A2 Media Studies Blog

 Empires 51st Issue September 1994

This magazine cover is from when Empre was attempting to build a brand name for itself and to do this it needed to attract an audience, it did this by getting famous stars to agree to be in the main image of the magazines next issue. In this magazine for example they have used Sharon Stone as the main image. Sharon Stone was quite famous arround 1994 and 1995 as she was playing a main role in "Casino". In the main image she is posed showing the top her chest, this according to feminists would be the media using her to attract a male audience in order to sell magazine this also relates to Richard Dyers star theory, in which people are more likely to purchase this magazine due to the actor in it rather than the actual contents of the magazine. Sexual quotes are referenced on the front cover, "Since becoming famous. I get to torture a better class of man..." this makes men more likely to find purchase the magazine to find out what is said due to the actress who has said it, this can relate to Dyers star theory as it entises men to purchase the magazine due to what the actoress has said. 

The general layout is quite typical of the early versions of empire magazine. With the plain background it makes the text and main image stand out more due to the colours used, this draws more attention to the magazine and attracts more cutomers.  Small puffs are used to inform the reader of the other articles such as the gold coin with the text inside.

This magazine has the barcode and price in an unusual position it is positioned quite high towards the center of the image compared to moder magazines where it is typically in the bottom right corners.