Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

A newly commissioned research study of nearly 4,000 moviegoers finds that an overwhelming number of people across all age groups have fully adopted digital technologies and increasingly depend on them to gain information about new movie releases and help with their decisions about which films to see. The study found that the Internet and word-of-mouth are gaining in importance (closely following in-theater trailers and TV commercials) as a way that moviegoers discover upcoming film releases and now rank ahead of traditional methods of advertising such as billboards and newspaper ads. The importance of peer group feedback (social networking, face to face interaction, texting) in the decision-making process was also a key finding of the study, with teens and young adults especially influenced by this consumer voice.

There’s no denying that consumers are increasing the time they spend on social networking sites. For marketers of consumer products, this trend offers a great opportunity to reach female shoppers. But according to a joint study by ad:tech Chicago and Q Interactive that was recently presented at an industry conference, companies that are trying to enhance their brands via social networks risk alienating consumers with their current strategy.

In just a few short years, social networking sites have managed to grow their share of display ads to 21% of the total market. The two most popular sites, MySpace and Facebook dominate, with market shares of 9.2% and 8.2%, respectively. According to comScore vice president, Jeff Hackett, “[s]ocial networking sites now account for one out of every five ads people view online.”

Does your agency Twitter? Or have a Facebook profile? If not, your agency could be missing out on a lot of free and far-reaching promotion, networking opportunities, and chances to build strong professional relationships.

Social networking has allowed for people all over the world to connect. Updating a Facebook status or Twittering have become almost second nature to some, making it possible for every move to be tracked by anyone and everyone who goes online.