i magazine is the new concise quality newspaper, from The Independent, made for people who want a concise, intelligent daily briefing; a newspaper that gives all the stories you really need to know, at a glance; a quality read for busy people in the modern world. Broadcaster, Jamie Theakston says, “At last, a paper that recognises that people in a hurry don't have to be treated like idiots”. The unique format of i allows readers to digest all the key stories and issues at a glance, making it easy to keep up to date with the news, when having a busy lifestyle.
The magazine’s unique selling point is its price; at only 20p, i magazine is affordable, attracting a wider audience. It’s aimed at “real people living real lives” (Ross Kemp) – whether a young adult in further education or someone in the working world, the magazine hopes to connect with people from different backgrounds with different economic statuses. i magazine is multi-platform, making it accessible to a larger audience.
The masthead of i has The Independent’s logo of a bird, so the reader knows the two are connected. The font of the masthead is bold, standing out in red, which gives the magazine an edgier look that’s perhaps more inviting to a younger audience. There’s a unique ‘News Matrix’ at the front of the paper. This allows the reader to take in all the day's main stories without turning the page, pleasing its target audience of busy people who want to keep in-the-know. News reports in i are short and to-the-point, with information boxes to make it easier for the reader to learn more about the stories that interest them. The writing style is similar to The Independent, however the news is cut shorter, giving the reader the facts and most important bits of information. This is attractive to its audience because it doesn’t seem as daunting to read as The Independent, considering there is less text but equally as useful information. The i magazine could be seen as a threat to The Independent newspaper, as it’s appealing layout and edgier look make the magazine appear a more friendly read. However, The Independent is still very popular to those who do want to find out all the information of a story, so they can feel like they’re not missing out on any news – the two papers simply target different audiences.
i magazine has been given a high profile in retail outlets, by being placed on the counter or somewhere prominent, as I’ve seen myself. They have an advertising campaign on TV to bring it to everyone’s attention, relating to the front page, which says “as seen on TV”. I will take into account the techniques of the magazine and present on the front cover of my magazine what’s inside, in a concise way, as well as pricing my magazine at an affordable price.
