Analysis: US tops global demand for GoT return
April 23, 2019
According to findings from audience demand and content analytics firm Parrot Analytics reflecting the demand evolution of HBO’s Game of Thrones over the past three seasons of the series and in six different countries (US, UK, France, Germany, Brazil and China), demand increased substantially from season 6 to the most recent season 8 premiere in most territories. Additionally, overnight demand leading up to the Season 8 premiere was most pronounced in the United States, increasing by more than 37 per cent.
Out of 100+ markets under measurement by Parrot Analytics, Game of Thrones was most in-demand in the US on a per capita basis. Demand in the US was:
- 55 per cent ahead of the UK
- 99 per cent ahead of France
- 106 per cent ahead of Canada
- 111 per cent ahead of Australia
- 156 per cent ahead of Germany
- 251 per cent+ ahead of Brazil
- 2,100 per cent ahead of China
When comparing previous seasons, Parrot Analytics found that launch day demand for season 8 was 6.2 times higher than launch day demand for season 7 in the US And while the UK, France, Germany and Brazil all saw a similar pattern of increased demand for Season 8’s premiere over the prior season, in China demand actually decreased and was 2.7 times lower than launch-day demand for season 7.
“Parrot Analytics has been tracking the unprecedented global demand for Game of Thrones for the past several years and its subsequent year-over-year growth,” advised Samuel Stadler, Parrot Analytics VP, Marketing. “Season 8 has shattered all records, and once again we are seeing clear differences in global audience demand patterns. In markets like Brazil, for example, we are seeing demand that is relatively depressed, whereas in China in particular we are seeing much less demand than expected. This may well be related to HBO’s focused marketing campaigns, which were omnipresent in the US, but perhaps less so in Asia and other markets.”
The study also compared Game of Thrones season 8 premiere to the next most in-demand dramas in each market. On the premiere launch day (April 14th), Parrot Analytics found that GoT was:
- US: 8.6 times more in demand than The Walking Dead
- UK: 7.6 times more in demand than Who
- France: 6.5 times more in demand than The Walking Dead
- Germany: 6.2 times more in demand than The Walking Dead
- Brazil: 3.3 times more in demand than Grey’s Anatomy
- China: 10 per cent more demand than The Good Fight