Identifying the Diffusion Patterns of Movies by Opening Strength and Profitability

Motion picture industry is one of the most representative fields in the cultural industry and has experienced constant growth both worldwide and within domestic markets. However, little research has been undertaken for diffusion patterns of motion pictures, whereas various issues such as demand forecasting and success factor analysis have been widely explored. To analyze diffusion patterns, we adopted extended Bass model to reflect the potential demand of movies. Four clusters of selected movies were derived by k-means clustering method with criteria of opening strength and profitability and then compared by their diffusion patterns. Results indicated that movies with high profitability and medium opening strength are most significantly influenced by word of mouth effect, while low profitability movies display nearly monotonic decreasing diffusion patterns with noticeable initial adoption rates and relatively early peak points in their runs.