Audience Culture andSubculture

Audience Culture andSubculture

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Audience Taste CulturesAudience Taste Cultures

◊ Groups formed for common interests

◊ Dependent upon entertainment products (form, style, etc.)

Can be:1. Spectators2. Participants (attendee, visitor,

shopper)3. Fans

◊ Groups formed for common interests

◊ Dependent upon entertainment products (form, style, etc.)

Can be:1. Spectators2. Participants (attendee, visitor,

shopper)3. Fans

Promoting a Film in ParisPromoting a Film in Paris

Burning Man Participatory PerformanceBurning Man Participatory Performance

Audience TypesAudience Types

◊ Simple - presence of ceremony and convention in a venue

◊ Mass - invisible; non-venue situated◊ Diffused - audience as performers

as well as spectators◊ Postmodern - identity in flux, role

playing identity constructions

◊ Simple - presence of ceremony and convention in a venue

◊ Mass - invisible; non-venue situated◊ Diffused - audience as performers

as well as spectators◊ Postmodern - identity in flux, role

playing identity constructions

Psychology of MotivationPsychology of Motivation

◊ Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”◊ Entertainment purchases for:

diversion and stress relief◊ Emotion-based motivations:

achievement, power, novelty, affiliation, self-esteem

◊ Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”◊ Entertainment purchases for:

diversion and stress relief◊ Emotion-based motivations:

achievement, power, novelty, affiliation, self-esteem

Risk and UncertaintyRisk and Uncertainty

◊ Audiences want minimal risk◊ Greater degree of uncertainty when

purchasing entertainment experiences

◊ Cognitive dissonance - post-decision regret

◊ Core audiences take more risk◊ Potential and non-audiences wait for

proven success before attending

◊ Audiences want minimal risk◊ Greater degree of uncertainty when

purchasing entertainment experiences

◊ Cognitive dissonance - post-decision regret

◊ Core audiences take more risk◊ Potential and non-audiences wait for

proven success before attending

Venues as Physical MotivatorsVenues as Physical MotivatorsEntertainmentscapes must have:◊ Easy access to public

transportation◊ On-site parking ◊ Adjacent dining ◊ Aesthetically pleasant architecture

and atmosphere

Entertainmentscapes must have:◊ Easy access to public

transportation◊ On-site parking ◊ Adjacent dining ◊ Aesthetically pleasant architecture

and atmosphere

Internet Audience MotivatorsInternet Audience Motivators◊ Search factor◊ Cognitive factor◊ Uniqueness factor◊ Social factor◊ Entertainment factor

◊ Search factor◊ Cognitive factor◊ Uniqueness factor◊ Social factor◊ Entertainment factor

Forming and Changing Audience AttitudesForming and Changing Audience Attitudes◊ Functional theory of attitudes

factors◊ Theory of planned behavior◊ Attending decisions based on

brand preference, genre familiarity, country of origin, and price-related considerations

◊ Functional theory of attitudes factors

◊ Theory of planned behavior◊ Attending decisions based on

brand preference, genre familiarity, country of origin, and price-related considerations

Audiences RolesAudiences Roles

◊ Buyer - makes ticket purchase◊ Payer - pays for tickets◊ User/consumer - attends the

experience

◊ Buyer - makes ticket purchase◊ Payer - pays for tickets◊ User/consumer - attends the

experience

Audience Research ChallengesAudience Research Challenges◊ Closing gap between what people say

they do and what they actually do◊ Interpreting the relationship between

the experience and an audience member

◊ Determining the effects of entertainment made upon audiences

◊ Closing gap between what people say they do and what they actually do

◊ Interpreting the relationship between the experience and an audience member

◊ Determining the effects of entertainment made upon audiences

Focus group with researchers looking onFocus group with researchers looking on

Laddering TechniqueLaddering Technique

◊ Provides a means of digging beneath the surface to uncover layers of consumer meanings that reveal audience motivations for purchasing entertainment experiences

