The Problem

Create a sports-themed magazine spread with your target audience in mind. 

 

Challenges

•Create a captivating image that draws attention to the spread

•Encourage readers to explore the full article

 

My Plan

I decided that my target audience would be 18-30-year-old males in the Washington DC metro area. These people would have at least a passing interest in DC sports and would know the city well. 

 

The photo I originally chose was not high enough quality to expand into a spread, so I had to shift courses and search for something new. At the time, the Wizards were in a bit of a rut to start the season. I wanted to capture the despair of the city as we had to watch another losing sports team. 

 

I also wanted to express John Wall's commitment to Washington DC, as he's been a very loyal player and acted as the face to our city. I decided to put my image of John Wall into Photoshop and mask the DC flag onto one half and have the crowd of the game on the other half. This was difficult to do, as I had to select him and make sure I didn't miss any parts. 

 

I liked the bold colors of the flag paired with the Wizards uniform. I also liked having the crowd in the background because DC sports have incredibly passionate fans despite a history of losing. 

 

Outcome

 

In the end, despite my initial reluctance to change pictures, the spread turned out great. If you're a reader who knows the DC flag, it's symbolic of Wall's commitment to the city. If you don't know the flag (like many of my classmates), it's a cool graphic that pairs nicely with the Wizards jersey. 

 

 

In terms of print, I wish I had made my text box larger so that the words had more room near the edges of the box. That being said, this was my first crack at a spread and I think it was an amazing learning experience.