Audience research:Audience research:marketing and theorymarketing and theory

Why do audiences view certain Why do audiences view certain films?films?

• Aside from the industry’s marketing Aside from the industry’s marketing campaign, what other reasons can you campaign, what other reasons can you give for audiences going to see a film:give for audiences going to see a film:

• Favourite actorFavourite actor• The genreThe genre• Have seen the sequelHave seen the sequel• It’s based on an old film or TV It’s based on an old film or TV

programme.programme.• Any others?Any others?

Film MarketingFilm Marketing• Once a film has been researched, the marketing Once a film has been researched, the marketing

process begins.process begins.

• Ways films are marketed in the current correct Ways films are marketed in the current correct order:order:

1.1. Internet marketingInternet marketing2.2. Magazine previewsMagazine previews3.3. Cinema TrailersCinema Trailers4.4. Poster campaign - billboardsPoster campaign - billboards5.5. Radio and TV trailersRadio and TV trailers6.6. ReviewsReviews7.7. Stars appearing in the media to promote it, e.g. Stars appearing in the media to promote it, e.g.

chat showschat shows

The Cinema AudienceThe Cinema Audience• The cinema audience is all about the The cinema audience is all about the

industry targeting an audience or industry targeting an audience or demographic.demographic.

• What is a demographic?What is a demographic?• What are demographic determinants?What are demographic determinants?

– AgeAge– GenderGender– EthnicityEthnicity– RegionRegion– ReligionReligion– SexualitySexuality– ClassClass

Audience Profiles and research Audience Profiles and research methodsmethods

• Before a film is released it has to be market researched to its Before a film is released it has to be market researched to its target demographic by the industrytarget demographic by the industry

• What is market research?What is market research?• Preview screenings, focus groups, comparative trends, Preview screenings, focus groups, comparative trends,

star/director box office takings.star/director box office takings.• There are some films that need little or no market research. There are some films that need little or no market research.

Which ones and why?Which ones and why?• Sequels and remakes. As they already have an audience.Sequels and remakes. As they already have an audience.

• What Audience Research Methods have you used?What Audience Research Methods have you used?

• QuestionnairesQuestionnaires• InterviewsInterviews• Focus groupFocus group• Preview screeningsPreview screenings

Audience address Audience address theoriestheories• Stuart Hall’sStuart Hall’s 3 theories of how media audiences 3 theories of how media audiences

‘receive and understand’‘receive and understand’ texts: texts:

• Preferred readings:Preferred readings: when the audience can relate when the audience can relate and empathise directly with the media text. e.g: a and empathise directly with the media text. e.g: a Yorkshire born Muslim woman watching Yorkshire born Muslim woman watching ‘Yasmin’.‘Yasmin’.

• Negotiated readingsNegotiated readings: when the audience do not : when the audience do not directly relate to the media text and have to place directly relate to the media text and have to place themselves into the ‘world of the text’. e.g: anyone themselves into the ‘world of the text’. e.g: anyone who is not a Muslim woman watching ‘who is not a Muslim woman watching ‘Yasmin’Yasmin’ but can but can relate to some of the themes and characters.relate to some of the themes and characters.

• Oppositional readingsOppositional readings: when the audience and their : when the audience and their life experiences have no relationship with the text and life experiences have no relationship with the text and are actually resistant to it. This can often lead to an are actually resistant to it. This can often lead to an oppositional reading e.g: a racist BNP member oppositional reading e.g: a racist BNP member watching watching ‘Yasmin’‘Yasmin’ and viewing it as an anti –British and viewing it as an anti –British promotion of terrorism and multiculturalism.promotion of terrorism and multiculturalism.

Audience effects Audience effects theoriestheories

• Lots of theories on the media and audience effects, many Lots of theories on the media and audience effects, many of which stem from psychoanalysis:of which stem from psychoanalysis:

• Uses and Gratifications-Uses and Gratifications- the concept that audiences use the media to the concept that audiences use the media to satisfy certain basic psychological needs. Often audiences will watch ro read satisfy certain basic psychological needs. Often audiences will watch ro read something to suit their moods. For example watching glossy America dramas like something to suit their moods. For example watching glossy America dramas like ‘Glee’ for escapism.‘Glee’ for escapism.

• The Hypodermic needle-The Hypodermic needle- the idea that audiences are ‘injected’ passively the idea that audiences are ‘injected’ passively with a message. This theory has become popular when analysing the impact of with a message. This theory has become popular when analysing the impact of media violence on young people.media violence on young people.

• Task: think about your coursework tasks.Task: think about your coursework tasks. • Can you apply any of Hall’s theories of audience address to them?Can you apply any of Hall’s theories of audience address to them?• Can you apply either of the audience effects theories?Can you apply either of the audience effects theories?

Media Audiences in the online Media Audiences in the online ageage

• How have 21How have 21stst century audiences used web 2.0 century audiences used web 2.0 to revolutionise several media industries?to revolutionise several media industries?

