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PostTrak: Unveiling Audience Insights

A comprehensive analysis of the service that quantifies film reception and shapes cinematic strategy.

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What is PostTrak?

Film Audience Surveys

PostTrak is a specialized service based in the United States that conducts comprehensive surveys of film audiences. Its primary function is to gather detailed feedback on behalf of film studios, providing critical insights into viewer reception and engagement.

Quantifying Reception

The service is designed to measure and analyze audience opinions regarding films. This data is instrumental in understanding a film's performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and informing future marketing and distribution strategies within the competitive film industry.

Historical Context

Genesis and Launch

PostTrak was conceived and designed by Kevin Goetz, who also serves as the founder and CEO of Screen Engine/ASI. The service officially launched in 2013 through a strategic partnership between Screen Engine and Rentrak, a company known for providing essential box office data to studios.

Market Disruption

Launched in 2013, PostTrak aimed to challenge the long-standing dominance of CinemaScore, a rival polling firm. CinemaScore had been criticized for relying on potentially outdated polling techniques and employing a limited sample size. PostTrak introduced a more extensive approach, surveying audiences across 20 major markets in the U.S. and Canada, significantly broadening the scope compared to previous services.

Methodology and Reporting

Geographic Scope

PostTrak conducts its surveys within the top 20 designated markets across both the United States and Canada. This broad geographical coverage ensures a representative sample of the viewing public for wide-release films.

Data Collection and Analysis

The service employs a dual approach to data collection, utilizing both traditional polling cards distributed to moviegoers and electronic kiosks. The resulting PostTrak reports aggregate crucial data points, including:

  • Demographic composition of the audience.
  • Overall opinions and sentiment towards the film.
  • Impressions of the film's marketing campaigns.
  • Information on when tickets were purchased.
  • Audience intentions regarding future home media purchases or rentals.

Scoring and Feedback

Unlike CinemaScore's letter grade system (A+ to F), PostTrak assigns a positive score percentage on a 1-100 scale. It also captures other critical audience reactions, such as the likelihood of recommending the film to friends and family.

Comparative Analysis

PostTrak vs. CinemaScore

PostTrak emerged as a significant competitor to CinemaScore, offering a more modern and extensive approach to audience polling. Key distinctions include:

  • Market Coverage: PostTrak covers 20 markets, whereas CinemaScore historically focused on a much smaller number (often three to four).
  • Scoring System: PostTrak uses a 1-100% positive score and recommendation likelihood, providing a nuanced quantitative measure. CinemaScore uses a letter grade scale (A+ to F).
  • Methodology Critique: PostTrak was positioned as an advancement over CinemaScore's perceived "outdated polling techniques."

This competitive dynamic has influenced how studios gather and interpret audience feedback.

Corporate Structure

Evolution of Ownership

The ownership structure of PostTrak has evolved through strategic acquisitions. In 2016, Comscore acquired Rentrak. Consequently, PostTrak is currently jointly owned by Comscore and Screen Engine, reflecting a consolidation of data analytics and audience research capabilities within the film industry.

Key Details

Service Overview

The following table summarizes the core attributes of PostTrak:

PostTrak Overview
Company type Film surveys
Founded 2013
Headquarters
United States
Areas served
United States, Canada
Key people
Kevin Goetz
Parent Comscore
Website comscore.com

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the PostTrak Wikipedia page

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Disclaimer

Important Notice

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.

This is not professional advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional consultation regarding film industry analytics, market research, or business strategy. Always refer to official documentation and consult with qualified professionals for specific needs.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.