Food Genre Research
Hello everyone!
In this blog post I will continue to do some in depth analysis on food magazines, specifically on what food magazines are as a genre and the significance that they bring to the world of magazines. So, let’s get started!
What are food magazines?
To my understanding, “food magazines” refers to a type of media that focuses on the publication of recipes, various cultures, current food trends, chef opinions/interviews, and some personal and heartfelt stories.
But what purpose do they serve to our society? In all honesty I can’t remember the last time I have seen one in a place other than a grocery store. Well, food magazines serve as a conduit, albeit an outdated one, sharing bundles of information.
“It can take you around the world,” according to Magazine Café, within the comfort of your kitchen. It will show you how to cook savory Japanese ramen like a master, create some perfectly spicy Jamaican jerk chicken, or even a bowl of satisfyingly tangy Peruvian ceviche. It connects all different kinds of cultures to all different kinds of people. And many of these dishes have come with emotional story tied behind it, this encourages curiosity and enthusiasm for the discovery of unfamiliar cultures, which helps in further supporting and representing diversity all around the globe!
Food magazines also serve a practical role, giving people recipes, techniques, and advice. It allows them to develop skills and upgrade their experience that they can use in their daily lives. This creates a sense of belonging, especially if one is committed to a specific kind of magazine, reading familiar writing and seeing unique conventions
Lastly, these magazines act as a form of escapism, most commonly through the luxury and gourmet category. The delicious and expensive looking food, mixed with the sophisticated design of the paper, with the occasional inclusion of celebrities and big names, it allows for people to imagine being in that position, wondering what their lives could be like.
Successful Examples
Now, after talking about the meaning that magazines bring to world, it is about time that we are able to see this success in action. We will briefly be reviewing 2 food magazines and analyzing what makes them so popular.
The first magazine is Bon Appetit
- Founded in 1956, Bon Appetit has become a pioneer for physical and digital food media,
- They are known for their prominent digital presence (Youtube, online magazines), allowing them to broaden their audience and create a modern feel to their brand.
- They use a conversational and personal tone within their writing, it makes them feel down to earth and relatable
- They closely follow trends, interview celebrities and chefs, and share many heartfelt stories.
- They give lots of attention to various cultures and cuisines, helping spread diversity and recognition.
- They use clean, uncluttered designs and a more natural tone, focusing the attention to the food and encompassing the audience within their “world.”
The second magazine we will be reviewing is GoodFood
GoodFood, published by BBC in 1989, is known for its reliability and clarity.
- It has built up a lot of trust from the public, since it stems from a highly respected broadcaster.
- They have built their brand on “good recipes” and “quality home cooking”
- They are very practical, using clear step-by-step procedures, accessible ingredients, and concrete results.
- They focus a lot more on the recipe than a relationship with the audience and do not usually follow trends and popularity.
- Their designs are bright, structured, and clean, they create a “perfected” tone.
Within genres there are even more specific sections called sub-genres, a few that are frequent in food magazines are: Home Cooking, Gourmet & Luxury, and Cultural.
Home cooking tends to be simple and follow step-by-step recipes, they are budget friendly and are made for meal prepping, family cooking, and leftovers. They have a friendly and clear tone, making it easy for readers to follow along. Their audience ranges from 25-65 and is made for families, beginners, and people who like to cook.
Gourmet has fine dining recipes/techniques, interviews from chefs and restaurants, and usually includes sections about traveling and wine tasting, as well as other fancy activities. It has a sophisticated register, using formal and descriptive language. The age range is 30-70 and is targeted towards professionals, people who are wealthy, and food enthusiasts.
Cultural magazines focus on different regional cuisines, stories about the origin of food as well as the people who made it, it also has heavy inclusions of identity, and it includes local cooks, traditions, and other unique aspects of the culture. The tone tends to be respectful and narrative, being progressed through deep storytelling, keeping a true authenticity. The age range is around 20-60 and targets the culturally curious, and those who are familiar with the region.
I am going to focus more towards the home sub-genre, since it tends to be a more relaxed and comforting kind of magazine. This will most likely allow me to keep a less professional tone when writing my 2-page spread and give me a lot more freedom to write creative stories. Being able to analyze this was helpful and will serve as a good reference when I start to create my own brief. What I believe will come next in my project is to look at some of the more technical aspects of the food genre, whatever it may be, I am excited to find out.
See you all on the next post!
References:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/?%3E%3FIGNORE_GEO_REDIRECT_GLOBAL=true&v=1473407011
https://www.bonappetit.com/
https://www.magazinecafestore.com/
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