L'impact de la critique de presse sur la consommation culturelle: Un essai de synthèse dans le champ cinématographique

Abstract

L'auteur remercie sincèrement les lecteurs anonymes pour leurs commentaires constructifs, ainsi que Sophie Rieunier pour ses relectures. Il peut être contacté à l'adresse électronique suivante : stephane.debenedetti@dauphine.fr RÉSUMÉ La critique de presse constitue un acteur incontournable du champ cinématographique (Debenedetti, 2006) : son influence s'exerce tant au niveau de l'offre (stratégies de distribution et de communication) que de la demande (processus de décision du consommateur) de films. Quels sont les enseignements de la recherche quant à son influence réelle sur le succès des films ? Cet article propose une synthèse de la littérature consacrée à l'influence de la critique de presse sur les comportements de consommation cinématographique. Trois parties structurent cet état de l'art. La première concerne la définition de la critique et les antécédents individuels de sa consultation ; la deuxième partie traite de l'impact de la consultation des critiques sur les choix et les ventes ; la troisième, enfin, souligne les limites des travaux antérieurs et indique de nombreuses voies de recherche futures.

Buzz and Recommendations on the Internet. What Impacts on Box-Office Success?

“…The first category comprises relatively traditional professional experts, i.e., film industry critics (Debenedetti, 2006). The second comprises web users, often the first persons to purchase a product (Feick and Price, 1987), people who will offer their opinions online all the more readily since they consider themselves experts in a given product category (Hamilton, 2001;Vernette and Flores, 2004).…”

“…Within the framework of this second perspective, we can find online two independent types of buzz, generated by two different kinds of third parties (Rosen and Olshavsky, 1987;Senecal and Nantel, 2004). The first category comprises relatively traditional professional experts, i.e., film industry critics (Debenedetti, 2006). The second comprises web users, often the first persons to purchase a product (Feick and Price, 1987), people who will offer their opinions online all the more readily since they consider themselves experts in a given product category (Hamilton, 2001;Vernette and Flores, 2004).…”

“…A theoretical perspective might give three explanations for such influence. First, critics have been institutionalized as experts by a press that portrays them as spokespersons and attributes their influence to their specialization in this product category (Feick and Price, 1987;Debenedetti, 2006). Critics are also frequently tied to specialist magazines, whose raison d'être and objective are to provide consumers with impartial information (Wyatt and Badger, 1990;Bera, 2003).…”

Web User Opinions as an Information Source. What Impact on Cinema Attendances?

“…Hence, they get closer to the consumer in order to offer better guidance. Thus, for the audience, cultural critics play the role of expert sources of non-commercial information (Larceneux, 1999) and advice (Debenedetti, 2006). They reduce the risk of making mistakes and simplify the decision-making process in the context of a wide offer, within a limited period and in markets that are often saturated with commercial messages (Lampel and Shamsie, 2000).…”

“…The effects of these social interactions via the Internet are often observed in the cultural domain, in particular in the motion picture industry. Indeed, movies are typical "experience goods", making influencers (critics and early consumers) important sources of information and reduction of perceived risk (Debenedetti, 2006). Accepted as fact by professionals in the sector, the effect of word of mouth has often been analyzed.…”