A new study conducted across 37,000 consumers, and incorporating analysis tools such as facial coding along with biometric and cognitive data, has yielded some interesting results about screen representation of masculinity.
Deadline reports that audience intelligence platform DiO have spent the last two years analysing how different movie trailers and other screen content works with audiences. The results show a shift in what viewers engage with emotionally on screen.
One of the more interesting results is that “younger male viewers respond more strongly to character-driven storytelling with narrative depth than to relentless, high-octane action scenes”. That same demographic also preferred “female characters who are strong and independent over those who are hyper-stylised or given supporting roles.”
In other words, younger generations want less traditional male/female archetypes and more dimensional and complex characters, regardless of gender. DiO CEO and founder Ade Shannon says: “This data points towards a shifting perception of masculinity and an evolving appetite for richer, more grounded storytelling.”
The summary of the study claims “reliance on focus groups and long-held audience assumptions are outdated concepts” – and costs the industry millions in lost revenue. The data has already begun to be used to tweak marketing campaigns, with at least one film in the UK indicating it was a big success for them.
