Toffler, McLuhan, and Transmedia

There appears to be some theoretical

connects between Toffler’s

Prosumerism…

McLuhan’s Global Theater…

And what we now call Transmedia Storytelling.

The audience wants to have a role in their entertainment.

The Global Theater

McLuhan’s

Social Media Predictions (1960s-70s)

Dig

ital

McL

uh

an a

nd

Tra

nsm

ed

ia

With electric technology, the consumer will become the

producer.

What we do as prosumers has

social value.

Toffler predicted WEB

2.0/social media.

Case was a ‘disciple’ of

Toffler.

Case founded AOL and

merged with Warner Studios

Case, and the ‘prosumer’

concept, influenced the largest

media industry in the world.

The Toffler influence on Transmedia

70s 80s 90s

00s

Crossing the

Transmedia Marketing Chasm

Chasm

Mainstream

Channel Surfers

Pragmatists Conservatives Skeptics

TV Premiers Film’s Opening Weekend

Season 2, Second Week in theater, sometimes the second film.

Netflix [for film and TV] re-runs and syndication [for TV.]

Early Adopters

Comics, Online Books, ARGs, Fan-Fiction, Video Games, Apps, Social Gaming

Story fans

Parables Today

Consulting