Jenkins evaluates the process of convergence, how it is impacting relationships between audiences and producers through media content, and how it is reshaping American culture.
We are in a period of media transition and there are numerous strategies and schemes all trying to gain our attention and our money. Some of the newer marketing paradigms are playing off psychological and emotional underpinnings to effectively reach our hearts, conversations, attitudes, and opinions.
As they invite the audience inside a brand community, the boundaries are blurring between the the consumers and the producers. They are able to target and retain specific loyal communities by creating emotional impact and strong social bonds.
Loyal and active fans have a high level of investment in products, and in turn, producers value this loyalty and seek ways across multiple platforms to make a connection and hope to make return on the investment. Loyal consumers have the collective power to shape the brands as much as the brands shape them. As an aggregate, they hold the power to send back messages, and contribute valuable input to marketers. And we can contribute to other consumers in positive and negative ways. Bad experiences can lead to damaging reviews that warn peers and tear down concepts that were so elaborately constructed.
Companies are not interested making a fleeting impression, but in creating long term relationships, brand loyalty, and strong ties to consumers that will then make expressions themselves. We are exposed to essentially everything, but choose in what to invest our time, interests, and money. We maintain a loyalty to the mysterious appeal of certain brands' reputation. We feedback by passionately connecting to the idea, creating, and sharing until it becomes a vital social function.
To share an example of fandom in action. My sister is intensely involved in a few online communities focused around the cult TV show Fringe. JJ Abrams is a co-creator and writer, who was the executive producer for Lost if that gives you an idea of the type of intricate mysteries, codes, and concepts expressed.
She is highly involved in this cult following, and her loyalty extends beyond simply watching the show, Her main sphere is on the website Livejournal, and has since moved across spectrums into Tumblr and even message boards. In Livejournal, she is active in groups literally called "communities" that are focused on specific interests. Hers are a blend of graphic arts, video production, and centered around talking about characters, storyline, concepts raised in the show. She has participated in contests and even won physical packages, which only strengthened her fanatic loyal ties. But these ties are what is responsible for the continuing life of the show.
The President of Fox issued the following statement, which I think illustrates the vital qualities of new concepts over traditional numbers-based ratings.
"Fringe has truly hit a creative stride and has distinguished itself as one of television's most original programs. The series' ingenious producers, amazingly talented cast and crew, as well as some of the most passionate and loyal fans on the planet, made this fourth-season pickup possible. When we moved the show to Fridays, we asked the fans to follow and they did. We're thrilled to bring it back for another full season and keep it part of the Fox family."
—Kevin Reilly, President of Fox Entertainment
Susan, I do agree with you about huge brands; however I have a different perspective on this process of convergence reshaping American Culture. “Reaching your hearts, conversations, attitudes, and opinions,” doesn’t have to have a negative connotation. Not looking at the future from a brand perspective, but a non-profit perspective.
ReplyDeleteFirst, a little background: I am currently in an internship/job at a non-profit organization where the board members are above the age of 54. My assignment is to design a strategic marketing plan to increase awareness of our initiatives through social media. The challenge lies not in designing the program with the social media tools I have access to but in convincing the board members that we can still use the communication methods they are accustomed to, as well as, the new media. Our target market is a pretty broad market--women, (but more specifically just younger women). We need to secure our current and future initiatives’ sustainability through reaching more women who will be active in their communities to induce a positive impact on the economic status of women. I hope to employ the positive characteristics of convergence and its impact on our relationship with our audience.
My vision is to reach out to the youth and embrace the causes they are passionate about by making them a part of the past research we have already published. By looking at the way our audience uses social media we can interact with them on their terms and about the causes closest to their hearts; the audience has redefined (and chosen) the “way” in which and the about “what” we can interact with them on. They have posted and reached out to the world not just America and now it is our job to find the information and help them achieve the goals and impact the future in the way they see fit. It is their attitudes, conversations and opinions that help us help them and other young women like them.
In the past, we would have had no choice but to purchase or acquire demographic listings from local private and municipal agencies (using traditional correspondence-snail mail), and then possibly set up appointments or site visits just to meet a person with a connection to the people we needed to speak with. Today, I can jump onto Facebook, Google plus, and/or Audio Boo type in a key word and reach women all over the world! “Impacting relationships between audiences and producers through media content and reshaping culture” I say-“Let’s Rock and Roll!”