Teen Vogue textual analysis
Teen Vogue: background reading and textual analysis blog tasks
Work through the following tasks to complete your first case study on Teen Vogue.
Teen Vogue: background reading
Read this Guardian feature from 2017 on Teen Vogue and answer the following questions.
1) What was the article that announced Teen Vogue as a more serious, political website – with 1.3m hits and counting?
It was an article (written by Lauren Duca) about the actions of Trump and how he is gaslighting America.
*Gaslighting: manipulating someone to the point where they question their own sanity.
2) When was the original Teen Vogue magazine launched and what was its original content?
Teen Vogue was launched in 2003 as a print magazine. Because it was a "little sister" to US Vogue, it continued to focus on areas like fashion and beauty.
3) How did editor Elaine Welteroth change Teen Vogue’s approach in 2015?
She encouraged Teen Vogue to move away from the conventional, safe option of only reporting on fashion and beauty, and led Teen Vogue in a new direction.
4) How many stories are published on Teen Vogue a day? What topics do they cover?
Approximately 50-70 stories are published every day. These cover a range of topics, varying from fashion to entertainment and even current affairs and politics.
5) What influence did digital director Phillip Picardi have over the editorial direction?
Phillip Picardi is the digital director of Teen Vogue. With his direction, the Teen Vogue website grew substantially even as their print version declined.
6) What is Teen Vogue’s audience demographic and what does ‘woke’ refer to?
"Woke" refers to an awareness of issues surrounding social justice. The fact that Teen Vogue refer to themselves as a woke brand highlights the fact that they are in keeping with their young demographics' use of language as well as their viewpoints on certain things.
7) What issues are most important to Teen Vogue readers?
Issues relating to identity and how they can become more aware of themselves and society around them. Young people "crave something real and authentic", so Teen Vogue reflects this by empowering them with information, whether it's beauty- related, political or just career advice.
8) What does Tavi Gevinson suggest regarding the internet and ‘accountability culture’ with regards to modern audiences? Can you link this to our work on Clay Shirky?
She suggests that the relationship between the Teen Vogue brand and their audience has become stronger, as well as more transparent. This concept link to Clay Shirky's theories relating to accountability journalism.
Teen Vogue textual analysis
1) What website key conventions can you find on the Teen Vogue homepage?
Task/menu bar at the top of the homepage, Most relevant/popular stories are at the top of the homepage.
2) How does the page design encourage audience engagement?
Montage/collage style formatting of the news articles towards the top and trending section - makes the reader feel like they should read the stories in order to stay up to date with what's on trend and currently being talked about across the globe.
3) Where does advertising appear on the homepage?
Very minimal advertising - if it is shown on the homepage, it is shown as a "sponsored" post rather than disguising it as clickbait.
4) What are the items in the top menu bar and what does this tell you about the content of Teen Vogue?
Fashion, entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, wellness and homecoming.
5) How far does the homepage scroll down? How many stories appear on the homepage in total?
The homepage scrolls very far down - creates the impression that the news stories will just keep being loaded and suggested.
Lifestyle section
1) What are the items in the top menu bar for the Lifestyle section?
Tech, Campus, Life, Careers, Decorating, ideas, Food..
2) How is the Lifestyle section designed to encouragement audience engagement? Think about page design, images, text and more.
Strong visual focus - aestheticism of the website is reflected through the minimalist style of the website. There are lots of articles but the website doesn't feel overcrowded or difficult to navigate.
There is a range of stories from all 5 of the categories shown in the top menu. This provides the consumer with a sample/taster of what kind of content is posted in this section of the website.
3) What do you notice about the way headlines are written in Teen Vogue?
The headlines are almost written as short descriptions rather than short snappy, 'pun' headlines - designed to inform rather than to make the stories see more humorous.
4) What does the focus on education, university and ‘campus life’ tell you about the Teen Vogue audience demographics and psychographics?
Demographics - mainly young people who are particularly well-educated. ABC1 audience demographic mainly. Psychographics - Aspirers, Achievers, Succeeders - those who are interested in bettering their education and knowledge of various different things.
5) Choose three stories featured in the Lifestyle section – why do they fit the Teen Vogue brand?
Focuses on the idea of encouraging young people to step up and make a change - don't use your age as an excuse, use it as an opportunity to express your opinion/ideas that others may not necessarily have. Reflects the focus that Teen Vogue have to empower young people across the globe to have a great impact on their world.
Five key articles
Read the following five notable Teen Vogue features then answer the questions below for EACH feature.
1) Who is the writer and what is the article about?
2) How does the article use narrative to engage the reader? Try and apply narrative theory here if possible.
3) Why is this article significant?
4) How does this article reflect the values and ideologies of the modern Teen Vogue?
The impact that Donald Trump's presidency has had on America and how people have started doubting themselves as well as their own belief, How it has weakened America as a whole - making people question their perspectives and Highlights the widely shared view that Donald Trump relies on his ability to manipulate the weaknesses of others and swear off of lies in order to win over masses of supporters
The role that Netflix has played in helping to change the stereotypical way that we view women, as well as the way that they are represented in film and television. Discusses the impact of stereotypes - idea of familiarity, especially because feminists across the globe have constantly written about and discussed the role of television/the media in forming newer, refreshed perceptions of women rather than overtly sexualised ones.
Trump attempting to disregard the concept of gender/sexuality being a spectrum rather than fixed binaries that cannot change. Spreading ways of dismantling the concept of gender binaries and becoming more progressive and accepting of others, Provides 6 distinct ways on how to help dispel the myth/fixed ideology that sex and gender is only focused on transgender people/that everything relating to sex and gender needs to be standardized in order for it to make sense.
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