The Health and Fitness genre for magazines will either be instructional or medical titles. This may include exercise, mental health, personal training, and alternatives to medicine.
The conventions used vary from purpose and effectiveness.
Headlines depict the desired, overall topic that develops the essence of the magazine that may include puns or word play to draw the reader’s attention. Subheadings and cover lines provide additional information about the Health and Fitness topic that is being promoted in the magazine, providing insight so the audience can select the best fit for them. A cover line gives a glimpse of what is inside to engage in the fewest amount of words. Under the cover lines are subheadings; they’re strategically placed to assess detail of the article. A selling line is typically bold and colorful, which is used to sell the main topic of the magazine. Buzzwords are used to attract the audience and make them feel included.
Furthermore, barcodes, puff, and price and dateline are typical content of magazines. Barcodes are a machine-readable representation of data used when purchasing an item at a store that utilizes the automate checkout system. Puffs are when the company offers the opportunity to win a gift or prize for free. The price and dateline are placed at the corner. in small font so their focus isn’t shifted to this information as it is not important for marketing.
Production techniques typically use the strategies and layout of the magazine that create embedded interested in the intended topic, Health and Fitness. Color schemes and font styles are usually similar for the magazine and range depending on who their target audience is. For example, a Health and Fitness magazine will use bolder fonts and stronger colors to draw attention. Their different style is called a house style. The main image included conveys a close up or medium shot usually to catch the attention of the audience. A Health and Fitness magazine may use an icon who is famous for their lifestyle to promote what will be introduced in the magazine. For example, Dwayne Johnson, famously known as The Rock, integrates himself into the fit lifestyle that the magazine intends to develop the article on. This connects the audience to the article in the magazine.
Institutional conventions are involved with the marketing of magazines. The cover of a magazine may include an image of a muscular, bare-chested male models and personal trainers because it portrays the desired image the audience has because they want to look a certain way. It also provides a sense of credibility because the magazine serves as a guide to the body. A specific individual may be the main focus of the cover-shoot to retain interest based solely on the person, rather than the information.Furthermore, the titles are significant in the marketing the magazine because it is one of the first contents that draws attention.
One example that embraces the Health and Fitness genre is “Men’s Health” because it includes varying topics of a fit and healthy lifestyle. For example, the October 2018 edition features JJ Watt, who is a defensive player in the NFL for the Houston Texans, as the cover model. Additionally, the subheadings assess health issues, such as flu shots, and sufficient sleep affecting an individual’s lifestyle.
Another example is the Canadian natural health and wellness magazine called “Alive.” The company, established in 1974, focuses on organics, fitness, and holistic lifestyles. The October 2012 issue uses soft greens and pinks to convey the robust idea of “health.” Articles in the magazine address resistant health exercises for brain health and whole foods recipes to prevent inflammation. This follows the health and fitness genre because it discusses healthy lifestyles that should be followed, like diet choices.
Other examples include Women’s Health, Clean Eating, Women’s Running, Self, Prevention, and Oxygen.
