Digital Media Convergence:
Advertising & New Media

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Digital media convergence; a defining trend of the modern media environment, a process which can be seen to not only transform our technological, social, political, cultural and economic worlds, but also emphasis the “intersection of distinct media and information technology systems that have previously been thought of as separate and self-contained” (Dwyer, 2010: 2). New media has reshaped advertising and has created a whole new world for the media industry to produce and engage their audiences. The shift from analogue, one-directional media, to digital media that can be accessed and engaged with by consumers in multiple ways, has allowed for an ease in the flow of information, moving from one platform to another, across the world, almost instantaneously. 

Advertising In Convergent Media

In the new millennium market consumers are more individualized, differentiated and flexible.  New media has allowed for advertisers to cater for these particular consumers, with the opportunities digital media provides to them. "One of the main synergetic strategies for cross-media work is to get more news published on more media platforms, with the same, or fewer resources" (Erdal, 2007: 78). With this drive behind digital media convergence, advertisers are able to take advantage of these ever-expanding linkages between media platforms and get their messages across to consumers in the most technological and economical way possible. 

"Media owners in the twenty-first century strive to continuously expand their output across media platforms" (Dwyer, 2010: 3)

Today, advertisers have little to no option than to target their selected audiences through new media - the internet has become the fastest growing medium recorded, and with that growth, advertisers need to mould and change the way in which they use media platforms, to have more internet based engagement with consumers. Dior, for instance, a luxury french goods company, specialising in leather goods, fashion accessories, jewellery, fragrance, make-up and skincare products, to name a few, is seen as an exclusive women's orientated designer brand - making the way in which they advertise their products crucial to the success of their brand. Dior, and advertisers alike, must understand that when marketing, not just consumers attention has to be reached, but consumer behaviour as well, put simply, consumers interact differently online. The majority of Dior's marketing efforts are placed within their website, where their targeted consumers go to engage in the latest products and offerings of this brand. With this said, magazine advertising for Dior is also another crucial way in which their brand receives exposure, the utilisation of 'old' print media and new digital media, allows the brand to reach their market specifically and operate with their consumer's behaviour - almost perfectly emphasising the idea that:

"Convergence does not simply generate new media. It opens up new possibilities for 'old media'" (Burton, 2005: 118)

With the added ability for magazines to also be viewed on mobile devices such as Smart Phones, iPhones and iPads, to name a few, advertisers can further interrelate their soft copy advertisements with their online media advertisement efforts. Allowing customers to easily shift between the two media platforms, to ultimately seek the information/content they desire - all in all allowing consumers to generally select what marketing efforts they engage in, revealing the breaking down of barriers that once were one-directional media, as a direct result of media convergence. It is the linking of old and new media that creates for an effective advertisement, it can be argued that one cannot work without the other, and it is the building upon past media forms and platforms, that new ones are found. "Some of the newer digital agencies that specialise in Internet advertising may develop interactive messages better than traditional agencies, yet lack the branding skills of traditional agencies." (Sheehan & Morrison, 2009).

Dior Addict Extreme

New Product Launch/Short Film

Main Developments Behind Advertising & New Media

Main developments behind advertising and new media can be seen to have risen from the efficiency and cost effectiveness of these new media forms. It is cheaper to develop a marketing budget for the production of one advertisement that spreads virally through the internet platform, than to buy multiple spaces within traditional media forms. By placing product campaigns such as Dior Addict, visible above, on media sharing sites at YouTube, consumers have the ability to view it from any desired location and ultimately circulate it through society, spreading the marketing campaign of the product beyond the efforts of the advertisers.

Through the ‘viral campaign’ phenomenon, it becomes evident that the media industry and advertising, through the use of online tools, is revolutionary. Advertisers today launch their ad campaigns on the internet with the goal of consumers interacting with their adverts and incorporating them into their own social networking. According to Merrin, broadcasting “has been transformed by digital technology in their production, distribution and consumptions, and they have had to adapt their business models to find new ways to monetize their products and reach audiences whose behaviour and expectations have fundamentally shifted” (Merrin, 2009). Merrin suggests that with the changes in social and cultural behaviour, due to online digital media, advertisers have to appeal to their audience and consumers in general.

