Latest news with #DiO
Times
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Young men want ‘strong and independent' female film characters
Young men are increasingly responding positively to 'strong and independent' female film characters, rather than those in supporting roles, according to a study. Research has found that younger male viewers prefer character-driven storytelling with narrative depth to relentless, high-octane action scenes. The demographic demonstrated a 5 per cent higher 'immersion score' when shown character-driven trailers, compared with more action-driven promotional campaigns, according to an analysis of 37,000 people by the audience testing company DiO. Recent films with strong female characters have included Demi Moore's The Substance, Cynthia Erivo's Wicked and Cate Blanchett's Tár. The firm used facial coding, biometric and cognitive data to reach its conclusions, which it said upended assumptions about audience appetites. Ade Shannon, chief executive and founder of DiO, told the entertainment website Deadline that the findings could prove instructive to film studios.'This data points towards a shifting perception of masculinity and an evolving appetite for richer, more grounded storytelling,' he said. The film industry continues to rely heavily on 'focus groups and long-held audience assumptions' to assess how best to market films to specific audiences, he claimed. But these 'outdated concepts' were costing studios millions of dollars each year in lost revenue because they were alienating potential audiences. The marketing team behind Danny Dyer's latest film Marching Powder used the research to increase interest among women ALAMY DiO worked with True Brit when the production company was marketing the Danny Dyer film Marching Powder, released in March. In the film, Dyer's character Jack Jones has six weeks to turn his life around, save his marriage and avoid prison by overcoming his drugs habit. Chris Besseling, True Brit's head of theatrical distribution, marketing and publicity, said the company had developed a 'two-pronged campaign' as a result of DiO's findings. 'We were able to identify the specific moments, characters, lines and gags from the trailer that resonated most strongly with the two distinctly different audiences that we were targeting,' he said. The strategy was said to have helped propel the film's box office performance past £3 million, more than twice its budget. The growth was attributed to a 45 per cent increase in the anticipated female audience, which was achieved without putting male fans off. Last December a study of 750 men and boys aged 8-30 found a growing desire for a variety of fully developed, relatable role models in films. The global insights and strategy company National Research Group discovered that almost half of those surveyed were keen for role models who were emotionally vulnerable and had deep and meaningful friendships with other men.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Film Trailer Research Reveals 'Young Male Audience Turning To Softer Men, Stronger Women Characters'
Marketing to specific audiences continues to cost film studios and distributors millions of dollars each year, however, 'reliance on focus groups and long-held audience assumptions are outdated concepts and costing the industry millions more in lost revenue opportunities.' This is the verdict of audience intelligence platform DiO, who have spent the last two years analysing how different trailers and other screen content lands with particular audiences. More from Deadline 'Rivals' Author Jilly Cooper Gives View On Intimacy Coordinators Ahead Of Disney+ Comedy-Drama's Second Season 'Eddington' Trailer: Joaquin Phoenix Gets Into Standoff With Pedro Pascal In A24's Covid-Era Western From Filmmaker Ari Aster Netflix Unveils Trailer For Tyler Perry's 'Madea's Destination Wedding' DiO claims their analysis tools – including facial coding, biometric and cognitive data – confound traditional assumptions about audience appetites, and reveal a surprising shift in how viewers engage emotionally with what they see on screen. Their research was conducted across 37,000 consumers of content and key findings include: Younger male viewers respond more strongly to character-driven storytelling with narrative depth than to relentless, high-octane action scenes For this demographic, there is a 5% difference in immersion scores between character-driven and action-driven trailers For this same audience segment, there is a preference for female characters who are strong and independent over those who are hyper-stylised or given supporting roles DiO CEO and founder Ade Shannon said: 'This data points towards a shifting perception of masculinity and an evolving appetite for richer, more grounded storytelling.' Indie production studio True Brit recently used the data amassed by DiO to plan the marketing campaign around their title Marching Powder, specifically to pinpoint aspects of the film that would appeal to potential viewers outside its core 35+ male audience. Released in March, Marching Powder stars popular 'hardman' British actor Danny Dyer as Jack, a man arrested for fighting and drug possession during a football hooligan brawl, who is ordered by court to go to couples' therapy. True Brit shares that tweaking their campaign based on the data boosted their strong box office opening of £3.1m against a £1.6m production budget, specifically increasing its female audience to 45% without isolating their core audience. Commenting on the strategy, Chris Besseling, the studio's head of theatrical distribution, Marketing and Publicity, said: 'Using the detailed analytics provided by DiO's report, we were able to identify the specific moments, characters, lines and gags from the trailer that resonated most strongly with the two distinctly different audiences that we were targeting. This enabled us to build a tailored, two-pronged campaign with bespoke creative assets that best served the different potential audience groups.' Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
