Since they are still young, I tried to think as them and what they would like to see in the magazine. I also thought of their current situation and since I was brought up in Asia first, I know how tough the student life is, especially at a young age. So, I want to create something that would make them smile, and let them temporarily escape their academic life since it is very stressful. But, here is where I get stuck because there are just so many ideas that I want to make into a physical object. Magazine is the primary option and I would really like to create one. But on the other hand, it seems to be a lot of work and I am unsure if I will finish it on time.
We also have to create two other concepts (2 in total) for our presentation next week, so I did some research and brainstormed. Here is the result of my research.
Result of research
Your presentation of the 3 concepts (in your learning team),
per concept an elevator pitch with the following slide:
1.
target audience
2.
focus of the theory connected to the target
audience
3.
synopsis (summary)
4.
mood-board
Idea 1 – Short and
small travel friendly magazine
Target audience:
adolescent girls (age 12-16) living in Japanese cities
Although the adolescence describes the teenage years between
13 and 19 years, I’ll be focusing on age 12-16 as given on the assignment.
During this transitional period
from childhood to adulthood, it is a crucial stage for them because they are at
the stage where they develop interest in the opposite gender, peer groups and
their outer appearance.
It is also during this stage where
they are confronted with choices between schoolwork, sexuality, drugs, alcohol,
and social life. The utmost importance part during this transitional stage
towards adulthood is where they create their self-identity to present to the
outer world.
Parents in Japan set high standards for their children when
it comes to academic results, and those results reflect back on the parent’s
status. A child is seen as a tool to raise the parent’s status, therefore
children in Japan (or in Asia for that matter) spends most of their time at
school.
It is not unusual for children in
Japan to receive additional lessons after school, to increase their knowledge
on other subjects the school does not focus on. It is due to this reason that
the father usually spends most of his time away from home to work and earn
money for the additional tuition fees.
Since academic results and going to
the top schools is the most important stage in a child’s life, parents usually
discourage or forbid their children from dating until they reach high school.
Girls these age are also interested in fashion and the
following magazines are set to appeal teenagers:
·
Zipper
This magazine is known as the
number one Harajuku style fashion and culture magazine. The magazine focuses
more on a casual street touch and attracts readers in their teens and twenties.
·
Cutie
This is a girly magazine, and it
focuses on the ‘J-Pop’ look. J-pop stands for Japanese pop, and it refers to
the fashion and makeup the idols and bands wears. They do not focus on
mainstream trends, but instead they take inspiration from different styles of
fashion. Each issue has a mix & match, hybrid and street fashion style.
·
Seventeen
This magazine is based on the
American version of Seventeen. It features teen models, as well as upcoming
models. The fashion theme focuses on cute and casual while being the latest
trend. This magazine also has advice and tips for teenagers.
·
Popteen
This magazine is similar to
Seventeen, but it features more girly, cute fashion. Makeup and hair tips are
also featured, alongside with the seasonal fashion with a sweet and girly touch
to it. Popteen is also a popular source for ‘gyaru’ fashion and for beginner
‘gals’. Gyaru is known as Japanese street fashion, it has transformed over the
years and right now it is a more refined, girly-glam style. Some keywords to
describe gyaru would be, wigs, fake lashes, fake nails, circle lenses and etc.)
Focus of the theory
connected to the target audience
For this first idea, since the Japanese society places
utmost importance in careers and academic results, I would like to integrate
the left and right brain theory in how they both are used in careers. In order
to do that, I would highlight the importance of the left and right brain
hemisphere and the positive parts of each hemisphere.
Synopsis
The idea for the magazine is to make it into a short and
small magazine that is travel friendly. I chose a magazine because girls these
ages do buy magazines, and they often read it with their friends or sometimes
even exchange it with their friends. It will be an informative magazine to
inform and prepare the adolescent girls on their “future.”
The first part of the magazine will be focused on the left
and the right brain, a short introduction of what they do in illustration and
short text.
The second part will contain a
test, where the adolescent girls can take the test and find out whether they
are left or right brain dominant. The result will mention which careers are
suitable for them and there will be illustrations of the left and right brain
careers.
After that, the page will divide into two sections, the left
and right brain. Part one will be all about the left-brain, and it will start
off with the positive aspects of the left-brain.
