The first of every month always brings with it a tingle of excitement. The new month carries with it the time for newest issue of .... "the bible." And, yes; THE BIBLE! The magazine that every girl with even a mere speckle of estrogen yearns for month after month. The same little girls who used to snag mom's lipstick and who spent countless hours catwalking down the hall of their childhood home in heels five sizes too big.
...Well those little girls grow up to be: Cosmopolitan girls...
Due to being a Cosmo-holic myself, I'm interested in comprehending how this magazine has been able to manifest itself from a leisure and occasion purchase into a girl's must have item. I am approaching this topic as not only a fan of the magazine itself, but with an understanding that I am right in the margin of their core demographic. Though there is inarguably a vast array of other succesful magazines geared towards young woman, I have yet to encounter a magazine that has bound its readers to a literal dependant cycle such as Cosmo. As expected, this months cover, even at the mere first glance, appeals to all things feminine. From an advertisement point of view the magazines aesthetics are key; everything form the attractive actress on the front to the color scheme draws the eye right in. Though I feel as though there is further intricy to the magaizines appeal then mere aesthetics. It is no time old secret that advertisments are based around the human phsyche. Though, upon further examining all things Cosmo; I feel as though their approach towards young women creates a whole new playing field. It has not only taken the time to understand its audience but in turn, manipulates your percception. Turning our attention to the issue listed above, the three words that jump out intially are DUMPED, LOVE, and lastly "BURN FAT FAST." Bingo! Because believe me, in the rare chance a late teen or early twenty something girl isn't currently playing her hand in the love game; then there is a large guarentee she bare minimum interested in losing those five extra pounds. Now that the reader is engaged; the second glance will occur. This, however, is now predisposed by the intial story that peeked her interest. The second notcieable set of words are: "When Life Seems Too Much Too Bear," "Career," and lastly "Positions for a Quickie." Now that you are into your second round of observation, the readers thought process will break from your intial larger category to now a slightly smaller sub category. Issues addressed in the second glance are the workplace, stress levels, and lastly, sex (though these are far more blatent and drastically less appealing). However, again these allow for the reader to identify and personalize. Chances are the age range and type of girl they are aiming for partakes in romance, has experienced stressed or at bare minimum holds a job. Lastly are the smaller sub titles and pictures even to further your interest as you attach current personal experiences to what are really just generic topics on a piece of paper.
Even taking time to peer in the window of what is actually just sales and profit; I still enjoy endulging in what is almost a momentary fantasy for a reader. No reader is naive enough to think that here in this very Cosmopolitan lies the answers to all things holy; rather its more giving into the possibilty. You read this article and theres a small part of you that wonders what if: what if "you really do never get dumped," or you "really do know the V.I.P's. Cosmo is your momentary fantasy land; and there audience couldnt be more ideal. By now the commmon reader has left the nest and yet is still young enough to not have eliminated any real possibilty of where her life could take her. Cosmopolitan taps into the phsyche of these women; not only do they make you feel as though this magazine is almost personal, but they embody the sheer idea of young, sexy, and spontaneous; momentarily making every possibility seem easily within reach.
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