"Cross media convergence and synergy are vital processes in the successful marketing of media products to audiences." To what extent do you agree with this statement in relation to your media area?

I agree with this statement in some aspects because cross media convergence and synergy are both very vital processes of which have to take place in order for particular films to become successful for the audiences that they are aimed at and marketed for. Cross media convergence is the way in which films and other different products are produced and distributed to other marketing platforms. An example of this would be how trailers for films have leaked onto the internet by accident to websites like Facebook and YouTube resulting in them being further marketed by accident to more people. Another example would be the marketing and distribution on iPhones and iPad apps and how people can access the marketing for films and things through this example of the media. Synergy on the other hand is the interaction and cooperation that two or more organisations have on particular products. This meaning that agents can produce better marketing techniques of which can then be seen by more audiences marketing the products in a more effective and greater way.

The two processes mentioned are important to the success of media products as without them, certain trailers for films or different advertising techniques might not be as accessible to the audience. An example of how cross media convergence affects the success of marketing a media product includes the use of YouTube. YouTube can almost be seen as a streamer for trailers and adverts for films and they quite commonly are found on there from different distributers. What I mean by this is that, members of the public can access film clips and then upload them to YouTube for further audiences to see. These audiences may not have originally seen the trailer and because the leak of the particular marketing techniques, films can become more available and open to more audiences. All this is done by accident and without the help of the film industries distributors. Another example of cross media convergence is how Facebook becomes a marketing technique. People post comments about what they have done and if someone was to go and see a new film, people might see that and become interested therefore watch the trailer of which another person may have shared from YouTube. This would also be an example of synergy. It is an example of synergy because it represents both Facebook and YouTube working together with the film companies and industries in order to advertise a film. It could be advertising the film through many different techniques such as a trailer or a film review. 

Relating directly back to the statement of, "Cross media convergence and synergy are vital processes in the successful marketing of media products to audiences," I feel that without the use of the internet film marketing is a lot more difficult as the synergy between film industries and other companies within the internet are strong and are seen as reliant when it comes to films becoming successful or not.

My next example of cross media convergence is how film marketing can fall accidently into newspapers and magazines like the Guardian. Many reviews and adverts can be found in magazines and these are read by different audiences to who would go on the internet in some cases. What I mean by this is that if your target audience of a film was older people around 50, those people are more likely to read a newspaper than they are going on Facebook. This means that any film companies and distributers would benefit from the marketing in magazines. The reason why this is cross media convergence is because if a critic was to and see a film and then write about in a newspaper, he would be indirectly advertising the film to another audience.

Films themselves are made to attract particular audiences to go and watch them. Marketing techniques includes thinks like; posters, trailers, promotions, merchandise and events. In some way or another most film marketing techniques can relate to convergence and synergy and how that can be dependant of the success of films. The spread and release of trailers can be related to cross media convergence as only one person needs to see the trailer for it to then be shared on social media websites and YouTube for it to then be seen by millions of people. Synergy is used in this respect by the bigger companies who can promote to two at the time that then market each other. In my opinion an example of this is The Avengers. At the end of the film there is a clip of which shows the leading story of the next film. This would be an example of advertisement. Therefore the film is advertising itself and its merchandise and then the next film that people will then want to go and see to see what happens next. Another example of synergy is vital to the success of a film is the film company Eon Productions. Eon Productions made the film Skyfall and Skyfall advertised all the James Bond films, which then advertised the soundtracks, which then advertised the games which then advertised the further merchandise and so on and so on. This would be a continuous marketing cycle that most film companies would benefit from. Another example would be Disney’, High School Musical. This film advertised the other films, the games, the company and all the outlet shops as people after seeing the film then went and bought products relating to the film which then encouraged more people to go and watch it.

Overall I feel that the cross media convergence and synergy are relied upon in terms of the success of a film and how it is marketed because without the use of it, films and its marketing may potentially not be as open and accessible to all audiences.