Convergence Defined:
Past, Present, and Future

Christine Leseman | ADV391K | Spring 2007

In the past, “Digital convergence was defined as the merging of different computer-aided technologies to create something new, and hopefully useful” (Goldsborough).  It meant condensing devices, such as an all-in-one cell phones. Business Week online referred to it as the Big Bang of convergence.  Two things that impacted this sudden explosion was the “relentless evolution of technology and the tech industry’s hunger for growth.  It was thought that such merged devices such as the television and VCR that produced the TiVo DVR would injure the advertising industry and extinguish the onslaught of the 30-second commercial (The 2004 Info Tech 100).

Items such as the combination Internet-refrigerator were considered a converging technology.  In a sense, the convenience of having the Internet available to the consumer, especially while they are cooking, lent itself to wide possibilities for advertising.  The consumer could search through the web, and while surfing is introduced to new products by pop-ups, search engines, or email.  But, this technological convergence of Internet and refrigerator, proved to be unsuccessful.

Duncan Hines Campaign:
sku snapshot, coupon, & quiz for cake

However, I feel that it is a good foundation for future advertising opportunities.  In fact, I propose we switch this idea of looking to the Internet first to find a product and coupon.  I think the consumer should start with the product in front of them.  For example, you, as the consumer, are in the grocery store and you find a product that interests you, but you have no idea what it’s for or how practical it would be to have in your kitchen.  

To find out, you could simply use the Internet on your cell phone, but much like the refrigerator, search is required. So, you use the camera instead.  This combination of cell phone and camera is an example in itself of technological convergence.  However, it isn’t convergence, as we know it, until the element of advertising is applied. Therefore, you use your cell phone to take a picture of the SKU or packaging of your chosen product, the picture is sent out to a database, and information would be sent back to the phone, such as the origin and several traditional recipes. Much like, as discussed in class, in Japan pictures are taken of symbols on a wall to expose the advertisement.  However, in this case, not only would an advertisement be shown, but in conjunction, a coupon would be offered, along with a direct link to access the product’s homepage and microsite for this campaign.

The purpose of general information given is to allow the consumer to actually learn about the product and its benefits, through multiple recipes given, etc.  The advertisement connects the consumer with the already launched campaign of that product.  It would establish brand awareness and rekindle familiarity if they have encountered the ad before on the street or in a magazine.  The coupon provides incentive for the consumer to habitually look up that specific product several items in hopes of saving a few dollars, with increasing the potential for loyalty. 

Lastly, provide a direct link to the product’s microsite, www.WinDuncan.com. You register to win a prize by taking a quiz about the product, demonstrating what you’ve learned. This microsite also leads you back to the Duncan Hines hompage. This gives the consumer the opportunity to see all the functions of the product, along with any other additional products that the parent company manufacturers, e.g. Amazon.com, “If you like this product, try this other product.” By doing this, the advertiser can ensure that the consumer has taken the time to incur an overall knowledge of the product and its features, and therefore the likelihood of them discussing the product correctly to their friends is also increased, i.e. word-of-mouth.  They almost become the product’s spokesperson, if they’ve had a pleasant experience.