From small screen to silver screen: TikTok's impact on movie marketing
New research unveils TikTok's dynamic role in moving audiences from film discovery to theater seats.
In the ever-evolving landscape of film marketing, one challenge has remained constant: driving audiences to theaters. With the rise of streaming services, social media, and changing consumer behaviors, traditional advertising methods often fall short in capturing the attention of potential moviegoers.
Enter TikTok. A powerful destination for discovery with boundless creative potential, and home to a passionate community of film buffs, TikTok offers studios an avenue to connect with viewers in a fresh and dynamic way.
New research from TikTok's Marketing Science team uncovers how the platform can help film studios rewrite the script, reignite the magic of the theater experience, and drive viewers to the big screen like never before. Roll out the red carpet for TikTok, the new star of movie marketing!
Lights, camera, TikTok: the home of entertainment enthusiasts
Entertainment and TikTok go hand in hand. In fact, the #1 reason people use TikTok is to be entertained or lift their mood.¹ The TikTok audience is the moviegoing audience, with TikTok users +44% more likely than non-users to go to the movies at least once per month.²
TikTok is a full-screen, sound-on experience where entertainment content thrives. This lends itself to showing Hollywood content in an entertaining and engaging format. In fact, movies & TV is the 4th most viewed content category on the platform.³ Viewers come to watch and share a variety of content about upcoming films including clips, behind the scenes interviews, fan theories, and reactions to new trailers. They also come to discuss their favorite movie scenes and franchises, all while discovering new films to add to their list. Users actively search on TikTok for new and upcoming movie releases, reviews, and recommendations.⁴ TikTok users are always on the hunt for the next big blockbuster or indie darling, making them the perfect audience for studios looking to fill theater seats.
Creating box office buzz
TikTok isn't just a hub where cinephiles gather to rave about their favorite flicks; it's a dynamic source of discovery, ultimately inspiring audiences to make a beeline for the box office. New research found that 47% of users say that they have discovered a new movie coming to theaters on TikTok.⁵ After discovering a new movie on the platform, TikTok users are inspired to take action, including 36% purchasing a ticket⁶ - which is easier than ever thanks to built-in product features like Spotlight.
1 in 3 moviegoers on TikTok say that TikTok was the source that led them to watch a new movie in theaters.⁵ What drives these viewers to the theater? It all comes down to the immersive cinematic experience that only a theater can provide, with 71% saying they were motivated to watch a new movie in theaters because they enjoy the theater experience.⁵ They also enjoy the shared magic of watching a film together: 72% of TikTok moviegoers typically go to the theater with others, most frequently their partners, friends, or children.⁵
Genre also plays a supporting role in driving TikTok audiences to the big screen, with 67% of TikTok moviegoers saying genre is the most important factor in their decision to go to the theater.⁵ Paid campaigns on TikTok have proven success at boosting interest to go see films across genres: +2.3% for Animation, +0.9% for Action, +1.8% for Horror, +1.0% for Comedy, +3.2% for Romance.⁷ Movie marketers can bring in fans by leaning into beloved genre tropes and fandoms for existing IP across trailers, sneak peeks, and behind-the-scenes content. Trailers and sneak peeks drive interest, with 62% of TikTok movie goers stating seeing a trailer influenced their decision to go to the theater and 58% saying sneak peeks influenced their decision.⁵
Studios should highlight talent as well - 62% of TikTok moviegoers say the actors of the movie are influential in their decision to see a new movie, 2nd to only the genre.⁵
A second chance at an opening weekend
The excitement doesn't end after TikTok moviegoers leave the theater. After all, the TikTok community isn't just watching entertainment content - they're also creating their own. Through co-creation between studios, creators, and fans, content is amplified to reach an engaged audience in an emotionally impactful way. In fact, 80% of TikTok users have engaged with their favorite show or movie on TikTok,⁸ and those who discovered entertainment content on TikTok are 1.3x more likely to watch reaction videos from creators.⁹
Studios can harness positive online buzz from early showings to ride the wave to continued success. While 77% of of TikTok moviegoers prefer to see movies within 2 weeks of release, campaign flighting should be maintained beyond opening week to reach the additional 18% who wait 3-4 weeks.⁵
Online buzz is a major factor in mobilizing TikTok moviegoers, with over 4 in 10 agreeing it motivated them to see a movie in theaters.⁵ Major 2023 titles Saltburn and Barbie saw sustained popularity on TikTok post-release, spurred by word-of-mouth hype online.¹⁰
Online buzz is created through community engagement. In order to grab the spotlight early and inspire action, studios should engage with the TikTok community through challenges and trends. Research shows that ads featuring TikTok trends in the first few seconds are 1.5x more likely to hook attention and keep viewers watching¹¹ - and 39% of TikTok moviegoers say trends or challenges influenced their decision to go to the theatre.¹²
Beyond the theatrical release, studios have a sequel opportunity to engage audiences through streaming premieres, where TikTok also plays a leading role. More than 1 in 3 (34%) TikTok moviegoers say TikTok was the source that led them to watch a new movie on streaming.⁵
Case study: Twisters
Summer box office hit Twisters kicked off a five-month TikTok campaign with the release of its first trailer on Super Bowl Sunday. Universal Pictures earned an audience of engaged and active viewers that organically grew over time, but saw explosive growth once they coupled organic strategy and native content creation within a high-impact paid placement.