Today, “advertisers can use stories to help connect people to the brand in new and exciting ways” (Sheehan and Morrison, 2009). In retrospect of Sheehan and Morrison’s view point, Dior created a ‘viral campaign’ through showing consumer’s what it is like to be iconic and through purchasing their elite product, consumers can share this value and alike themselves to the iconic women present within the ad campaign. 

Conclusion

Thus said, it is clear that modern day advertising has not only excelled but expanded with the technological improvements of digital media. Once one-directional, non-engaging methods of advertising, can now be seen to be consumer driven marketing - giving targeted audiences the power to interact and bare witness to advertising efforts of businesses as they please. Ultimately through new digital media and platforms available for both consumers to use and marketers to advertise through.

Louise Paolucci 42460123

Alana Lucci 42885639

References 

Unit readings:

• Dwyer, T. (2010). Media Convergence. Berkshire: McGraw Hill. pp. 1-23.
• Erdal (2007). As referenced in: Dwyer, T. (2010). Media Convergence. Berkshire: McGraw Hill. pp 3.

Books:

• Burton, G, (2005) Media and Society: critical perspectives, Maidenhead: Open University Press.                   

Recommended Reading List:

• Sheehan, K.B & Morrison, D.K. (2009) Beyond Convergence: Confluence culture and the role of the advertising agency in the changing world. Creative Commons Attribution, Volume 14, No.: 3.

Additional Readings:

• Merrin, William. (2009) Interactions: Studies in Communication and Cultures,  Media Studies 2.0: upgrading and opening-sourcing the discipline, Swansea University, Volume 1, No.: 1, pp. 17-34.

 

Digital Media Convergence: Advertising and New Media

‘Digital media convergence is the process by which media forms, industries, cultures and practices of use have merged'. (Dwyer T, 2012) Thus it is the coming together of computing, communications and content.

This phenomenon has radically transformed the practices of advertising and new media. This is the result of the popularisation and evolution of the internet and the services that it provides. Owen (1999: 16) refers the internet as ‘the prophecy of convergence: television sets, telephones and computers – and the networks that bind them – are or will become the same. The internet will be all’. This notion of media convergence has impacted on the execution of traditional advertising. Before the spur of the digital revolution, advertising was delivered through analogue technology such as newspapers. Media convergence has revolutionised advertising towards participatory mediums such as the internet and mobile phones. Unlike traditional practices of advertising where it surged in a uni-directional nature from producers to consumers, participatory media has ‘enabled people to decide when, where, how they consume the content they desire’. (Deuze, 2006: 62).  Similarly, nowadays, consumers are able to produce their own content, for example, video blogs on the video sharing website YouTube. Correspondingly, Burgess and Green (2009) argue that YouTube is the first mass-popular platform for user-created media content. This defines the term ‘prosumer’ evidently referring to the blur between consumer and producer. Consequently Jenkins reinforces this phenomenon of digital media convergence by claiming that ‘digital technology is a response to analogue’s shortcomings’.

Advertisers have effectively appealed to their audience through the use of the new media environment. It is of importance that advertisers in an online context must grasp the attention of their audience by appealing to them and understanding their online behaviour. This is highlighted by Spurgeon (2008: 27), as he states that 'these advertisers creatively embed their messages in media flows and experiences that coveted consumers will actively seek out'. Advertisers have successfully followed their audiences through new media avenues to sell their products. They have utilised product placement advertising and the viral campaign to efficiently do so. This adaption in advertising with the cooperation with the new media has accounted for their propelling success as the way advertisers appeal to their audiences is redefined.

Viral Campaign

The viral campaign phenomenon has been a feat of an advertising technique. This is as an outcome of the evolution of advertising and the new media as advertisers deliver their campaigns on pre-existing social networks on the internet to promote brand awareness. The success of trailing the ads on social networks online before promoting them on television is measured by ‘the number of “hits”, comments and responses the video attracts’ (Deuze, 2006: 696).  In this new media environment, the viral campaign is an effective vital feature of advertising as it eliminates advertising costs which would otherwise be spent on limited old media promotion. This is valuable exposure and efficiency gained by companies (Khamis, 2012).

