Abstract
The purpose of this research was to examine whether young adults (aged 18-32) look at user- and/or critic-generated movie review aggregates (MRAs) to decide which film to watch, or whether other factors impact their decision-making. The literature on this topic most notably shows a correlation between highly rated movies and better box office results, a preference for MRAs, and potential market benefits of MRAs. This research, which focused on the North American context, contained both quantitative and qualitative methods in the form of an online survey, focus groups, and key informant interviews. The results indicate that MRAs are not the preferred method to decide what movie to watch, and instead factors such as family or friends’ recommendations and marketing decisions of the film most affect young adults’ decisions about which films to watch.
Highlights
We decided to look at three factors that we believed were most important in relation to people using movie review aggregates (MRAs)
The three variables we looked at were: what type of MRA our participants trusted the most; how much they trusted different types of aggregates; how often they go to a theater; and if they look at an MRA before, during, or after a movie
These variables were chosen to give us an understanding of who engages with MRAs and why
Summary
Filling this gap in the literature will help explore why there seems to be a commercial benefit for movies that have high reviews. This is an area that is of growing interest to movie companies and executives and can have bigger implications for box office performance on movies and firm valuation. We hope to answer the following questions: Do people trust and use MRAs?. What is considered a good score for an MRA? What is considered a good score for an MRA? Does a “good score” affect behaviour?
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