IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/joamsc/v53y2025i3d10.1007_s11747-024-01057-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

There is business like show business! What marketing scholars and managers can learn from 40 years of entertainment science research

Author

Listed:
  • Ronny Behrens

    (University of Münster)

  • Ann-Kristin Kupfer

    (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT))

  • Thorsten Hennig-Thurau

    (University of Münster)

Abstract

For over four decades, scholars have developed the field of entertainment science, establishing a thorough understanding of the business behind filmed, recorded, written, and programmed media products and services, encompassing consumer behavior and strategic decision-making. Building on six foundational characteristics that jointly define entertainment offerings (i.e., their hedonic, narrative, cultural, creative, innovative, and digital nature), we synthesize key findings from entertainment science research. Since each of these characteristics can be found individually in various industries, this review offers substantial potential for learning beyond the entertainment world. Leveraging the entertainment industry’s pioneering role in major cross-industry trends, including virtual worlds and generative AI, we then provide best practices for adapting to these developments. We conclude by proposing a comprehensive agenda for future research on each of the foundational entertainment characteristics within the field of entertainment science and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronny Behrens & Ann-Kristin Kupfer & Thorsten Hennig-Thurau, 2025. "There is business like show business! What marketing scholars and managers can learn from 40 years of entertainment science research," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 760-780, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:53:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11747-024-01057-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11747-024-01057-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11747-024-01057-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11747-024-01057-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:53:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11747-024-01057-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.