Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Entertainment 2023

The dentsu Navigator helps marketers navigate the complexities of understanding consumer behaviour in today's changing world. Dentsu’s monthly surveys of US consumers reveal timely insights on cultural trends, social issues, and emerging industry innovations from gaming to sustainability. These actionable reports empower marketers to make smarter business decisions, stay competitive, and authentically connect with consumers across a range of industries.

As each report launches, LBB will speak to dentsu’s Jack Boitani, VP, content, and Megan Keane, VP, integrated strategy, who work closely together on each report, to find out more about what they discovered. 

Please check out and download the full report here.

Q> Why are we focusing on this topic now? 

A> With the incredible success of the Barbie movie, we seem to have reached the pinnacle of partnerships between brands and entertainment. While not all brands can count on IP that fits so naturally within an entertainment context, we thought it would be interesting to provide marketers with some insights on the cultural role entertainment plays in consumers’ lives and get a sense of how consumers react to branded entertainment. 

Q> What are you trying to explore with this report? 

A> First and foremost, we wanted to get a sense of which genres resonate the most with specific audiences. One of the key findings in this regard is that TV shows, comedy and nostalgia are the ‘great equalisers' - the ways in which you’re more likely to get mass appeal. However, our research shows that ‘superfans’ – consumers who live and breathe their favourite entertainment properties – over-index on genres like art house, manga/anime/comics, and horror. These are the consumers who are more likely to spend much more on entertainment, both to access the content – they are significantly more likely to have more than FOUR streaming subscriptions than the casual viewer – and in terms of purchasing merchandise and other products connected to their favourite properties. So, our take-away is that both ‘going broad’ and being targeted pay off, but in different ways.

Q> Does the data show a particular trend compared to what you’ve seen in the past?

A> A section of the study is dedicated to streaming platforms, where we compare data that we had gathered in 2021 to what’s happening right now. In 2021 we had dived into streaming platforms as a topic because there were still some restrictions forcing consumers to a largely at-home entertainment ‘diet’ and providers had started to explore introducing ad-supported options. Now, we wanted to check in whether streaming is running out of steam and how consumers feel about these new options available to them. Our research shows that adoption has grown – 42% of consumers say they are subscribed to more than FOUR streaming services and that used to be only 32% two years ago. We also found out that 23% of consumers have upgraded their subscriptions so they can watch their favourite TV shows and movies at home ad-free. Producing and sponsoring entertainment is a critical strategy for brands that are looking to reach those viewers who are enjoying an uninterrupted entertainment ‘diet.’  

Q> What consumer insight surprised you the most? 

A> 22% of consumers told us that they spend more time watching fan-made content that extends the studio entertainment properties they love than they do watching the studio-made content itself. On an anecdotal level it makes sense: you wait all week for a new episode of a Star Wars show to be released on Disney+ and in the meantime maybe you have YouTubers hosting Star Wars discussions playing in the background while you do your chores. But it just goes to show how much entertainment has this tendency to live on and take a life of its own. It’s got a very resilient cultural capital at all these different levels; brands looking to lean on entertainment to better reach consumers should consider partnering with all these creators and influencers to garner more attention and show they want to connect authentically with the fandom.

Q> What’s the most important lesson for brands to take coming from this data?

A> 53% of consumers told us that they consider their passion for their favourite entertainment properties part of their identity and that they make an effort to pass on their passion for their favourite franchises to friends and family members. Of course, this is even more often the case with ‘superfans’, but ultimately entertainment naturally acquires this emotional role for everyone and it’s so powerful in the fact that it’s got this ‘built-in advocacy.’ For brands, connecting authentically and originally with entertainment can make the difference between mattering to consumers vs. only marketing ‘at them.’