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Art versus commerce in the movie industry: a Two-Path Model of Motion-Picture Success

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Abstract

Previous studies of the movie industry have raised questions concerning the problematic relationship between the success-related aspects of artistic excellence and commercial appeal. The present article proposes that—when the former is measured by industry recognition (Oscars and other awards) and the latter by market performance (box office and video rentals) and when the former hinges on the evaluative judgments of reviewers and consumers (ratings of excellence) and the latter on the level of buzz among these audience members (amount of attention, word of mouth, or click of mouse)—the two phenomena are essentially separable as independent paths to conceptually distinct and empirically uncorrelated aspects of motion-picture success. An analysis of data for 190 movies from the year 2003 shows that reviewer-and-consumer evaluations and buzz respond differently to a film’s marketing clout (production budget, opening screens, and opening box office) and that these audience responses contribute independently to a film’s industry recognition and market performance along two separable paths. These findings suggest various implications for movie marketers, film producers, actors or actresses, and other members of the motion-picture industry.

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Notes

  1. Examples include Basuroy et al. (2003), Basuroy et al. (2006), Boatwright et al. (2005), Desai and Basuroy (2005), Clement et al. (2006), Eliashberg and Shugan (1997), Hennig-Thurau et al. (2007), Holbrook (1999, 2005), Kamakura et al. (2006), Litman (1983), Litman and Ahn (1998), Prag and Casavant (1994), Ravid (1999), Ravid et al. (2006), Sawhney and Eliashberg (1996), Sochay (1994), Wallace et al. (1993), and Zufryden (2000).

  2. For reviews, please see Bloom (1987), Bourdieu (1984, 1993), Brantlinger (1983), Cameron (1995), Gans (1974), Henry (1994), Holbrook (1995), Ross (1989), Strinati (1995), Twitchell (1992), and Washburn and Thornton (1996).

  3. Relevant examples include Albert (1998), Basuroy et al. (2003), Chisolm (2004), Chung and Cox (1998), Clement et al. (2006), Desai and Basuroy (2005), De Vany and Walls (1999, 2004), Deuchert et al. (2005), Elberse and Anand (2006), Eliashberg et al. (2007), Hennig-Thurau et al. (2001, 2007), Holbrook (1999), Jansen (2005), Litman (1983), Litman and Ahn (1998), McCalman (2005), Prag and Casavant (1994), Ravid (1999), Ravid et al. (2006), Sawhney and Eliashberg (1996), Sedgwick and Pokorny (1999), and Wallace et al. (1993).

  4. Please see, for example, Basuroy et al. (2003, 2006), Clement et al. (2006), Dodds and Holbrook (1988), Elberse and Eliashberg (2003), Eliashberg and Shugan (1997), Hennig-Thurau et al. (2007), Litman (1983), Litman and Ahn (1998), Ravid (1999), Ravid et al. (2006), Sochay (1994), and Zufryden (2000).

  5. Oscars-related studies include those by Clement et al. (2006), Deuchert et al. (2005), Dodds and Holbrook (1988), Ginsburgh (2003), Hennig-Thurau et al. (2007), Holbrook (1999), Litman (1983), Litman and Ahn (1998), Nelson et al. (2001), Prag and Casavant (1994), Smith and Smith (1986), Sochay (1994), and Sommers (1983–1984).

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Acknowledgment

Holbrook gratefully acknowledges the support of his School’s Faculty Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, 504 Uris Hall, New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Morris B. Holbrook

  2. Apartment 5H, 140 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10024, USA

    Morris B. Holbrook

  3. Faculty of Economics, University of Rome III, Via Silvio D’Amico 111, Rome, 00145, Italy

    Michela Addis

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Correspondence to Morris B. Holbrook.

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Holbrook, M.B., Addis, M. Art versus commerce in the movie industry: a Two-Path Model of Motion-Picture Success. J Cult Econ 32, 87–107 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-007-9059-2

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