B*tches betta come together. Narratives of sisterhood in pop music videos

Recently the use of the word feminist has become fashionable for female pop musicians. Among them was Beyoncé, who made a statement during her 2014 MTV VMA’s performance by broadcasting the word ‘feminist’ to millions of viewers, whereby it became a worldwide trending topic. Beyonce’s words were part of ongoing revolution of feminism by a growing number of female pop musicians today.

What these musicians have in common is their relationship to their fans through ‘sisterhood’, whether it is in Beyonce’s beyhive, as a little monster or as one of the swifties. The concept of sisterhood, used in music video’s, is becoming a popular way of organizing fan cultures. This new movement in the pop industry will be the main subject in this blogpost. There will be an exploration of representations of femininity in recent music videos by three of today's leading female pop musicians: Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Their video clips will be analysed to see how ‘sisterhood’ is constructed and how this is used to either challenge or support patriarchal structures in society. Thereby this blogpost is based on Robin James’ findings in her recent book ‘Resilience and Melancholy’.

Before we go to the music videos, let us start by introducing the term patriarchy. Patriarchy is the system of social organization on the basis of gender. The dominance of men is part of a series of interlocking structures of dominance, expressed by the acronym MRWaSP (Multi-Racial White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy). In MRWaSP society, men are on top. Therefore we can say that in a social system where men are on top, the gathering of human capital happens through ‘pleasing the man’; i.e. by gaining patriarchal approval.[1]

Popular culture is of importance in convincing viewers of the self-evident and legitimate nature of MRWaSP. As part a marxist tradition of cultural studies, pop culture and the media are seen as a way of affirming and protecting this hegemonic position of those in power. So, there is an interrelationship between the discursive content of popular culture and the social structures it must justify. In popular culture the performance of gender roles must confirm the social structures wherein women dominated. Therefore the performance of femininity was traditionally based on fragility.[2]

But today’s society is changing, so the performance of femininity in popular music is as well. One of society’s most evident changes is the shift towards a neoliberal political system, which is making the individual responsible for society’s ills. This political system is based on the integration of market values in other domains of society, and the reconsideration of interventional state policy. Because of the ongoing processes of deregulation, the emphasis has shifted towards individual responsibility to protect itself against the exigencies of the market. The translation of these developments in popular culture has led to a narrative of individual accountability and personal development.[3]

In neoliberal society, gender is performed in popular culture by either playing into gender expectations or by actively subverting them. One way of confirming neoliberal patriarchy, is by what James calls the ‘Look, I Overcame’ narrative.[4] In this narrative a women needs patriarchal damage in order to truly become a woman. The narrative is based on the pain inflicted by patriarchy being sublimated into something with a surplus value. As argued by Robin James, in neoliberalism the feminine gender is placed in a therapeutic narrative of female self-empowerment and ‘resilience’ [5]. The music video is part of the performance of turning damage into a visual triumph.

This month Lady Gaga relased her new singel Till it happens to you. The music video deals with sexual assault and its aftermath, and is part of the soundtrack for the upcoming documentary on sexual abuse in American colleges The Hunting Ground. The ‘Till it happens to you’ is part of Gaga’s performance of both feminine damage and the recovery through sisterhood.

The rather graphic depiction of sexual abuse and the message of ‘Till it happens to you’ (as some impending doom awaiting all women), is part of the construction of the ‘resilience’ narrative. In the ‘Till it happens to you’ video, this is transformed into a therapeutic narrative of sisterhood when in the end all women come together in a nurturing embrace of their victimized friends. In gaga’s work sexual abuse is a central topic. In both the videos of Bad Romance and Marry the night she refers to the damage done to her by men. Specifically, in the ‘Marry the Night’ video Gaga is wheeled into a hospital after being sexually assaulted and is told not to have intercourse for period of time. She recovers by becoming a celebrity, not only winning patriarchal approval but establishing herself within that social order. Neoliberalism creates the feeling that patriarchy is history, and moreover that patriarchal violence to women is of value because of the narrative of overcoming.[6] Thereby Gaga’s videos are feeding into narratives of white supremacist capitalist patriarchy, of which she has become a part.

A different approach to the construction of overcoming feminine fragility through sisterhood, is given by Taylor Swift in her Bad blood video. The video starts of with two women played by Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez robbing men in suits in a corporate skyscraper (i.e. patriarchy). But when the fight is over their bond is broken when they turn on eachother. Selena eventually pushes Taylor out of the window, whereafter she takes the entirety of the loot. Taylor proves herself resilient by forming a rather elaborate group of famous girlfriends with whom she fights back.

