Here is a 5 sentence paragraph using terminology from the document: Large companies like Sony benefit more from synergy and cross media convergence than smaller companies due to their size and being conglomerates. As a conglomerate, Sony owns subsidiaries across different media like film studios, record labels, and electronics manufacturers. This allows Sony to leverage synergies between these divisions to promote linked products from its movies, soundtracks, and electronics. Smaller independent companies like those behind Ill Manors lack this vertical integration and diversity of ownership, limiting their ability to coordinate synergistic campaigns. The uneven playing field advantages conglomerates that can utilize their portfolio of companies to maximize profits through cross-promotional opportunities not available to smaller firms.

2. L.O.
• To be able to use the terms synergy and
cross media convergence using appropriate
terminology in the right context.

3. Starter: Skyfall and Ill
manors
• Who can come up with the biggest list of
different types of products that were
simultaneously released for these two films?

4. Typical exam question:
• What benefits are there when different products
come together when a film is produced,
distributed and exhibited?
• What new experiences do we get?
• What are the advantages?

5. Synergy
• Synergy is the simultaneous (at the same
time) release of different products to boost
both.
• Synergy can be used most often by bigger
companies as the different elements them
(often a media conglomerate) work together
to promote linked products across different
media.

6. Synergy
• Synergy releasing 2 or more products at once that will promote
each other
• They have a large effect than if just one product existed alone –
they have a mutually beneficial relationship. (this means they are
symbiotic).
• Film / Soundtrack / Phone / Game
• Conglomerates (like Sony) are able to use synergy to boost
profits because of their diversity – i.e. they own lots of different
companies.

7. Symbiotic
• The film of Skyfall promotes the soundtrack
which promotes the DVD which promotes
the game which promotes the TV, which
promotes the website which promotes the
advent calendar which promotes the film etc
etc.......
• All products are SONY owned.
• This is Vertical Integration.

8. How does synergy
work?
• Synergy works when different elements of companies
(a media conglomerate does this best) promote each
other.
• Eg a film studio, record label, video game division all
create linked products eg the film, soundtrack, video
game.
• Each distinct element promotes each other.
• Sony can use SYNERGY much more as it is a
conglomerate which owns various smaller companies
(subsiduaries)

9. Synergy
• Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Skyfall is released at
the same time as the Sony-owned Soundtrack CD.
• Ill Manors film is released the same time as Plan B’s
CD and soundtrack.
• Sony Electronics released a new TV and new
adverts featured Skyfall when promoting it
• The DVDs would be advertised on the Skyfall or Ill
manors website

10. In pairs
• Write definition for synergy and write out
which products Skyfall and Ill Manors
released that demonstrated this.

11. Task
• Using your computers how was synergy
used with Ill manors and Skyfall.
• Do this in 4 groups.

12. Media convergence
• The combining of two or more mediums.
• Different mediums are TV / film / computer
graphics / radio/ website etc
• Media convergence in the film industry can happen
in production, distribution or exhibition.
• It happens when the music industry comes
together with the film industry when Adele
releases the new single for Skyfall.

13. Convergence

15. Difference between synergy
and cross media convergence
• Synergy and cross media convergence are quite similar.
• The key difference is that cross media convergence involves
media products and synergy can involve non media
products eg. merchandise.
• The distributors of ‘Ill Manors’ cant use synergy in the same
way as Sony can, and this is a major disadvantage.
• This is one of the key differences to understand. .....its
another example of where it is an uneven playing field
between conglomerates and small independent companies.

16. Task
• Write a definition for cross media
convergence and spell out what is the
difference between this and synergy.
• How was it used in Ill manors?

17. Summary: Key terms
• Synergy and cross media convergence: 2 or more products
being released together to gain exposure from each other’s
audience
• Tie ins - this isnt really synergy as products are released which
have been produced by other companies (other than the
production /distribution companies) which are related to the
film.
• With tie ins, there is not really a symbiotic relationship as its
debatable how much publicity the film gets from the products,
eg with Tom Ford clothing, the clothes get promoted off the
film, but the clothes don’t promote the film in the same way.

18. Skyfall
• Synergy and cross media convergence:
• Film and CD, DVD, game (media related
products)
• Synergy ONLY - film and Sony watches, TVs,
computers that have any links to Skyfall. (not
media related products)

19. Ill Manors
• Synergy and cross media convergence:
• Ill Manors film and Plan B CD, the DVD and
Blue Rays, the website.
• Synergy ONLY:
• Any clothing, calenders, that are released at
the same time as the film

20. Tie ins - Ill Manors
• Playing cards
• Handbags
• T Shirts
• Clothing range Adidas
• Wallets

21. Tie Ins Skyfall
• Heinekin
• Coca cola
• VW
• Jaguar
• Aston martin
• Land rover
• Swarkovski
• Tom Ford clothing
• Omega watches
• Barber jackets
• Sony Vaio Laptops and TVs

22. Can you write a para with 5 bits of
terminology to answer this Q...
• How do large companies benefit more from
synergy and cross media convergence than
smaller companies?