Brief Two: Supermarket Tabloids

"ALIEN BIBLE FOUND! THEY WORSHIP OPRAH!"

"MILEY AND SELENA: PREGNANT BY THE SAME MAN"

"MEGHAN MARKLE CHANGING THE ROYAL RULES"

"KIM K DUMPED AT 200 LBS"

All of these quotes above are real headlines for tabloids found in supermarkets. While the words themselves discuss different things, the outrageous diction and exaggerations remain in a similar context. In other words, each of these headlines is borderline insane. 

While these excessive headlines may seem a little over the top, these flashy captions are the perfect eye-catching tools that keep people attuned to their claims. Along with the extravagant headlines, product placement has a major impact on the success of tabloids. 

We call them 'supermarket tabloids' for a reason. When shoppers are waiting in line for checkout, there are at least twenty tabloids surrounding them, enticing them to flip open the pages to indulge on the insane story. And because of natural curiosity, many people fall victim to the tabloids and read until they are satisfied that the stories are bologna. 

These stories range from celebrity speculation to insane diet tips, in an attempt to bring as many eyes to the pages as possible. While one tabloid suggests Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt are expecting a child, another promises immediate weight loss after eating one meal. 

Supermarkets sneakily encourage you in check-out lines with temptation to make last minute purchases such as candy, chips, sodas, and of course the famous tabloids. 

And while women may seem to be the obvious target audience,  men are also susceptible to flipping through magazines as well. 

To understand the undeniable attraction to supermarket tabloids, we need to understand what exactly are they selling. For most stories the focus is aimed at: stars, scandals, and sex. These three topics are almost guaranteed to attract an eye to the front page. People find it impossible to resist drama that does not involve them. 

While tabloids and magazines have dominated the aisles in grocery stores, they have adapted to the times and transitioned their stories to online platforms as well. Some of the biggest magazines in the gossip business like TMZ, Life&Style, USWeekly, and National Enquirer have developed online versions of their platforms to attract business from demographics, inside and out of the grocery store.

The tabloids have transitioned into online format as well as taking advantage of social media platforms via Twitter and Instagram to reach a larger demographic. 

For example, TMZ has achieved success through social media platforms, gaining over five million followers on Instagram and Twitter.

This technique to transition to an online and social media format generates a broad audience demographic, essential to the success of these gossip journals. 

Although tabloids may be apart of the 'dying art' generation of paper copies, the adaptation to the  online version has created a new opportunity for a worldwide audience to read the appalling headlines featured.