"If Hollywood producers think Americans want to see nudity in movies, it's time to think again," says Bob Cefail, Chairman of In Touch Media Group, Inc. (www.intouchmediagroup.com), a full-service marketing company that specializes in market research and online public relations campaigns. "Given the downtrend in box office figures, Hollywood producers should stand up and take notice." As evidence, Cefail cites a recently released national study of U.S. moviegoers ("National Research Study Reveals That Most Americans Don't Want Nudity In The Movies They Watch," www.pressdirectinternational.org).
In that study, which was 200 percent larger than typical national polls, In Touch Media Group found that Americans clearly give a thumbs down to onscreen nudity. "The public votes with its dollars, and the entertainment industry needs to take into account what the public wants," notes Cefail, He adds that this concern should extend beyond the big screen. "Home entertainment systems and home multimedia systems are now competing with movie theaters for consumers' time, attention, and money. Hollywood needs to get it right the first time, and provide moviegoers with the content they want."
In Touch Media Group's national study - and Cefail's recommendations - echo the findings of other surveys. The Dove Foundation, for example, found that 93 percent of respondents wanted to see more wholesome family entertainment and that 84 percent would make an effort to watch and support family entertainment. Further, 77 percent said that fully three-quarters of the entertainment available today does not reflect or reinforce the values that are important to them.
During In Touch Media Group's study, which encompassed 22 questions that led respondents to design their own movies, a distaste for nudity in films became apparent. "It's important that our research be carefully considered by the entertainment industry," concludes Cefail. "It appears that Americans are both averting their eyes and diverting their dollars when it comes to movies that incorporate nudity."