Perfecting movie trailers with Swayable

Challenge:

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the film industry hard. Even after restrictions lifted, many studios struggled to get audiences back to theaters due to safety concerns and the availability streaming services at home. Our client, one of the top global movie studios, faced a challenge: how to persuade audiences to come back to theaters. They had a massive action film to launch, but were unsure which messaging would be effective.

Solution:

Swayable tested (7) different trailers to see which would be most effective at creating a sense of urgency to see it in theaters. These trailers were designed to appeal to different audience segments, with variations in tone, style, and content. Swayable and the client worked closely to identify the test metrics that the trailers would be judged on, aligning on:

• Lift in interest in seeing film

• Lift in likelihood to see film ‘in a theater'

• Lift in urgency to see film ‘right away’

Results:

In 24 hours, Swayable identified the most effective trailer, with data across all metrics and different audience segments available. Qualitative comments from the respondents helped the client understand why audiences liked this trailer best. The movie studio used this trailer in its marketing campaign and the film smashed box office records, and went on to be one of the highest grossing films of 2022.

Results are indicative but have been changed to preserve confidentiality

Conclusion:

By partnering with Swayable, movie studios can leverage persuasion insights to identify and adjust content that resonates with audiences and drives ticket sales.