The blockbuster blueprint: towards a stakeholder theory-based marketing framework

PurposeThis study aims to examine the intricate relationships in the making of a box office through a stakeholder lens that considers the influence of filmmakers and theatres on moviegoers' intention to watch a movie at the theatre.Design/methodology/approachEmploying covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM), this study analyses survey data on cinema-going experience collected from 673 moviegoers in digital era of a new normal.FindingsThe findings elucidate that movie branding, movie genre and theatre preference positively influence moviegoers' intention to watch a movie at the theatre. Furthermore, the study unveils that theatre preference is swayed by an array of personal and social factors, including control belief and social companion. Intriguingly, promotional elements, both commercial and non-commercial, were found to influence movie branding, yet not the genre when predicting theatre attendance intentions.Research limitations/implicationsAmid the burgeoning alternatives for watching movies (e.g. cable television and online streaming platforms), this article offers a contemporary exploration of the variables that motivate audiences to partake in the cinema-going experience, thereby serving as a proxy to decipher the factors that drive a movie's box-office success in digital era.Originality/valueUnlike prior studies relying on archival data, the present study collects and uses survey data to develop a novel stakeholder theory-based marketing framework for the box office and moviegoers. The study also provides seminal insights on the box office and moviegoers in the digital era of a new normal.