                                                    The Force: Volkswagen Commercial

In February 2011, Volkswagen introduced the video “The Force: Volkswagen Commercial” for Volkswagen’s 2012 Passsat which became an instant viral hit.  It features an appropriation of the Darth Vader character from Star Wars which results in intertextuality. The advertisement was a success through the use of its satirical humour and release of its promotion a year before the issue of the product. This infamous Star Wars ad attracted to this day over 54 million views from its release date and embraces the most views on YouTube in 2011. It also currently holds the highest number of shares. In a contemporary context, this is the epitome of the success of viral advertising video.

Product Placement

Product placement is another example of a successful advertising practice and evidence of the revolution of advertising. This placement of branded products integrated in movies, television shows and other forms of media, is a growing effective strategy and a clear example of the proliferation of the co-adaption of advertising and the new media.

Oreo is a big participator of product placement. In particular, in the 1990’s Oreo had appeared several times in the famous sitcom Friends. It played a big role in the plot of the pilot episode and from then on was featured several times throughout the series. However, Pottery Barn, an American-based classy home furnishing store, was the most successful product placement of the TV series. In season 6 episode 11, Rachel continuously shops at Pottery Barn for new furniture for the apartment she shares with Phoebe, who despises mass-produced products. Rachel disguises this by telling Phoebe the furnishings are antiques. Consequently, when the truth is revealed, Phoebe ironically coerces Rachel to purchase a Pottery Barn lamp. This product placement was a lasting success for Pottery Barn. In an interview in 2004, Patrick Connolly of Williams-Sonoma expressed that since the episode, ‘phones light up with catalogue requests every time (the episode) airs in syndication’. This prominent placement tactic of Pottery Barn in the television series has evidently been a proven advertising success.

                                Friends: The one with the apothecary table (S6E11)

        Similarly, another instance of the prosperous approach of prominent placement products is the largely-known Apple products. Apple is one of the largest users of product placement advertising as their products have been featured in countless movies, music videos and TV series. It was even claimed this year that 'Apple products were in more than 40 percent of top movies last year, an advantage as traditional advertising falls flat'. (Burrows and Fixmar, 2012).  One of their greatest successes was the iPad placement in the TV series Modern Family in 2010 and inevitably claimed to be the best product placement of the year. Just two days before Apple’s first iPad hit the stores, the Modern Family episode centred on the iPad. Throughout the duration of the show, viewers watched the family attempt their best to acquire the iPad. The iPad was shown, used and was mentioned in various contexts about its usefulness hence the audience achieves an affective response of desire.

                                                    Phil and his new toy in Modern Family

It is apparent that the co-adaption of advertising and the new media in this current convergent media milieu is the key to its success. The rise of new technological advances of the digital revolution has precipitated the implementation of new advertising techniques such as the Viral Campaign and Product Placement. Inevitably the media convergence phenomenon that ‘because of the capabilities of digital technologies, content and services previously offered through various media will be in the future conveyed to a single artifact, the internet’ (Boczkowski and Ferris, 2005: 35), advertisers now have the capability to flourish alongside with the advancements of technology.

 

Resources

Recommended readings:

Ø  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 –

http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121  (Accessed 29 August 2012 )

Unit readings:

Ø  Dwyer, T. (2010) Media Convergence. Berkshire: McGraw Hill. pp. 1-23.

Ø  Jenkins, H. (2006) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press. pp. 1-24.

Ø  Spurgeon, C. (2008) Advertising and New Media. Oxon: Routledge. pp.24-45

Lecture Content:

Ø  Keith, S. (2012) Digital Convergence, MAS 110, Macquarie University, 8 August

Ø  Khamis, S. (2012) Advertising and New Media, MAS 110, Macquarie University, 22 August

Additional research:

Ø  Burrows,P. and Fixmer, A. (2012) Bloomberg Business Week Technology: Apple, the other cult in Hollywood.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-10/apple-the-other-cult-in-hollywood    (Retrieved  29 August)

Ø  Deuze, M. (2006) New Media and Society: Collaboration, participation and the media. London: Sage Productions.  (Date accessed 29 August )

Ø  Burgess, J. and Green, J. (2009) Youtube: Online Video and Participatory Culture (Retrieved 30 August)

Ø  iPad Modern Family – 3 October 2010 Accessed through YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJp4_bxHOgU&feature=related (Retrieved 30 August)

Ø  The Force: Volkswagen Commercial – 2 February 2011 Accessed through Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0 (Date accessed 30 August)

Ø  Image: Friends: The one with the apothecary table episode – Accessed through Google Images:

http://crookedshmooked.blogspot.com.au/2008/11/apothecary-tables-of-yore.html (Retrieved 31 August)

The Phenomenon of Digital Media Convergence in Advertising

Source

Discuss the phenomenon of digital media convergence in relation to one of the following: Advertising & New Media or Music Video Online.

