Web User Opinions as an Information Source. What Impact on Cinema Attendances?

Abstract

Digital communication technologies such as the Internet intensify and accelerate the phenomenon of information diffusion by social exchange. The aim of this paper is to assess whether product introduction strategies should be modified in the light of this phenomenon. We conducted an empirical analysis on the movie market to compare the ability of web user opinions with classic indicators such as the mass media and critics to predict box-office takings. The results show that all three variables influence movie attendances. Promotion of a movie has no influence on web user opinions, but critics are influenced negatively for low-budget movies and positively for large-budget movies. Critic and web user advice merges only for large-budget movies.

Critics’ Influence on Moviegoing Decisions

“…At the individual level, the mean scores showed relatively low opinions and levels of influence for both critics and friends and family opinion leader groups. The slightly stronger level of influence for friends and family suggest that other informal relationships may also be stronger, in keeping with the findings of Belvaux and Marteaux (2007) and Katz andLazarsfeld (1955/2006). The data gathered from this study does not necessarily indicate a strong two-step flow relationship.…”

“…The mean score of respondents talking with friends and family was the highest of all the survey questions, showing that respondents were presumably more likely to discuss movies with their friends and family than they were to read critical reviews or entertainment media. This is in keeping with Katz andLazarsfeld's (1955/2006) analysis of movie-going decisions, as well as Belvaux and Marteaux's (2007) evidence showing that peers and fellow consumers were seen as credible. However, most mean scores were barely above neutral.…”

“…There is also evidence to suggest that other influences can impact the decision-making process. Belvaux and Marteaux (2007) found that consumers acted as a source of "credible information" because of their position as an equal member of the film-going public" (p. 76).…”