Thumbs up, ticket down: Decoding the disconnect between social media buzz and box office numbers

Abstract

The explosive growth of social media (SM) has reshaped communication landscapes, with its influence reaching even the entertainment industry. Movie makers increasingly leverage these platforms to reach and engage audiences, blurring the lines between traditional marketing and direct social interactions. This study delves into the effectiveness of SM in movie marketing, explicitly examining the nature of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and its potential impact on box office success. The study aims to examine the nature of eWOM through an interpretive approach, subsequently studying the quantum of eWOM content leading to brand success. The data of SM comments from Instagram and YouTube were collected for the nine movies. Subsequently, content and sentiment analysis of the comments have been conducted to understand how audiences engage with and respond to promotional campaigns before and after the movie releases. A validation study is being conducted to understand the relation between consumer behavior on SM and its manifestation in actual behavior. The users who wrote favorable comments were contacted via direct messages to determine if they had watched the movie. However, most respondents haven’t watched the movies for multiple reasons. In addition, it was found that the movies failed at the box office when the movie budget and revenue generated were compared. This led to significant doubt on the authenticity of SM comments. The findings support the theory of behavioral plasticity, which states that the behavior of users is subjective to changes in the environment.