The ‘Bad Blood’ video shows two women trying to climb the ladders of patriarchy. But when women do, they eventually end up becoming part of this system of dominance and thereby having to compete each other for patriarchal approval. Swift overcomes this problem by creating a sisterhood of friends. James argued that in recent decades there was the emergence of fan cultures as women centric enviromenments. Fan cultures thereby have the potential to form alternative milieus for gathering human capital. So, pop music and fan cultures have become a space for women to establish relations among themselves, and thereby challenging patriarchy.

But these alternative milieus formed in fan cultures can still work with patriarchy, instead of working against it. This is for instance the case with the ‘resilience’ narrative, which values feminine damage. Swift is no stranger to showing her damage; almost all of her former video’s are based on the drama concerning her love interests. However with ‘Bad Blood’, she becomes (finally) resilient. The resilience Swift performs is part of the narrative that women have to partake in in order to become valued as women. What the ‘Bad blood’ is telling women is: you’re either in (by performing feminine damage and heroically recovering from it), or you’re out. The resilience narrative therefore excludes women who do not keep to these rather strict new codes of womanhood. Thereby Swift is scapegoating the women who do not participate in this narrative of feminine overcoming.

                                                                                                                         

A very distinct way of performing femininity is done by Rihanna, who continually positions herself as the odd one out. At first glance her music video Bitch better have my money seems like the ultimate feminist revenge fantasy, but in fact it is not. The video is based on Rihanna and two friends kidnapping another woman, in order for her husband to pay the ransom. But along the way a sisterhood is formed, though this bond isn’t based in shared feminine damage. The women befriend each other, drinking and smoking, having a good time with the prospect of a large amount of cash coming their way because of the extortion. But the man refuses to pay, not finding his spouse worth the money. The women eventually fight patriarchy, by ruthlessly killing ‘the man’.

Rihanna’s construction of sisterhood steers away the central trope of feminine damage: her damage is absent; therefore it can not be turned into a something having surplus value. Another example of this is her not capitalizing on her being assaulted by former boyfriend Chris Brown. Therefore it is not revenge Rihanna is after, it is money. The difference is, Rihanna has no interest in conforming to conventional roles in society. Rihanna distances herself from tidy narratives of femininity, and moves against respectable femininity by broadcasting her shortcomings. Rihanna becomes the ‘other’, a peripheral figure, a criminal even. In doing so she creates a form of human capital on her own terms. Thereby instead of presenting herself as a resilient women, Rihanna is rather performing a pathological form of masculinity.[7]

So, B*tch might’ve gotten her money but still the video ends rather unhappily with Rihanna staring silently into the camera with her face dripping in blood. Rihanna doesn’t overcome, but what the video does is exemplify the sexist (and racist) structures of patriarchy. The BBHMM narrative is based on a divergent narrative of what James calls melancholy – of subverting the story into something disturbing and displacing.[8] Rihanna doesn’t read into social normativity, by showing a woman that refuses to perform or capitalize on damage – there’s no damage done and no sign of personal improvement. Instead, she knows what she wants and is not afraid to get it. Rihanna therefore can’t help but challenge patriarchy and ends up a murderer in the BBHMM video.

These three female voices in pop music show different ways of using feminism and sisterhood. Supporting patriarchy is done by the performance of feminine ‘resilience’, as do Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. The damaging done by patriarchy of being sexualized and objectified, becomes a position of strength. While they claim that patriarchy is over, it in fact is not. In contrast, Rihanna shows the potential of pop music to address these structures of dominance. Female empowerment through sisterhood and the appropriation of the term feminist can therefore can either confirm or challenge patriarchy.  

Tweet: Will the true feminist please stand up? Challenging neoliberal white girlishness may involve killing ‘the man’. #BBHMM#BBHMMmusicvideo

Initials: 

A.D.

E.T. 

J.M.D.O.M.

M.v.d.V

M.v.R

Notes:

[1] James, http://www.its-her-factory.com/2015/04/rihconomics/ (April 2015) Accessed on: 28 september 2015. 

[2] James, Resilience and Melancholy. Pop Music, Feminism and Neoliberalism (Zero Books 2015), p. 81.

