The next TOC is from the brand, World Soccer, and is slightly less formal and as a result feels more crowded yet not more detailed due to there being shorter descriptions. Not to mention that this TOC, just like the cover, is a lot less conventional than the rest. For instance, not only is the masthead in the top left corner, but the selling line is also there. On the opposite side you can also find the date of the issue instead of next to the page number. However, this TOC is also very conventional with the title of the page being Contents so that the audience clearly knows what it is. As you may have noticed, the design and layout for this magazine cover remains exactly the same from cover to cover, thus developing a sense of consistency between them which is very appealing to customers so they know what to expect. Here they used a number of different images all of which are placed on the sides and each representing a different article in the list, that is located in the center of the page. Every image has a page number in the top right corner that directly relates to a certain article in the TOC itself. They have also decided to tease the audience more by limiting the amount of content that they provide as descriptions which makes the consumer more interested in what they have to say about a particular topic. Just like ESPN, they too had smaller subheadings that classified the information in a more detailed way so that the audience could better understand where each article was.
Once again, the content is divided by lines and pieces of negative space here and there. For the most part, the page has a white background with black and red text which is kind of their identity as the masthead appears exactly the same. There are 2 main fonts with the only changes occurring with the weight, color, and size. One font has small tails at the end to signify the history of the magazine while simultaneously hinting at the future through the utilization of the other more straight, tail-lacking font. The one with tails was implemented for most headings while the smaller information was typed in the other font to increase readability. Something that clearly stands out is the puff that advertises the brand and tells the consumer where to find information on the brand and a discount on their next purchase. Last but not least, the magazine included a big, gray text box at the bottom of the magazine with another picture along with a smaller, more exclusive section of the TOC that highlights the most important information that is unique to that publication. All in all, this is a more fun and relaxed sort of TOC that wants to throw a lot of information at you so that you have a better grasp of what to expect in the following articles. Simultaneously, it stays very spaced out and organized even with the immense amount of content presented.
Sports Illustrated:
The last TOC comes from Sports Illustrated. Here, the TOC appears very similar to the actual cover since the TOC has an image that acts as the background for the TOC as well with the content being placed over the image itself. In this case, they title the TOC, Lineup, with them trying to create a deeper connection to sports even with a simple name. Once again I wanted to mention how the TOC utilizes the same warm colors as the cover in their design with yellow, orange, and red all appearing sooner or later either in the text, the background, or even in the subject's costume. Of course black and white are also there to keep the professional and good natured mood for the magazine in general. The page number of the actual page is also placed in the middle of the right edge of the paper so that it is out of the way instead of in the bottom right corner as usual. Unlike the past 2 examples, this one is more detailed and has a stricter organizational structure with multiple sections with headings departments, features, an overall heading and even a section completely dedicated to the women's side of sports. Consequently they can explore a wider variety of topics that makes their target audience even bigger than before.
Now to further prove how detailed it is, the TOC includes a byline for each and every article as well as a short description and the page number in a bigger, different color font above the title. Under the departments section you can find all of the details on the process of making the magazine and behind the scenes content such as the photographers who took the pictures. Dividers also make an appearance in this TOC and are put to good use as they help the audience comprehend what content belongs where. Next, up top in the highest third of the page, either in the right side or in the center, you will find the main heading along with the issue date while the masthead sits across the bottom of the page. The page may also include some kind of outline that makes the page look more powerful and attracts the reader's attention inwards. Lastly, all of the fonts utilized are more modern without any tails and show how progressive the company is as a whole. The important information such as article names, page numbers, and bylines are all bolded while the not so essential descriptions are kept in their normal weight.
Digital Layout #1:
For this cover I was heavily influenced by the ESPN TOC. As you can see, I was clearly going for a more sophisticated and professional looking TOC that kept the design simple and organized. I used a black background that contrasted very well against not only the white text, but also the red and yellow text as well to make it more easy to read, thus making the magazine more easy to browse. I then used dividers to separate both sections and individual articles from one another. Dividers were also implemented to separate the rest of the TOC from the bottom part with the page number, byline, and masthead. You may have noticed that just like with fonts, I changed the weight of the dividers to signify different meanings. For instance, the bolder dividers explain that the information under or above it is not directly related to the rest of the content while a thinner divider conveys the fact that they are connected with one another while still being considered two different topics. The image I chose also symbolizes the serious tone simply from the subject's facial expression and costume. On the other hand, by placing the analogous warm color scheme very sparingly across the TOC I made the colors pop more when they appear and give off a positive, joyful vibe. I used the Oswald font for all of the descriptions as well as the masthead and date. This is mainly due to the fact that the masthead is always in the font and so is the date. Additionally, the descriptions are meant to appear new and interesting which are both things that Oswald conveys very effectively. For the rest I used Alfa Slab One because it includes those tails that show the history of the magazine and its formality. Furthermore, it is very bold which makes it easy to read and helps certain content stand out from the rest. In the end, this is quite conventional with one image being placed in the center with the content being under/around it and it being an actual part of the TOC as it is labeled with its own page number and description. The masthead and date are also in their typical position inside of a text box at the top of the page while the page number is in the bottom right hand corner where it is commonly found. Overall, I played it safe with this option so that it appeals to those who are used to normal TOC's.