• The online age has resulted in a two way flow of information The online age has resulted in a two way flow of information with audiences now having a greater influence on how media with audiences now having a greater influence on how media industries function. This combined with developments in media industries function. This combined with developments in media hardware (such as the MP3 player) has completely changed the hardware (such as the MP3 player) has completely changed the concept of a concept of a ‘passive, receptive audience’. ‘passive, receptive audience’.

• Both the uses and gratifications and the hypodermic needle Both the uses and gratifications and the hypodermic needle audience effects models now seem redundant.audience effects models now seem redundant.

• At AS we discussed the Marxist idea of the At AS we discussed the Marxist idea of the ‘‘means of means of production’production’ what does this mean and how does it relate to 21 what does this mean and how does it relate to 21stst century media consumers?century media consumers?

• Task:Task: use the sheet provided and think about the ways you as use the sheet provided and think about the ways you as a media producer have used new media technologies including a media producer have used new media technologies including the internet to facilitate your production workthe internet to facilitate your production work

Websites and viral Websites and viral marketingmarketing

• Film websites can be official or unofficial. Film websites can be official or unofficial. • An official website is set up by the distributors of An official website is set up by the distributors of

the film as part of the marketing campaign.the film as part of the marketing campaign.• An unofficial website is set up by fans wanting to An unofficial website is set up by fans wanting to

express their own opinions and exchange express their own opinions and exchange information with other fansinformation with other fans

• An official website will be designed to An official website will be designed to complement the ‘look’ of a marketing campaign, complement the ‘look’ of a marketing campaign, with the same graphics and images used as in the with the same graphics and images used as in the poster and trailerposter and trailer

• Websites are very effective in raising awareness Websites are very effective in raising awareness at a much earlier stage and to a far greater at a much earlier stage and to a far greater interactive extent than was previously possible.interactive extent than was previously possible.

• What is viral marketing?What is viral marketing?

Categorising audiencesCategorising audiencesSocio –economic Socio –economic DemographicsDemographics

• What does demographic mean? What does demographic mean?

• What’s your demographic?What’s your demographic?

• What does socio-economic class What does socio-economic class mean? mean?

• Can you define it? Can you define it?

• What social class are you?What social class are you?

Social- economic Social- economic demographicsdemographics• Traditionally the way of measuring social class Traditionally the way of measuring social class

was according to the job of the main was according to the job of the main ‘breadwinner’. The classifications are as follows‘breadwinner’. The classifications are as follows::

• A: high ranking professionals; lawyers, doctors etc.A: high ranking professionals; lawyers, doctors etc.

• B: middle ranking professionals; middle managers in B: middle ranking professionals; middle managers in business, teachers etcbusiness, teachers etc

• C1: ‘white collar’ office workers, clerks, semi and C1: ‘white collar’ office workers, clerks, semi and nurses etc.nurses etc.

• C2: skilled manual workers; carpenters, electricians.C2: skilled manual workers; carpenters, electricians.

• D: semi and unskilled manual workers; drivers, D: semi and unskilled manual workers; drivers, labourers, cleaners etc.labourers, cleaners etc.

• E: people on state benefits, the unemployed, E: people on state benefits, the unemployed, pensioners etcpensioners etc

Problems?Problems?• What are the problems with this What are the problems with this

classification system?classification system?

• Doesn’t tell us how much money people earn. e.g.: a Doesn’t tell us how much money people earn. e.g.: a carpenter might earn more than a teacher.carpenter might earn more than a teacher.

• Doesn’t tell us how much money each household is Doesn’t tell us how much money each household is spending.spending.

• As far relating these classifications to a product it As far relating these classifications to a product it only relates to the main household ‘breadwinner’. only relates to the main household ‘breadwinner’. What about products aimed at young people who What about products aimed at young people who don’t earn?don’t earn?

• Some media producers ignore the social class system Some media producers ignore the social class system and base their market research on psychographics.and base their market research on psychographics.

PsychographicsPsychographics• What are psychographics?What are psychographics?

• This is market research based on dividing people into types This is market research based on dividing people into types based on their personalities/psyches. Some examples of these based on their personalities/psyches. Some examples of these are:are:

• MainstreamersMainstreamers: people who go with flow and don’t stand out.: people who go with flow and don’t stand out.• AspirersAspirers: They desire more money or a different life and will : They desire more money or a different life and will

often buy flashy products as status symbols.often buy flashy products as status symbols.• SuceedersSuceeders: they have money and the life but don’t need to : they have money and the life but don’t need to

show it off.show it off.• IndividualistsIndividualists: they want to show the world they are different.: they want to show the world they are different.• Carers:Carers: They want to save the world. They want to save the world.

• Which one are you?Which one are you?

• Task:Task: for each of these categories think of media products that for each of these categories think of media products that might be aimed at them.( a newspaper, a TV channel, specific might be aimed at them.( a newspaper, a TV channel, specific programmes, fave films)programmes, fave films)