[3] Neocleous, M., http://www.radicalphilosophy.com/commentary/resisting-resilience (3-2013) accessed on: 28 september 2015; James, Resilience and Melancholy, p. 97. 

[4] James, Resilience and Melancholy, p. 88.

[5] ibidem.

[6] ibidem, 89.

[7] James, http://www.its-her-factory.com/2015/04/rihconomics/ (april 2015) accessed on: 28 september 2015; Felix, Doreen st., 'The Prosperity Gospel of Rihanna' (april 1 2015) accessed on: 28 september 2015.

[8] James, Resilience and Melancholy.

Bibliography:

Felix, Doreen st., 'The Prosperity Gospel of Rihanna' (april 1 2015) accessed on: 28 september 2015.

Neocleous (2013), http://www.radicalphilosophy.com/commentary/resisting-resilience (3-2013) accessed on: 28 september 2015. 

James, R., Resilience and Melancholy. Pop Music, Feminism and Neoliberalism (Zero Books 2015). 

James, R. (2015) http://www.its-her-factory.com/2015/04/rihconomics/ (april 2015) accessed on: 28 september 2015. 

James, R. (2013) http://www.its-her-factory.com/2013/11/notes-on-a-theory-of-multi-racial-white-supremacist-patriarchy-aka-mrwasp/ (11-9-2013) accessed on: 28 september 2015. 

Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, Commerce?

The DJ collective Major Lazer is presenting itself as an uncommercial music group, by communicating to their fan base in novel ways. The group has a strong use of narrative and a recognizable aesthetic to familiarize the audience with their brand through the use of promotional vehicles like their (viral) music videos. This April, Major Lazer also premiered a cartoon series on FXX based on the animation figure Major Lazer, a protagonist in their music videos. With the help of the videos and the expanded use of other convergent media channels, Major Lazer’s music is accompanied by a presented discourse. These utterances perform as paratexts: frames one passes through to access and understand Major Lazer’s music. In this paper we will look at Major Lazer's innovative models of distribution and different ways the group makes use of the media to present itself to their audience. Furthermore we will look at how their use of music videos to create revenue relates to developments in the music industry at large.

Major Lazer is becoming increasingly popular within and outside of the trap genre, think for instance of their famous hit ‘Lean On’. At the moment, Major Lazer consists out of three DJ’s (Diplo, Walshy Fire, Jillionaire). Initially they started off with four DJ’s which immediately had success with the song ‘Pon de Floor’. In addition to their music, Major Lazer has also created its own motto called PLURNT (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, Never, Turndown). In relation to this their social media presence, for example on Twitter or Instagram, is characterized by the phrase: Peace is the mission.[1] This illustrates that the DJ’s first and foremost are trying to create a better world with their music and that their products must not be seen in relation to commercialism. Moreover, they emphasize this by releasing free downloads of their singles to the fans. Most of their songs are available on SoundCloud, where fans are able to listen to their music way for free (by way of copyleft). Even though it seem that Major Lazer is not focused on the economic effort of making profit, they are using new methods to do this by use of novel strategies across divergent media channels. For instance in their ongoing effort of brand promotion and the divergent use of transmedia platforms. The DJ’s use of transmedialism and intertextuality communicates the desired meaning to their audience and thus helps in the formation of a strong and loyal subculture. Also, the DJ’s expressions are marked by a novel and recognizable aesthetic, which initially was created for their music videos. The increasing importance of the aesthetic is illustrated by the recent development of Major Lazer’s own animated television show, as we shall see.

          At the beginning of their career the involved DJ’s of Major Lazer created videos. These videos have often gone viral, because of their novel and highly idiosyncratic aesthetic: The video’s were seemingly created in a couple of takes, in a cheap production, with a colourfully animated background and a dorky choreography.[2] Their music was based on a simple rhythm, accompanied by a catchy melody as is the case in ‘Pon de Floor'. It is therefore no wonder that the rhythm was taken over by many other artists as well, like Beyoncé in the music video ‘Run the World (Girls)’. Needless to say the music was both novel and aesthetically innovative, in both the videos as to the music itself.[3] Besides all the music videos explore some kind of strangeness within the video, either because of sexual reference or because of the animation. Besides this song, the group of DJ’s introduced videos which featured a single character, named Major Lazer. A Jamaican veteran and superhero with a laser gun for his right hand, who fights for peace. Thus, the image of Major Lazer represents the group of DJ’s. Through the character of Major Lazer they also make reference to Jamaican subculture in their use of colour and the expressions of the surrounding characters in the music videos. Therefore the use of a single symbolic (action) figure for the group is novel, clever, catchy and virtuosic; these are the key ingredients for a good music video according to Maura Edmond.[4] Edmond is a research fellow at the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University. An example of her theory would be the Bubblebutt music video, since it is both catchy and strange at the same time. In contrast of the statement made by Edmond, there is also made use of a high cost production (because of the high quality of the music video) and logically they made profit from the music video.[5]

