Entertainment Communication Decisions, Episode 2: “Earned” Channels

In addition to paid and owned communication, “earned” communications channels are essential for success in entertainment. We analyze the role of word of mouth and distinguish between three types of such consumer communication: traditional, social media, and other electronic word of mouth, which are more than substitutes for each other when it comes to influencing an entertainment product’s performance. While word of mouth triggers “informed cascades” of information, we show that uninformed information cascades can also be quite influential. We discuss high chart rankings and pre-release buzz as powerful signals, both of which drive the success of new entertainment products, though at different points in time. We further portray automated recommender systems that process information about consumers’ liking of certain products into an information source that is considered to be valuable by others. The cultural nature of entertainment assigns further importance to judgments by professional reviewers and industry peers, as reflected in reviews and awards, such as the Oscar.