MAS110 Sem 2 2012

Advertising and New media

Digital media is a rising factor which has created a significant impact in today’s society. It has become a part of how we interact with each other and also how businesses communicate their products/service with us. Digital media in relation to advertising and new media has become a place where the world comes together to socialise, communicate and any other interaction. Advertising through digital media has become the trend of this generation. Businesses have shifted their business to the new technology. The effectiveness of this decision will be looked at. Mobile phones, especially smart phones have become an advertising technique through new media. How this has become a major phenomenon will be discussed with the connection of the major brand “Apple”. Social Networking sites are an example of digital media convergence with advertising and new media. It is stated that “These new systems, such as social media sites Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, allow consumers to distribute content that they create” (Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) Beyond convergence). This quote shows how consumers are been exposed to advertising and new media through the advanced progress of digital media. These points will show how effective, efficient and the positive influence that has been created through digital media.

We all are aware of the fact that these days, everything is online, whether it is shopping for food or clothes. We are constantly surrounded by the growth of digital media and the advertising rays which shoot back at us. “Woolworth’s” is a supermarket store whereby now you are able to shop online, and the food gets delivered to your house. Since Woolworth's has shifted their business online which means that the information is available globally and 24/7 for consumers and are able to access material when they like. With the help of new media such as the IPhone, there are apps available for Woolworth’s catalogues and other material which can be accessed. Phones were made just for simple communication methods, but now it has synced in aspects of all digital media. With this, Woolworth's take advantage of this fact and just like we receive catalogues in the mail, the catalogue is received through the app. When we go shopping and purchase items, the system records the common grocery items we purchase and it sends us the information of any discounts and sales on our common groceries. These are advertising techniques which Woolworth's uses through digital media in order to engage consumers with their products/service. Focusing on the effectiveness of this trend, we can see how easy it has become to shop. It is less time consuming, the information is available when you want and also wherever you go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjSvsVLHlvk

The above video shows the efficiency of digital media convergence in relation to advertising and new media. Woolworth's app, has made it easier for consumers to browse through their products, which is just downloading a app away.

It is no doubt that “Apple” is one of the leading brands in the global world. They are one of the top in businesses. They sell products from IPhone to iPads which accelerates with the connection of iTunes. Digital media has come together to produce iTunes which is the place for music, videos, books and more. It is a place where you can not only download songs but also connect them to your IPhone, Ipad or IPod. Advertising through iTunes being new media, has had a significant impact on consumers. A technique that “Apple” have used is introducing “Siri” to the market through their new media. To have a better idea of what “Siri” is, the video below shows a preview of this:

As we saw in the video, "Siri" is designed to help you with basically everything you need to do, or want to do. from work life to personal life, "Siri" is able to help you. we can see the phenomenon of digital media convergence relating to advertising and new media through this video. Advertising the new IPhone 4S to consumers through introducing "Siri" was a marketing tactic. This was indeed a positive effect on consumers.

Social networking sites are advertising and new media, combining with digital media. Social networking sites such as Facebook use this as an advantage to advertise to consumers. It is said that "Creative approaches to advertising has tended to use advertising revenues to delimit new commercial media from other Web-based activities such as e-commerce" (Spurgeon, C.pg43). This quote states how digital media convergence has developed and the effect it has on advertising and new media that they have made e-commerce a significant part of it. Majority of people use social networking sites to keep in touch with family and friends. Businesses are aware of the fact that these social networking sites have been rapidly growing. It is safe to say, that almost everyone is aware of Facebook. We can see on Facebook pages that there are so many ads posted on the website. There is also a way to close the advertisement, but it then asks you why you are closing this add. From this, the information is sent to their database and they collect data for their advertisements. We can see how digital media has joint with advertisement and new media through social networking sites to reach out to consumers.

Business going online, “Apple” introducing “Siri” and social networking sites are new media which help bring digital media to a new level into our society connecting the world together. Advertising has become more easy, accessible and efficient. It is less costly, as it reaches out to the world. Advertising is not just about reaching target audience in a certain area, but it reaches globally. “The American media environment is now being shaped by two seemingly contradictory trends: on the one hand, new media technologies have lowered production and distribution costs, expanded the range of available delivery channels and enabled consumers to archive, annotate, appropriate and recirculate media content in powerful new ways”(Henry 2002). This statement by Henry clearly sends a message that our culture is growing into the new technologies and new media. Digital media convergence in relation to advertising and new media has certainly created a positive impact on society. We don’t physically have to go to shops to buy materials, or use different digital media it has all come together in one. The accessibility and easiness of today's living in the society has made it easier to not only communicate with each other but with the world. Digital media convergence in relation to advertising and media has definitely taken a positive impact in our world.

References

Unit Reading
· Spurgeon, C. (2008) Advertising and New Media, Oxon, Routledge, pp 24-45.
"creative approaches to advertising has tended to use advertising revenues to delimit new commercial media from other Web-based activities such as e-commerce" (pg43)

Friday, August 31, 2012

No comments: