7.pdf This presentation captures many uses and the significance of the number...
Preannouncement of experience goods references
1. Action! Lights, Camera: The Effect of Preannouncements on Experience Goods – The Case
of the Motion Picture Industry
Abstract: Firms developing new products often execute a preannouncement strategy as a signal
to the market that it plans to commercialize a new market offering. Following a thorough
assessment of the risks and benefits associated with preannouncement, the firm must decide
which information to announce to whom and at what time. Much of the research conducted in
this stream focuses on search products; little work includes experience good, such as motion
pictures. Preannouncements provide a relatively quick and expensive way for firms to clarify the
uncertainties about their products. Since the Golden Days of the Silver Screen, the motion
picture industry has employed preannouncement strategy prior to the release of new movies.
Months or even years prior to the production of a new picture, studio release information to the
media regarding a sought-after property for which they have obtained the movie rights or which
actors are being consider for a coveted starring role in the next blockbuster. This paper is perhaps
the first to link the dimensions of preannouncement strategy to market anticipation for new films
and first weekend box office revenues. A conceptual model is presented which includes the
moderating factors of studio advertising and third party critical reviews.
Reference List
Basuroy, Suman, Subimal Chatterjee, and S. Abraham Ravid (2003), “How Critical Are Critical
Reviews? The Box Office Effects of Film Critics, Star Power, and Budgets,” Journal of
Marketing, 67, 103-117.
_____, Kalpesh Kaushik Desai, and Debabrata Talukdar (2006), “An Empirical Investigation of
Signaling in the Motion Picture Industry,” Journal of Marketing Research, 43, 287-295.
Berger, Meyer (1939), “Atlanta Retaken by Glory of Past,” New York Times, December 15: 27.
Bosley, Crowther (1938), “Mr. Selznick and a Scarlett Future,” New York Times, October 30:
X5.
Brice, Chris (1998), “Annie goes to Hollywood,” The Advertiser, December 19.
Calantone, Roger J. and Kim E. Schatzel (2000), “Strategic Foretelling: Communication-Based
Antecedents of a Firm‟s Propensity to Preannounce,” Journal of Marketing, 64, 17-30.
Churchill, Douglas W. (1938), “Latest Scarlett Letter,” New York Times, December 18: 7.
Edidin, Peter (2008), “Directing Bilbo Baggins,” New York Times, April 26, B-8.
Edwards, David (2008), “Movies: A Super Heroes‟ Welcome; 2008 Preview,” The Mirror,
January 4, 2.
Elberse, Anita and Bharat Anand (2007), “The effectiveness of pre-release advertising for
motion pictures: An empirical investigation using a simulated market,” Information
Economics and Policy, 19, 319-343
1
2. Eliashberg, Jehoshua and Thomas S. Robertson (1988), “New Product Preannouncement
Behavior: A Market Signaling Study,” Journal of Marketing Research, 25, 282-292.
_____ and Steven M. Shugan (1997), “Film Critics: Influencers or Predictors?” Journal of
Marketing, 61, 68-78.
Farrell, Joseph and Garth Saloner (1986), “Installed Bases and Compatibility: Innovation,
Product Preannouncements, and Predation,” The American Economic Review, 76 (5),
940-955.
Fombrun, Charles and Mark Shanley (1990), “What‟s In A Name? Reputation Building and
Corporate Strategy,” Academy of Management Journal, 33, 233-258.
Halbfinger, David M. (2007), “Master of „Rings‟ to Tackle „Hobbit‟,” New York Times,
December 19, E-1.
Harris, Paul (2004), “Hollywood to break last taboo with gay cowboys: Stars set to play in Ang
Lee western based on Annie Proulx story of ranch hands relationship with rodeo rider,”
The Observer, January 18: 22.
Herbig, Paul and John Milewicz (1996), “Market signaling: a review,” Management Decision,
34:1, 35-45.
Hoch, Stephen J. and John Deighton (1989), “Managing What Consumers Learn from
Experience,” Journal of Marketing, 53 (April), 1–20.
_____ and Young-Won Ha (1986), “Consumer Learning: Advertising and the Ambiguity of
Product Experience,” Journal of Consumer Research, 13 (September), 221–33.
Homberg, Christian, Torsten Bornemann, and Dirk Totzek (2009), “Preannouncing pioneering
versus follower products: what should the message be?” Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science, 37, 310-327.
