Chinese and Korean animation film markets are important markets for U.S. animation filmmakers, and audiences in these two markets are considered to show different preferences towards marketing factors which are used by film producers and suppliers. This study explores the effects of selected factors affecting Chinese and Korean consumers’ choice for U.S. animation films with a comparative survey method. Two important dimensions of film marketing tools (i.e., localization and production images) are considered as factors which include title translation, poster localization, actor image, director image, and film studio image. Total of 450 responses are collected both from South Korea and China and used for comparative analysis. Chinese and Korean consumers are found to show different preferences toward marketing programs which are applied to U.S. animation film products. Findings provide suggestions and implications for marketers and distributors of imported animation film products.
Keywords: Localization, Production Image, Title Translation, Animated Film, Consumer Choice, Cultural DifferenceAlbert, S. (1998). Movie stars and the distribution of financially successful films in the motion picture industry. Journal of Cultural Economics, 22(4), 249-–270.
Cho, Y. (2014), Comparison of Korea and Japan in terms of translating American movie titles. Interpreting and Translation Studies, 18(4), 274-–294.
Chan, A. K. K. (1997). Localization in international branding: A longitudinal comparison of the Chinese names of foreign brands in Hong Kong between 1987-–1988 and 1994-–1995. Journal of Marketing Communications, 3(2), 127-–137.
China Yearly Box Office in 2016, and Korea Yearly Box Office in 2016. (2017, November 20). Box oOffice mMojo. Retrieved from http://www.boxofficemojo.com
Choi, S. M., & Rifon, N. J. (2012). It is a match: The impact of congruence between celebrity image and consumer ideal self on endorsement effectiveness. Psychology & Marketing, 29(9), 639-–650.
Desborde, R. D. (1990). Development and testing of a psychometric scale to measure country-of- origin image. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Florida State University.
Fagerholm, C. (2017. November 202009). The use of color in movie poster design: - An analysis of four genres (Unpublished master`s thesis). Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu, Location, 2009, 1-60. Retrieved from http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-200904242168.
Feng, G. C. (2017). The dynamics of the Chinese film industry: Factors affecting Chinese audiences’ intentions to see movies. Asia Pacific Business Review, 23(5), 658-–676.
Fishbein, M., & Ajzen. J. (1975). Belief, Attitude, Intention and Behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Cambridge, MA: Addison- Wesley.
Francis, J. N. P., Lam, J., & Walls, J. P. Y. (2002). Executive insights: The impact of linguistic differences on international brand name standardization: A comparison of English and Chinese brand name of fFortune-500 companies. Journal of International Marketing, 10(1), 98-–116.
Gazley, A., Clark, G., & Sinha, A. (2011). Understanding preferences for motion pictures. Journal of Business Research, 64(8), 854–861.
Global animation industry 2017: Strategies trends & opportunities. (2017, November 20). Research and mMarkets. Retrieved from https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/834drm/global_animation
Han, C. (2001). A study on globalization of Korean brands. International Trade Business Institute Review, 9(2), 145-–166.
Hadida, A. L. (2010). Commercial success and artistic recognition of motion picture projects. Journal of Cultural Economics, 34(1), 45–80.
Holbrook, M. B., & Batra, R. (1987). Assessing the role of emotions as mediators of consumer responses to advertising. Journal of Consumer Research, 14(3), 404–420.
Horai, J., Naccari, N., & Fatoullah, E. (1974). The effects of expertise and physical attractiveness upon opinion agreement and liking. Sociometry, 37, 601-–606.
Hwang, J. (2010). Translation of brand names from a functional point of view. Interpreting and Translation Studies, 14(2), 321-–340.
Hwang, J. (2011). Translation of brand names from a functional point of view. Journal of the Interpretation and Translation Institute, 14(2), 313-331.
Lee, J.Y. (2014). Industry’s operation mode in China and South Korea. Korea-China Culture Economics Review, 6, 157-172.
Jo, Y. (2014). Comparative Analysis of Movie Titles Translation in Korea & Japan. Journal of Japanese Culture, 61, 43-61.
Joung, W. (2010). The study of market differentiation in the Korean animation market depending on production countries, production types and genres. The Korea Journal of Animation, 6(2), 82-104.
Jung, W. (2009). Predicting box office performance for animation movies: Evidence from movies released in Korea, 2003-2008. Cartoon & Animation Studies, 16, 21-–32.
Kim, E., Kim, J., & Nam, S. (2009). Sources and causes analysis of ad model effect. The Korean Journal of Advertising, 20(4), 75-–87.
Kim, G., & Kim, G. (2017). The effect of movie posters on movie marketing. Study in France, 39, 269-288.
Kim, K.S., & Lee, J.H. (2012). The driver of service quality for consumers’ satisfaction for social commerce and intention for repurchase. Korea Journal of Contents, 3(12), 311-321.
Kim, J.H., Suh, S.S., & Lee J.H. (2013). The effect of service quality of the internet shopping malls on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Korea Business Education Review, 1(26), 443-361.
Kim, H. (2014). A study on Chinese naming techniques for foreign cosmetic products. Research on Korea China Humanity, 44(2), 341-–363.
Kim, J., Seo, S., & Lee, J. (2011). A study on the influence of customer satisfaction and loyalty by the logistic service quality of internet shopping malls. Society of Design Convergence, 65, 443-461.
