Which demographic groups are going to the movies less, and why? The answer may surprise you.

A recent survey from Nielsen PreView offers some enlightening data on moviegoing pricing, preferences and habits. Here are some highlights:

Perceived Price
The 55+ demographic was most likely to think the price for adult tickets was too high. Hispanic and Asian respondents were less likely than average to think ticket prices were too high.


Are costs driving people away?
There is a tension in the moviegoer’s mind between the perceived value derived and the price paid. This issue appears to be on the rise since consumers are evaluating their “bang for the buck” against the pressures of an economy in recession. 73% of moviegoers are going to the movies less often than they like to because ticket prices are too expensive; this rate is higher for Caucasians and the 25-54 age groups.


Spreading the Word
Overall, television (trailers, promos, etc.) was the most common way respondents heard about movies. Word of mouth (from friends, family and co-workers) and in-theatre advertising (posters, trailers, etc.) were tied for second.


When targeting moviegoing demographics, it is important to understand the impact of various marketing methods. The younger crowd, under 35, over-indexes on hearing about movies from online sources. However, the 55+ demographic highly over-indexes on getting their movie information from the newspaper.


Interest
About half of moviegoers were interested in seeing 3D movies in the theatre. These rates were higher for younger demographics (under 35). Of all the demographic groups, Hispanic consumers expressed the most interest in viewing 3D movies in the theatre.





Perceived Quality
When asked about the perceived quality of 3D movies versus their 2D counterparts, the largest chunk of respondents (37%) thought they were a little or much better. Over 60% of respondents don’t know if there is a quality difference or don’t perceive a quality difference, indicating there could be an opportunity to educate consumers on the benefits of 3D.


Who buys tickets in advance?
35% of respondents had purchased a ticket online. The younger age demographics (under 35) were over 25% more likely than the average population to have purchased a ticket online in advance. Roughly one in two Asian respondents had purchased a ticket online.


Methodology
This report was based on an in-depth Nielsen NRG study online among “moviegoers” (moviegoers defined as having seen one or more new release movies in the theatre in the past 12 months). The total survey sample consisted of 3,500 respondents aged 12 to 74 and covers over 100 questions on pricing, preferences and habits. The survey was conducted in September/October 2008.

If you’d like access to the full American Moviegoing Study, e-mail more.preview@nielsen.com.