Huang, Peng, Nicholas H. Lurie, and Sabyasachi Mitra (2009), “Searching for Experience on the
Web: An Empirical Examination of Consumer Behavior for Search and Experience
Goods,” Journal of Marketing, 73 (2), 55-69.
Itzkoff, Dave (2010a), “Del Toro Quits as Director of „Hobbit‟,” New York Times, June 1, C-3.
_____ (2010b), “Jackson Says He‟s begun Plans for „Hobbit‟ Move,” New York Times, October
21, C-2.
_____ (2010c), “Now Small Roles: „The Hobbit‟ Announces Its First Cast Members,” New York
Times, October 23, C-3.
2
3. _____ (2011), “‟The Hobbit‟ Goes Into Production, Finally,” New York Times, March 22, C-2.
Kane, Matt (2004), “Names and Faces”, The Washington Post, January 17: Style C03.
Kirmani, Amna and Akshay R. Rao (2000), “No Pain, No Gain: A Critical Review of the
Literature on Signaling Unobservable Product Quality,” Journal of Marketing, 54, 66-79.
Lilly, Bryan and Rockney Walters (1997), “Toward a Model of New Product Preannouncement
Timing,” Journal of Product Innovation Management, 14, 4-20.
Liu, Yong (2006), “Word of Mouth for Movies: Its Dynamics and Impact on Box Office
Revenue,” Journal of Marketing, 70, 74-89.
Mahajan, Jijay, Eitan Muller, and Roger A. Kerin (1984), “Introduction Strategy for New
Products with Positive and Negative Word of Mouth,” Management Science, 30 (12),
1389-1404.
Neelamegham, Ramya and Dipak Jain, “Consumer Choice Process for Experience Goods: An
Econometric Model and Analysis,” Journal of Marketing Research, 36 (3), 373-386.
Nelson, Phillip (1970), “Information and Consumer Behavior,” Journal of Political Economy, 78
(March–April), 311–29.
_____ (1974), “Advertising as Information,” Journal of Political Economy, 82 (July–August),
729–54.
News of the Screen (1936a), “J.M. Schenck, Trader, Arrives -- Mr. Goldwyn's Backyard
Discovery -- Miss Davis Fights It Out,” New York Times, July 11: 11.
_____ (1936b) “Franchot Tone Cast in 'Quality Street' -- A Denial Concerning Charles Laughton
– Programs,” New York Times, September 9: 20.
_____ (1937) “Miriam Hopkins and Gable Slated for Leads in 'Gone With the Wind'-Two Films
Open Today News From Hollywood,” New York Times March 19: 27.
Porter, Michael (1980), Competitive Strategy. New York: The Free Press.
Puig, Claudia (2005), “'Brokeback' rides into the mainstream; With awards talk, the time seems
right for its gay theme.” USA Today, December 14: Life 1D.
Rabino, Samuel and Thomas E. Moore (1989), “Managing New-Product Announcements in the
Computer Industry,” Industrial Marketing Management, 18, 35-43.
Ravid, S. Abraham (1999), “Information, Blockbusters, and Stars: A Study of the Film
Industry,” Journal of Business, 72 (4), 463-492.
3
4. Robertson, Thomas S., Jehoshua Eliashberg, and Talia Rymon (1995), “New Product
Preannouncement Signals and Incumbent Reactions,” Journal of Marketing, 59, 1-15.
Sawhney and Eliashberg (1996), “A Parsimonious Model for Forecasting Gross Box Office
Revenues of Motion Pictures,” Marketing Science, 15 (2), 113-131.
Schatzel, Kim and Roger Calantone (2006), “Creating Market Anticipation: An Exploratory
Examination of the Effect of Preannouncement Behavior on a New Product‟s Launch,”
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 34:3, 357-366.
_____, _____, and Cornelia Droge (2001), “Beyond the firm‟s initial declaration: Are
preannouncements of new product introductions and withdrawals alike?” Journal of
Product Innovation Management, 18, 82-95.
_____ (2008), “Unfortunately the induction of our new product will be delayed: An exploratory
examination of factors that influence a firm to announce changes in its new product
plans,” Journal of Applied Business Research, 24:2, 115-126.
Snead, Elizabeth (1999), “Hollywood caught up in latest stampede of Westerns,” USA Today,
January 8: Life 2E.
