“OH!”  is a magazine brand that has 25,000 readers, with the average age being 27

Oh! is a brand that supports and participates in the lifestyle/environmental movements of the early 21st century which re-brand consumerism as an ethical movement.

the brand oh is showing there views on gender representation and women’s rights by having there magazine for women and empowerment for women and are not just reducing women to objects as some other magazines might do. Or in other words using Mulvey theory of the male gaze by catering there products to men to get more sales, or in online terms could be seen as click bate by using suggestive photos of women.

oh got bought out by iceburg

The Oh magazine is published by Iceberg Press which is an independent media company, this means they will fend for themselves and don’t need other companies to help them with publishing, they wan to stand alone

The main representations implied by the magazine include gender, primarily femininity but can also be understood in how this affects the representation of men

Absence of men as a part of the representation of masculinity in Oh, shows how women don’t need men and they can stand alone

Absence of men as a part of the representation of masculinity in Oh, shows how women don’t need men and they can stand alone

first published in 2010

(who owns mens health~check)

oh comely is A independent magazine published by IceBerg (small London publisher)

• being an independent company means that they have to fend for themselves, they don’t have other companies helping them publish

• shows how developments in new technology means that small companies can also use the internet to communicate and target audiences.

• niche audience can be targeted more precisely
• Iceberg’s branding includes a commitment to print over other media forms.

media representations

• oh comely constructs a representation of femininity with its focus on creativity

• The focus is on women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and musicians and female empowerment is a major theme.

• The absence of men as part of the representation of masculinity in Oh Comely magazine.
• focuses on creativity and quikiness

feminist critical thinking: theory of representation:

• stuart hall –
• bell hooks –
• van zoonen – a feminism who looks at the theory of patriarchy
• gender perfromativity – Butler

the absence of men, creates an identity for the brand as they are doing something different and showing how women can have different representations and aren’t just objects

• they have control over feminism market
• this magazine can affect the representations of men
• shows how women don’t need men – they can stand alone

Oh is a women magazine about food, fashion, film, music art and culture.

Published by Iceland Press, a small London publisher which publishes only one other title.

• Oh Comely constructs a representation of femininity with its focus on creativity and quirkiness.
• The focus is on women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and musicians and female empowerment is a major theme.
• The absence of men as part of the representation of masculinity in Oh Comely magazine.
• Representation of social groups: Oh constructs a lifestyle through its focus on culture and the environment. This analysis would offer the opportunity to question some of the messages and values constructed by the magazine.
• Therefore it is possible to apply feminist critical thinking to this CSP for example theories of representation including
  • Hall
  • bell hooks
  • Van Zoonen
  • gender performativity – Butler

Oh used to be known as Oh Comely

Oh is part of a development lifestyle/environmental movements of the early 21st century which re-brand consumerism as an ethical movement

A representation of femininity = feminist movement, celebrates authenticity and empowerment

About 25,000 people read it, average age of readers are 27

The Oh magazine is published by Iceberg Press which is an independent media company, meaning they stand alone and don’t need help from other companies to publish

New technology means that small companies can use the internet to communicate/target audiences

Iceberg’s branding includes a commitment to print over other media forms and new strategies are presented for institutional development and creative working practice. They also suggest ways to keep print popular and relevant to date

The main representations implied by the magazine include gender, primarily femininity – focusing on creativity and quirkiness – but can also be understood in how this affects the representation of men – on creativity and quirkiness

Focus is on women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and female empowerment as a major theme, portraying the absence of men as a part of the representation of masculinity in Oh – showing how women don’t need men and they can stand alone

Theories of representation including Hall who is a cultural theorist and political activist

Oh Comely constructs a lifestyle through its focus on culture and the environment, this analysis would offer the opportunity to question some of the messages and values constructed by the magazine

Feminist theories which includes Bell Hooks (a feminist theory) and Van Zoonen (feminism and patriarchy theory)

Theories of gender performativity which includes Butler who is an American philosopher and gender theorist

Oh (previously Oh Comely) is part of a development in lifestyle and environmental movements of the early twenty first century which rebrand consumerism as an ethical movement. Its representation of femininity reflects an aspect of the feminist movement which celebrates authenticity and empowerment.

Their focus is on women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and female empowerment is a major theme. The absence of men as a part of the representation of masculinity in Oh, shows how women don’t need men and they can stand alone.

Van Zoonen (a feminism and patriarchy theorist) believes the media portray images of stereotypical women and this behaviour reinforces societal views. The media does this as they believe it reflects dominant social values and male producers are influenced by this. However, Oh opposes this viewpoint.

Oh’s content is more relatable to “normal people”, instead of “celebrity gossip”. It has about 25 thousands readers and their average age is 27.

Oh Comely is an independent magazine published by Iceberg Press, a small London publisher which publishes only one other title. Iceberg Press do everything themselves (production, distribution). This shows how the advancements in technology has allowed smaller companies to enter the market.

Alternative media is, typically in developed countries, media that is alternatives to the business or government-owned mass media. They argue that mainstream media is biased.

