Convergent Media Essay

Digital Media Convergence: Advertising & New 

Media

New Media (Baba, 2012)

The term, digital media convergence, is a complicated expression that has acted as a key driving force to the media industry for many years. The phrase is observed by Jenkins (2008, cited by Meikle and Young, 2012) as the flow and coming together of content from multiple media platforms, the harmonisation of media industries, and the drifting behaviour of media audiences whom actively seek out ideal entertainment experiences. Digital media convergence throughout its history has also aided in the shaping and grounding of how new ideas, inventions or services are expressed and advertised to the wider community. Spurgeon (2008) discusses how many advertisers are now becoming displeased with the performance of 'old' media and are currently looking for new ways to reach out to increasingly uninterested audiences. To understand how advertisers have adapted to new media through convergence, an exploration into mobile phone advertising will be delved into. A brief overview with examples will firstly be provided to explain digital media convergence and advertising. This will be followed by an investigation into how advertisers have shifted from the utilisation of traditional media forms to new media technologies, specifically through mobile phone devices. Lastly, the effectiveness of advertising within the mobile phone phenomenon will be explored to examine whether convergence has had a positive influence on the needs of society.


Digital media convergence, as another suggestion, is observed as a continuous process whereby new media technologies are adapted, merged and transitioned together to create new complex and multi layered media systems, which are rapidly adjustable to the ever changing needs of society (Dwyer, 2010). In today's modern culture there has been witness to the tremendous growth of how media devices are transformed from having one simplistic function, to currently entertaining multiple utilities. An example of this is the following image (Red Door Brokers, n.d.), which portrays the evolution of the mobile phone throughout its history. It simply implies that the worldly culture has taken a grasp of digitisation for the purpose of containing the growing demands of society. 

Evolution of the Mobile Phone Device (Red Door Brokers, n.d.)

The video below (Xplane Visual Thinking, 2009) shows great examples of how traditional media forms have been overturned by the technological advancements of the modern worldly culture. It also specifies that due to the progression of technological forms, advertisers have had to juncture into the revolution to be able to effectively vent messages to consumers. 

Did You Know 4.0 (Xplane Visual Thinking, 2009)

Advertising can be defined as the paid impersonal communication of information to mass audiences about products, services, or ideas through identified sponsors of various media platforms (Arens and Bovee, 1994, cited by Lei, 2000). Many forms of media can be used to portray certain messages, including newspapers, magazines, direct mail, radio, television, billboards and now even mobile devices.

Advertising: New Media Shift

Newspaper Advertising
(Taradel, 2008)

Nokia Mobile Phones
(New Cell Phones, 2008)

The shift of advertising from traditional media forms to new media technologies has been caused by the increased involvement between organisations and consumers. Needs and wants are now more readily accessible by companies today more than ever due to the boost of portable technologies and social media sites. Goldman et al. (2001, cited by Schwarzkopf, 2011) observes that in past generations, methodology became irrelevant, and all a potential consumer had to do was to read an ad. This statement seems to present traditional advertising as far too simplistic due to history's previous use of more paper based advertising displays, including posters, newspapers and magazines. Nowadays, consumers, due to digitisation, are not just reading an ad; individuals are holistically consuming the advertisement in every sensory way possible (e.g. listening to sounds and viewing moving images). Upon the shift to promote messages through new technologies,  advertisers have been able to create a consistent communication connection with consumers due to society's enlarged utilisation of more mobile-type devices. 

The images and video below show how advertisers have been able to connect with society through various ways. The first picture (Nolan, 2012) illustrates an application for mobile phones, which allow individuals to view company catalogues while on the go. The accompanying video (Reading Room Studio, 2012) demonstrates and displays a tutorial of a mobile catalogue in motion.

Big W Mobile Catalogue
(Nolan 2012)

IKEA AR Catalogue Mobile App - Human Beings have Doubts 
(Reading Room Studio, 2012)
     

This next image (Martell, 2010), displays another form of advertising, which creates a direct connection between an organisation and a consumer by the use of mobile text messaging. 

Short Message Service Advertising (Martell,2010)

Aside from the previously mentioned marketing strategies, there are many more approaches that advertisers are employing in order to connect with consumers through mobile phones. The following video (Google Mobile Ads, 2011) illustrates how mobile phone applications are being increasingly utilised by society on an everyday basis to gain access to companies, their products and services. An example shown within the video is how individuals are increasingly using mobile technologies to seek out food, clothing and other products. The video also mentions how mobile marketing is escalating into a positive arena, which in turn is influencing consumers in a more efficient way. This last example also ties in really well with the last point. 