          The imaginary world was created around the character of Major Lazer and his actions; his life story is told through an animated television show. The character of Major Lazer is part of a fictional world constructed on several media channels. In the narrative dimension of the brand we see a form of transmedia storytelling, in order to get the groups intended message across. The Jamaican action figure is as used as a narrative portal, in order for the audience to comprehend and engage with the group’s storyline. Therefor the DJ’s used the context of this character and the music to connect the fictional world, which is more elaborately depicted in the television series .[6] This is one of the forms of transmedia convergence for the character and music of Major Lazer. Since the episodes created with simple animations, the low budget shows are produced and directed by the group’s DJ’s.[7] The convergence between the music videos and the television show is compatible within the range of existing cultures of their products, since the Major Lazer is illustrating for the group and it gives their message more power because he is recognisable.[8] In this way they create a new narrative and bypasses the institutional dominance of the music and movie producers. The freely available and recognizable images are therefore part of a bottom-up model of distribution, fan-based and trough use the internet, that diverts power back to the group's members as central and authoritative figures in their own subculture. The show is created for true Major Lazer fans, but the creative display of new ideas in smart and innovative ways of low cost production may be of interest for the music industry.[10] However, unlike the example of comic book company Marvel as posed by Derek Johnson, it does not focus on rebranding of an existing product but instead reinforces a completely new imaginary world and message. Derek Johnson is an associate professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin. In contrast to Johnson, the aim of the show by Major Lazer is to be new and refreshing and change the cultural meaning of the cinematic experience, by combining it with Jamaican influences and relating it to their own musical genre.[11]

          Therefore the using of different media reinforces the image of Major Lazer to build greater brand exposure, and thus to engage a loyal fanbase. Furthermore, the groups use of the subculture build around the Major Lazer aesthetic helps to create novel streams of revenue. Music videos traditionally weren’t seen as money spinners themselves, but in the face of decreasing sales of albums and singles the music industry is looking for new ways to generate income. Major Lazer’s use of music video relates to the newfound importance of music video’s in the youtube era, not just as a promotional vehicle but also to serve additional economic and industry functions.[12] The DJ’s also try to create this feeling by the ‘Mad decent block parties’, this is a festival and it is organized by Mad Decent (the record label of Diplo, one of the DJs in Major Lazer). In this way Major Lazer always has a central role in the performance on these festivals. This reinforces the participatory fan culture, as stated by Edmond, by afterwards making the music available for download and watch movies of the festival.[13] In this festival they make frequent use of the message of Major Lazer, being PLURNT; a message that appeals to their fanbase. The expertise and identity of the Major Lazer brand is thus reinforced, especially through the use of a strong iconography.[14]

          The projects of the festivals and their own television show are created in order for the group to have their own trademark, yet are they based upon commercial value? The use of trademarks and brands are similar to the industry’s use of music videos. However, each initiative is created by and for the subculture of Major Lazer. There is no meddling from any other studios since everything is owned by DJ’s that produce the music. This contrasts to many other productions in the media industry, as stated by Johnson. Therefore Major Lazer is more in line with the ideas of Edmond (“novel, clever, catchy and virtuosic”), however it is aimed at created profit which is more like the idea posed by Johnson (“creative display of new ideas in smart and innovative ways in order to make money”). The main focus point is to reinforce the idea of the Major Lazer subculture, which is indeed successful. The group tries to use as much of transmedia channels as possible to increase the familiarity and popularity of their music and brand, through broadcasting time, Youtube viewings, downloads, etc.

