Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically impacted global industries, including the cinema sector, where restrictions forced widespread theater closures and disrupted traditional film distribution models. This study investigates how two leading Chinese cinema chains—Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi Cinema—adapted their social media behavior on the Weibo platform to address the unique challenges posed by the pandemic. Utilizing content and statistical analysis, we examined over 1,200 tweets from official cinema accounts on Weibo, spanning from November 2019 to March 2020. Our methodology included data collection on tweet frequency, timing, thematic content, and engagement metrics, coupled with a comparative analysis to observe shifts in behavior pre- and post-pandemic onset. Additionally, we discussed the commonalities and distinct features of Chinese cinema chains’ social media behaviors during the pandemic compared to findings from similar studies on cinema chains in other countries. This study reveals that the social media focus of Chinese cinema chains evolved from sales-driven marketing to fostering audience engagement and maintaining connections amid theater closures. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, cinemas decreased tweet frequency, shifted content themes from film promotions to interactive and industry-related topics, and modified engagement strategies to prioritize user interaction over direct marketing. Comparative analyses indicate differences between the two chains’ approaches, with Wanda Cinema employing a more dynamic engagement strategy. The strategic adaptation of social media by Chinese cinemas highlights the resilience of the film industry in navigating audience engagement during crises. This shift from traditional marketing to relational engagement highlights the increasing importance of social media in the entertainment industry.
Keywords
Introduction
The worldwide impact of COVID-19 dramatically affected industries, with a specific emphasis on the film industry. Under challenging circumstances, China stands out as an optimal research case for studying audience social media behavior because the country operates a distinctive chain system within fast-changing media environments (Herring, 2018). As China progresses toward becoming the most significant film market in the world, researchers should focus on understanding its adaptations to the cinema industry because these strategies matter internationally and nationally (Herring, 2018). The COVID-19 pandemic cut off cinema chain revenue sources, which pressured companies to transition from marketing based on ticket sales to audience engagement through digital platforms (Napoli, 2021). The growing trend of online consumption led cinemas to employ social media for functions beyond promotion, including building audience ties and enabling interactive conversations and reassurance messages for audiences (Tefertiller et al., 2020). Economic uncertainties reduced cinema visits, so cinema establishments implemented the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), a compliant communication strategy to protect their consumer base (Bali et al., 2016). Weibo enabled cinema operators to maintain audience interest by posting celebrity content with live question sessions and industry news (Cauberghe et al., 2021; Yoon et al., 2022). The research demonstrates that digital adaptation produced critical benefits that protected the entertainment industry while shaping its upcoming strategic approach (Herring, 2018).
Studying crisis-driven digital adaptation through China’s film industry becomes ideal because its operation follows a centralized system and includes an exclusive digital platform with regulatory standards (Su et al., 2024). The centralized scheduling management, branding functions, and unified crisis communication strategies operate across the Chinese chains Wanda and Guangdong Dadi (Tang & Chan, 2021). Digital strategies take unique forms on Weibo and WeChat social media platforms because they differ from Western social media systems (Jin & Nuangjamnong, 2022). The strict media regulations in China require social media adaptation to engage audiences effectively because these limitations determine how messages can be communicated (Wu & Niyomsilp, 2020). The world’s upcoming largest film market gives Chinese cinema chains the perfect environment to study their crisis management techniques that can help theaters across the globe. This study investigates Chinese cinema industry audience engagement maintenance throughout a prolonged crisis, generating findings that extend past domestic borders. The centralized operating model of Chinese cinema chains allows them to show entertainment companies how they use digital platforms as resilience boosters (Yuan & Jiang, 2020). This research evaluates how social media affects the entertainment industry and its widespread relevance for managing crises and digital marketing approaches across the entertainment sector despite worldwide industry challenges.
