Entertainment media brand FANDOM and cross-platform measurement firm comScore recently released The Power of the Fan, a U.S.-based study examining the behaviors and attitudes of entertainment fans.
The report, which dives deep into spending and consumption patterns surrounding the prevalent pop culture world that’s driven by popular properties like The Walking Dead, Star Wars, and Call of Duty, provides communicators with insights that identify valuable audiences within this segment that are relevant to their ad, marketing and PR campaigns—and how to harness them.
“This study validates what we have intuitively known for years—that engaged entertainment fans are a critical audience segment for marketers to win. As we head into the summer, back-to-school and Q4 holiday planning, this study provides a guide to help [them] succeed,” said FANDOM chief operating officer Walker Jacobs, in a news release. “For brands that want to effectively engage with these core consumers, we believe that we have created an important resource in ‘The Power of the Fan.’”
Key consumption and spending data
- Engaged entertainment fans spend more time with their interests.
- Heavy Gaming Fans play 15+ hours per week
- Heavy Movie Fans watch 9+ hours per week
- Heavy TV Fans watch 20+ hours per week
- Engaged entertainment fans spend more money on their preferred media. Compared with Light Fans, Heavy Fans of movies spend 40% more; of TV spend 50% more; of gaming spend 230% more.
- Engaged entertainment fans’ consumption is more valuable.
- Heavy Movie Fans are 2.2x more likely to watch a movie on opening weekend.
- 81% of Heavy TV Fans watch TV live, as it airs.
- Heavy Gaming Fans are 3.5x more likely to buy a game the week it comes out.
- Engaged entertainment fans influence purchase decisions. 49% of Heavy Gaming Fans, 47% of Heavy Movie Fans, and 34% of Heavy TV Fans are the people friends turn to for advice on the latest TV shows, movies and games.
Key category data:
- Automotive and Personal Finance are particularly popular product categories among Heavy Movie fans.
- Heavy TV fans are more likely to visit e-commerce websites than other types of websites.
- Heavy TV and Movie Fans index high in Dining Out in the Food & Drinks category, and Air Travel and Hotels in the Travel category.
“This study highlights the unique value of entertainment fans, their behaviors and how to engage them,” said Andrew Lipsman, SVP of marketing & insights at comScore, in the release. “While it makes sense that heavy fans are highly engaged influencers who spend more within their segment of interest, this research also shows they are more valuable in places you might not otherwise expect.”
“The Power of the Fan” whitepaper can be downloaded here.
“The Power of the Fan” research examined the digital behaviors and content consumption habits of 250,000 fans to classify them into heavy, medium and light fans of gaming, movie and TV content. These habits were then analyzed across nearly 400 categories of content and combined with a survey of over 5,000 fans in the U.S. to gain additional insight into their attitudes and behaviors. The survey also measured content consumption habits associated with more than 15,000 unique experiences with specific movies, TV shows, and video games.