           Major Lazer thus uses convergence in different sectors of the media in order to immerse their audience in the fictional world of ‘Major Lazer’.[15] The imaginary world plays an important role in the convergence and use of transmedia. By using the television show they create a platform for their music and especially to get their message across.[16] The increased brand exposure helps them to capitalize on their brand in different ways, especially in a time when generating profit is increasingly hard and dispersed for the music industry. The brand exposure and brand loyalty can provide a revenue stream, for example for the now famous DJ’s separately, through the sale of merchandise, or by ticket sales at live performances at international venues. Major Lazer makes use of its idiosyncratic style, cheap production, dorky and comedic choreography, in novel and virtuous ways; in doing so it has succeeded at engaging a growing audience. The increased popularity and increased fame eventually makes it possible to generate even more profit. This shows, in accordance with Edmond, the centrality of the music video, and film in general, for the media industries. Therefore the new aesthetic of this group of DJ’s is connected with the economic convergence of the media and cultural industries. Even though their message is PLURNT, it could easily be PLURC (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, Commerce).

Tweet: Even though @MajorLazer's message is #PLURNT, it could easily be PLURC (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, Commerce).

Intials: 
A.D.
E.T.
J.M.D.O.M.
M.v.d.V.
M.v.R.

Bibliography:

Edmond (2014), M., ‘Here We Go Again: Music Videos after YouTube’, in: Television & New Media 15 (4).

Johnson (2012), D., ‘Cinematic Destiny: Marvel Studios and the Trade Stories of Industrial Convergence’, in: Cinema Journal 52 (1).

Smith (2011), A., ‘Beyond the Brick: Narrativizing LEGO in the Digital Age’ (paper presented at the seventh Media in Transition conference in Boston).

[1] Major Lazer Twitter account https://twitter.com/MAJORLAZER

[2] Maura Edmond (2014), ‘Here We Go Again: Music Videos after YouTube’, in: Television & New Media 15 (4), 313-314.

[3] Ibidem, 317.

[4] Ibidem.

[5] Ibidem, 307-308.

[6] Aaron Smith (2011), ‘Beyond the Brick: Narrativizing LEGO in the Digital Age’ (paper presented at the seventh Media in Transition conference in Boston) 17-18.

[7] Derek Johnson (2012), ‘Cinematic Destiny: Marvel Studios and the Trade Stories of Industrial Convergence’, in: Cinema Journal 52 (1), 9-15.

[8] Ibidem.

[9] Ibidem, 23-24.

[10] Ibidem, 23.

[11] Ibidem, 24.

[12] Maura Edmond (2014), ‘Here We Go Again: Music Videos after YouTube’, in: Television & New Media 15 (4), 308.

[12] Ibidem, 317.

[13] Derek Johnson (2012), ‘Cinematic Destiny: Marvel Studios and the Trade Stories of Industrial Convergence’, in: Cinema Journal 52 (1), 16.

[14] Aaron Smith (2011), ‘Beyond the Brick: Narrativizing LEGO in the Digital Age’ (paper presented at the seventh Media in Transition conference in Boston) 1.

[15] Ibidem, 2.

Wild Pokémon will appear in real life

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are collaborating on a new and promising game, called Pokémon Go. Fans of the Pokémon franchise will be able to track virtual Pokémon with the GPS system in their smart phones, and battle each other in the real world. The ultimate dream of Pokémon fanatics is finally coming true. Pokémon GO is planned to have a bèta version in winter this year, and is coming to iOS and Android in 2016. The wildly successful Pokémon brand is a good example of total branding and the ways convergence  and collaboration is drastically changing our experience and use of games and the media.

 

          In 1995 the media franchise Nintendo introduced Pokémon, which soon became the worldwide phenomenon we know today. The Asian art style cartoon first appeared on Japanese television. After the official release it was adjusted for Western consumers. A few changes were made in order to make the show more suitable for European and North-American audiences, for instance they changed the typical Japanese style dumplings into Americanized doughnuts.[1] According to Henry Jenkins, a professor specialized in Communication, Journalism and Cinematic Arts: “Japanese media producers had created a complex set of tie-ins linking their comics, animated films, and television series to toys, which allows them to capitalize quickly on successful content and bring it to the largest possible audience.”[2] The same principle can be applied to the series of Pokémon. It became immensely popular for instance in The Netherlands. Even now, practically every student (and maybe even their parents) can name some Pokémon characters, such as Pikachu and Charizard. Not only the television show became popular, the different products created for the fans became in demand as well.[3] This trend is called total branding. There are even a few Pokémon Jets.[4] The new product in the line of total branding for Nintendo is the new Pokémon GO app: an intermediated game which is using convergence and collaboration in several ways.

