Research on EXODUS Reveals Film Could be Biblical Blockbuster…or Epic Bust

Previously unreleased data from CNS/NICAEA poll reveals 74% of Americans likely to watch EXODUS if biblically accurate, with 68% switching to unlikely if inaccurate; new national survey of Faith Driven Consumers finds biblical accuracy #1 deciding factor in considering a film like EXODUS 

American Insights recently conducted survey research for Faith Driven Consumer™, the group that emerged on the national stage last year with its #IStandWithPhil campaign that played a leading role in Phil Robertson’s return to Duck Dynasty, and continues to serve as an advocate for more than 41 million consumers who spend $2 trillion annually. As 2014’s “Year of the Bible Movie” enters its final phase— and the run up to the December release of Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated film EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS—Faith Driven Consumer™ continues to measure the success of Hollywood films courting faith-driven audiences.

Today, Faith Driven Consumer™ is releasing the first wave of results from our extensive national survey detailing what EXODUS needs to do to be successful with both its core Faith Driven Consumer (17% of U.S. adult population) and broader Christian (77% of U.S. adult population) audiences.

“We regularly meet with Hollywood industry leaders, encouraging them to create more and better content that resonates with Faith Driven Consumers specifically and the overall Christian market in general—the core audiences behind the success of recent hit films such as HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, GOD’S NOT DEAD, and SON OF GOD. When Hollywood’s content resonates, Faith Driven Consumers go out of their way to spend their hard-earned dollars and time to show support. When products don’t resonate—as we saw earlier this year with the storm over NOAH—they stay home,” said Chris Stone, Certified Brand Strategist and Founder of Faith Driven Consumer™.

“Our community eagerly hopes Ridley Scott’s  EXODUS will resonate, and this new data offers a clear roadmap to success. First, the research is overwhelmingly clear that EXODUS—and any biblically based movie—needs to accurately portray the biblical story and message. Second, data shows that the filmmakers need to welcome and engage the faith community at both the pastor and the pew levels by seeking their input and earning their trust. If done correctly, EXODUS could earn true blockbuster status and beat the box office record set by THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST ten years ago. If done poorly, it will be another massive missed opportunity.”

Please note two distinct sets of data below. The first set measures the opinions of Christians in the United States, approximately 77% of the adult population, as well as the entire U.S. population. The second data set measures the opinions of Faith Driven Consumers, a distinct subset of the overall Christian market, which comprises 17% of the adult population. This data also includes the views of the overall Christian market, but lead with the Faith Driven Consumer data.

The data on EXODUS, never fully released until now, comes from a previous American Insights survey for Christian News Service/NICAEA, which was conducted May 1-8, 2014 on a nationally representative sample of 1,200 adults in the United States. The survey was administered by landline phone (50%), cell phone (20%) and online (30%). The margin of error is ±2.8%.

U.S. Adult and U.S. Christian Market on EXODUS:

• 73% of all Adults would be likely (36% very likely) to see EXODUS if it accurately portrays the biblical account of Moses leading the Jewish people out of captivity. However, 67% of all adults would be unlikely (46% very unlikely) to see EXODUS if it does not accurately portray the Bible.
• 80% of Christians would be likely (41% very likely) to see EXODUS if it accurately portrays the biblical account. However, 69% of Christians overall would be unlikely (47% very unlikely) to see EXODUS if it does not accurately portray the Bible.

• 84% of Protestants overall would be likely to see an accurate EXODUS, while 70% would be unlikely to see an inaccurate depiction.
• 75% of Catholics overall would be likely to see an accurate EXODUS, while 67% would be unlikely to see an inaccurate version of the story.
• 84% of people for whom religion is extremely important would be likely to see an accurate EXODUS, while 74% would be unlikely to see the film if it does not accurately portray the biblical story.

The Faith Driven Consumer Survey by American Insights was conducted on a national sample of 2,400 self-identified Christians using one of the largest and most diverse online panels in the country, a methodology similar to that used in recent New York Times polling. The survey was conducted September 3-7, 2014 on a representative sample matching U.S. Census demographics. The poll has a margin of error of ±2% for Christians and ±4% for Faith Driven Consumers, who were identified based on multivariate modeling of responses by the larger Christian sample and constitute a quarter of practicing Christians in America, or 17% of the U.S. adult population—41 million people. Faith Driven Consumers are a rapidly emerging and economically powerful market segment. They are a qualifiable, quantifiable and distinct sub-segment of the overall Christian population.

Faith Driven Consumers and Christians overall: What they want in entertainment

• 96% of Faith Driven Consumers (FDCs) say that their faith has a major influence on their entertainment choices, compared to 46% of Christians overall. 61% of FDCs rate faith’s influence as a 10, compared to 18% of Christians overall.

• 87% of Faith Driven Consumers are much more likely—58% very much more likely—to choose entertainment options that promote Christian-compatible values, compared to 54% of Christians overall, while 73% of Faith Driven Consumers avoid watching television and films that conflict with their Christian worldview, compared to 41% of Christians at large.
• 81% of Faith Driven Consumers are likely to recommend a movie to others, compared to 79% of Christians overall. 49% of FDCs are very likely to recommend a movie, compared to 39% of Christians overall, while 61% of Faith Driven Consumers are likely to discourage others from seeing a movie, compared to 49% of Christians overall. 31% of FDCs are very likely to discourage a movie, compared to 17% of Christians overall.
• 78% of Faith Driven Consumers say it would have a significant influence on their decision to see a film if their church encouraged it, compared to 55% of Christians overall, and 57% of Faith Driven Consumers’ churches encourage members to see specific faith-based films, compared to 36% of Christians overall.

Faith Driven Consumers and Christians overall: Importance of specific attributes

On a scale of one to five, Faith Driven Consumers rate biblical accuracy as the #1 factor in considering a film. Below is how all factors were rated.

• 60% gave “how accurately the movie reflects the Bible” a 5 (4-5: 84%), compared to 28% of Christians overall (4-5: 51%).

• 59% gave “compatibility with Christian values” a 5 (4-5: 89%), compared to 23% of Christians overall.
• 56% gave “how appropriate the film is for children” a 5 (4-5: 78%), compared to 30% of Christians overall.
• 51% gave “faith-compatible characters and relationships” a 5 (4-5: 83%), compared to 21% of Christians overall.
• 51% gave “faith-compatible situations” a 5 (4-5: 83%), compared to 20% of Christians overall.
• 50% gave “entertainment value” a 5 (4-5: 83%), compared to 36% of Christians overall.