◊ “Why” factor used in interviews to get at depth responses

◊ Provides a means of digging beneath the surface to uncover layers of consumer meanings that reveal audience motivations for purchasing entertainment experiences

◊ “Why” factor used in interviews to get at depth responses

Audience Involvement LevelsAudience Involvement Levels1. Low - small financial commitment2. High - require higher level of

decision-making and financial commitmenta. Loyalistsb. Information seekersc. Routine buyersd. Brand switchers

1. Low - small financial commitment2. High - require higher level of

decision-making and financial commitmenta. Loyalistsb. Information seekersc. Routine buyersd. Brand switchers

Audience Involvement ScaleAudience Involvement Scale◊ Invisible consumers◊ Watchers◊ Seekers◊ Collectors◊ Fans◊ Insiders◊ Entourage◊ Ensnared

◊ Invisible consumers◊ Watchers◊ Seekers◊ Collectors◊ Fans◊ Insiders◊ Entourage◊ Ensnared

What is this audience’s involvement level?What is this audience’s involvement level?

Participation and marketing messagesParticipation and marketing messagesAudience Message Action Obj.Passive educational convert tospectators strategy active audience

Focused promotional stimulate ticket experiencers strategy purchase

Absorbed informational keep attending

identifiers strategy

Audience Message Action Obj.Passive educational convert tospectators strategy active audience

Focused promotional stimulate ticket experiencers strategy purchase

Absorbed informational keep attending

identifiers strategy

Consumer Experience ModelConsumer Experience Model1. Perception components

a. Psychological (motivation)b. Economic (cost/value)c. Consumer knowledge (information)d. Marketing information (promotional message)

2. Consumer satisfaction

1. Perception componentsa. Psychological (motivation)b. Economic (cost/value)c. Consumer knowledge (information)d. Marketing information (promotional message)

2. Consumer satisfaction

Perception FactorsPerception Factors

◊ Selectivity ◊ Expectations of quality◊ Past experience with a venue,

destination, or content genre

◊ Selectivity ◊ Expectations of quality◊ Past experience with a venue,

destination, or content genre

Disney Consumer OrbitDisney Consumer Orbit

Attract visitor > respond to visitor inquiries > book tickets > track visitors’ enjoyment > monitor visitor referrals > use promotions to book more tickets

Attract visitor > respond to visitor inquiries > book tickets > track visitors’ enjoyment > monitor visitor referrals > use promotions to book more tickets

Measuring AttitudesMeasuring Attitudes

◊ Theory of reasoned action◊ Fishbein model focuses on

consumer◊ Rosenberg model focuses on the

experience

◊ Theory of reasoned action◊ Fishbein model focuses on

consumer◊ Rosenberg model focuses on the

experience

Fan SubcultureFan Subculture

1. Fan identity from star images2. Fan activity:

a. Emotional proximityb. Critical and interpretive practicesc. Consumer activismd. Production of alternative textse. Creation of alternative social

community

1. Fan identity from star images2. Fan activity:

a. Emotional proximityb. Critical and interpretive practicesc. Consumer activismd. Production of alternative textse. Creation of alternative social

community

Fans Seeking AutographsFans Seeking Autographs

Cult audienceCult audience

◊ Fame by death◊ Cult geographies and cultural

places◊ Consumption communities◊ Extreme behavior

◊ Fame by death◊ Cult geographies and cultural

places◊ Consumption communities◊ Extreme behavior

QuestionsQuestions

◊ What are the main motivators for audiences to attend a performance, engage in an activity, or visit a venue?

◊ What message strategies would you suggest to develop a positive attitude among light users of an entertainment venue such as a local museum or performing arts center?

◊ What are the main motivators for audiences to attend a performance, engage in an activity, or visit a venue?

◊ What message strategies would you suggest to develop a positive attitude among light users of an entertainment venue such as a local museum or performing arts center?