Converging ‘Madison and
Vine’ - the impact of the digital media convergence phenomenon on Advertising
& New Media
The recent phenomenon of
convergence has undoubtedly revolutionised contemporary media practices and
platforms due to fragmentation within traditional media flows. In this way,
notions of the ‘passive old media’[1] upon experiencing a paradigm
shift both technologically and culturally, has resulted in a means of ‘interactive
new media.' [2] Consequently, so has emerged, revised
methods of advertising to reach increasingly disengaged consumers and assist in
the endurance of each medium. Essentially, this is the convergence of ‘Madison
and Vine’, that is, the intersection of advertising and media spheres. [3]
Jenkins (2006) defines
convergence culture as the place ‘where old and new media collide, where
grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer
and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways.’[4] By these means, technological
convergence, ‘the process whereby new technologies are accommodated by existing
media and communication industries and cultures’,[5] has had a huge impact on
the way by which contemporary media is disseminated and received amongst increasingly
dispersed audiences. Thus, these alterations concerning the way the media is
presented due to the technological and cultural implications of convergence inevitably,
impact the mediums through which advertisements may therefore, reach their
audiences.
As the commercial
backbone of the media, advertising sustains and correspondingly shapes media
content. In consequence, many influential ‘transnational advertisers are
dissatisfied with the uncertain performance of ‘old media’,[6] and thus, seek to exploit
the dominant digital media context. In this fashion, a new era of consumer
sovereignty emerges within the advertising world, dependent on the diversity
upon which new media flows offer their consumers. In consequence, advertisers
‘are looking for new ways to reach increasingly distracted, distrustful and
disinterested consumers’[7] many of these are
proliferated through the convergent phenomenon of ‘new media’, which has become
‘pervasive in our everyday lives’.[8]
Stafford (2005) defines
contemporary ‘new media’ as ‘not yet fully established as customary
institutions in society. They are not yet considered to be mature in their
development’, as opposed to older or traditional media.[9] Moreover, Stafford
highlights that the growth of these innovative media flows, stimulated by the
forces of convergence, fosters ‘new advertising opportunities’ and initiatives
for how ‘they can be used to communicate effectively with customers’.[10] Sheehan (2009) similarly,
affirms that ‘society has experienced a
significant cultural shift to a digital culture (Deuze, 2006), also known as a
convergence culture (Jenkins, 2006)’.[11] In this way, advertisers due to the digitalisation of
contemporary media, such as the Internet, may no longer predict their audience’s
presence at a specific time and place and thus, ‘creatively imbed their
messages in media flows and experiences that coveted consumers will actively
seek out’.[12]
This transformation in advertising is known as ‘branded content’.[13]
Jenkins (2006) defines
such advertising trends as ‘a continuum of creative advertising possibilities,
with product placement, advertorial and infortainment located at one end, and
full blown content production at the other.’[14]More frequently
advertisers are geared towards such content production, acting as a vehicle for
further convergence of the media platform. In this way, ‘branded entertainment
aims to contextualise and brand images in ways that are so appealing that
consumers will seek them out for inclusion in their personalised media and
entertainment flows’,[15] Scott Donaton (2004)
described the notion as ‘Madison and Vine’,[16] that is the convergence
of media and advertising to sustain each medium’s survival within an
increasingly personalised and digitalised context.
Sheehan (2009) supports
such ideas, referencing the notion of ‘a confluence culture’, whereby ‘traditional methods of work adapt to embrace the new
reality of interactive content. Instead of agencies focusing on providing the
correct message regardless of the media channel, confluence culture recognizes
the importance of providing ways for agencies, clients, and consumers to create
messages about a brand’.[17] A prime example of such branded content imbedded into ‘new’ avenues of media flow,
is pertinent within a case study of BMW’s 2001 ‘The Hire’ films.
This series of short
films directed by a number of renowned Hollywood directors and released online
by BMW featured recognisable talent such as Clive Owen, Adriana Lima and Mickey Rourke, illustrated within the following
example.
Each film, averaging at around
eight minutes revolves around a central character, ‘The Driver, the world’s
best at transporting people or things out of dangerous situations. Naturally,
The Driver uses a different BMW in each film to complete his mission.’ [18]
In this way, BMW’s advertising campaign ‘perpetuates the blurring of the
distinction between commerce and art and popular culture and public culture’,[19]
as the advertisements represent ‘pull strategy’[20]
tactics in seductively packaging products through digitally converging
mediums to ‘remediate the problems of
advertising clutter and commercial interruption associated with mass media.’[21]
In this way, BMW’s campaign
reflects that nature of ‘confluence culture’,[26] affirming
the convergence of ‘Madison and Vine’, our advertising and cultural platforms
through digital media.[27] These
notions enable consumers to personally engage with advertisements and thus, the
brands they represent, allowing them to ‘tell their
own stories, taking the information that is provided about brands and mixing it
with their own experiences of how exactly the brand transformed them’.[28]
Advertisers accordingly then, engender positive and memorable brand messages,
often surpassing the prevalence of traditional media forms to become as much a part
of the consumers own personal media flows.
In essence, the
contextually stimulating notion of convergence has undoubtedly impacted
contemporary media practices and platforms both technologically and culturally.
By these means, an ‘interactive new media’ and consequently method of
advertising has emerged, compelling this progression into the junction of ‘Madison
and Vine’[29]
and moreover, the nature of a ‘confluence culture.’ Contemporary advertising
therefore seeks to manipulate the dynamic nature of digital media flows and
thus, present to consumers in light of these ideas seductively packaged
products which appeal mutually to increasingly detached and uniquely
participating individuals.
Bibliography:
abmwfan (2007) YouTube
- BMW Films - The Hire - The Follow. [online] Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIHGT8vWleQ [Accessed: 31 Aug 2012].
Dwyer, T. (2010) Media
Convergence, McGraw Hill, Berksire, pp 1-23.
Jenkins, H. (2006) Convergence
Culture, New York, New YorkUniversity Press, pp 1-24.
Russel, C. (2007) Advertainment:
Fusing Advertising and Entertainment. University of Michigan, Yaffe
Center, p.6-7.
Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and the role of the advertising
agency in a changing world in First Monday vol 14 no 3 Available at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
Spurgeon, C. (2008) Advertising
and New Media, Oxon, Routledge, pp 24-45.
Stafford, M. and
Faber, R. (2005) Advertising, Promotion and New Media. New York: M.E
Sharpe Inc, p.3-8.
[2]
Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and
the role of the advertising agency in a changing world in First Monday vol
14 no 3 Available at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
[9] Website - own
[10] Website - own
[11] Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and
the role of the advertising agency in a changing world in First Monday vol
14 no 3 Available at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid.
[17] Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and
the role of the advertising agency in a changing world in First Monday vol
14 no 3 Available at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
[18]
Russel, C. (2007) Advertainment: Fusing Advertising
and Entertainment. University of Michigan, Yaffe Center, p.6-7.
[20]
Russel, C. (2007) Advertainment: Fusing Advertising
and Entertainment. University of Michigan, Yaffe Center, p.6-7.
[22]
Russel, C. (2007) Advertainment: Fusing Advertising
and Entertainment. University of Michigan, Yaffe Center, p.6-7.
[24]
Russel, C. (2007) Advertainment: Fusing Advertising
and Entertainment. University of Michigan, Yaffe Center, p.6-7.
[26] Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and
the role of the advertising agency in a changing world in First Monday vol
14 no 3 Available at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
[28] Sheehan, Kim and Morrison, Deborah (2009) Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and
the role of the advertising agency in a changing world in First Monday vol
14 no 3 Available at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
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