The next pages of the magazine will
contain interviews of famous female figures in their twenties to fourties who
have careers that is related to the left brain hemisphere. E.g. lawyer, doctor
and etc. (Think of Instagram, YouTubers, and etc. for the right brain users)
There will also be a showcase of pictures
of their fashion and what they wear to work. On another page, there will be
pages of other types of fashion that would deem fit to wear to work. This will
show the girls what they can expect in the future if they are left-brain
dominant.
The same idea will be used for the right brain hemisphere,
and the same layout will occur.
Idea 2 – Notebook
mixed with planner
Target audience:
adolescent girls (age 12-16) living in Japanese cities
The target audience is adolescent girls that will still be studying
in school, and their academic results plays an important role in their life.
They are currently in a transitional stage to adulthood and are developing
their own identity that they want to present to the world.
Since academic results are the
number one priority in their life, they are most likely to work with planners
to keep their life organized. Everything in their life has to be planned
accordingly, and most likely, with the parents’ consent.
Focus of the theory
connected to the target audience
The theory will be focused on the left and right brain
hemisphere, and the careers that are suitable for each hemisphere.
Synopsis
The idea is to create a notebook mixed with planner where
they can organize their life. It has enough space to scribble down their ideas,
plans, memo’s to keep their creative side alive and at the same it will be a
notebook that will remind them on their weekly to-do-list and planner.
There will also be pages where it’s
lined, and some will be kept blank so they can write or draw on it.
The beginning of the notebook will
have a page that says “this notebook belongs to”, then comes a blank timetable,
where the girls can write down their schedule for this school semester and the
upcoming school semester. There will also be a page in the beginning where they
can write what they wish to achieve this year, so they can set their own
personal goals. This will be accompanied with small illustrations.
Other than that, the notebook will
contain useful guides, such as information on the left and right brain theory,
how they function and what careers are associated with it.
Other worthy mentioned guides will
also be added, such as maps of the public transport, inspirational messages to
keep the girls motivated at school (1 quote on every 5 pages?), how to be productive
pages, important contacts, and a page for holiday “planner” to let them look
forward to their schedule where they can stop being a student and enjoy life as
a kid for a brief moment.
Idea 3 – Short book
on left & right brain test + fortune card
Target audience:
adolescent girls (age 12-16) living in Japanese cities
The target audience is adolescent girls that will still be
studying in school, and their academic results plays an important role in their
life. They are currently in a transitional stage to adulthood and are
developing their own identity that they want to present to the world.
It is also
in this stage of their life that most are clueless which career path they would
choose that determines their future. That’s when this test comes in handy, it
will help the girls and provide them a little insight on which careers would be
most suitable for them.
Focus of the theory
connected to the target audience
The theory will be focused on the left and right brain
hemisphere. This test will educate the girls on whether they are left or right
brained users, and which career will be the most suitable for them.
Synopsis
The idea behind this is to create a test to determine
whether the person is left or right brain oriented. Each page will have a
question and two illustrations. The two illustrations will show what a left and
the right brain person would do. E.g.
How do you do your homework?
Illustration 1 – Make a timetable and plan the hours to
finish the homework
Illustration 2 – Work on it spontaneously, without time
restriction
There will be approximately 10 - 14 pages. The end of the
page will consist out of the results, the theory of the right and left brain,
and the characteristics that comes with it. There will also be a page on which
careers would suit the right and left brain users the most.
There will be an added omikuji (fortune card) that describes
the person’s fate. In Japan, when you go to a temple you can purchase this for
100 yen and this is very detailed. It describes the general fortune and the
explanation on the nearby future.
However, I would like to keep it
simple and instead of the general fortune and explanation, I would like to add
motivational quotes just like what you would get in the Chinese cookie
fortunes, but just a little bit more detailed.
Other ideas:
Advertisement tissue
The advertisement tissue will be an extra, and it will be
attached to this book of quiz. On each side there will be inspiring quotes to
motivate the girls.
In the end I decided to go with these 3 concepts:
1. School magazine
- Reason: It is not that thick compared to a regular magazine, so this should be do-able
2. Notebook/Planner
- Reason: Since they are always studying, a notebook/planner is ideal to have around
3. Left/Right brain test
- To help them on their way to their future career path, this could be a good idea? Asian countries have higher respect for people in the left brain career path, and kind of look down on people who are creative. I experienced this before, but in the end I followed my heart since studying what I dislike made me really unhappy. Therefore, I want to enlighten them and let them know the possibilities and inform them on what other careers are out there. Hopefully, they will make the right choice and choose one that will make them the happiest.
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