"Convergence culture, as a concept, articulates a shift in the way global media industries operate, and how people as audiences interact with them"(Deuze, M., 2009). In this case convergence refers to the ways in which types of media that were once very much individual have become merged together. Indeed a simpler way to understand the concept is to consider the vastly increasing number of platforms within which one now finds advertising, and the plethora of ways we are advertised to in the 21st century. Advertising as a discipline has evolved and diversified significantly from what Spurgeon calls direct information-based advertising of the Print-era (2008). In 2012 digital convergence, at least in terms of Advertising and New Media, has been all but totally realised. The advent of 3G technology has helped to achieve the prized notion of "location-sensitive one-to-one marketing communications" (Wilken & Sinclair, 2009), whilst rising popularity in social-network based websites, particularly Facebook, has given advertisers the opportunity to target progressively shrinking demographics. Whilst both of these factors are important steps in the eventuation of digital media convergence, they both raise interesting questions about personal privacy in the digital age and the impact of digital media convergence on society/daily life.

Apple iPhone v4: Source

It would not be a far stretch to say that in 2012 we live in the age of 3G. The Apple iPhone (and other such touch-screen mobile phones) is one of the most familiar cultural icons of the day, with a vast population of users spreading across a vast range of demographics. As far as convergence in advertising is concerned the iPhone has become akin to the Arc of the Covenant, enabling advertising to reach consumers in new and increasingly diverse fashions. "The Swiss Army knives of technology' (Story, 2007), the iPhone has realised the potential of 3G technology in advertising. It is also the perfect modern example of digital convergence in our day-to-day lives. In one device one can now find their mobile communications, music library, television, radio, map, calendar, camera, gaming, banking, news, transport info and social networking in the palm of ones hand, and that's just to name a few. Whilst at first this would seem to be an advertisers dream the platform creates various complexities with regards to the customer. 3G technology and its implication in advertising is expanding exponentially. Wilken and Sinclair use the example of Australian-based mobile content provider HWW, "claim[ing] that, by combining ‘behavioural targeting’ techniques and location-based services, they can find for their customers ‘somebody who is within an age range, and a demographic, with a source of interest that you want, who’s doing a specific thing at a specific time, and give them a message’ (quoted in ‘On the Radar’, 2006)" (Wilken & Sinclair, 2009). The phenomenon of digital media convergence in advertising and new media has huge potential but this potential raises some Orwellian notions regarding privacy. In the 2008 Advertising Age article "Want to target online? You better build trust", Sherman quotes Sarah Welch, chief operating officer of ad network Mindset Media - "[consumers] are afraid fundamentally of a giant database in the sky that is collecting information from different sources and has an aggregated file ... that can be linked back to you, and the information in that file could be used to discriminate against you or harass you with unwanted solicitation in the future" (Sherman, 2008).  Digital Media Convergence has brought advertisers much closer to their consumers, thanks to tracking of individual usage data by companies such as Google and Facebook. 