          The Pokémon GO app is not the first game based on the popular series. The gaming industry has been, and still is, an important part of the Pokémon brand. The franchise makes use of synergistic strategies in order to collaborate between different companies in the gaming industry and across different media platforms.[5] The Pokémon GO app is a collaboration of a Japanese company The Pokémon Company which created the series, with the gaming company Nintendo. These synergistic strategies consist out of flexible business networks within the same industry. The intention is to create an industrial network that can help exploit cultural properties extensively for the use of merchandising and profit making, with the help of different media channels.[6] A form of this multi-mediality is the transformation of the animation show into different products across different media. Therefore the collaboration consists both out an economic part and a cultural part. The new economic and cultural synergy for the company Nintendo is the app Pokémon GO; an augmented reality app for smartphones.[7] Neccesary for using this app is a wearable watch (not a smartwatch). This watch connects the GPS system on your smartphone by Bluetooth. Thereby it registers and gives a signal if a certain Pokémon is nearby, for than the player will have to use his or her phone in order to catch the Pokémon. The main focal point of the videogame is the wide spread and ongoing distribution of the Pokémon brand, everywhere and every time you use the app.

            The system of this app is developed by Niantic Labs, the same company which helped design Google Earth. The platform of another augmented reality game, Ingress, was used in order to create this game.[8] According to Dave Their from Forbes Tech site: "The game taps into that primeval urge to horde and collect, which I think is one of the most powerful motivators of gaming behavior." This motivation is combined with the reality of moving around in the real world. The experience stimulates players to see their actual surroundings in a completely different way, as was planned by Nintendo. Nintendo first held back from smartphone games, but since the rising market demand for smartphone apps they needed to change their initial view and gave in to the market.[9]

           Thus Nintendo and Pokémon are engaged in media convergence on several levels. For instance they use technological convergence to create an app with augmented reality available on every smartphone.[10] The companies have initially tried to do this with the handheld gaming device Nintendo DS, but this wasn't accessible enough to a wider audience. The main reason for this was that not everyone wanted to buy a new console for this particular game only. Also Nintendo and the Pokémon developers are converging digitalization processes by exploiting a uniform medium. [11] This creates easy and wide ranging access for audiences to the app, but it is also an integration of numerous technological networks making large scale merchandising possible.

          Another aspect of Pokémon GO is that there is an economic convergence in the communications sector, since Nintendo decided to work together with the production company behind Google Earth. While they are each others competitor, working within the same industry structures, they are collaborating on the app. On this project there was a need for each others respective expertise and specialization.[12] This also links to the political convergence, since the industry proceeds into working with media policies toward one (supra-)national communications policy.[13] The copyright of the products lies both with Niantic Labs and Nintendo. This is because these companies did not converge but decided to work together in order to create this app. For both the brands there is immediate profit to be made, since Niantic Labs are now seen as the experts in augmented reality and Pokémon/Nintendo becomes popular again. Another expected effect is the increased selling of merchandise, for example of the app-watches. Both companies are interested which ties up with the concept of economic convergence. Hereby both industries can gain a profit, because their product is aimed at a large audience with interest in both the field of augmented reality and entertainment in the form of experiencing the Pokémon universe. 

           This leads to socio-cultural convergence, since the aim for Pokémon GO is to bring their users together through the app. For instance there are planned events where game players meet each other in the real world, when rare Pokémon are said to appear in a certain place at a certain time. With these specialized Pokémon meetings the company aims at a strong participatory culture, to transform the audience into ‘prosumers’ and co-producers of the game in order to create a collective experience.[14] Since Pokémon is still popular among consumers it leads these companies to thinking of new strategies in order to keep the audience interested in new developments. 

       The cultural convergence, in relation to the socio-functional convergence in telecommunication, shows a repurposing of (in this case) total merchandising and creating cross-media formats. In order to connect audiences through globalized technological channels, it is necessary to create such cross-media formats like an app.[15] Therefore this app can become part of the daily routine of the audience, thus becoming a social activity on one hand but also something which can be used as a leisure activity or as a form of entertainment.[16]

          However, this leads to a difference between convergence and a new form of collaboration between different industries. What differentiates convergence from collaboration is not strictly defined. Therefore the question must be asked what are the differences between collaboration, convergence and corporate conglomeration. The effects of media convergence show a lot of resemblances to the results of collaboration or it may seem like corporate conglomeration. How hard it is to differentiate between convergence and collaboration is shown in the case of the Pokémon GO app. 
    

