To What Extent Does Digital Distribution Affect The Marketing And Consumption Of Media Products In The Media Area You Have Studied?

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?

There have been recent changes in the film industry in terms of marketisation and the consumption of the products released by the industry due to the increasing updates in digital distribution. An example of a form of digital distribution that has affected the film industry in both positive and negative ways is Web 2.0. Web 2.0, more commonly referred to as 'the internet', has changed the film industry in terms of not only the marketing and consumption of their products, but also in terms of the overall popularity of the film industry. Before Web 2.0, the ways distributors would distribute their films to exhibitors took a lot longer, and was much less efficient. 'Digital distribution' means the exhibitors are receiving the media products electronically rather than physically. Due to the increase in updates relating to digital technology, it is now common for distributors to use this form of distribution, for it is cheaper and easier.

In terms of the marketisation of media products, digital forms of distribution have been mainly positive for both the institutions and the audiences. Web 2.0 supplies social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. On these sites, official pages for specific films can be made for people to 'like' or 'follow', therefore giving them occasional information and updates about the upcoming movie. Also, posters are now commonly released online before being released onto bus stations or banners and such. Ill Manors had a very small budget, so when marketing the film the institutions were able to avoid spending a lot of money due to Web 2.0. This is an advantage for it is very cheap, and thousands, if not millions of people can see the posters easily.

YouTube is used to post official trailers and teaser trailers for upcoming movies as well, and these trailers tend to include released dates. Trailers and posters help establish the genre and age group that the film is aimed at, and the comment system allows audiences to share their views on the trailer and indicates the popularity of the film.

Ill Manors also has its own website at www.illmanors.com, which the social network sites shared for the audience to view. On this website, all the information the audience needs to know about the film is shown, as well as the marketing and advertising of a DVD and Blu-Ray release of the movie. Skyfall has its own website, sharing the same information. However, due to the higher budget, the Skyfall website looks a lot nicer and features effects like fade ins and fade outs, whereas the Ill Manors website does not.

Overall, the extent to which digital distribution affects the marketing and consumption of media products in the film industry is noticeable and very much efficient to both the institutions and the audiences. The fact that distributors can now distribute their films in a digital manner has made the process a lot faster and smoother, rather than transferring the footage of the film psychically, therefore making the updates in digital distribution have more positive effects for institutions and audiences than negative.