Tristan Black
Introduction
In the last 20 years, the world has seen enormous growth in technology. The proliferation of digital media in the wake of analogue media's departure, the new platforms and devices people use to access this content, and particularly the evolution of the internet, where we share, create and explore new media, have changed the world industrially, economically and socially. Existing forms of media and the cultures and communication industries to which they belong have had to adjust to and accommodate these new technologies. This process of accommodation is known as media convergence (Dwyer, 2010).
As media convergence is a multilayered phenomenon that "warrants interdisciplinary analysis," (Dwyer, 2010, p.21) this essay will explore the effect of convergence on advertising, and examine some of the ways in which advertisers have taken advantage of the Web 2.0 platform and 'convergence culture' (Jenkins 2006) and exploited changing consumer habits, in a shifting online environment where "traditional advertising is failing in its purpose." (Sheehan and Morrison, 2009).
Web 2.0 and convergence
In addition to being a series of technological processes, convergence is also a modern ideology in of media, in which global neoliberal markets are facilitated (Dwyer, 2010). The modern media conglomerate seeks to extend its reach across evolving media platforms. So is the case with advertising media, which has had to find new ways in which to reach its audience when that audience shifts to an increasingly online world.
According to Dwyer, "Google now competes with television advertising largely by selling short text advertising by placing short video ads on many of the websites where it sells advertising."
Many aspects of daily life have gone online. Consumers who research, socialise and hunt for jobs online have enabled the rapid migration of advertising to online media (Spurgeon, 2008). From simple information retrieval, the internet has evolved to become interactive, interoperable and collaborative (Berthon, Campbell, Parent and Pitt, 2011). This state of evolution of the internet has been termed 'Web 2.0,' and due to its interactive nature, it is not as unidirectional as its television and print media predecessors were in advertising (Berthon et al, 2011).
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| Some features of Web 2.0 Culture Source: Wikipedia |
Viral Marketing
It is becoming harder and harder for advertisers to engage consumers with advertising campaigns on television, radio and print media. Marketers thus have to resort to different strategies to meet the online culture social networking on Web 2.0 platforms has introduced. 'Viral marketing exploits existing social networks by encouraging customers to share product information with their friends.' (Leskovec et al., 2007, p.) This constitutes part of the 'shift from mass media to mass conversation.' (Spurgeon 2008)
While the new remix, repost and mashup culture that has plagued Web 2.0 platforms potentially causes issues for copyright owners of online content (Lessig, 2008), it is a blessing for advertisers in that advertisements in the form of online entertainment are posted and reposted for the ultimate benefit of having a product advertised for a lesser cost (Spurgeon, 2008). When one examines the most viral ads of all time (as of the 16th of July, 2012), it is important to compare the amount of hits on the original platforms where they were posted, to the amount of hits they have had once shared by consumers.
While this video has reached over 3.5 million views on Youtube at the time of writing, it is the 4th most viral advertisement of all time and has accrued 38.6 million social views. This means that, through sharing across various Web 2.0 platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and embedded in blogs such as this one, this video has gained more views than would have either on Youtube alone or on television. Advertisers have exploited the way in which prosumers use online platforms for entertainment, rather than the ritualistic viewing of television as in the past. Ads are masked as entertainment (this particular ad using humour and modern music) on Web 2.0 platforms such as YouTube (and offer a share option on all videos) to create an incentive to share, repost and remix.
Madison and Vine
"Movies, podcasts, games and live events, all with high production values, are being funded in the convergence of advertising and entertainment industries." (Spurgeon, 2008, p.27)
This advertisement for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 uses high paid and high profile stars Sam Worthington and Jonah Hill in a high budget, high definition, scripted action sequence with pyrotechnics, special effects and rock and roll. This is referred to as "Madison and Vine" advertising, the meeting point of advertising and Hollywood. (Spurgeon, 2008) This too exploits consumer habits of online entertainment. This advertisement currently sits at approximately 22.5 million views [as of August 31st, 2012].
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| The link to the Interactive Trailer for 'The Avengers' Source: YouTube.com |
It seems that just as an advertisement in the style of a Hollywood film can advertise a game, so too can an ad in the form of a game be used to advertise a Hollywood film. So is the case with the online marketing campaign for Marvel's 'The Avengers,' on Bluray and DVD. The main attraction of the film's advertising site (for which there was an interactive link on YouTube earlier this week) is an interactive trailer designed to involve the consumer in the action of the film. This is an example of an online destination with 'outstanding interactive functionality.' (Spurgeon, 2008, p.27). Spurgeon discusses how advertisers will creatively design ads so that consumers will actively seek them out, so as not to be irritating. Thus, this ad is cleverly designed a game.
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| The trailer enables the consumer to take part in the action of the video. Source: TheAvengers.com.au |
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| At the end of the video, the product is advertised once more. Source: TheAvengers.com.au |
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| The Avengers Interactive Trailer Source: TheAvengers.com.au |
Behavioural Advertising
In addition to the use of viral marketing and Madison and Vine as online marketing strategies, the internet has seen the advent of behavioural advertising (Penn, 2012). Penn explains how consumers are tracked and targeted according to their online behaviour so that tailored advertising can be aimed at these people according to what they click on and explore. For example, the above example of the Avengers ad might not appear on YouTube's main page for some people, but it did for the author because the site is aware of the things he browses on YouTube.
