2/23/16: Question 1 (Creative Critical Reflection)

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?

           Our media product titled, "South Florida EXCURSION" is a magazine that challenges and utilizes conventions concerning the world of print media. In one sense, the conventional sense, we use a uniform font and a traditional magazine-like graphic using wordle.net. which is positioned at the top of our cover. Our chosen magazine title is also fairly conventional and it did not come from research my partner and I had conducted. 

We simply put our heads together and cane up with it independently. In an alternate sense, the non-conventional sense, the whole layout is not geared to resemble any periodical. Rather, it is meant to simulate a traveler's log with its 'rings' bordering the pages and its dull brown background. The font (other than what is on the magazine's cover page) is meant to mimic handwriting and the photos are enveloped in a white border to mimic old fashioned polaroid pictures that any tourist or local could take single-handedly without having to use a professional's camera. There is even 'tape' placed on two corners of every picture to simulate someone taping these photos by hand into a travel log or journal. All of these non-conventional techniques are geared towards broadcasting an authentic meaning to our readers because in order to persuade potential travelers to journey to a place they may have not visited before, they must feel that the information they are being presented with is valid. This authentic-looking format helps fulfill this purpose since it doesn't look like a "business" type layout that screams profit over consumers.
          It represents and caters to the social group of middle-upper class adults with the means and willingness to travel to South Florida. The issue (as well as the intended meaning for this travel magazine) itself happens to be that of authenticity. This is because this magazine's articles are meant to inform readers about south Florida travel. This information has to be authentic, valid so that people can trust it. If they don't, they won't be persuaded to vacation there.