Source

According to Spurgeon, companies "are looking for new ways to reach increasingly distracted, distrustful and disinterested consumers... to avoid being a cause or irritation and interruption, many of these advertisers creatively embed their messages in media flows and experiences that coveted consumers will actively seek out"  (2008). Quite possibly the most popular of such sought-out media experiences is provided by the social network Facebook, launched in 2004 and now comprising 901 million users, over half of which access the site from mobile devices (Sengupta, 2012). Much like the iPhone, Facebook is a convergent platform, combining a huge variety of Web 2.0 functionalities. Thus, it has enabled various developments regarding advertising and new media. "As an online directory for a good chunk of the human race, with the names, photos, tastes and desires of nearly a billion people"(Sengupta, 2012) Facebook is primed for advertising. According to their spiel Facebook allows the advertiser to "create an outline of your ideal customer including details such as their location, age, gender and interests". As Facebook is a site for digital convergence, with users interacting with one another, playing online games, following news and current affairs from prominent figures and creating albums of photos and videos, the information it has on the individual that can be provided to the advertiser is immensely vast and thus the platform has drawn criticism over privacy concerns. In her 2010 research paper "Privacy and Perceptions: How Facebook Advertising Affects its Users" Katherine K. Roberts found that the aforementioned criticism (such as the examples found here & here) are not held by a large population (of the sample) of Facebook's demographic users. 88% of students studied across the 4 universities (representing all different geographical regions of the country, with half representing large, public institutions and the other small, private institutions) had seen directly targeted advertisements with an overall 54.7% saying this did not change their perception of privacy (however the majority swung between campuses), 66.7% said the use of micro-targeting did not change their perception of the company and those that did were split between a positive and negative change in perception; with only 5% of all students not logging in on a daily basis (Roberts, 2009). In light of the criticisms against Facebook and the data presented by Roberts, it is possible to draw several conclusions regarding Digital Media Convergence and New Media. Facebook's main demographic is comprised of 'digital natives', and data suggests that such digital natives (being fully immersed in convergence culture) do not maintain the widely documented privacy phobias mentioned earlier. It would appear that the younger generation, completely familiarised with most forms of new media, understand these new methods in advertising are par for the course. 

Digital Media Convergence, particularly in relation to Advertising and New Media can be a frightening concept. From the 3G technology pinpointing ones location, to the personal data collected from ones Facebook profile, the complete digital profile of ones entire online experience is becoming a reality. Whilst the data collection practices and motives of companies like Facebook and Google has been criticised it is becoming increasingly clear that this is a necessary evil of convergence culture for the success of a convergent capitalist culture.

Reference:

Deuze, M. (2009) Media Industries, Work and Life, European Journal of Communication, vol.24, no.4, pp.467-80

Roberts, K. (2010) 'Privacy and Perceptions: How Facebook Advertising Affects its Users' The Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, vol.1, no.5, pp.24 - 34

http://www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/academics/communications/research/03RobertsEJSpring10.pdf

Sengupta, S. (2012) 'Facebooks Prospects May Rest on Trove of Data' The New York Times, May 14, URL (accessed August 2012): http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/technology/facebook-needs-to-turn-data-trove-into-investor-gold.html

Sherman, E. (2008) 'What to target online? You better build trust' Advertising Age, 79.

Sinclair, John and Wilken, Rowan (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 http://con.sagepub.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/content/15/4/427.full.pdf+html

Spurgeon, C. (2008) Advertising and New Media, Oxon, Routledge, pp.24 - 45

Story, L. (2007) ‘New Bar Codes Can Talk with Your Cellphone’ The New York Times, 1 April, URL

(accessed August 2012): http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/business/01code.html?ex=1333080000&en=8bb1180541c7a895&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

By Dominic Wohlfiel

42445221

Online Essay 43055389

Online Essay  43055389

Digital Media Convergence and Advertising

 

 

Introduction

Modern media has had an exponential leap forward in technology in recent years. This leap has created new ways for consumers to enjoy content through many different platforms. This is digital media convergence where

“flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences” (Jenkins, 2006, pp 2). 

But this constant state of change has placed a lot of concerns about how advertisement companies should adapt to the constant change where the old advertisement practices are becoming more obsolete. People are now able to access media content from around the clock and are becoming more engaged with the media towards topics of interests to themselves rather than pay attention to advertisements that have no relevance to them

“desires of consumers to have the media they want where they want it, when they want it, and in the format they want” 

(Jenkins, 2006, pp 2). As so, advertising agencies needed to become more innovative, more multi-platform to capture the audience who are transitioning from a spectator culture to a participatory one  within the growing new media.

Henry Jenkins and his take on Media convergence

 

Branded Entertainment

 

Ask yourselves this, how often do you find yourself watching television and actually paying attention to an advertisement, or if you could, would you skip the advertisements entirely with the introduction of new technology such as TiVo that allows you to record television shows on demand? Chances are low that you actually do pay attention to advertisements.






‘Branded entertainment’ has become a big thing particularly in the late 1900s. As consumers gradually ignored advertisements and sales started to drop (Creamer, 2007), advertisers saw that brand name goods would sell better if it was included within the media (Such media include ‘Ready Steady Cook’ which is funded by the I&G Supermarket chain and ‘The Grill’ which was funded by SONY Playstation) and were more likely to be seen then the old ‘in-between show breaks’ on television. 

