Abstract
The focus of this master thesis is the field of cross media communications. The objective of the thesis is to understand the relations between media, storytelling, and core cross media concepts for the purpose of examining how to strategically structure a cross media communications campaign from an analytical point of view. This is examined through the construction of a theoretical framework, and through the theoretical as well as case based analysis of core cross media concepts, the creation of stories, and the role of media in cross media communication.
The overall purpose of this master thesis is to generate new and feasible knowledge and perspectives about cross media communications and to create a theoretical framework, which can be applied for analytical purposes as well as for designing cross media communications.
The theoretical work is based upon academic literature from within the field of cross media communication as well as from related theoretical fields such as motivational theory, user involvement and collective intelligence. The academic literature is supplemented by comparisons against theoretical and practical discourses from the knowledge communities surrounding the field of cross media communications as well as a variety of cases of companies and brands utilising multiple interconnected media in their strategic communications. Through the theoretical analysis it is proposed that user involvement and the use of storytelling as a way of connecting the media platforms are two key elements in cross media communication. This leads us to the proposition of an analytical framework based upon the concepts of tentpoles and tie-ins, spreadability and drillability, and storyworld.
The insights from the framework are used to analyse the role of ten selected media, based upon a case study of McDonald’s, focusing on their ability to take part of a cross media campaign and in particular on their potentials as vessels for spreadable and drillable media content. Furthermore the thesis discusses the creation of stories in regard to its ability to spread through social media and its ability to form a deep and cohesive storyworld.
Through the discussion of the spreadable and drillable potentials of media content and a selection of specific media, we aim to offer an insight into the choosing of media platforms and the creation of media content for cross media campaign as well as the overall structuring of the campaign.