GQ - Audience & Industries blog tasks

 GQ - Audience & Industries blog tasks

Audience

Look through the GQ Media Kit and answer the following questions: 

1) How does the media kit introduction describe GQ?

GQ is described as forward-thinking, progressive, and cutting-edge, positioning itself at the forefront of culture, fashion, and lifestyle for modern men.

2) What does the media kit suggest about masculinity? 

The media kit highlights how masculinity is changing, with men’s fashion and style now central to global pop culture. GQ reflects and leads this evolution, strengthening its influence as masculinity becomes more diverse and fluid.

3) Pick out three statistics from the data on page 2 and explain what they suggest about the GQ audience.

1.8 million social followers: This shows GQ has a significant presence across digital platforms, indicating their audience actively engages with content online.

£7.7K average annual spend on fashion: Suggests GQ’s readership is financially capable and highly invested in premium fashion and personal style.

£138K average household income: Reflects the magazine’s affluent audience who have substantial disposable income to spend on luxury goods, travel, and lifestyle experiences.

4) Look at page 3 - brand highlights. What special editions do GQ run and what do these suggest about the GQ audience?

GQ Heroes: A high-profile festival attracting leading cultural figures, innovators, and thought leaders, showing GQ appeals to intellectual, trend-conscious audiences.

GQ Hype: An online series focusing on emerging stars in music, film, sport, and fashion, targeting audiences who are interested in cutting-edge culture and new talent.

Men of the Year: A global event that celebrates major cultural influencers, reinforcing GQ’s international status and its appeal to audiences who value recognition, prestige, and cultural relevance.

5) Still on page 3, what does the video and social series section suggest about how magazine audiences are changing? 

The audience is shifting away from traditional, narrow definitions of masculinity towards a broader, more inclusive understanding. The growth of video content and social media allows GQ to connect with a wider, more diverse audience, reflecting how modern consumers prefer interactive, visually rich digital content.

Media Magazine feature: GQ

Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on GQ (MM82 - page 12). Answer the following questions:

1) What are the elements that go into choosing a cover stars for GQ? 

GQ carefully selects cover stars based on cultural relevance rather than simply on fame. The ideal cover star is the right person at the right moment, someone who reflects what is currently resonating with the audience and wider culture, which helps drive retail sales.

2) How is the magazine constructed to serve the target audience? 

While GQ is primarily a men’s style magazine, it also offers high-quality profile pieces, world-class photography, award-winning longform features, and sharp cultural commentary, appealing to readers interested in fashion, culture, and intellectual engagement.

3) What does the article suggest about GQ's advertisers and sponsorships - and what in turn does this tell us about the GQ audience? 

GQ attracts advertisers from high-end sectors such as luxury fashion, sports cars, and premium lifestyle brands. Sponsorships often involve partnerships with brands for major events like Men of the Year or GQ Heroes. This reflects an affluent, aspirational audience with an interest in luxury and cultural status.

4) What is GQ Hype - and how does it reflect the impact of digital media on traditional print media?

 

GQ Hype is a weekly online-only cover feature, allowing GQ to reach a wider audience quickly and more frequently. It demonstrates the growing importance of digital platforms in supplementing, and potentially replacing, traditional print content.

5) Finally, what does the article say about additional revenue streams for print magazines like GQ?  

It suggests that alternative revenue streams are essential for survival in the current media landscape. Magazines increasingly rely on live events, sponsorships, and digital content to generate income beyond print sales.

Industries

Your industries contexts are divided into three areas - Conde Nast, GQ's website and social media content and the impact of digital media on print industries.

Condé Nast

Read this Guardian news article on editorial changes at Condé Nast and answer the following questions: 

1) Who was previously GQ editor for 22 years? 

Dylan Jones held the position of GQ editor for 22 years.

2) What happened to the 'lads' mag' boom magazines such as Nuts, Maxim and Loaded? 

Dylan Jones criticised the ‘lads’ mags’ era, stating that these magazines had “denigrated our culture,” and distanced GQ from that style of content.

3) What changes have been taking place at Condé Nast in recent years and why? 

Condé Nast has been transforming its business into a digital-first, globally integrated operation. This shift ensures that their brands remain relevant and aligned with the increasing consumption of digital content across global audiences.

Read this Press Gazette article on Conde Nast. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about Condé Nast's recent strategy? 

Condé Nast has merged global editorial teams across major brands like GQ, Wired, Vogue, and Condé Nast Traveller, creating a unified digital-first content strategy that reduces duplication and increases efficiency.

2) How does chief executive Roger Lynch describe Condé Nast and why? 

Lynch described Condé Nast as “no longer a magazine company,” highlighting the company’s shift towards a multi-platform digital media business.

3) What does Adam Baidawi say about Condé Nast, GQ and culture? 

Baidawi emphasised that Condé Nast is in the business of both shaping and reflecting culture, and that the company needed to break out of its previous print-centric, regionally siloed structure to truly engage with global cultural movements.

Read this FIPP feature on Condé Nast diversifying into video and streaming content. Answer the following questions: 

1) How is Condé Nast moving away from traditional print products?

Condé Nast is focusing heavily on digital content through initiatives like the online NewFront presentations and launching Condé Nast Shoppable, which integrates e-commerce into video content, allowing viewers to purchase products in real-time.

2) What examples are provided of Condé Nast's video and streaming content?

The company’s video network receives an average of one billion monthly views, with viewers spending over 18 minutes per session. They’ve also expanded their reach by attracting over 10 million unique viewers not reached by traditional television.

3) What does the end of the article suggest modern media audiences want? 

Modern audiences prefer interactive, personalised experiences where they actively participate rather than passively consume content. They expect content tailored specifically to their interests.

GQ website, video and social media content 

Visit the GQ website, Instagram and YouTube channel. Note that some of these may be blocked in school. Once you have looked over GQ's online content, answer the following questions:

1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?

The website mirrors the print edition with strong visual imagery, bold cover lines, and similar editorial themes, maintaining GQ’s recognisable brand identity across both platforms.

2) Analyse the top menu of the GQ website (e.g. Fashion / Grooming / Culture). What do the menu items suggest about GQ's audience?

The variety of menu categories suggests that GQ’s audience has broad interests spanning fashion, grooming, culture, fitness, and lifestyle, catering to a diverse, aspirational, and culturally engaged readership.

3) What does GQ's Instagram feed suggest about the GQ brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?

The Instagram feed is highly visual and celebrity-driven, appealing to a younger, social-media-savvy audience. While this audience overlaps with the print readership, GQ’s digital strategy is clearly designed to attract a broader and younger demographic.

4) In your opinion, is GQ's social media content designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?

GQ’s social media strategy is primarily focused on building a digital audience. Its content emphasises celebrity features, style tips, and short-form video designed to engage online followers rather than promote print subscriptions directly.

5) Evaluate the success of the GQ brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?

GQ successfully engages its audience online by offering relevant, diverse, and visually appealing content. While digital platforms are becoming dominant, print may continue to exist as a premium product for loyal readers, but digital will likely become the primary platform over time.

A/A* extension tasks

You can read more about the GQ Heroes event here. What does this suggest about the GQ audience - and how brands are diversifying away from print? 

Read this Guardian feature on the struggles of the UK print magazine industry to find out how Google and Facebook took advertising revenue from print products and how magazines are responding.

Find out more about Conde Nast and the people in leadership positions on their website here. 

Read more about GQ in this Gorkana media briefing.