Target Audience Research

Target audience research:

The usual age for the target audience of a horror movie is 15-25. The most common reason for this is that young adults and teenagers enjoy thrills. The thrills that people discover during a horror move are most likely to excite a younger audience rather than an older audience. Many young audiences are not put off by graphic images and some would say that they are more drawn towards them. For an example, the human centipede, the film is banned from various countries however this makes the younger audience want to watch it more. Horror films are mainly aimed at males as opposed to females because stereotypically males prefer violence more than a female would.  Another reason would be that young males are more immature and would enjoy looking at gory things.

Horror films are mainly aimed at the middle class. This is due to the fact they can acquire thrills if they need to do so in other ways, whereas for a member of the working class it may be a way for them to escape the real world. Commonly the target audience and interests of a horror film are blood and intensive violence. Also, targeted at individuals that have an interest in the supernatural and unexplained. Horror films can also be targeted at groups of people. For an example horror films are aimed at groups of teenagers, as it is almost a social event to watch a horror film and be scared together. Horror films can also be aimed at young couples who are on their first dates. The audience can often relate to the characters that are in the horror movie and they often form relationships due to the similarities and therefore have a stronger emotion pull to the film.

Here are some horror movies that are aimed at different target audiences:

The cabin in the woods – young couples

Strangers- young men

A nightmare on Elm Street – couples

Texas chainsaw massacre – young men