Digital Layout #2:
In this particular layout I wanted to be a tad bit more distinct while remaining conventional. This layout is very similar to that of World Soccer and even includes the same analogous color scheme of red and yellow. Here I used red a lot more to influence the audience into realizing the importance of the information and how passionate I am about said information. Instead of only choosing one image, I chose to place 3, each of which has its own page number and short description so that it acts as a continuation of the TOC itself. Speaking of the actual TOC, it is split into 3 sections, 2 have 3 articles and 1 has 2. They are divided by, you guessed it, dividers but these are thin compared to the single divider that separates the images from the rest of the content. I have decided to make the dividers all red to express a sense of unison in the layout and to make it easily visible since it contrasts very well against the white background which in turn contrasts nicely with the black outline similar to the red one on the cover. As a result, black text appears a lot throughout the TOC, more specifically for the article titles, descriptions, issue date, masthead, actual page number, byline of photographer, and the overall heading of the TOC. Moreover, all of these aspects are in Oswald other than the article titles and the heading which are both in Alfa Slab One. As aforementioned, Oswald indicates the modern and perfect nature of the content with very straight lines. In contrast, Alfa Slab One adds a stylistic feel to the general tone of the TOC and further cements its professionalism. The last part of the content is all in either red or yellow. Yellow was only applied for the pictures' page numbers which were placed on a red puff to appear more clearly. Red was then found in the subheadings and the rest of the normal page numbers. All of this was in Alfa Slab One to better emphasize the particular details in the TOC.
Digital Layout #3:
The last layout is obviously the most unconventional as I tried to mimic Sports Illustrated and should very easily, along with the cover, catch the eye of many customers. The first aspect that broke conventions is the mere fact that the background is an image instead of a neutral color. What's more is that it lacks any kind of picture that actually relates directly to a specific article in the TOC. Another massive change to the conventions is the placement of the actual page number since it appears to be in the exact middle of the left edge of the page. The masthead is also a lot bigger than usual and it looks more like it should be on a cover, especially when paired with the already unconventional selling line in the center of the bottom third of the page. Although this all may be true, the layout also includes some pretty ordinary and commonly found things such as the use of dividers which this time around are all in the same color and weight. However, the size of each varies depending on how much content there is in each instance. The structure itself is surprisingly very similar to a grid so that it appears very organized and thought out. Of course, the analogous red and yellow color scheme makes its triumphant return once again here with yellow acting as the puff around the heading, the color of a major part of the image, and as the page's page number. Red then appeared for the masthead, selling line, page numbers, and just like the last layout as the puff around the page's page number. This coupled with the sunny image completely turns the TOC into a very happy and warm design that is especially appealing to the youth of society. Before I forget, bylines of the specific authors aren't very common and so is the inclusion of a section solely for exclusive content but it proved to be very beneficial and added more detail to the TOC to better entice the audience into reading the magazine. Thankfully, this is the last time I will say this but the fonts used here were Oswald and Alfa Slab One with Oswald appearing in the masthead, selling line, bylines, descriptions, and of course the issue date for the reasons stated above. The same goes for Alfa Slab One which I implemented for the heading, subheading, article titles, and last but not least the page numbers. All in all, both fonts relate very nicely to the genre and so does the image of a soccer field as the topic of the magazine is soccer.
Conclusion:
In total, the layouts of sports magazines' table of contents vary a lot but the main aspects remain the same. For example, they all typically include a heading, the masthead next to the page's page number, a list of page numbers and article titles with short descriptions that are maybe separated with dividers into sections based on content, a photo, and the byline of said photo's photographer. They also then appear on a neutral background and with a warm color scheme that is used for the text along with some very straight and perfect fonts as well as some bold fonts in order to direct the audience's attention more easily. By taking this all into account I have finally decided that the layout that I am most leaning towards is the first one because it is the most conventional and I believe that when it comes to the table of contents it is important to make a good impression and by picking the safe option I will do just that. I also really liked how it felt very sophisticated and serious while still keeping that somewhat fun and joyful tone through the warm colors. The black background is also for some reason appealing and satisfying, at least in my humble opinion. To recapitulate, the layouts all had some pretty good ideas but my favorite one has to be the first layout, though I might add some aspects from the others that I liked to improve layout #1.
Tools and Resources Utilized:- https://www.canva.com/.
- Rodriguez, Daniel. Daniel Rodriguez - AICE Media Studies, Blogger, 27 Jan. 2022, https://danielrodriguez111106.blogspot.com/.
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