Try Reese's pieces! It's outta this world!

An early example of such inclusion within media was the critically acclaimed movie ‘E.T’ directed by Steven Spielberg who teamed up with Hershey executive Jack Dowd for promoting the Reese’s Pieces Candy bar which allowed sales of the confectionary to sky rocket and help allow Hershey’s to have its place cemented as a global company due to digital media convergence. This innovative way of approaching advertising is what’s needed if the advertising industry is to thrive in the evolving world.

 

 

 

 

 

The Internet and Mobile media

 

The introduction of the internet was a particularly big step towards reinventing the way advertisements work. As stated by Spurgeon (2008, pp24) the

“internet search engine is, perhaps the single most important development for informational advertising since the time of the first paid newspaper advertisement” 

with this, advertising agencies could now place specific ads that were more consumer-centric, that allowed people to see advertisements that were based completely of what they’ve done on the internet (Turow, 2006).
  
Social networks and Search engines, particularly Facebook and Google, are a prime example of advertisement in new media, especially with its ability to go multiplatform on mobile phones, computers and tablets. What better way than to display advertisements about things that the consumer is actually interested in and have actually searched for.

Wanna see what a Google tablet is about? Why not buy one!

This form of advertisement had many advantages, one being that it was cost effective but it was the fact that the advertisement was targeting and engaging individuals that were interested with it in the first place. With the ability to store search queries on local based servers, this allowed advertisers to link there advertisements to key words, bringing their content towards like-minded consumers rather than advertisements that targeted the wider audience.

There is a drawback with placing these forms of advertisements though. Much like the recent mobile phone market (Sinclair, 2009), there is a growing issue about the use of such advertising methods in conjunction with consumer privacy.  As Sinclair (2009) has raised a concern that this form of advertisement may form a barrier of distrust between advertiser and consumer which may lead to advertising to become less effective.

Discussion about the use of the discovered tracking device in iPhones as well as the implications

An example of this may occur with the concept of location sensitive advertisement, where consumers with smart phones will be targeted via GPS, giving local stores your location to send ‘one-to-one’ advertisements to your phone. The constant surveillance of wherever you are is a constant issue especially with the discovered tracking device embedded within the iPhone which caused a lot of controversy. A fine line must be drawn within the grey area if this is to continuously occur within newer forms of media as the current take of advertisements within these two (mobile phones and the internet) converging platforms are still mired in uncertainty.

What of it?

 

Advertising within the new media is by far no easy feat. It is a volatile mixture that constantly changes. What may be seen as effective now may be seen as obsolete in a couple years’ time such as the use of branded entertainment. The constant need to innovate the way they advertise while defining the ‘sweet spot’ between intimacy and invasion of privacy  with digital media convergence, still a growing issue which may hopefully be solved somewhere in the near future.

Privacy is an issue that needs to be addressed.

            

Reference

 

Creamer, Matthew (2007), ‘Old-World Media Start to Feel the Pain’, Advertising Age, http://adage.com/article/news/world-media-start-feel-pain/120490/, viewed 26th August 2012

Dwyer, Tim (2010), Media Convergence, McGraw Hill, pp 1-23

Huessener, Ki Mae (2011), ‘Apple responds to iPhone controversy’, ABC News, http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/apple-responds-iphone-tracking-controversy/story?id=13468295#.UEA7_aMTfIU, viewed 28th of August 2012

Jenkins, Henry (2006), Convergence Culture: Where Old Media and New Media Collide, New York University Press

Sinclair, John and Wilken, Rowan (2009), 'Waiting for the kiss of life: mobile media and advertising', Convergence: The journal of research into new media, vol 15 no 4 pp 427 – 445, http://con.sagepub.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/content/15/4/427.full.pdf+html, viewed 26th of August 2012    

Spurgeon, Christina (2008), Advertising and New Media, Routledge, pp 24-45

Turow, Joseph (2006), Niche Envy: Marketing Discrimination in the Digital Age, MIT Press

History, The Hershey Company, http://www.thehersheycompany.com/about-hershey/our-story/hersheys-history.aspx, viewed 26th of August 2012