Sorescu, Alina, Venkatesh Shankar, and Tarun Kushwaha (2007), “New Product
Preannouncements and Shareholding Value: Don‟t Make Promises You Can‟t Keep,”
Journal of Marketing Research, 44, 468-489.
Special to New York Times (1936c), “Tallulah Bankhead Tries Out for Role of Scarlett in „Gone
with the Wind‟,” New York Times, December 22: 32.
_____ (1938a), “Shearer to Star in „Gone with the Wind‟,” New York Times, June 24: 15.
_____ (1938b), “Shearer Gives Up Role of Scarlett,” New York Times, August 1: 9.
_____ (1938c), “Screen News Here and in Hollywood,” New York Times, September 21: 31.
_____ (1939a), “Vivien Leigh Gets Role of Scarlett,” New York Times, January 14: 12.
_____ (1939b), “Screen News Here and in Hollywood,” New York Times, February 15: 20.
Spence, A. Michael (1974), Market Signaling. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Taylor, John (2003), “Word of Mouth Is Where It‟s At,” Brandweek, (June 2), 26.
Terry, Neil, De‟Aeno De‟Armond, and Miles Zachary (2009), “The Determinants of Opening
Weekend Box Office Revenues for Movies,” Journal of Academy of Business and
Academics, 9 (4), 193-201.
4
5. Treme, Julianne (2010), “Effects of Celebrity Media Exposure on Box Office Performance,”
Journal of Media Economics, 23, 5-16.
Van Gelder, Lawrence (2007), “Footnote”, New York Times, November 7, E5.
Weathers, Danny, Subhash Sharma, and Stacy L. Wood (2007), “Effects of Online
Communication Practices on Consumer Perceptions of Performance Uncertainty for
Search and Experience Goods,” Journal of Retailing, 83 (4), 393–401.
Wind, Jerry and Vijay Mahajan (1987), “Marketing Hype: A New Perspective for New Product
Research and Introduction,” Journal of Product Innovation Management, 4, 43-49.
Zufryden, Fred S. (1996), “Linking Advertising to Box Office Performance of New Film
Releases – A Marketing Planning Model,” Journal of Advertising Research, 29-41.
5
6. Table 1: Selected Timeline for Preannouncement Publicity – Gone with the Wind and Brokeback Mountain
Gone with the Wind Brokeback Mountain
Event Details of the Event Date Source Details of the Event Date Source
Movie Rights Selznick pays $50,000 for 07/11/1936 NY Times Annie Proulx sells rights to 12/19/1998 Brice 1998
Secured rights to Gone with the Wind. 1936a Brokeback Mountain for
undisclosed amount.
Director George Cukor is selected to 09/12/1936 NY Times Gus Van Sant is chosen to 01/08/1999 Snead
Announcements direct Gone with the Wind. 1936b direct for Brokeback 1999
Mountain.
Ang Lee is signed to direct 01/17/2004 Kane 2004
Brokeback Mountain.
Victor Fleming replaces 02/15/1939 NY Times
Cukor as director. 1939b
Selected Casting Tallulah Bankhead tries out 12/22/1936 NY Times Heath Ledger and Jake 01/18/2004 Harris
Announcements for Scarlett O‟Hara. 1936c Gyllenhaal are selected to 2004
Miriam Hopkins and Clark 03/19/1937 NY Times play the leads in Brokeback
Gable are cast as Scarlett 1937 Mountain.
O‟Hara and Rhett Butler.
Norma Shearer is cast as 06/24/1938 NY Times
Scarlett O‟Hara. 1938a
Norma Shearer declines 08/01/1938 NY Times
Scarlett role due to fans. 1938b
Warner Bros. to loan Bette 09/21/1938 NY Times
Davis for Scarlett O‟Hara. 1938c
Carole Lombard is cast to 12/18/1938 Churchill
play Scarlett O‟Hara. 1938
Vivien Leigh is cast as 01/14/1939 NY Times
Scarlett O‟Hara. 1939a
Release Gone with the Wind opens in 12/15/1939 Berger Brokeback Mountain begins 12/14/2005 Puig 2005
Atlanta amidst parades, balls, 1939 in limited release on
and antebellum costuming. 12/09/2005. First weekend
receipts are $545,000 in
five theaters.
6