Pride Magazine Cover Analysis

The November 2015 cover of Pride Magazine features actress Naomie Harris, offering a rich visual and textual representation of the publication's focus on black women's empowerment and beauty.

Visual Elements

The cover's design employs several strategic elements to convey its message:

• Masthead Placement: The magazine's title, "Pride," is partially obscured by the model, suggesting brand recognition and emphasizing the subject's importance.

Highlight: The positioning of Naomie Harris in front of the masthead connotes her significance, a common technique in magazine covers.

• Color Palette: The predominant use of red and white creates a powerful visual impact, appealing to strong, confident women.

• Model's Pose: Naomie Harris's direct gaze and confident stance with her hand on her hip project strength and draw attention to her figure.

Example: Her hand placement accentuates her body shape, subtly sexualizing her image while maintaining a powerful presence.

Textual Elements

The cover lines and text provide insight into the magazine's content and target audience:

• Target Audience: The focus on black women is evident through the choice of cover model and specific mentions in the cover lines.

Quote: "Black Women's Bodies Examined" directly addresses the magazine's primary readership.

• Diverse Topics: Cover lines range from beauty and fashion to more serious social and political issues.

Highlight: The inclusion of topics like "Failed by Feminism" and "Objectified. Sexualised. Mocked." demonstrates the magazine's engagement with complex cultural issues affecting black women.

• Beauty Standards: The magazine addresses beauty norms and practices specific to black women.

Example: "The Wig Revolution is Here!" highlights a beauty trend particularly relevant to the black community.

Representation and Ideology

The cover challenges and reinforces certain media representations:

• Positive Representation: By featuring a successful black actress prominently, the magazine counters the underrepresentation of black women in mainstream media.

• Beauty Standards: While celebrating black beauty, the straightened hair of the model might inadvertently reinforce Western beauty standards.

Vocabulary: Media language and representation in this context refers to how the magazine uses visual and textual elements to portray and speak to black women.

• Empowerment vs. Objectification: The cover balances empowering messages with traditional magazine elements that focus on appearance and sexuality.

This analysis of Pride Magazine's cover provides insight into how media studies GCSE students can examine the complex interplay of representation, target audience, and media language in magazine covers.