In an exclusive report today, The Hollywood Reporter (specifically Aaron Crouch) wrote that Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) will begin making it easier for movie studios to directly appeal to those that are talking about seeing a movie. It makes a tremendous amount of sense at the end of the day with movie studios representing some of the biggest advertisers on Twitter.
Movies join television
“Our recent research shows that Twitter is a major influence on movie choice. Not only are people hearing about new movies on Twitter, they are using it to make a decision about what to see, then sharing their experience with friends,” says Jeffrey Graham, Twitter’s global head of research. “The research highlighted just how many different opportunities there are for marketers to connect with this behavior on Twitter.”
Twitter launched a very similar campaign last Fall when it began a conversation-targeting feature for TV shows. Twitter says that its users have already sent over 55 million tweets over specific movies this year.
“This is definitely the next evolution. Advertising has to get more efficient,” said Mary Daily, chief marketing officer for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. With better-targeted ads on Twitter, “you don’t want to interrupt the conversation, but you have the opportunity to put something relevant in front of someone.”
How Twitter’s targeted ads work
Essentially, it allows studios to target users in two separate ways. If you mention a movie by title, expect studios to be made aware of this quite quickly and you will likely be pushed a movie trailer for an upcoming release. Studios will also be able to target users by genre. If you mention the film “Notting Hill” or Julie Roberts and the studio either has a romantic comedy coming out or and upcoming film with Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts another trailer will be targeted at your.
Without specifying what studios were presently involved, Twitter spokesman Will Stickney said that a “closed beta” test was currently ongoing and that the product will be made widely available to studios sometime in the middle of Twitter’s fourth quarter.
Twitter is working with two social-media research firms for the project, Fizziology and Networked Insights.
“Our movie solution will assist studios to maximize the unique power Twitter provides to more precisely understand, engage and activate the optimal audiences for each movie throughout a movie’s journey to opening weekend,” said Howard Ballon, general manager of media and entertainment for Networked Insights today.