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| Consumers are targeted online, according to what they click on. Source: Digital Organics |
Conclusion
This merging of entertainment, socialising and advertisement online is an apt illustration of convergence as the way in which consumers can, through the use of one platform or device, access multiple services (Dwyer, 2010).
The way in which advertising has moved online and exploited modern consumer behaviour aptly demonstrates the way in which existing media (in this case advertising media) accommodates new digital media technologies, and thus is a working example of digital media convergence. It is remarkable to observe the way in which advertising has evolved as a result of this convergence, and has made use of viral videos, search engines and social media to chase its audience and consumers where society seems to make its nest - online.
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| Icons such as this one give consumers the option of sharing advertisements on social media sites. Source: TheAvengers.com.au |
Sources
Required Readings
Dwyer, T. (2010) Media Convergence, McGraw Hill, Berksire, pp 1-23
Jenkins, H. (2006) Convergence Culture, New York, New YorkUniversity Press, pp 1-24.
Spurgeon, C. (2008) Advertising and New Media, Oxon, Routledge, pp 24-45.
Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) 'Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and the role of the advertising agency in a changing world,' First Monday 14(3).
Additional Reading
Required Readings
Dwyer, T. (2010) Media Convergence, McGraw Hill, Berksire, pp 1-23
Jenkins, H. (2006) Convergence Culture, New York, New YorkUniversity Press, pp 1-24.
Spurgeon, C. (2008) Advertising and New Media, Oxon, Routledge, pp 24-45.
Recommended Readings
Additional Reading
Adamic, L, Huberman, B., Leskovec, J (2007) 'The Dynamics of Viral Marketing,' ACM Transactions on the Web, 1(1), Article No.5.
Berthon, P., Campbell, C., Parent, M., Pitt, L. (2011) 'Understanding Consumer Conversations Around Ads in a Web 2.0 World,' Journal of Advertising, 40(1) p.87.
Berthon, P., Campbell, C., Parent, M., Pitt, L. (2011) 'Understanding Consumer Conversations Around Ads in a Web 2.0 World,' Journal of Advertising, 40(1) p.87.
Lessig, L. (2008) Remix, The Penguin Press: London. pp.51-83.
Penn, J. (2012) 'Behavioural Advertising: The Cryptic Hunter and Gatherer of the Internet'
Federal Communications Law Journal, 64(3), p.599.
Websites
The Avengers | On Blu-Ray and DVD August 29. 2012. The Avengers | On Blu-Ray and DVD August 29. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.theavengers.com.au. [Accessed 29 August 2012].
Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3. 2012. Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.callofduty.com/mw3. [Accessed 30 August 2012].
Facebook. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.facebook.com. [Accessed 31 August 2012]
The Most Viral Ads Of All Time - Business Insider. 2012. The Most Viral Ads Of All Time - Business Insider. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-viral-ads-of-all-time-2012-7?op=1. [Accessed 29 August 2012].
Twitter. 2012. Twitter. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.twitter.com. [Accessed 31 August 2012]
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . 2012. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.youtube.com. [Accessed 29 August 2012].
Images (In order of appearance in text)
LCD Moving Title - Sourced from <www.textspace.net> [Accessed 31/8/12]
Web 2.0 Image - Sourced from Wikipedia at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0> [Accessed 30/8/12]
Youtube Homepage Image - Sourced from Screenshot of <www.youtube.com> [29/8/12]
'The Avengers' Interactive Trailer Images - Sourced from <www.theavengers.com.au> via screenshot [30/812]
Behavioural Advertising 'Targeting' Image - Sourced from <http://www.digitalorganics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ad-retargeting-or-behavioural-retargeting.jpg> [Accessed 30/8/12]
Facebook Sharing Image - Source from <theavengers.com.au> via screenshot [31/8/12]
Websites
The Avengers | On Blu-Ray and DVD August 29. 2012. The Avengers | On Blu-Ray and DVD August 29. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.theavengers.com.au. [Accessed 29 August 2012].
Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3. 2012. Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.callofduty.com/mw3. [Accessed 30 August 2012].
Facebook. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.facebook.com. [Accessed 31 August 2012]
The Most Viral Ads Of All Time - Business Insider. 2012. The Most Viral Ads Of All Time - Business Insider. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-viral-ads-of-all-time-2012-7?op=1. [Accessed 29 August 2012].
Twitter. 2012. Twitter. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.twitter.com. [Accessed 31 August 2012]
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . 2012. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.youtube.com. [Accessed 29 August 2012].
Images (In order of appearance in text)
LCD Moving Title - Sourced from <www.textspace.net> [Accessed 31/8/12]
Web 2.0 Image - Sourced from Wikipedia at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0> [Accessed 30/8/12]
Youtube Homepage Image - Sourced from Screenshot of <www.youtube.com> [29/8/12]
'The Avengers' Interactive Trailer Images - Sourced from <www.theavengers.com.au> via screenshot [30/812]
Behavioural Advertising 'Targeting' Image - Sourced from <http://www.digitalorganics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ad-retargeting-or-behavioural-retargeting.jpg> [Accessed 30/8/12]
Facebook Sharing Image - Source from <theavengers.com.au> via screenshot [31/8/12]
- Videos
M&M'S "Just My Shell" Super Bowl Commercial' - Uploaded February 1st, 2012 -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn3mktl30iw [Viewed 30th of August, 2012]'Official Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - The Vet & The n00b' - Uploaded April 17th, 2012 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuzaxlddWbk [Accessed 30th August, 2012]
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