IMMI FINDINGS
High School Musical 2 Study Shows Viewing Habits of Parents and Teens: Parents Bailed, Kids Partied
The singing and dancing saga of Troy Bolton and his East High crew might have captured the hearts (and eyeballs) of kids across the country on August 17, when High School Musical 2 premiered, but the way it was watched varied. Out-of-home viewing was high and parental viewing rapidly decreased, according to results released today by Integrated Media Measurement Inc.
A significant number of viewers – both children and adults – watched the premiere and subsequent showings in locations other than their homes. 23.6 percent of people ages 13-54 watched the premiere out of home, with 35.3 percent of teenagers ages 13-17 leaving home to see the highly anticipated sequel. The average number of people who watched the movie outside of their homes for all August showings was 25.4 percent.
| Airdate | Fri 8/17 | Sat 8/18 | Sun 8/19 | Thurs 8/23 | Total August |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of Home | 23.6% | 32.3% | 19.7% | 25.6% | 25.4% |
| Age | 13-17 | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of Home | 35.3% | 24.2% | 20.8% | 15.4% | 22.4% |
| TV Show | Percent of Viewers OOH |
|---|---|
| Super Bowl XLI | 39% |
| Average for NFL Playoff Games 2007 | 32% |
| HSM 2 Aug.18 | 32.3% |
| Super Bowl XLI Teens (13-17) | 40+% |
| HSM 2 All Airings Teens (13-17) | 35.3% |
The data, collected by monitoring individual consumer behavior, also shows that a lot of parents didn’t stick around for the full movie. 70 percent of adults ages 35-54 with children watched “HSM2” for less than 60 minutes, with 58 percent watching the movie for less than 45 minutes, 42 percent for less than 30 minutes and 29 percent for less than 20 minutes.
“Because the first movie became a sort of ‘lifestyle’ for kids, it was only natural that teens would want to watch the sequel with friends, which accounts for the high out-of-home viewership,” said Amanda Welsh, head of research for IMMI. “Because kids talked-up the movie so much we believe more parents attempted to watch it with their children, however the audiences within those households shifted dramatically due to ‘parental bailout’ within the first hour.”