What is your definition of cross media?

[Michel Eek]

I noticed there are a lot of definitions of cross media around.

In my opinion cross media is not so much using 2 or more media types together, but more the synergy between those types. Timing is a big issue in cross media. Only using 2 or media types could also be named as multi media.

So tell me, what is your definition of cross media?

[Kelly Gomez]

I agree. A multi-media strategy is not necessarily cohesive. You may not have the same goals, message, etc. In cross media there is more strategy behind it instead of being quite so haphazard.

[Maureen]

In my opinion the definition of cross media is dependable on the need to use media.

For marketing and media synergy is very important as it is used to get a message across in diverse media that need a link to be used aka reach an audience. In addition the result is that it is always clear that there is one medium that is the most important. As it is the starting point of the synergy and most of the time shows which medium started the cross media campaign. The need to use cross media is based on the wishes of the party that started the campaign. So the definition of cross media that is mentioned above is based on the needs for marketing for crossing media.

If you take machinima (using content of games to create movies) it is not visible anymore where the game or the movie begins or ends. So synergy is The need to use cross media in this perspective is creating new content from a creators point of view.

So basically the definition should be:
Needing and using 2 or more media types to realize the wish of the creator or client.

[Stuart Drexler]

I would add that building synergy between media comes, at its core, from using each medium cleverly for the type of experience that suits it best. Those brand / property / marketing campaign experiences may dovetail neatly one into the other or could represent wholly different ways for the consumer to participate. It's crucial to 'right-size' the media mix to ensure campaign goals are reached, be they ROI, consumer conversion, brand engagement, etc.

[Harry Wilson]

A Tv campaign supported with National press and Billboards, with the use of Radio ads to extend and support the overall campaign. Dependent on ad budget I would also use online activity to support the clients web site (if they have one).
Although not many ad budgets today can support a cross section of media, apart from the major brands.
At the end of the day a lot depends on the product or service, target market and budget, not forgetting creative requirement in terms of sizes ie 30' or 20' tv ad, full page or 25x4 there are many variables.

[Nag]

Hi,

I think it's really important to think about primary content and delivery platforms as separate entities. So for an ad campaign, the basic campaign message stays the same, and then you have multiple platforms on which that message is delivered. The method of delivery decides the language of the basic message. For news content being delivered across multiple media and screens, the basic story remains the same, but what you can do on each platform should decide how that content is presented.

So, it's not only about identifying synergies, but also divergences, and how to capitalize on those differences to make the content seem familiar but fresh while being consumed over multiple media.

[Jeffrey Stewart]

An important piece is the concept of content and asset reuse. Before we really started using the term cross-media soem 8-10 years ago, we talked about asset and content management. I've always liked the phrase create once - use often.

I agree it has a lot to do with the synergy between types. The reason we often promote cross-media is to allow your recipients of your message to be communicated with in the timeframe and the manner they choose.

We could go from here with all of the benifits... but cross-media to use is about content reuse and message management.

[rangaraj]

In the old media world, content and the delivery platform were married together from creative to experience. With the advent of new media, early adopters content repurposing was a crude starting point and approached it as a technical problem. True cross media is right mix of creative and technical capabities to give the right experience based on the context, attention span, interactivity, accepted norms of privacy, user control and medium usage by consumers.Dovetailing all this into the creative strategy - entertainment or promotional to tailor the right content to the right platform...

[Maureen]

Just out of plain curiosity, what in addition to your remarks should the definition be or what definition do you follow? And that is a question to all.

[Jeffrey Stewart]

How is this?

Cross-Media Communications is a strategic approach to communications that allows businesses to cross paths with their audiences at every level, synchronizing all online and offline efforts, and creating communication synergies never before possible.

[Kelly Gomez]

I would say not just "strategic approach to communication" but rather strategic approach to interaction. After all, that is what we strive to acheive is some sort of interaction from the audience.

[Orlando Welles]

Cross media are convergence of hardware, functions and infrastructure. By using the technology and concepts of the different mediums there a broad scale to possibilities arises to of communicating which dovetail the experience of the end-user. (Joke Witteveen)

In my opinion Cross media translates the same tale concerning the different type of media so that irrespective of which manner the consumer takes the information to itself the tale is a logical whole or continuation.

[Niels Vrijhoeven]

"Crossmedia is a story which is told through different kinds of media. Each medium is used for its own specific 'character traits'. When executed well (timing!), the media used all 'deepen' the story in their onw specific way. Together they make a story more complex and interesting to follow. Ergo: the whole is more than just the sum of its parts"