1/3 of Moviegoers Purchase Tickets Via Mobile Phone

Checking movie info via smartphoneLong gone are the days of checking the newspaper for local movie times, or dialing Moviefone for listings.  Today, mobile plays a huge part in our search to find the right movie and time. A recent report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and InMobi examines how much people rely on smartphones for moviegoing information.

The study looked at smartphone use among moviegoers, or respondents who said they would see a film at theaters within the next three months (this equals about 50% of adults). Here are some of the highlights:

  • 1/3 of moviegoers buy tickets on mobile phones
  • 87% of moviegoers researched a movie on smartphones after seeing an ad for that movie in another medium
  • 56% of moviegoers turn to mobile for entertainment research (basically equal with TV, where 57% of respondents get their movie information)
  • two out of three moviegoers use a movie-related app for activities like buying tickets, checking listings, and playing games based on the movies
  • 41% of moviegoers have viewed trailers on smartphones
  • 49% of moviegoers say they use their mobile phone “always” or “very often” to help plan their trips to the movies

IAB’s conclusion: “If there was an Oscar for Best Supporting Technology for Moviegoers, mobile phones would have a lock on it.” Which begs the question – are advertisers paying attention?

You can download the full report here.