China’s film industry was scheduled for central global cinema viewing market dominance as its annual box office numbers grew 43.23% from 2012 to 2019. The exceptional growth became possible because of an exclusive chain entertainment method that diverged from Western formats. Management and programming activities for Chinese chain cinemas such as Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi Cinema operate under unified branding yet maintain centralized operations while retaining different operational models than Western establishments (Lu, 2016). Internalized operations enabled quick business growth and consistent cinematic experiences throughout the country. The prolonged COVID-19 closure of all Chinese mainland cinemas caused extended operational problems and reduced the potential for expansion during this period. Audiences displayed a fear-based economic behavior, which led to decreased cinema attendance because they avoided returning to theaters (Bali et al., 2016). Through online streaming services, some theaters confronted new difficulties that affected how traditional films reached viewers (Yoon et al., 2022). The pandemic presented two overpowering challenges to cinema chains after theaters had to close down for more than 6 months. The loss of customer engagement was also a significant concern for them. The pandemic forced social media to become a crucial tool for entertainment industry professionals to connect with their audience. Before COVID-19, cinemas depended mostly on social media platforms to promote upcoming films and conduct interactive events to attract viewers. Some research analyzes how movie theaters adjusted their social media approaches to deal with pandemic-specific problems and their specific modifications (Tang, 2024; Wu Dan & Tumennast Erdenebold, 2024).
Multiple scholars investigate social media behavior and its importance in research across different fields. For instance, Dolan et al. (2019) found that reasonable and emotional messaging techniques substantially impact social media interaction, leading practitioners toward better methods for improving user experiences and involvement. Shahbaznezhad et al. (2022) studied all social media user engagement forms to understand academic understanding of social media behaviors better. Palalic et al. (2021) investigated social media’s influence on Pakistani consumer purchase behavior, noting its significant role in shaping buying decisions and guiding marketing strategies. Appel et al. (2020) forecasted social media marketing development through critical observations of consumer behavior dynamics and industry governance policies that determine upcoming communication methods. As outlined in these research projects, multiple barriers hinder theoretical improvements in social media usage, even though these studies enhance the overall understanding of this area.
Scholars have analyzed how social media usage expands the advancement potential of the film industry (Du et al., 2020; Herring, 2018; Tefertiller et al., 2020; Yoon et al., 2022). Tefertiller et al. (2020) revealed that audience members of drama films did not show significant changes in their viewing behavior because of their social media participation. However, social media paticipation showed substantial predictive value for discussions on social media networks, which enabled users to grow their bridging social capital networks that proved most influential for social media sharing. Cauberghe et al. (2021) identified that social media participation raised teenage interest in comedy films since these movies reduced feelings of loneliness and anxiety among youth isolated by COVID-19. These studies lack a specific analysis of how Chinese cinema chains adapt their social media practices, reducing their findings’ applicability.
This research studies Chinese movie chains’ changes to their social media operations by analyzing Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi Cinema as leading organizations throughout the COVID-19 crisis. At that time, Weibo functioned as China’s leading social platform accessible to the public. A study analyzed the Weibo methods of these chains to show the modifications they made to their online engagement plan throughout the pandemic, which can support crisis management efforts for worldwide cinema businesses.
Weibo stands out in China as the top social media platform because of its broad audience base and cultural presence, distinguishing it from other popular platforms elsewhere. Chinese chain cinemas heavily rely on Weibo as their crisis communication tool between audiences and theaters. This study selects Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi Cinema for their extensive market share with a comparative analysis to show how chain cinemas can maintain audience engagement across various strategies.
The investigation offers new insights into Chinese cinema chains’ use of social media during crises through an extensive study of their strategic internet presence modifications. The research examines China’s Chinese movie industry during the crisis through interation content, interaction timing, and interaction number analysis to offer such insights for international parallel sectors.
Theoretical Investigation of Social Media Behavior Evolution During the Epidemic
Theories Related to Social Media Behavior
The study implements Situational Crisis Communication Theory and Uses Gratifications Theory as a theoretical framework to provide strong foundations for analyzing social media adaptions during emergencies. SCCT, as presented by Coombs (2007), demonstrates the organizational reputation preservation strategies that organizations should implement during crises. Cinema chains needed this theory to explain their social media adjustments, entertain viewers, and reassure them after their physical locations disappeared. SCCT supports emergency communication strategies that examine public requirements first during crises. The evolving cinema chain approach to audience-based engagement strategies perfectly matches the methodology that emerged during COVID-19.
The study draws significant value from UGT because it underlines how viewers choose their media according to specific needs, including entertainment, information, and social components (Katz et al., 1973). Chinese audiences used their social media connections for epidemic updates, relationship maintenance, and finding entertainment alternatives, which cinema chains adapted their materials to serve. This model makes it more transparent which materials Chinese cinema chains selected and which audience engagement approaches they used while meeting customer needs amid crises.
