Have you thought about going to see the upcoming blockbuster The Expendables 4 in theaters? If you listen to radio regularly, you’re more likely to answer yes. Hollywood is tapping into a new method for identifying moviegoers likely to watch specific films in theaters, and that method loves AM/FM.
Screen Engine/ASI has developed a unique system known as Audience Engine, which tests the reaction of moviegoers by recruiting a nationally representative survey to gauge their interest in a particular film. This method involves assessing the passion or interest to watch the movie in a theater, the likelihood of watching the movie in a theater, the strength of recommendation, and media habits – including OTA radio.
Audience Engine then builds a targeted audience for each film that can be utilized for digital targeting. An example of this new approach can be seen in the survey conducted for The Expendables 4. The survey found 52% of AM/FM radio listeners felt positive about the movie, 16% more than the general population. AM/FM radio listeners were also 15% more likely to want to see the movie in a theater compared to the general population
Various AM/FM radio programming formats showed significant reach for potential viewers of The Expendables 4. For instance, 22% of those likely to see the film were Oldies/Classic Hits AM/FM radio listeners, given the presence of stars like Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren.
This backs up a recent study commissioned by the Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group which discovered that audio listeners are more inclined to see films in theaters and show more interest in movies.
However, despite audio listeners being significant moviegoers, there remains a missed opportunity in advertising movies on audio platforms. A Vivvix/Kantar analysis revealed that audio represents less than 1% of movie marketing budgets. Nielsen Media Impact suggests that reallocating just 20% of the linear TV budget to AM/FM radio can cause campaign reach to double.
The innovative Audience Engine by Screen Engine/ASI offers Hollywood a refined way to target potential moviegoers through AM/FM radio. The case of The Expendables 4 demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. The findings underline the untapped potential of audio platforms in movie marketing, signaling a need for a strategic shift in advertising allocation.
