Whip Media also found some fascinating information about how viewers find their seasonal fare
Which channel or streaming service do viewers think of first when it comes to getting their Christmas and Hanukkah movie fix? The answer is Hallmark, according to a new Whip Media survey based on responses from 3,214 U.S.-based respondents conducted from Nov. 9-10, 2022.
Hallmark makes a lot of sense, considering the cable network has made the holidays a season-of-emphasis — and things haven’t slowed down this year. Hallmark is putting out 40 new movies this holiday season and even has a fresh “holiday hub” on Peacock for quick access. (You can get a good look at the holiday movie slate — including Hallmark’s bevy of flicks — by clicking here.)
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Netflix grabbed the silver medal behind Hallmark when it came to being top-of-mind for holiday movies. The service has enjoyed success with the recent release of “Falling for Christmas,” its new holiday romcom starring Lindsay Lohan. The movie has been one of the most streamed movies in the U.S. since it was released on Nov. 10.
5 top networks and SVODs for holiday programming (Whip Media)
Moving along, Lifetime was the third channel most associated with holiday movies, per Whip Media’s survey, followed by Disney+ and Hulu.
There were a few other interesting takeaways from the survey. For example, only 53% of respondents said they prioritize watching holiday content to some degree in December — which seems a bit lower than one might expect for the season.
Still, when viewers do turn to watching holiday movies, there’s a heavy dose of nostalgia involved. Less than one out of five respondents (17%) said they only focus on new holiday releases, compared to 74% of respondents who said they like to mix in old made-for-TV holiday movies alongside new movies.
Reasons people watch holiday programming (Whip Media)
The survey also looked at the best ways channels and services spread the word about their holiday flicks. Platform recommendations were an effective tool here, with 51% of respondents saying they watched a movie because it was suggested to them — the second most-frequent response behind viewers seeing a trailer for a movie.
Another interesting facet of the survey was what viewers care about the most in their holiday movies. In particular, the premise or storyline of a movie was slightly more important than its cast to most respondents (68% for premise, compared to 61% for cast). The third most important factor in watching a holiday movie was simply having access to the network or platform.
Sean Burch is a marketing insights analyst at Whip Media, a WrapPRO partner. Click here for more from Whip Media.