• FACTS:
• Part of a development in lifestyle and environmental movements of the early twenty first century
• Re-branded consumerism as an ethical movement.
• Its reflects feminist movement (authenticity and empowerment) over stereotypes –  focus on creativity and quirkiness.
• Focus on women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and musicians (empowerment)
• Absence of focuses on men
• Rep of social groups: focuses on culture and the environment – Values
• Contrasting from Men’s Health magazine, Oh is an
• Independent magazine published by Iceberg Press (small London publisher – 1 other title)
• Targets a niche audience
• Prints over multiple media forms
• THEORISTS:
  • Hall – the way messages are coded and decoded – Oh codes themes and messages about empowerment for the audience
  • Van Zoonen – believes the media portray images of stereotypical women and this behaviour reinforces societal views.  This magazine breaks this stereotypes by showing female empowerment and therefore, promoting and enforcing these attributes of female behaviour in society.
• Gender Prformativity (Butler) – the stylisted repetition of women as empowered and strong leads to these characteristic learnt and encouraged

An alternative Institutional structure

Ohcomely claims to be an “arms-wide-open mag – inclusive, down-to-earth, and heart-led” that is published bi-monthly made in London.

Forms of distribution

• Main stream News agents and stores Sainsburys, Waitrose and WH Smiths. They also place their magazines in samll cafes, indie shops and museums
• They use a online newstand picsandink
• A six month (£14) subscription delivered to the customer.

Oh is published by Pirates Ahoy, a subsidiary of Iceberg Press. This means there is no vertical integration and both iceberg and oh are ran by multiple people removing an over powering head and are no part of a large conglomerate

Audience

“All of our parents (except mine) and all of our little cousins. The distributors seem to think our readers are in their 20s or 30s, mainly female and quite creative. That’s true, on the whole, but I think it’s turned out a lot more varied than that, which was a pleasant surprise.”

Says the Founder of OH Des Tan

Oh claims to have a wide r

• Social Media Reach: 100,000
• Readers Per Issue: 25,000
• Average Age of reader: 27
• Sold through independents, WHSmith and international outlets

History

OH has published quarterly since 2008. It was as a print publication distributed to people at events like Novell BrainShare and Micro Focus Universe. Oh created their website in 2014 to bring the articles published in the print magazine to a wider audience. In 2020 the website is used as the principal point for publishing content.

• Oh used to be known as Oh Comely
• Oh is part of a development lifestyle/environmental movements of the early 21st century which re-brand consumerism as an ethical movement
• Representation of femininity reflects on the feminist movement which celebrates authenticity and empowerment
• Oh allows people to try new things, it’s relatable and not about ‘celebrity gossip’
• About 25,000 people read it, average age of readers are 27
• This creates an identity for the brand as they are doing something different and showing how women can have different representations and aren’t just objects
• Oh can have control over the feminism market as they know how to manufacture consent and they portray what the community wants, shows something different
• The Oh magazine is published by Iceberg Press which is an independent media company, this means they will fend for themselves and don’t need other companies to help them with publishing, they wan to stand alone
• Also shows how developments in new technology mean small companies can also use the internet to communicate and target audiences
• Iceberg’s branding includes a commitment to print over other media forms, new strategies are presented for institutional development and creative working practice, as well as suggesting ways that will keep print popular and relevant to date
• The main representations implied by the magazine include gender, primarily femininity but can also be understood in how this affects the representation of men.
• Focuses on creativity and quirkiness
• Focus is on women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and female empowerment is a major theme
• Absence of men as a part of the representation of masculinity in Oh, shows how women don’t need men and they can stand alone
• Theories of representation including Hall, Hall is a cultural theorist and political activist
• Oh Comely constructs a lifestyle through its focus on culture and the environment, this analysis would offer the opportunity to question some of the messages and values constructed by the magazine
• Feminist theories which includes Bell Hooks (a feminist theory) and Van Zoonen (feminism and patriarchy theory)
• Zoonen believes the media portray images of stereotypical women and this behaviour reinforces societal views. The media does this as they believe it reflects dominant social values and male producers are influenced by this
• Theories of gender performativity which includes Butler who is an American philosopher and gender theorist

• Previously ‘Oh Comely’
• Part of a development in lifestyle/environmental movements of 21st century = re brand consumerism as an ethical movement
• A representation of femininity = feminist movement, celebrates authenticity and empowerment
• An independent magazine by Iceberg Press, a small London publisher (in contrast to men’s health)
• Alternative Institutional structure
• So this is a case study of Iceberg as an independent media company
• New technology means that small companies can use the internet to communicate/target audiences
• It presents new strategies for institutional development and creative working practice
• Iceberg suggests ways for keeping print popular and relevant as it commits to print over other media forms
• Representations of gender mostly femininity but can affect the representation of men
• Comparison with Men’s Health
• Oh – representation of femininity with its focus on creativity and quirkiness
• Focus of women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians etc
• Female empowerment = major theme
• The absence of men as part of the representation of masculinity
• Social groups – lifestyle through focus on culture and environment
• Theorists – bell hooks and Van Zoonen

OH – Previously known as OH Comely, is an independent magazine published by the small company Iceberg Press

• OH is part of the development in lifestyle and environmental movements of the early 21st century
• Oh is an independent magazine differing from mens health
• Its representation of femininity reflects an aspect of the feminist movement which celebrates authenticity and empowerment
• The first issue was published in 2010
• A mindfulness magazine with a fresh perspective
• The creators of Oh magazine identify themselves as being an arms-wide-open mag – inclusive, down-to-earth, and heart-led.
• Oh Comely publishes craft, DIY, creative non-fiction, photography and illustration, as well as reader submissions.