a magazine company, as far more people engage with their content online than in print.

   
   

   3. What does Adam Baidawi say about Condé Nast, GQ, and culture?

   
   

   • Condé Nast shapes and reflects culture, and print sales for them have actually increased.

   
   

   
   

   FIPP feature

   
   

   1. How is Condé Nast moving away from traditional print products?

   
   

   • They are shifting focus toward digital and online content as more readers interact with them online.

   
   

   2. What examples are provided of Condé Nast’s video and streaming content?

   
   

   • Viewers can click to buy outfits directly while watching Vogue fashion shows.

   
   

   3. What does the end of the article suggest modern media audiences want?

   
   

   • “Audiences want to be participants, not just passive viewers – and of course, they want content 100 per cent personalised for them,” said Chu.

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   GQ Website, Video and Social Media Content

   
   

   
   

   1. What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?

   
   

   • Both are heavily focused on celebrities.

   
   

   2. Analyse the top menu of the GQ website (e.g. Fashion / Grooming / Culture). What do the menu items suggest about GQ’s audience?

   
   

   • The audience wants to improve their lives and they focus on their appearance.

   
   

   3. What does GQ’s Instagram feed suggest about the GQ brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?

   
   

   • The feed highlights celebrity content and behind-the-scenes moments, appealing to a younger audience than the print magazine.

   
   

   4. In your opinion, is GQ’s social media content designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?

   
   

   • I think it is mainly aimed at building a digital audience, as the Instagram and broadcast channels focus more on celebrities than promoting the physical magazine.

   
   

   5. Evaluate the success of the GQ brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?

   
   

   • GQ is successful both digitally and in print. Print targets the original audience through events and style content, while digital reaches younger audiences and grows the brand. Digital may eventually replace print, but many readers still prefer physical magazines due to factors like internet fatigue and sense of nostalgia.