Cross Media Convergence and Synergy h/w

Cross Media Convergence and Synergy are both vital processes in the successful marketing of media products to audiences. To what extent do you agree with this? 

Synergy 
The release of different products at the same time which work together to promote each other, e.g. when a game is created through inspiration of the film, the film industry and gaming industry promote each others product, synergy can also include merchandise- non media products

Cross Media Convergence
Basically the same as synergy however it can only use media products

Marketing
Promotion - it is completed by the distributors

Answer

Cross media convergence is a very vital process for the marketing of a film, as it uses other media platforms to gain an audience and to widen an audience. For example, Skyfall created a soundtrack which was released at the same time as the cinema release, this was very beneficial for the soundtrack alone (which charted number 1 for weeks (which was also owned by Sony Entertainment)) but was also beneficial for the film as there was more coverage about the film, due to the soundtrack being a product of the film. The film Skyfall alone had a profit of over 1 billion dollars. Ill Manors also released a soundtrack at the same time as the release of the film, alongside a music video single which featured on the album in relation to the film, this album went to number one within the UK charts, and he film then benefited off this success, Ill manors alone had a profit of $614,441. Although, Ill Manors needed cross media convergence for their success, whereas it is likely that Skyfall would have done just as well even without the soundtrack.

Synergy is also a vital process for the marketing of a film, and when thinking of synergy my mind automatically redirects to Disney as they are a large brand that not only uses media products to to market but also non media products, including merchandise which can be located in the shop, toys, the Disneyland/ world attraction etc. Disney's synergy is very successful with the marketing of media products to audiences as thorugh the non media products it sells like toys, it targets young children and attracts them to want to see a film through the characters which are used on the lunchboxes, or have been made into dolls etc. As Disney is a horizontally integrated company it earns much more profit and benefits off all of its media outlets.

Overall I think both are very vital processes for the marketing of a film as it rasued more awareness for the film and almost creates a 360 degree marketing effect, in which it feels like the media product is surrounding you and encouraging you to see the film, therefore I agree with this opinion to a full extent.