Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide

In his book Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide MIT boffin Henry Jenkins takes us on a journey through modern culture, past the must-see television series and social networks to fan fiction, comics and internet forums. Great media properties like 24, Star Wars and the Matrix properties told told stories in a complex manner through various media. Consumers of the media got out of the property what they put in.

Jenkins then takes his book beyond the most byzantine storytelling to point out that it is as much about discovery rather than telling the story. It moves from media to experience and relies on the media property staying ahead of large groups of people who use online tools to collaborate on this discovery process with each other.

From a marketing perspective, planning rather than story creation is going to be the dominant element as brands look to architect their own experience for consumers to discover.