Interactive advertising and an interactive advertising example at new media ; Coca -Cola's Valentine's Day Machine

The 20th century has seen a very rapid development and progress of communication technologies. Especially the developments in computer technologies have forced information, information processing, communication and media industries to converge towards each other and be engaged closely. As a result of this convergence and engagement, apart from the traditional media that provide mass communication, the concept of "New Media" has emerged, which uses traditional media tools and channels as well as creating its own new tools and communication media. The development that enables the concept of new media which has emerged upon convergence of information, information processing, communication and media industries is that the aforementioned fields have grounded their configurations on digital technology. Digital technology is the use of written text, audio, image and motion pictures, which converted into computer language (software/program), in communication through computer. Among others that enable and support the development of new media are computer, satellite, data storage and rapid transmission technologies based on digital technology. Accelerating communication through digital technology, and mutual speed-up of transmissions and responses to these transmissions has brought along the concept of interaction in communication. Interaction, which is the mutual interacting function performed by sender and receiver, can be carried out instantly or concurrently, unilaterally and mutually between one person and another person, one person and one institution/group, one institution and one person, one institution and another institution, one institution and one group, one computer and one person/group via computer, information processing and network tools. New media is preferred by institutions and organizations, and gains importance and prominence as it facilitates the process of providing mutual rapid communication and convincing the target thanks to its interactive tools using its own technology. Change and transformation experienced as a result of development process of communication technologies; widespread access and ever-increasing usage of Internet; ever-growing new media communication mediums have reshaped its structure in advertising formats that form our social life, and have brought up the concept of "Interactive Advertising". New media, especially through interactive advertising, creates a new advertising media which is also highly regarded by the advertiser with advertising implementations aiming at rapidly influencing the consumers by offering an efficient, timeless and non-spatial communication media that incorporates full sense of reality; and implements creative, attention-grabbing, interactive advertising strategies that will jog the consumers' memory and change their purchasing behavior by drawing their attention to the brand. Mediums are also in the position of becoming the "message" itself with the functions they support for the new media which carries out these implementations through interactive and digital mediums. The communication technology used by new media tools and the tools of smart technology of new advertising media influence the format of messages and contents presented to the individual and the mass, while the tool used to transmit the message affects the way this message and information are perceived. Marshall McLuhan, one of the leading communication professionals of our era, defines this interaction as "The medium is the message". Implementations presenting their message and different brand experiences to the target audience with various mediums in different advertising media through interactive advertising try to activate brand loyalty and contribute to creating conscious consumers via a medium-message that conveys the message as well as presenting the brand/product at the same time. Interactive advertising implementations and mediums of new media used in today's marketing communication gain an increasing attention as medium-message leveraged by brands, institutions and services that hold the power with the aim of attracting the whole attention of new consumers and directing them. When I determine the theoretical framework of this study, I can explain my aim and argument as follows; "Electronic information processing and communication mediums that are qualified as smart and have the advanced communication technologies used to reach individuals and the mass by the new media influence and determine the format of the message and content transmitted; the medium used to transmit the message affects the way the message and information are perceived; and the medium becomes the message itself as it embodies all characteristics of the message in its structure due to all the components it provides during communication. Coca -Cola, a world brand, has successfully transmitted its message to its audience through a medium named "Valentine's Day Machine", and the message that needs to be conveyed to the consumers by the brand and product has been recognized thanks to this medium. In our study, it has been discussed and covered in detail how the concept of "The medium is the message" succeeds through interactive advertising and Valentine's Day machine implementation." The new media, including the interaction aspect, interactive advertising and its characteristics in terms of new media implementations have been discussed in this study. In parallel with this discussion, the interaction idea embedded in Coca Cola's "Valentine's Day Machine" and its implementation phases have been covered together, and it has been researched and revealed how a medium turns into the "message" in consideration of the Valentine's Day Machine implemented by Coca Cola, which has become the message itself as well as being the medium for the consumers thanks to its genuine function engaged in different advertising media in pursuit of changing the interactive advertising. Key Words : New Media, Interaction, Interactive Ad