          Another aspect of international and global convergence created by this app is the transnational regard for different perspectives and exotic styles, as a sense of pop cosmopolitanism.[17] Even though the app might seem as something which is used for the sole purpose of making a profit for the companies involved it also brings into contact numerous people across the world just like the original Pokémon series did on television.[18] Therefore there is a ongoing cultural exchange between the East and West through   the imagination, which changes the way they look at the world. The use of the Pokémon app can provide an easy and accessible communication platform, and serve the industry by increased profit and brand familiarity. A win/win situation for both consumer and producer, since it introduces new insights and new channels for the emergence of a global culture.[19]

                 

Tweet: Media convergence and synergy for industries are essential for economic and cultural profit, especially when it is linked to globalization. #PokémonGO

Intials: 
A.D.
E.T.
J.M.D.O.M.
M.v.d.V.
M.v.R.

Bibliography:

Boyes, E., ‘UK paper names top game franchises’ in: GameSpot UK (10-07-2007) accessed on: 26-02-2006.

Helfland J., and J. Maeda, Screen: Essays on Graphic Design, New Media, and Visual Culture         (Princeton Architectural Press, 2001).               

Jenkins, H., ‘Pop Cosmopolitanism, Mapping Cultural Flows in an Age of Media Convergence’ in: Fans bloggers and gamers: exploring participatory culture (New York University Press, 2006).

Latzer, M., ‘Media Convergence’ in: Handbook on the Digital Creative Economy (University of Zurich, 2013).

Vaughan, N., ‘Maximizing Value; Economic and Cultural Synergies’ in: The Handbook of Political Economy of Communications (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2011).

Links:
AP, ‘’Pokemon Go’ game announced for Android, iOS smartphones; Location-gaming app Pokemon GO from Nintendo will bring Pokemons to your smartphone via http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/social/pokemon-go-android-ios-launch/, accessed on 14-09-2015.

Discover the Pokémon in the Real World with Pokémon GO!, via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sj2iQyBTQs (09-09-2015), accessed on: 14-09-2015.

Thier, D., Why ‘Pokemon Go’ Is The Perfect Move For Nintendo, via http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2015/09/11/why-pokemon-go-is-the-perfect-move-for-nintendo/ (11-09-2015)              
              accessed on 14-09-2015.

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[1] H. Jenkins, ‘Pop Cosmopolitanism, Mapping Cultural Flows in an Age of Media Convergence’ in: Fans bloggers and gamers: exploring participatory culture (New York University Press, 2006) 160.

[2] Ibidem, 159.

[3] E. Boyes, ‘UK paper names top game franchises’ in: GameSpot UK (10-07-2007) accessed on: 26-02-2006.

[4] J. Helfland and J. Maeda, Screen: Essays on Graphic Design, New Media, and Visual Culture (Princeton Architectural Press, 2001) 63.

[5] N. Vaughan, ‘Maximizing Value; Economic and Cultural Synergies’ in: The Handbook of Political Economy of Communications (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2011) 181.

[6] Ibidem, 169.

[7] Discover the Pokémon in the Real World with Pokémon GO!, via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sj2iQyBTQs (09-09-2015), accessed on: 14-09-2015.

[8] D. Thier, Why ‘Pokemon Go’ Is The Perfect Move For Nintendo, via http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2015/09/11/why-pokemon-go-is-the-perfect-move-for-nintendo/ (11-09-2015) accessed on 14-09-2015.

[9] AP, ‘’Pokemon Go’ game announced for Android, iOS smartphones; Location-gaming app Pokemon GO from

 Nintendo will bring Pokemons to your smartphone via http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/social/pokemon-go-android-ios-launch/, accessed on 14-09-2015.

[10] M. Latzer, ‘Media Convergence’ in: Handbook on the Digital Creative Economy (University of Zurich, 2013)
128.

[11] Ibidem.

[12] Ibidem.

[13] Ibidem, 129.

[14] Ibidem.

[15] Ibidem, 130.

[16] Ibidem.

[17] H. Jenkins, ‘Pop Cosmopolitanism, Mapping Cultural Flows in an Age of Media Convergence’ in: Fans bloggers and gamers: exploring participatory culture (New York University Press, 2006) 171.

[18] Ibidem, 152-153.

[19] Ibidem, 172.