GQ - Audience & Industries

 Audience

Look through the GQ Media Kit and answer the following questions: 

1) How does the media kit introduction describe GQ?

Forward looking, cutting edge and progressive 

2) What does the media kit suggest about masculinity? 

It evolves men's fashion 

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

Average annual spend on beauty   -£1.2k , suggesting that their followers may adhere to less traditional forms of masculinity, indulging in their femininity or metro sexuality 

ABC1 - 61%  -suggesting that their target audience may be highly educated to university/degree level

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  - even though the magazine is targeted towards men they still want to have a relationship with a wide range of people and audiences  

MEN OF THE YEAR - they're still ingrained in their roots, paying homage to all men across the world and diasporas 

TENTPOLE VIDEO AND SOCIAL SERIES - the magazine has moved to the digital world seamlessly 

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

Their audience is getting younger or is apart of the younger generation and the magazine is trying to move with their audience

Media Magazine feature: GQ

Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on GQ (MM82 - page 12). Answer the following questions:

1) What are the elements that go into choosing a cover stars for GQ? 

• Cover star has to have a 'hook' for that month i.e. something they're promoting 
• have to be someone who will help the brand image of GQ
• Exclusivity, also, is everything – you want them to be the first to talk to that person about the very thing that makes them newsworthy.

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

As it's a men's lifestyle magazine it promotes products such as luxury watches etc. 

3) What does the article suggest about GQ's advertisers and sponsorships - and what in turn does this tell us about the GQ audience? 

The advertisers/sponsors that they have are all brands that want to to promote themselves in the sphere of male, high-end, luxury lifestyle. Depicting that GQ's audience are very materialistic and strive to live a luxury life. 

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

 

GQ Hype – a weekly, online-only cover; since it was  a GQ cover it came with prestige and that was enough for these celebrities that wanted to be on a GQ cover. This reflects how digital media has swept print media under the rug as digital media is more accessible now adays its more sought after.

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

Extra revenue streams are vital to the magazine business these days – it’s almost impossible to survive without them. GQ also had an annual car awards, and a food and drink awards but crucially, focussing on high-end and luxury, as the magazine does. all staff are also invited

to contribute ideas, and good ones will simply be explored with GQ’s advertising department, to see if they are economically viable.

Industries

Your industries contexts are divided into three areas - Conde Nast, GQ's website and social media content and the impact of digital media on print industries.

Condé Nast

Read this Guardian news article on editorial changes at Condé Nast and answer the following questions: 

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? 

They transferred to online magazines after the circulation fell

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

Many important personnel have left the magazine and racial scandals have arose   


Read this Press Gazette article on Conde Nast. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about Condé Nast's recent strategy? 

 digital-first strategy designed to produce less duplication of content - due t this the brand is no longer considered a traditional magazine 

 

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

told the New York Times the digital-first changes meant Conde Nast was “no longer a magazine company" - as more people interact with them on their website and even more of social media than the print magazine itself

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

Says GQ is "as good as it's ever been" 

He added that there was a “romanticised” vision of print-centred magazines that was becoming “less and less sensical” in the age of the internet.

Baidawi told Press Gazette: “Conde Nast, as much as anything else, is in the business of shaping and reflecting culture. Culture moves, and we have to move with it.

Read this FIPP feature on Condé Nast diversifying into video and streaming content. Answer the following questions: 

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

25% of the company’s revenues over the next four years invested into prioritising the expansion of video and digital content to boost online subscriptions and e-commerce.

2) What examples are provided of Condé Nast's video and streaming content?

Conde Nast had seen more than 14 billion annual video views in 2021, up 18% from 2020, as well as a 38% overall increase in digital ad revenues.

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

Modern audiences are found mostly on digital platforms and Conde Nast is not ignoring this fact of emerging platforms 

GQ website, video and social media content 

Visit the GQ website, Instagram and YouTube channel. Note that some of these may be blocked in school. Once you have looked over GQ's online content, answer the following questions:

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

The theme of celebrity names is recurring 

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

They suggest that the audience is most likely upper to middle class as most working class people don't have the money or time to spend on these things, suggesting that the audience pays attention to how they present themes and are conscious of how they want to be perceived. 

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?

I think their Instagram appeals to a slightly younger audience with their mentions of popular music festivals but still keeps in theme of fashion at the forefront 

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

Definitely to build a digital audience as digital platforms are where most of the engagement lies nowadays, it's important the brand draws people from digital platforms and build a loyal fan base there. 

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?

I believe it successfully communicates with its target audience with its specialised use of the modern trends and interests circulating on social media and relating it back to their brand. For example one of their newest posts is related to Glastonbury Festival , something that has been circulating social media. They relate the subject right back to the optics of their brand.

A/A* extension tasks

You can read more about the GQ Heroes event here. What does this suggest about the GQ audience - and how brands are diversifying away from print? 

Read this Guardian feature on the struggles of the UK print magazine industry to find out how Google and Facebook took advertising revenue from print products and how magazines are responding.

Find out more about Conde Nast and the people in leadership positions on their website here. 

Read more about GQ in this Gorkana media briefing.