Twisters captured audiences with unique premiere content, creator activations across both the #filmtok and LatinX communities, and a native TikTok approach. Strategic high-impact media like a TopView placement showing highlights from the LA premiere right before opening weekend put the hype machine into overdrive, with the @twistersmovie TikTok account amassing almost 200k followers ahead of the release. The Twisters-related hashtags also saw over 149M likes, 951K comments, and 12.9M shares - showing just how much the excitement grew for Twisters content on the platform.
The film blew away expectations, generating $81M at the box office in its opening weekend - 60% higher than tracking estimates.
Upon release, another wave of buzz erupted around the 4DX experience, driving more people to the theater as they wanted to experience what others were showcasing on TikTok. The demand was so high that 4DX is bringing the film back for an extended run. This is in line with data showing that preference for premium large formats (PLF) is on the rise: in 2023, 50% of moviegoers stated that they always or sometimes see a movie in theaters in PLF.¹³
Case study: Bad Boys: Ride or Die
To mark the 4th installment in the Bad Boys franchise, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Sony Pictures kicked off a TikTok campaign in March with the release of the first trailer. From that moment, the digital marketing team sustained constant TikTok-first content and media beats over the subsequent 3 months leading up to opening weekend.
Bad Boys 4 captured audiences with strategic high-impact media throughout May and June, and leveraged In-Feed Ads to sustain user interest and drive ticket sales during release. From behind-the-scenes moments to interacting with fans through comment reply videos, the campaign captivated audiences with a TikTok-first approach.
To galvanize word-of-mouth hype, the studio engaged creators with a combined social reach of over 1.4 billion, including @harrymackofficial, @jeremylynch and @devonrodriguezart. TikTok creator @khabylame even had a cameo in the movie - and shot custom content with stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence that was distributed across channels.
The studio ran a Branded Mission and called on TikTok creators to show "whatcha gonna do to get hyped for the summer’s biggest movie?" The community understood the assignment, showcasing their baddest selves: the clear and easy-to-follow prompt, coupled with the iconic Bad Boys theme song, drove over 2K TikTok users to participate, which helped garner nearly 74M views on the hashtag and official song.
The campaign did its job: Box Office Lift Study results showed a 249% lift in ticket purchase confirmations and $1.79 positive incremental return on investment (22x higher than TV). The Branded Mission took a starring role, with a 2x conversion rate compared to the overall campaign. The movie kicked off the summer box office, amassing over $56M during opening weekend in North America, and drove north of $400M from worldwide box office sales for the studio.
Small screen, big impact
TikTok is more than just a video platform; it's a blockbuster hit in the world of film marketing. It drives discovery and ignites interest among an engaged community of entertainment super-fans.
TikTok offers film studios a red carpet opportunity to showcase their latest releases and create buzz that lasts long after the popcorn is gone. So, if you're looking to fill theater seats and set the box office on fire, it's time to cast TikTok in a leading role in your advertising strategy. Roll the credits on traditional methods and let TikTok take center stage – our audience is ready for your next box office smash!
Sources
TikTok Marketing Science Global Time Well Spent Study 2021, conducted by Kantar
GWI, USA, Q2 2023 - Q1 2024, TikTok Users 18+, TikTok's use of this data does not equate to an endorsement
TikTok Internal Data, US, January 2023
TikTok Internal Data, US, Sept 2023 - Nov 2023
TikTok Marketing Science US Custom Theatrical Survey via AYTM, October 2023, Base: TikTok Users 18+, n = 1000 (movie viewers in theaters or on streaming)
TikTok Marketing Science US Custom Theatrical Survey via AYTM, October 2023, Base: TikTok Users 18+, n = 446 (have discovered a new movie from TikTok)
TikTok Brand Lift Movie Meta Analysis, 2022-2023. Statistically significant at 90% confidence level
GoodQues TikTok Entertainment Study 2021
TikTok Marketing Science US Entertainment Tune-In Study 2022 conducted by Material
TikTok Internal Data, Global, 2023, #saltburn & #barbie
TikTok Marketing Science Global How to Hook Study [US, UK, GCC] 2023, conducted by Metrixlab
TikTok Marketing Science US Custom Theatrical Survey via AYTM, October 2023, Base: TikTok Users 18+, n = 331 (led to watch a new movie in theaters by TikTok content)
NRG Future Of Film Study 2023