How Media Target Audience

The media then uses codes and conventions that the targeted audience will enjoy to keep them engaged. Media codes are everything.


Demographics
Age, gender, social class, ethnicity/race, income, location, political leanings, star appeal.


Psychographics
Personality, behavior (passive & active), values, interests, and spending habits.


Genre
Categorizing media products is by grouping them together via their shared characteristics. These characteristics in media are known as codes and convictions. They're creating restrictions and developing templates for media producers to follow.


Subgenre
Categorization of media a step further. It goes beyond the generalization of the genre.


Genre Convention
Different elements are commonly found in a particular genre.

Lifestyle magazines often use a gender profile to attract their audience. They may be read by anyone – but they are specifically targeted towards a specific gender profile.

For instance, GQ is a men’s lifestyle magazine which features articles on male fashion, style and culture. Cosmopolitan targets a female demographic with similar content based on female interests.

Although a female reader may buy GQ, the content will be created with the male audience in mind.
Many major magazine publishers produce press packs (A pack containing information, images and other media, created to promote something. May be distributed to media outlets or advertisers. Sometimes called a media kit.) to attract potential advertisers. The press pack will give details on the audience demographics of the magazine and provide the advertisers with information about their target audience.

 

GQ and Men's Vogue appeal to male audiences as stars are always seen wearing fashionable clothing that makes them seem very stylish and good-looking, which may give men ideas on how to improve their wardrobe/look better in general. The colour palette used also appears more monochrome instead of using outlying and bright colours. This fits the Male Genre Convention as men are usually more attracted to simple grey-white-black colours instead of vibrant neons, pinks, yellows, etc.

Vogue and Cosmopolitan appeal to women audiences due to their bright, vibrant colour palettes, for example bright pink, which tends to attract female readers. Using popular stars like kpop idols also boost readership as women may want to see what their favourite singers and actors are wearing to try and copy their wardrobe and dress better.