Online Essay - 42910714 - (Medical Extension Granted)

Discuss the phenomenon of digital media convergence in relation to Advertising & New Media.

Digital media convergence refers to the “flow of content across media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences...” (Jenkins, 2006.) With respect to advertising and new media, digital media convergence is the progressive integration of traditional media such as film, images and the spoken and written word, with online, interactive media in order to create ‘new media’ culture. This spawns audience migration to online media, whereby consumers are able to archive, annotate, and share media content through advertising-funded mediums (Battelle, 2005; Spurgeon, 2008). Thus expanding media platforms and consumer resources, as well as heightening consumer/business interaction online.
Furthermore, digital media convergence has resulted in ‘new’ integrated media platforms that necessitate contemporary and innovative advertising mechanisms in order to reach nomadic digital audiences (Khamis, 2012). This is seen through the study of the ‘Madison and Vine’ trend (Spurgeon, 2008), and notions of 'Product Placement' and ‘Viral Advertising‘.

Advertising and new media have been influenced greatly by convergence of traditional and online media platforms. The internet is understood to be the most pivotal, contemporary development for advertising (Spurgeon, 2008). In this technological age social networking sites such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter are frequented by 250,000,000 to 750,000,000 unique monthly visitors. Thus, there is a need for traditional advertising techniques to be reshaped in order to address the mass, multi-layered consumer market online. This is resonated by the ‘Madison and Vine’ trend. First initiated by Scott Donaton, Madison and Vine is based on the “strategic alliances between advertisers and entertainment companies” (Spurgeon, 2008). Rather than informational advertising, the Madison and Vine trend proposes that the incorporation of pop culture in advertising creates new avenues for reaching consumers with more engaging messages, so much that they are inspired to share and seek the advertisement for the entertainment of themselves and others (Kotler, 2010).
A primary example of ‘Madison and Vine’ advertising is the 2004 Chanel No.5 short film staring Nicole Kidman. The short film ran for a total of 3 minutes and starred Oscar winning actress Nicole Kidman, was directed by Baz Luhrmann and included couture outfits designed by Karl Lagerfeld. The Chanel No.5 advertisement cost approximately 27 Million Australian dollars to create, with 80% of the costs allocated to production. The remaining 20% of expenses were allocated to television distribution. However, the full length feature only appeared on television once, due to its large time bracket. Instead the full length film was put online. Thus, electronic communication stood as the main source of publication for this film (Spurgeon, 2008). As a result of the cumulation of popular, socio-cultural enticers such as film, fashion and celebrities the Chanel No.5 advertisement is still widely consulted with over 3 million views on YouTube, years after its release (YouTube). The film attracted as much attention as the latest blockbuster films (Martinson, The Guardian, 2004) and thus depicts the ways in which digital media convergence necessitates innovative advertising movements, in order to address ‘new media’. 

Source: YouTube

Often used in conjunction with Madison and Vine is the notion of ‘product placement’. The ways in which advertisements are communicated online and through ‘new media’ is dependent on product placement. It is the avenue through which advertisers beat the “clutter” of the online population, and address their target market (Khamis, 2012). This is done through the strategic placement of advertised products in film, music, television and social networking sites.
A primary example of product placement is   the placement of Vitamin Water in the Sex and the City film. The product appears in numerous scenes, particularly surrounding fashion and beauty. This therefore isolates the target market of women through specific, strategic product placement. Thus, as the audience seek to relate to the characters in the film they are drawn to the products the characters use, by default. Furthermore highlighting the need for innovative advertising in ‘new media’, due to digital media convergence.

Similarly, the potential power of online advertising is seen through the notion of ‘Viral Advertising’. Introduced by Steve Jurveston and Tim Draper in 1996, the notion is reliant on electronic word-of-mouth (Porter, Golan, 2006) in spreading content online and in a social context. It is prevalent in todays society with reference to the rapid mass movement of content across the web, resulting in some form of reaction from society. This is constituted by the ability of online audiences to share, comment on and archive media online. 

Source: Facebook

Source: Twitter

One example of viral advertising is the KONY 2012 campaign. Released on March 14, by charitable organisation “Invisible Children” the KONY 2012 campaign aimed to bring international criminal, Joseph Kony to justice. Essentially, the 30 minute film outlined war crimes occurring in Uganda and illustrated an urgent situation of turmoil. The film called upon the worlds youth to “make Joseph Kony famous” by sharing the film on media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and more. The campaign went viral with the YouTube film accumulating over 92 million views (YouTube) and the Facebook page receiving over 900,000 ‘likes’ (Facebook). Essentially this occurred through one person ‘sharing’ the campaign to their online network, and so on and so forth. Thus, consumers on social network platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have the power to produce media by sharing, commenting, liking and retweeting online content; furthermore blurring the line between consumer and producer by means of ‘new media’. Hence, the ways in which media platforms are expanded and consumer/business interactions are heightened, as a result of digital media convergence are depicted in relation to viral advertising.

Therefore, it is evident that digital media convergence is the coming together of multiple media platforms to enable wide scale media flows. Through the development of 'new media' advertising cultures have been reshaped in order to address the modernised media landscape. This includes nomadic audiences, extended media platforms and resources and customer/business interactions. All of which are seen through the study of the ‘Madison and Vine’ trend (Spurgeon, 2008), and notions of 'Product Placement' and ‘Viral Advertising‘.