We can say that, nowadays, a large part of society is connected to smartphones, tablets, computers and televisions. Therefore, it is not enough to run marketing campaigns on just one medium. To reach different audiences or have a significant impact, it is necessary to use several communication channels at the same time, which we call cross-media.
If you want to know more about crossmedia and learn how to use it in your campaigns, keep reading this text!
What are crossmedia campaigns?
The term cross-media means the crossing of media. This concept appeared in Brazil in 2011 and began to be used by agencies and companies. This methodology seeks to distribute the same content across multiple media. In other words, when you broadcast the launch of a product in newspapers, on TV and on the internet, you are practicing cross-media.
However, it is not enough to simply advertise on multiple channels to carry out this type of campaign. There must be a strategy in place to tell the same story and convey the same message to the public. Each medium will have its own adaptation and approach to engage the right user. After all, the audience that watches TV is not the same as the audience that is connected to the internet.
This type of advertising has more appeal and ends up engaging more intensely, as it connects with the user through different channels. Therefore, this strategy is interesting to improve the brand's branding , position itself in the market and achieve more conversions.
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What is the difference between crossmedia and transmedia?
Crossmedia campaigns can also be confused with transmedia vp engineering email lists campaigns. As we have already explained, the first option consists of publishing content in an adapted way on different platforms.
In the case of transmedia, the main message is divided into several narratives that are distributed in a complementary way on different platforms. According to Henry Jenkins, a story of this type multiplies across several platforms, each with a new text, making a different and valuable contribution to the message as a whole.
An example of a transmedia campaign is video games, which can be transformed into other products. One example is the PlayStation game Resident Evil, which, due to its great success, ended up becoming a film.
How to make a crossmedia campaign?
Carrying out cross-media campaigns is not easy. Therefore, it is necessary to create a plan to achieve great results and avoid mistakes . First, study your target audience and understand how they behave. After this analysis, understand what your audience's habits are and which media outlets have the greatest engagement.
Check the available budget, the role of each media and simulate how the public will be impacted. All details must be clear and allow the user to understand the message.
Some brands know how to use this strategy well and, as a result, have become successful cases. Check it out:
Nutella
A cross-media campaign that had a huge impact was carried out by the Ferrero brand to promote one of its most famous products, Nutella. The campaign offered the public the option of customizing the packaging and receiving a label with their name on it.
The campaign was promoted on various media outlets, including TV, radio and digital media. Users had to like the brand's Facebook page and then access an app created exclusively for the campaign.
By providing some information to the brand, it was possible to choose the name and share it on the feed. The brand intended to make 1,000 labels available per week, but with the success of the campaign the company started releasing 1,000 labels per day.
The campaign only achieved these numbers because it was very well planned. First, the campaign began to be publicized on high-impact channels. Then, it collected user data — which will certainly be used as a basis for other actions — and provided options for users to share the promotion. In other words, even if the media broadcasts were interrupted, the campaign would have already gone viral and would be maintained by consumers themselves.
Debauchery
Another brand that used a cross-media campaign was Devassa. The beer brand promoted Devassa Bem Loura with the help of American celebrity Paris Hilton. She was chosen because she had the characteristics that the brand wanted to be associated with the beer. The campaign was then divided into three phases: teaser, reveal and the celebrity in Brazil.
The teaser that was broadcast on television showed only a mysterious blonde woman, she never showed her face and invited viewers to access a website. On the website, the invitation was for the user to tweet a specific hashtag #bemmisteriosa. The campaign was intended to generate a buzz and the more people tweeted, the faster the secret of the mysterious blonde would be revealed. In 3 days, the page received more than a million hits.
When the number of tweets reached the expected level, the brand published the celebrity's name on its website and, on the same day, ran advertisements with the celebrity's name and the beer advertisement on television, radio and in magazines. This type of campaign proved to be effective, as it integrated online and offline channels and increased brand awareness.
Batman Begins
Cross-media campaigns are also widely used to promote films. These campaigns are mainly used in the case of superhero films. Fans of this segment tend to be very engaged and, therefore, spontaneous media coverage ends up being very large.
For the release of the film Batman Begins, a website was launched and users were invited to participate in a game in their cities. The action involved sending text messages and meeting at specific locations. The launch was a success and generated huge pre-release buzz for the film.
What are the benefits of crossmedia campaigns?
These types of campaigns are an opportunity to reinvent strategies to reach a new audience. Cross-media advertising increases interactivity, collaboration, engagement and brand reach. Communication channels can work in complementary and independent ways, while telling the same story about your brand.
This type of action may seem unattainable for small and medium-sized companies, due to the high investment value. However, it is possible to make adaptations to campaigns and transform national actions into local ones. You can create a QR Code for the product packaging, synchronize it with an app, place ads on local radio stations and create ads on Facebook and Instagram focused on your region.
Therefore, investing in cross-media actions is an excellent alternative to optimize expenses and reach a new audience. This type of campaign requires creativity and planning to be well executed and can also improve the brand's branding and be a reference for years to come.
Have you ever carried out any crossmedia actions? Do you remember any impactful actions? Leave your comment on the post!
