The Gentlewoman: Audience and Industries blog tasks

 The Gentlewoman: Audience and Industries blog tasks

There are five reasonably short tasks for The Gentlewoman - Audience and Industries plus some optional extension work for those aiming for the very top grades. Create a blogpost called 'The Gentlewoman: Audience and Industries' and work through the following:

1) Media Magazine feature: Pleasures of The Gentlewoman

Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on The Gentlewoman (MM84 - page 34). Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest is different about the Gentlewoman compared to traditional women's magazines? 

She says that Its minimalist covers are so completely different that it’s actually shocking. The only text is the title,  subtitle and name of the person in the photograph, which is taken as a portrait and framed like a painting. It’s a bold statement that says this is more than just a magazine, this is art. In case it wasn’t different enough, the masthead is in lower case! Compared with Vogue, Elle or Cosmopolitan, the gentlewoman has no need to shout. Its fresh take on what a magazine should look like stands out enough – made you look, it seems to whisper. From its very specific choices around typography to its choices around colour and blank space, the gentlewoman oozes class in a different and much more, yes, modern way.

2) What representations are offered in the Gentlewoman? 

Representation in the gentlewoman is pleasingly wide ranging. the gentlewoman does a pretty good job of presenting a spectrum of womanhood (it may not surprise anyone to hear that the vast majority of its subjects are emphatically not men). 

3) List the key statistics in the article on the average reader of the magazine. 

When talking about key audience statistics she mentions, "I am a woman, like 85 percent of the gentlewoman’s audience. I am 38, which falls right in the middle of its largest readership bracket: 61 percent of its readers are aged 28-46. As a teacher, I fall into one of the ‘right’ social classes to be an average reader: 47 per cent of The Gentlewoman ’s readers are in the A or B categories of the NRS social grading system that the UK press uses to gather demographics."

4) What is The Gentlewoman Club? 

It's an ‘international society’ of ‘sophisticated women and men who demand quality and originality from their  agenda of cultural happenings’. The club is both a real, offline way to get to know others who share similar interests, a way of deepening brand loyalty among readers, and a cynical way to covertly market products to a highly affluent and motivated targeted audience who are made to feel special.

5) What theorists does it suggest we can apply to the Gentlewoman's club?

A mutually beneficial blur of constructed media and real life, that could be probed using end-of-audience theories by the likes of Clay Shirkey, fandom theories by Henry Jenkins, and David Gauntlett’s ideas about how we, as media consumers, use media products to help create our identity. It could definitely be argued that by creating a

club, the gentlewoman is able to tailor and construct a superglamorous and ultra-modern ‘reality’ for its readers – a simulation that would make Baudrillard perk up.

6) What does the writer of article suggest they are getting out of their relationship with the magazine?

They say, "It provides me with a glimpse into the world of high fashion and celebrity and picks a few choice social trends to help me feel in the know. It meets some of my needs for cultural and media interaction and all it asks in return is the price of a cinema ticket and that I put up with some targeted marketing. Yeah, duh, it’s 2023. As an avid media consumer I can deal with and filter that."

7) Who are the team behind the magazine?

The team behind the gentlewoman is small but clearly influential. Creators Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom

have come up with a number of subversive and unconventional publications. They are clearly savvy and use their websites as great adverts for their products, giving away just enough content to allow potential readers to enjoy full articles and get to know the brand, while being seductively minimalist enough to encourage you to buy the physical product.

8) How does the Gentlewoman use their website and social media to promote the magazine? 

The gentlewoman’s liberal use of cross-platform social media helps deepen readers’ relationship with the brand, while being a largely free resource to the company. An important part of the magazine from an industry point of view is what the gentlewoman calls its ‘creative collaborations’. 

9) What are the 'creative collaborations' in the magazine? How do they 'spill over into real life'?

Also known as ‘native advertising’, brands use the gentlewoman’s own writers and photographers to market their products to the gentlewoman’s audiences. I usually find this type of marketing jarring and cynical, but somehow – probably by carefully selecting which brands it works with – the gentlewoman has made it seem like an utterly natural feature of the magazine. And the collaborations spill over into real life with special events for club members.

10) How does the article sum up the audience pleasures of the Gentlewoman? 

They mostly talk about the audience feeling pleasured by their welcoming, independent team and their modern relevance meeting audience satisfaction.

2) The Gentlewoman Media kit

Look through The Gentlewoman's Media Kit and answer the following questions:

1) How does the Media Kit introduce the magazine?

Established in 2010, The Gentlewoman is widely recognised as the definitive style title for the modern woman. Intelligent, opinionated and entertaining, it has set a new standard in women’s magazines with its high-quality writing and fashion photography celebrating modern women of style and purpose. The Gentlewoman is renowned for its innovative editorial and design, gar-nering critical acclaim and accolades to become one of the best performing titles in its category and the leading women’s magazine on newsstands today. They showcase positive aspects of the magazine to hook readers.

2) On the 'Digital' page, what different sections of the website are there and how do these offer opportunities for audience engagement and interaction? 

There is a library section which allows audiences to explore the magazine library on the website, the shop page, which allows them to purchase certain features and products and there is also a club section which allows them to explore different activities that the magazine website provides such as engaging interviews, influencing interaction.

