Filmies

Market

Target market

Coupled with rapid infrastructure and technology improvements, film fans are better equipped than ever to watch high quality films at home and on multiple, mobile devices.

Filmies target market comprises four potential user groups or 'Personas' as follows:

Persona 1:

Student, aged 18-23
Low disposable income
Owns multiple devices
Utilises free (illegal) stream & download services
Watches films with others (housemates, girlfriend, boyfriend etc)
Infrequent and ad hoc cinema-goer
Average 3-12 films watched per month
Active on multiple social media
Critical Early adopter – user growth engine.

Persona 2:

Young / early stage career professional
Aged 23-40
Owner of multiple devices, perhaps owner of smart TV
City dweller, car owner
Infrequent cinema goer, usually to watch blockbuster or big name film
Film watching & cinema attendance based around busy lifestyle – usually purpose to relax
High disposable income
Box set watcher
Lovefilm or Netflix account
DVD buyer
Nostalgic to films – used to rent films from blockbuster or film store
Active on multiple social media on multiple devices
Late adopter to filmies but significant revenue generator (mass audience)
Likely to be highest average spend per user
2-5 films per month.

Persona 3:

Technically competent
Film fan & Gamer
Very keen technology follower with multiple high tech devices, capable of streaming and/or watching films on the move.
Watches 0-4 films per month
Moderate disposable income
This group is fewest in number but essential for growth as early adopters and likely to ‘spread the word’
Early adopter and loyal user
Occasional film magazine purchaser / subscriber.

Persona 4:

Unadulterated film buff
Medium to high disposable income
Possibly a genre-specific film fan
Member of cinema or film club
Film magazine purchaser / subscriber
Possibly film blogger
Active on multiple social media
5-15 films per month
Community builder.

Characteristics of target market

Film recommendations are hugely influential in driving film viewing. There are two types; behavioural-based algorithm-driven recommendations (in 2012, 75% of items watched on Netflix were a result of a Netflix recommendation); whilst the other type is user-originated peer-to-peer recommendations. We found that frustration is building within film-watching communities around the former - film fans seem to place a growing emphasis on the latter.

In 2013, 376m films were downloaded or streamed in UK (vs 280m watched in physical format).

Total online spend on films in the UK increased to £193m in 2013(BFI). Ofcom suggests that 25% of internet users aged 12+ have downloaded or streamed film content.

Recently, online content providers such as Netflix (c. 2m UK users), Amazon Prime Instant (formerly Lovefilm) and Blinkbox have seen rapid growth in users and watched content.

It is expected that the global digital film market (streaming and downloading) will grow 17% p.a to a $20bn market by 2018. (Blinkbox).

Marketing strategy

Knowing that the target market is primarily those who are already familiar with multiple other social networks, the digital marketing strategy will primarily be based around existing social networks; facebook, Google+ and twitter. Pages are already established on these networks with active followings. We are in discussions with a leading freelance social media manager to build a social media content and campaign plan for pre-launch buzz-building and launch.

Filmies already has an established blog with two active unpaid bloggers creating topical and well-written articles, in order to assimilate content, build the brand and drive traffic to filmies. It is anticipated that this activity will ramp up around launch date.

A number of relationships have been built with existing film bloggers, film writers, journalists etc, to attempt to create a group of key influencers. These include those with twitter followers in the 000's, active bloggers, journalists of well known online and print media. These relationships will be utilised in order to get reviews and links in publications.

In addition to the digital marketing strategy, there will be a physical marketing strategy, involving linking in with existing film enthusiast groups. Arranging attendance at events and handing out promotional material at events and outside cinemas.

Filmies aims to meet the demand by creating initially an iOS app. Immediate plans also include development of an Android app.

In future, Filmies is also investigating the future potential development of a Smart TV application.

Competition strategy

Filmies' USP is its simplicity, its community-curated data tagging system, and the focus on the user not the reviewer.

There are no complex algorithms that determine film recommendations, and all recommendations have a credible, trustworthy source i.e. another human being with a name and a face.

Compared to other social, peer-to-peer film sites, filmies is linear and straightforward. Comments and film reviews are secondary to the key activity of making a recommendation i.e. a positive affirmation of a film. Filmies can also create their own film communities, sharing film knowledge and comments.

Filmies recognises the importance of two key user groups; firstly recommenders and data taggers are the knowledge-holders, the film experts, and the ones who are happy to share their knowledge. Through gamification, the site incentivises this group to recommend, providing digital and real rewards for increased activity on the site. The second group of 'film-watchers' need inspiration in making decisions. The app is built to support both user journeys.

The filmies concept is different to that of 'reviewing' which ultimately may end up with neither a positive nor a negative recommendation of the film. Filmies simplified the film-watching decision process.

There are many current market offerings for the reviewer; Jinni, tastekid, Suggest Me Movie, criticker etc. However there are few offerings for connecting friends and creating networks of like-minded film fans in order to share film recommendations.

The two most similar competitors to filmies are letterboxd and seen that. Both have been launched in 2013. Both sites are focused towards the film reviewer, rather than the film-watcher, providing a platform for experts to provide their reviews, without really supporting the decision-making process of a keen but less well-informed film-watcher.