Assessing the drivers of online ticket purchase in the entertainment industry: The impact of social media advertising

Abstract

This thesis investigates the influence of social media advertising on online movie ticket purchasing behaviors. Set within the context of the digital age, where social media serves as a key marketing platform, this study focuses on the film industry's online ticket sales, highlighting the potential of social media to boost these sales. Through a comprehensive literature review and an extensive survey targeting 352 social media users in Germany and Portugal, the thesis integrates elements from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) to understand the factors driving consumers' online ticket purchases. Key findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, habit, trust in social media advertising, and spontaneous implementation intention significantly influence consumer purchase intention. Additionally, the research explores the moderating role of personality traits such as conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. As data was collected in Germany and Portugal, a multi-group analysis revealed notable country differences. The moderating effect of emotional stability in habit on purchase intention was identified in Portugal. In contrast, openness to experience's moderating effect in performance expectancy and hedonic motivation on purchase intention was found in Germany. The influence of trust on purchase intention was more pronounced in Germany. In contrast, the impact of spontaneous implementation intention was more substantial in Portugal. Conclusively, this research provides valuable insights into the dynamics of online ticket purchasing in the film industry and outlines practical implications for leveraging social media advertising in the entertainment sector, offering a roadmap for future research and strategy development in digital marketing.