Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Viewer Demand? Not Much

The Mouse tried an experiment that didn't deliver.

... [O]nly six weeks after Disney's Tangled was released in theaters in [Portugal], the animated film was offered for a limited time on Video On Demand for 24.99 euros ($32.73 U.S.). Disney declined to discuss the results, but by all accounts, it wasn't considered a success, attracting fewer than 1,000 hits. ...

I think our fine entertainment conglomerates are in a conundrum, trying to exploit product in the most efficient (and lucrative) way possible. Piracy is always breathing down large companies' necks, so it's understandable for them to try different delivery systems.

But apparently the thirty-two buck price point was a trifle high. Even when you have a hot entertainment item -- and Tangled was clearly hot -- people are only going to shell out so much cash to see it. (Just ask all the record companies that discovered their $16 CDs didn't go over when there were other, cheaper ways for customers to acquire the music.)

4 comments:

Sergio said...

I'm a portuguese animator and I followed very closely Tangled perfomance in Portugal wich is considered a hit, and the first time i heard about this VOD offer was here in TAG. There was no publicity at all. Still it wouldn't be a succees since 24 euros is too much. In portugal a ticket to watch Tangled in 3D is around 7/8 euros (and you even get a free ticket if you have an acount with one of the TV services that is offering the film on VOD). People prefer to go to the theater with this kind of prices.

Wantmymoneyback! said...

Tangled was not worth the $15 I paid at the theater either. What a run of the mill pic it was....

Anonymous said...

Alert! Alert! somebody woke up a DreamWanker Troll!

Anonymous said...

I just saw this recently, and think it was completely underrated. I thought it felt very classic "Disney", and the animation was amazing. I work in the animation business for a competitor, my hats off to them..gorgeous film.

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