An Analysis of an Image: Seventeen Magazine

The September 2012 issue of Seventeen magazine features the famous Kendall and Kylie Jenner on the cover, as well as other enticing captions geared towards teenage girls. Why would Seventeen use Kendall and Kylie Jenner as their cover models? Well, Kendall and Kylie are iconic in the world of reality television. Not only are they famous due to the notorious Kardashian name, but they are relatable to the younger viewers because of their age. They are both good-looking models who are looked at for their unique sense of style.

http://kendallandkylie.celebuzz.com/covering-seventeen-magazines-september-issue-07-2012

It almost seems as though Seventeen expects teens to be like the close to perfect images portrayed on their cover. The cover is featuring young girls who almost every teen girl wants to be like, Seventeen also has many subtitles on how to look better; something that every teenage girl strives for. “825 ways to look pretty” and “Shiny hair Perfect skin” are some examples. Why does Seventeen Magazine do this? What is the purpose of having teen idols on the cover? Teenage girls are known for being extremely insecure about their looks, especially in their awkward stages. These subtitles are put on the cover to lure in girls who are insecure, which is the common thought about teen girls already. Seventeen wants girls to feel better about themselves so they fill the magazine with tips and tricks. Unfortunately, for some girls this may be giving off a false sense of reality, I mean not everyone can look like Kendall and Kylie Jenner. 

The other captions include “Free tank top,” “Coupons and Freebies,” and “Win $25,000.” Why would Seventeen give away all this money and advertise that they do? In reality they just want people to buy the magazine and if young girls think they can get free stuff and possibly more money then what is a couple of bucks for the magazine? The free stuff is always limited and the money is not easy to win. I mean free stuff always sounds good to me. The magazine cover appeals to the typical teenage girl; wanting to be the prettiest, no money, and obsessed with fashion. They are able to do this by using young, hip models who are well known and fashion icons, and by using captions about looking perfect and basically being the girl that everyone wants to be.