Student # 43008690
MAS110
Assessment 1, Session 2, 2012
The phenomenon of Digital media convergence in relation to
ADVERTISING
Media convergence has become a central issue for ad
agencies and marketers as consumers now have access to media through multiple
devices. These new devices include the Smart phone, Tablet and a once thought ‘old
media’ device which has evolved into the new digital era, the Television.
Television now comes with Internet connection capabilities and cable
television, making the old school media style of TV a once again instrumental
new media device and also a relevant example of media convergence.
Media convergence is not just a technological
development but a system through which connected consumers and advertisers interact
with one another in content.
The new digital era has brought about an evolution
in new media advertising, using new means of consumer accessibility such as the
Internet and social media websites. Digital media convergence, as stated by
Terry Flew, is a “force of nature” (Flew, 2008). Technological determinism has
become a driving force for unlocking the major concerns associated with the evolution
of mass communication. Basically there are four major qualities that have
resulted in the global convergence of media cultures.
These qualities include ‘decentralizing,
globalizing, harmonizing and empowering’ (Flew, 2008).
A good case study of media convergence can be found
within the digital word of Facebook. Facebook is a social media website most
commonly used by western society i.e. the United states, United Kingdom,
Australia, France, South Africa and other western countries. The social media
website is used by over nine hundred million active users.
The networking site is free to register with and
states that it will never charge users for its services. “Its free and always
will be” (Facebook, Facebook login,
2012).
This website alone has utilized all four qualities
of global convergence to connect millions who may have lost touch with friends
and family from all around the world. Facebook has become an empowering system
for anyone of its users to use as a broadcaster for mass communication. In February
2011 mass political protests were organized and eventually lead to a rebellion
in Egypt, which ended with the over throw of the Egyptian president Hosni
Mubarak in 2012. This movement gained majority of its support through social
networking online, not only gaining momentum on a local scale but internationally.
See news report of Egypt’s Social networking revolution.
Egypt’s Social Networking Revolution 2011
Facebook is a very effective tool for social
networking and a new format for advertising on a global scale. The social
networking site is one of the major examples of digital convergence
associating, content, community, connection and commerce (Thoughtful China 3
July 2012).
See video of ‘What is Facebook’ a relevant example of media convergence.
Media has evolved throughout the ages and through
different cultures, a wide variety of styles of media have originated. The
first Indigenous Australians, the Aboriginals, used stories of the Dreaming to
explain to their people the origins and how the world came be. The ancient Egyptians
used hieroglyphs to illustrate their history and educate their community. All
were forms of media, which through time have evolved to the audiences needs.
Now as technology has advanced exponentially, audiences are now able to ‘obtain
multiple services on a single platform or device or obtain any given service on
multiple platforms or devices’ (Ofcom 2008). As Jenkins sates, “In the world of
media convergence, every important story gets told, every brand gets sold, and
every consumer gets courted across multiple media platforms” (Jenkins 2006)
The modern era of technology has brought with it a
wave of new media devices capable of high speed accessibility to online
services such as Facebook. At no other stage in history has the average device
owner been so easily accessible throughout the globe. Google has capitalized on this knowledge by initiating
a ‘pay-per-click’ as a unit of measure meaning advertisers paid only for what
consumers had actually clicked on as opposed to how many people ‘might’ click
on the advertisement and potentially purchase a product. This was referred to as
‘qualified leads’ (Spurgeon, C 2008) Facebook has capitalized on this knowledge
and has subsequently become an advertisers dream.
No longer are the days of billboard, newspaper or
radio advertising being the main method of advertising. Advertisers now prefer
to inform their consumers face to face on their device(s) of choice.
Advertisers now can track and research who, what,
when and why consumers are viewing the advertisement material and subsequently
purchasing products. Smart phones, tablets, gaming consoles, internet-television
and computers are now well entrenched into an increasing amount of the lives of
the population of the planet.
In the last twenty five years mobile phones have
taken over the conventional ‘land-line’ telephone and outdone the internet in
contrast of new connections (Goggin,2006:1).
There a four pillars that media convergence and
global advertising stand upon, Content - what the demand is for different
commodities and what advertisers and website designers create to supply this
demand. Community - social networking, and Connection - utilizing the Internet.
The forth pillar is Commerce - creating retail from tying all four pillars into
one, using social networking which has connected hundreds of millions and
advertising to create commodification. (Thoughtful China 2012)
The mobile phone has been described by advertisers
as the ‘next great conduit between consumers and advertisers’ (The Sell, Sell,
Sell phone’, 2007).
The smart phone allows users to access Facebook,
play games, explore the Internet and connect with friends through text message
or verbally.
All content is available to the owner in one simple
device. The strength of cultural determinism reinforces the ‘supply and demand’
process, which can mutually beneficial for both advertisers and end users. For
example, in the USA, online advertising expenditure had grown by 33 percent
between 2004 and 2005. In the United Kingdom it was measured at 40 percent and
60 percent in Australia (Spurgeon 2008). This created more flexibility for web
site owners such as Facebook to continue to be a free of charge site, helping the website and others like it, stay
afloat. Advertisers were now able to use the social interactions of users to
advertise their brands.
See example below of one account users interface of
Facebook. Before your eyes find their objective ‘logout’ the user is given the
opportunity to Advertise.
Facebook, Profile
of Tom Atkinson 28 August 2012, accessed 28 August 2012.
With over 900 million users on the website, any
advertising campaign that goes viral can mean millions in revenue, as the ‘Share
a coke’ campaign confirmed for the widely popular Coca-Cola Amatil company. This
concludes that the new media style of online advertising has become much more
interactive and advertisers are continually becoming more creative to keep up
with the changing formats of technology and media convergence.
Share a Coke Campaign 2012
References:
Sony
Internet TV-TV Commercial 2011, SonyNederland,
Netherlands online video, accessed 29 August 2012
Flew,
T 2008 “Approaches to new media” New
media: An Introduction, 3rd edition, Oxford, Oxford university
Press pp. 38 viewed 25 August 2012 from Macquarie University Database
Jenkins
H, 2006 ‘Convergence Culture’ Where old
and new media collide NY University Press pp. 3
Facebook,
2012, Facebook Login, accessed 29
August 2012
Egypt’s
Social Networking Revolution 12 February 2011, CBS, America, online video, accessed August 29 2012.
Thoughtful
China 2012, ‘Connecting content &
Communities Online, China online video, accessed 29 August 2012 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f6-h6vuabs>
What
is facebook? 2008, youcanreachtim 14
August 2008, America, online video accessed 30 August 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5gtN16gOr8>
Ofcom
2008, What is convergence? A
submission to the Convergence Think Tank, UK Feb 2008,
Spurgeon
C 2008, Advertising & New Media
Ozon Routledge, pp. 31
Jenkins H, 2006
‘Convergance Culture’ where old and new
media collide NY University Press.
Goggin, G. 2006 Cellphone: Mobile Technology in Everyday
life. London: Routledge
Thoughtful
China 2012, ‘Connecting content &
Communities Online, China online video, accessed 29 August 2012 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f6-h6vuabs>
‘The Sell, Sell,
Sell Phone’ 2007 B&T 25 February,
accessed 29 August. <http://www.bndt.com.au/articles/35/0C049B35.asp?print=true>
Spurgeon C 2008, Advertising & New Media Ozon
Routledge, pp. 26
Share a coke
Campaign 2012 ‘Share a coke’
campaign…Coca cola, a marketing genius!!!
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