Social Media & Communication

We recently received a lecture which discussed new media. This is the idea of media through interaction and involvement, as oppose to the old media model which involved persuasion. We were reminded of the lecture we received on creative advertising and the Lever brothers. Their strategies embraced the idea of speaking to the masse through images of british royalty, suiting both the national and international market as oversees the products bared an exotic vibe. New media breaks from the past and attempts to involve the audience both emotionally and creatively. We were given an example of a campaign launched to promote the game 'Halo: Reach' where online users sign up and are assigned to a small light, of which is combined with other user's lights to create a light figure in commemoration of the fallen 'spartans.' By adding this sense of involvement, users are given insight into the fact that the game will bear themes of war and conflict. There is also this theme of viral internet campaigns. Whereas old media simply transmits information, new media encourages the sharing of adds, again involving the audience. With the internet, we have the option of watching a video, voluntary viewing as oppose to forced media presented on roadside billboards and bus shelters. The 'Kony 2012' viral campaign shaped their plan of action with the idea of 'sharing' the video on social networking sites, and the average person having a collaborative voice. By 'turning the system upside down,' the campaign suggested that internet users perhaps hold a larger if not equal voice in comparison to politicians and leaders.  An xbox video ad was pre-tested by being uploaded to the web. Although it was eventually rejected and banned from television, it became a successful viral video in the eyes of the people:





It seems that media has changed drastically with the introduction of the internet. We can see this third layer has emerged, where we can almost virtually sample some element of the actual product itself before purchase. Were advertises once felt superior, in the sense that we were fed emotive information and sometimes brainwashed into consumption, the users now have the bigger voice, and advertises work hard to involve and captivate their audience. As potential workers in the creative industry (or in fact any industry), we must understand how to utilize this new platform. The internet can be used as a vehicle to share and promote our work. We can also contact potential testers for our products, and gain an idea of how they receive our work. In conclusion, the idea of the social network, where new ideas are shared and interacted with is an exciting prospect. Through networking, a whole new age of creativity has begun. A company can exist without any of the members being in one place at one time. Many of the creative barriers, such as simply getting your work to be viewed, have become virtually obsolete.