The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Consumers (Google Mobile Ads, 2011)

Advertising Effectiveness

The effectiveness of advertising through new media forms, particularly mobile phone devices, will always fall back on how society and its culture perceive advertising activities. Wilken and Sinclair (2009) have brought up valid points in consideration to consumer scepticism of mobile phone promotions, arguing that there is a concern over spam and non-individualised messaging systems. Gopal and Tripathi (2006, cited by Wilken and Sinclair, 2009) argue that although there is demand and industry support for individualised messaging, the logistical issues are far too great. Although the advertising industry is seen to show concern, there is evidence to suggest that mobile marketers are receiving positive encouragement from consumers. This positive response has been proven in regards to the provision of entertaining, credible and relevant content of mobile phone ads. Also, Wilken and Sinclair (2009) suggest that the 'early adopters' of technological devices are more likely to be open to receiving advertisements, and even the late adopter's resistance tends to subside as they become more comfortable with their device (Wilken and Sinclair, 2009).

To Conclude

The digital media convergence phenomenon has had a major influence within the advertising industry specifically in regards to the digitisation of new media devices. The shift of advertising from traditional devices through to new media technologies has been a reaction to the ever-changing demand of consumers. The effectiveness of advertising particularly through mobile phone devices has been seen to have a mainly positive influence and reaction from the wider society. This was reiterated by the research of Wilken and Sinclair (2009) who justify that as long as the consumer is comfortable with their device, the influences of advertising through new media platforms will be widely embraced.

(Word Count: 1091) 

Reference List

Books:

Meikle, G., Young, S., 2012, Media Convergence: Networked Digital Media in Everyday Life, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, p. 5.

Journal Articles:

Lei, R., 2000. 'An Assessment of the World Wide Web as an Advertising Medium', Social Science Journal, vol. 37, no. 3, p. 465, viewed 29 August 2012, EBSCOhost Database: http://web.ebscohost.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/ehost/detail?sid=05bdba36-9476-44df-ae82-db4289edebcc%40sessionmgr4&vid=1&hid=10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=pbh&AN=3685272

Schwarzkopf, S., 2011. 'The Subsiding Sizzle of Advertising History: Methodological and Theoretical Challenges in the Post Advertising Age', Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 528-548, viewed 29 August 2012, Emerald database: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1959237&show=abstract

Recommended Readings:

Wilken, R., Sinclair, J., 2009. 'Waiting for the Kiss of Life: Mobile Media and Advertising', Convergence: The Journal of Research into New Media, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 427-445, viewed 28 August 2012, SAGE Database: http://con.sagepub.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/content/15/4/427.full.pdf+html

Unit Readings:

Dwyer, T., 2010, Media Convergence, McGraw Hill, Berkshire, p. 2.

Spurgeon, C., 2008, Advertising and New Media, Oxon, Routledge, p. 27.

Images:

Evolution of the Mobile Phone Device, Red Door Brokers, viewed 29 August 2012: http://www.reddoorbrokers.com/the-evolution-of-real-estate/

Baba, J., 2012, New Media, Blogger, viewed 29 August 2012: http://wecommunication.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/new-media.html

Nolan, K., Big W Mobile Catalogue, 2012, Woolworths Limited, screenshot taken 30 August 2012: 

Martell, D., 2010, Short Message Service Advertising, Flowtown, viewed 29 August 29 2012: http://www.flowtown.com/blog/11-types-of-marketing-that-everyone-hates

Nokia Mobile Phone, 2008, New Cell Phones, viewed 30 August 2012: http://new-cell-phone.org/amazing-nokia-cell-phones-ads.html

Newspaper Advertising, 2008, Taradel, viewed 30 August 2012: http://www.taradel.com/target_newspaper.aspx

Websites:

Cambridge Dictionaries Online, 2011, Early Adopter, viewed 28 August 2012: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/business-english/early-adopter

Cambridge Dictionaries Online, 2011, Late Adopter, viewed 28 August 2012: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/business-english/late-adopter?q=late+adopters

Hurst-Wahl, J., 2007, Digitization (Definition), viewed 30 August 2012: http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com.au/2007/12/digitization-definition.html

Jenkins, H., 2006, Welcome to Convergence Culture, viewed 29 August 2012: http://henryjenkins.org/2006/06/welcome_to_convergence_culture.html

Videos:

Did you Know 4.0, 2009, video, Xplane Visual Thinking, 14 September, viewed 28 August 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

IKEA AR Catalogue Mobile App - Human Beings have Doubts, 2012, video, Reading Room Studio, 10 April, viewed 28 August 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KThKO5b9h4Q

The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Consumers, 2011, Google Mobile Ads, 13 April, viewed 28 August 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CjUcq_E4I-s