3) What are the audience demographics for The Gentlewoman?

Median age .................................... 32 years

22%................................................18–27 years

61% ............................................. 28–46 years

11%................................................ 47–55 years

6%...................................................... 56+ years

Female readers ......................................85%

Male readers ......................................... 15%

ABC1 ............................................................ 76%

AB ..................................................................47%

Average income ...........................£87,255

4) What is The Gentlewoman Club and what does it offer readers?

The Gentlewoman Club is an international society of the magazine’s readers, which currently has up to 39,000 active members – sophisticated women and men who demand quality and originality from their agenda of cultural happenings. These loyal subscribers attend the Club’s get-togethers in substantial numbers, notified of which via the Club’s monthly newsletter and social media platforms.

5) What Creative Collaborations

The Gentlewoman’s creative collaborations are an innovative way to communicate a unique brand message through the publication’s distinctive editorial voice. These bespoke partnerships offer diverse and engaging cross-platform solutions including photography, film, inserts, contract publishing and specially-curated events and digital projects.

3) D&AD Award Winner feature

Read this short D&AD advertising agency award feature on The Gentlewoman. Answer the following questions:

1) How is the magazine described?

The Gentlewoman celebrates modern women of style and purpose, offering an intelligent perspective on fashion through ambitious journalism and photography. Speaking to its audience as readers not consumers, the magazine showcases inspirational women through a distinctive combination of glamour, personality and warmth. From the same publishing house as celebrated magazine Fantastic Man, The Gentlewoman continues the house’s tradition for publishing innovation.

2) What does it say about the content and design of The Gentlewoman?

The editorial design continues its evolution with the introduction of new typographical and layout elements, along with the magazine’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its photography by working with the leading names in the field.

3) How are the readers described?

Confident, intelligent and stylish, our readers are from a broad range of ages and professions. Characterized by their thirst for cultural entertainment, we have an intimate relationship with readers through The Club (28,000 subscribers).

4) Business of Fashion website feature 

Read this Business of Fashion feature on The Gentlewoman - the magazine that is also a club. If you don't want to sign up to the website (free) then you can access the text of the article on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login). Answer the following questions: 

1) What events are listed as part of The Gentlewoman Club?

The Gentlewoman Club includes a range of events such as talks, dinners, screenings, workshops and other social gatherings. These events bring together women from different creative industries and allow members of the magazine’s community to connect in person.

2) Why does it suggest the magazine has managed to 'cut through the clutter'?

The article suggests The Gentlewoman has stood out because it focuses on quality, originality and a strong connection with its audience rather than following fast-moving trends. Its unique style and clear identity have helped it gain attention in a crowded magazine market.

3) How are Gentlewoman Club tickets given out? 

Tickets for The Gentlewoman Club events are not simply sold publicly; they are usually offered through invitations and selected opportunities for the magazine’s readers and community. This creates a feeling of exclusivity around the events.

4) What does the article say about The Gentlewoman's relationship with its audience? 

The article explains that The Gentlewoman has built a close relationship with its audience by treating readers as part of a wider community rather than just consumers. The Club strengthens this connection by allowing readers to meet, interact and share experiences beyond the magazine itself.

5) Why are Club events valuable from a digital perspective? 

Club events are valuable digitally because they create content and engagement opportunities that can be shared online. They help strengthen the brand’s presence on social media while encouraging audiences to interact with The Gentlewoman in a more personal way.

5) Website and social media research

1) Visit The Gentlewoman's website. How does it promote the magazine? 

The website promotes The Gentlewoman by showcasing the latest issue, featured stories, interviews and profiles of influential women. It also encourages readers to buy the magazine through clear links to subscriptions and purchases, while using its stylish design and editorial content to reflect the magazine’s identity and values.

2) Visit the magazine page of the website. How much of the magazine is available to view online? Is this a smart marketing technique to sell print copies or is it giving content away for free? 

Only a small amount of The Gentlewoman magazine is available to view online, with the website mainly showing previews, selected articles and information about the current issue rather than the full magazine. This is a smart marketing technique because it gives potential readers a taste of the content and encourages them to buy the physical copy, while still keeping the exclusive content behind the print product.

3) Look at The Gentlewoman's Twitter feed. What content from the magazine or Club events can you find on there? 

You can find posts promoting magazine features, interviews, new issues and articles from the publication. It also shares content from The Gentlewoman Club, including updates, event announcements and highlights that show the community and activities connected to the brand.

4) Go to The Gentlewoman's Instagram page. How does it encourage the audience to engage with the magazine?

The Gentlewoman’s Instagram encourages engagement by sharing images and clips from magazine features, interviews and photoshoots, creating interest in the stories behind each issue. It also uses captions, tags and posts about featured women to encourage audiences to interact, follow the brand and explore the magazine further.

5) What representations of fashion and gender can you find on their Instagram page? 

The Instagram page represents fashion as sophisticated, timeless and focused on personal style rather than just trends. It presents women as confident, successful and diverse individuals, challenging traditional stereotypes by showing women from different careers, backgrounds and areas of influence.