Kim, R.B., Ding., Jin., & Park, J. (2016). The effects of localized brand name, image of Korean celebrity advertising model and image of country-of-origin on Chinese consumers’ choice behaviors. Korean Corporation Management Review, 23(3), 1-23.
Korean Film Council. (2017, November 20). Korean film industry in the first half of 2017. pp 2 Retrieved from http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/publications/kct.jsp
Kuem, H., Park, S., Han, S., Hong, S., & Chon, B. (2013). Determinants of U. S. theatrical animation box office performance. Journal of the Korea Contents Association, 13(11), 597-–607.
Lassion, L., Alesson. B., Santana, D., Durao, F., & Dourado, W. A. (2017). Evaluating ensemble strategies for recommender systems under metadata reduction. WebMedia ’17. Proceedings of the 23rd Brazilian Symposium on Multimedia and the Web, Gramado, RS, Brazil, October 17-20, 2017. pp. 125-132.
Lee, L. F., (2009). Cultural discount of cinematic achievement: tThe academy awards and U.S. movies’ East Asian box office. Journal of Cultural Economics, 33, 239-–263. DOI doi: 10.1007/s10824-009-9101-7.
Litman, B., & Ahn, H. (1998). Predicting financial success of motion pictures: The `90s experience. The motion picture mega-industry. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, pp. 172-197.
Litman, B. R., & L. S. Kohl, L. S. (1989). Predicting financial success of motion pictures: The’80s experience. Journal of Media Economics, 2(2), 35–50.
Liu, S., Perry. P., Santana, D., Moor, C., & Warnaby, G. (2016). The standardization-localization dilemma of brand communications for luxury fashion retailers’ internationalization into China. Journal of Business Research, 69(1), 357-364.
Li, Z. G., & Murray, L. W. (2001). Naming products in China: Local or foreign branding. Journal of Asia-Pacific Business, 3(3), 53-–71.
Lynch, J., & Schuler, D. (1994). The matchup effect of spokesperson and product congruence: A schema theory interpretation. Psychology & Marketing, 11(5), 417-–445.
Moon, S., Kim, J., Bayus, B.L., & Yi, Y. (2015). Consumers’ pre-launch awareness and preference on movie sales. European Journal of Marketing, 50(5/6), 1024-1046.
Mum, S., Han, H., & Ha, H (2014). A visual analysis on factors affecting repurchase intention in social commerce-focused on group-buying social commerce. Society of Design Convergence, 13(6), 137-152.
Oh, I. (2017). From globalization to glocalization: Subtitle. Kritika Kultura, 29, 157-–167.
Osgood, C. E., & Tannenbaum, P. H. (1955). The principle of congruity in the prediction of attitude change. Psychological Review, 62(1), 42-–55.
Park, J. (2013). The effects of private brand value on brand trust, brand attitude and brand loyalty. The Journal of Digital Policy & Management, 11(8), 159-173.
Park, S. (2014). A study on the differences between Korean feature animation and Hollywood animation. The Korea Journal of Animation, 10(2), 129-–144.
Park, S., & Song, H. (2015). Comparing the intercontinental/regional differences in genre tastes of Hollywood movies. Journal of Communication Science, 15(2), 348-374.
Piao, J., & Moon, H. (2016). Research for localization strategy on Korea-China co-produced films -Focus on the film Once Again, Twenty. Research on Korea China Humanity, 53, 165-189.
Santana, L., Souza, A., Santana, D., Dourado, W., & Durão, F. (2017). Evaluating ensemble strategies for recommender systems under metadata reduction. In WebMedia ’17: Proceedings of the 23rd Brazilian Symposium on Multimedia and the Web (October 2017, pp. 125-–132). DOIdoi: 10.1145/3126858.3126879.
So, Y. (2008). Spectator evaluation process for animation: Focusing on netizen grades and review bulletin board. Cartoon and Animation Studies, 115-–131.
Son, J., & Kong, Y. (2014). A comparative study of frozen grossing animated guardians. Journal of Korea Culture Industry, 14(4), 91-–101.
Song, X. (2016). Investigation into the development strategies of the movie. Korea-China Economic & Cultural Review, 6, 157-–172.
Top 100 Animation Movies. (2017, November 20). Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved from https://www.rottentomatoes.com/top/bestofrt/top_100_animation_movies/
The 50 best animation studios in the world. (2017, November 20). Game Designing. Retrieved from https://www.gamedesigning.org/animation-companies/
Wallace, W. T., Seigerman, A., & Holbrook, M. B. (1993). The role of actors and actresses in the success of films: How much is a movie star worth? Journal of Cultural Economics, 17(1), 1–27.
Wills, A., & Wing-Fai L. (eds.) (2014). East Asian film stars. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Y. H. So. (2008). Animation spectators’ view motive and selection for each group. Korea Contents Association, 8(12), 109-117.
Yi, Y., & Kim, W. (1998). The influence of the physical environment on service quality perception: A comparative study. Korea Marketing Association, 13(1), 61-86.
Yoon, J., Jun, J., & Park, G. (2014). Effects of font fit and familiarity on moviegoers’ attitudes and intentions. Research in Media & Performance Arts, 9(1), 1-–28.
Zhang, Y., Oh, D., Lee, G., & Ryu, S. (2016). A study on attitude and watch intention of audiences to the OSMU film: Comparative analysis for Korea and China. Journal of Information Technology and Architecture, 13(2), 281-–290.