"You Gotta See This TrailerO".

InsightExpress Research Reveals Social Networkers Influence Movie Trailer Viewing and Show Strong Interest In Opening Weekend Attendance

STAMFORD, Conn. -- InsightExpress, a leading digital marketing research firm, announced today the results of research exploring trends in movie watching behavior, especially among social networkers. The study, titled Digital Consumer Portrait: The Social Network Influence On Movie Behavior, sheds light on who is watching trailers, where trailers are viewed, opening weekend attendance, and how members of social networks embrace and respond to movie industry marketing efforts.

Movie trailers and opening weekend attendance are critical to the successful release of any film. Trailers are meticulously crafted to generate buzz, create excitement and, ultimately, pack theaters. Opening weekend often serves as a leading indicator of a film's potential and the foundation of its revenue generation efforts. The InsightExpress study Digital Consumer Portrait: The Social Network Influence On Movie Behavior identified several key behaviors among the groups who are driving trailer distribution and filling opening weekend seats.

Entertainment industry marketers should take particular notice of social networkers, as this group is highly engaged in grassroots movie marketing efforts such as the viewing and distribution of trailers. In fact, social networkers show a definite willingness to share both trailers and opinions about movies with others. Specifically, ten percent of social networkers said that they had posted a trailer to a social networking site. In addition, 39 percent of social networkers had reviewed a movie online, while 25 percent of non-social networkers had done the same.

The InsightExpress study indicates that, in general, movie trailers are most commonly found by searching for the film's title online, with 49 percent of all respondents (social networkers and non-social networkers) reporting this behavior. Browsing general movie sites was the preferred tactic for 29 percent of respondents, while 27 percent clicked on an online ad and 25 percent stated that they like to visit the movie's Web site. In terms of age, 84 percent of viewers 18-24 years old watch previews before going to see the entire show, followed by 74 percent of viewers 25-44 years old.

Although opening weekend receives a good amount of attention from industry watchers and movie goers alike, most people do not feel the need to see a movie within days of its release, regardless of their excitement level. In general, men are more likely than women to see a movie about which they are excited on opening weekend, with 32 percent of males and 17 percent of females reporting this behavior. An analysis of opening weekend attendance by age shows that 42 percent of individuals 18-24 would attend, followed by 27 percent of 25-44 year olds.

However, a look at the social networking population shows marked difference in opening weekend enthusiasm. In fact, 31 percent of social networkers agreed with the statement "It's important to me to see a movie I'm excited about on opening weekend" compared to only 16 percent of non-social networkers.

"Today, marketers across all industries are eager to engage and connect with consumers online, particularly those who are considered part of the social networking phenomenon," said Drew Lipner, Senior Vice President, Group Director for the Digital Media Measurement Group at InsightExpress. "Active social networkers are more likely to seek and share movie related content online, as well as see the movie opening weekend. Findings of this study suggest entertainment marketers target and engage social networking audiences, given their viral influence and viewing behavior."

About the Research

In our commitment to providing industry leading education within the advertising space, InsightExpress continues to conduct the Digital Consumer Portrait with a representative sample of the online US population. Previous topic areas for Digital Consumer Portrait studies include the acceptance of advertising in social networking, mobile behaviors, and consumer economic feedback.

About InsightExpress

InsightExpress is a leading provider of high-quality, digital marketing research and plays a preeminent role in the measurement of advertising effectiveness across online, mobile and other media. Through its patented technologies, proprietary solutions, world-class expertise and time-tested research principles, InsightExpress transforms the way advertisers, agencies, publishers and researchers optimize their marketing activities. InsightExpress is headquartered in Stamford, CT, with offices in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.insightexpress.com or call 203-406-3233.