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?

[Jurgen Hildebrand]

A media type can be defined in alpha terms: newspaper, videoclip, game... a media type can be defined in beta terms: formats, schema's, document types. When defining cross media in terms of media type we need to deal with both.

[Joyce Lopulalan]

There are several definitions of crossmedia. A campaign is multimedia when you have 1 message that you state through different channels. Clients that have a multimedia campaign most of the time allready have in mind what kind of mediachannel(s) they want to use. Crossmedia is another way of thinking. You have a message with which you want your audience to be reached. You can choose to use different kinds of triggers through different channels to reach your goal: you want the receiver to (re)act on your message. For example: if you would like a new target group to get interested to your new type of car to be launched ,next to the fans that already show interest, you can choose to reach the fans via a traditional way of for instance sending them a printmailing. The new target group might be younger or have less time to spend. You have to reach them with other means: through virals, trigger them to try out the car, maybe have dealer actions etc. The goal is the same: boosting the sales of this new car. But you use different channels to reach target groups. Very important with crossmedia is that people should instantly know the message, even though they haven't seen all the new communication. They shouldn't be lost if they missed out on your first viral or other action launched to draw their attention. In fact this is the synergy about which you were talking, that is essential!

[Shur Harewood]

After reading everybody's reply to the posed question I agree with all of you, the key thing to myself about using cross media is whether is a campaign, that an overall integrated cohesive approach including both offline and online media to communicate whatever message you wish to get across aptly.
Would the following link below count as cross media on steroids.

rohitbhargava.typepad.com/ weblog/2007/07/the-complete-ga.html

Love your views on this.

[Brian McFarlane]

cross media to me means just being a media producer. As soon as we put ourselves in a smaller job description that is when the confusion starts.