“Pirates Are The Movie Industry’s Most Valuable Customers”

[shamu726]

The movie industry is trying a different approach towards piracy, recognizing that the people they tried to criminalize are actually their best customers. "We know that the people that infringe content are the most valuable audience group," Liz Bales of The Industry Trust says.

“Piracy, it’s a crime” and “You can click but you can’t hide” are slogans from two familiar anti-piracy campaigns launched by the movie industry in the 2000s.

Despite these efforts, unauthorized copying grew in popularity over the past decade, spurred on by better broadband connections and cheaper bandwidth. Perhaps of even greater interest, there was also a counterproductive element to this negative messaging which the movie industry overlooked.

Pirates are actually the industry’s most valuable customers.

In recent years several studies have shown that those who share movies illegally tend to spend more on legal entertainment. This finding is now recognized by the Industry Trust For IP Awareness, which includes all major Hollywood studios among its members.

“We know that the people that infringe content are the most valuable audience group,” Liz Bales, Director of the Industry Trust says.

“They go to the cinema more than the national average, they are buying more Blu-rays than anyone else. They are more likely to have a Sky subscription and they are massively in love with Lovefilm and Netflix,” Bales told TechRadar.

With the above in mind, the movie industry has been rolling out a new series of anti-piracy PSAs. Instead of criminalizing their own audience, the campaigns gently suggest that their customers should pirate a little less.

“It’s saying that we know you love movies and value that you are spending money on movies but we just want you to do a bit more of the right things and less of the infringement,” Bales explains.

In other words, the messaging has become more positive, pointing out that there are plenty of legal options to choose from. The latest video in this series focuses on the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man 2 release.

Using the slogan “moments worth paying for” the video points out that people can also pay for their movies, hoping it will encourage pirates to pay more often.

Whether these positive campaigns will prove successful remains to be seen, but it’s a refreshing approach for sure.

It’s worth paying for

Source: TorrentFreak

[Roy W]

About time that some one recognized this.

Not all "pirates" are pirates.

There are good and bad amongst all of us.

Lol! :P

[VileTouch]

that's correct. i might download or stream a movie at times. but that doesn't mean i do not go to the theater afterwards and watch it again if it's good.. "a moment worth paying for" ...perhaps with someone else!... downloading does not equal "theaters are bad". it means the current business model is fatally flawed and does not conform to the current era of global free access of all information. and if anything a "pirate" will encourage a much greater audience to go and watch their movies to the theater! so the supposed "loss" actually generate more revenue for them.

but you and i already know this ¬¬

Edited March 5, 2014 by VileTouch

[#return 1337]

I usually download the movie because I don't want the additional soundtrack that comes with going to the theater, and they won't let you use the headphones unless you're deaf.

[voodoohippie]

I've Downloaded some movies and then saw the movie was good but the copy was poor and decided to go to the theater with my wife and actually experience it in SURROUND SOUND and on the huge screen with some popcorn and pop to go with it.