ABSTRACT

Hybrid media is the strategic use of traditional and new media and marketing communications tools to communicate the message in a more effective way. The field continues to evolve rapidly, with product placements and games containing embedded advertising being a prominent example. Other forms of media-decentred advertising and marketing communications include the merging of social media and real-life experiences, and the merging of live reality and computer-based information in the form of 'augmented' reality. The hybrid media has been noticed and used by marketing communications practitioners to engage consumers in brand-related activities, for example, through the use of advergames or online gaming. Experiential marketing combines both customer experience with a brand and a wider emotional experience. Often direct contact is made between the marketer and the customer, with the intention of involving the customer in the brand and providing a positive brand experience, leading to an emotional connection for the customer associating the brand with this positive emotion.