This analysis focuses on SCCT and UGT through AST to study digital tools and organizational structure adaptations in emergency scenarios (DeSanctis & Poole, 1994). AST research identifies the basic concepts that help explain how cinema chains enhance audience relationships through engagement during operational outages. Digital Engagement Theory (Malthouse et al., 2013) examines crisis-related digital audience movements that shift consumption to participation with content. The research found stability by employing several theories to build a comprehensive framework for studying social media changes in crisis periods.
The Social Crisis Communication Theory allows an assessment of how Chinese cinema chains transformed their social media crisis messaging by providing comfort to their audiences and promotional content (Coombs, 2022). UGT is an analytical tool to study audience behavior regarding various content types during the pandemic (Yoon et al., 2022). The research questions analyze how chains operating cinemas adapted their crisis communication strategies through (1) examination of their modifications over time. Our study investigates two main points: (1) The adjustments made by cinemas in their social media crisis responses (SCCT) and (2) Which content formats proved most appealing to users (UGT). This analysis investigates the development of these transformations throughout different stages of the crisis (SCCT + UGT).
Through SCCT, we learn about the modifications cinema chains made to messaging to maintain trustworthiness, while UGT demonstrates audience choices in specific content types (Napoli, 2021). Using both mechanisms allows researchers to understand digital crisis engagement comprehensively by showing a reputational crisis strategy through reduced promotions combined with SCCT theory and explaining audience preference for interactive content through UGT theory.
Overview of Social Media
State-controlled media regulations in China dictate how SCCT operating guidelines affect cinema chains by requiring them to maintain crisis messaging that agrees with government policies (Wu & Wallis, 2022). Weibo’s digital platform affects UGT because users in China engage in interactive discussions rather than transactional marketing activities, as described in Jin and Feiock (2022). This research investigates how cinema chains adjust regulations by implementing SCCT crisis response plans within the UGT digital user engagement principles framework.
The interactive features of social media enable it to play a vital role in meeting film-related emotional engagement while facilitating information exchanges between users (Ranjan & Sood, 2018). Social media acts as a platform where members of the public exchange their perspectives, personal experiences, and insights. Its underlying structure of user-based relationships makes the platform operate as a content creation and dissemination network featuring quick and bulk information sharing. Every person shows unique expression on social media platforms, leading to varying user behavior patterns on different sites.
Traditional mass media, including newspapers, radio, television, and film, operate through bulk production, but the media owners maintain complete broadcast authority. Social media provides an influential decentralized model with no strict hierarchy while presenting its communication structure as flat. Social media offers users access to multiple formats, easy accessibility, and immediate communication, and it updates quickly to satisfy various user preferences (Hudders et al., 2021).
Development and Changes in Social Media
Traditional media, such as newspapers and radio, have historically had a significant impact on society. Unlike visual media like newspapers, radio is an auditory medium transmitting content through radio waves. Television, combining audio and visual elements, is more accessible and engaging, allowing audiences to absorb social norms and behavioral standards unconsciously.
With their unique interactivity, sharing, multimedia, personalization, and hyperlinking features, social networks rapidly gained global popularity. The medium has expanded from computers to mobile phones, ushering humanity into the new media era (Kim & Hastak, 2018; Ng, 2020; Steblyna, 2018). This includes new media forms based on Web 2.0 technologies, such as digital newspapers, mobile media, and digital TV, and Web 3.0-based media, like microblogs, blogs, WeChat, and instant messaging tools. These digital media formats have permeated all aspects of life, fundamentally transforming lifestyles, thought processes, behaviors, and values (Ng, 2020).
In the Web 1.0 environment, institutions like governments, media outlets, and corporations had extensive control over online resources, curating and disseminating information to passive audiences. This centralized model of unidirectional information transfer often left users overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of resources available.
The advent of Web 3.0 has empowered the public to connect personal resources with the broader information system through the internet and wireless communication. Unlike traditional media, we-media content creation no longer requires professional editing or formal review. Both individuals and government agencies can act as information communicators, freely publishing content without extensive restrictions. This dual role of communicator and receiver in we-media allows for active audience participation, in contrast to traditional passive reception. Currently, the most prominent we-media platforms in China are Sina Weibo and Tencent WeChat. However, while we-media offers greater accessibility and interaction, it often lacks the professionalism and authority of traditional media, making it susceptible to particular challenges (Zhou & Feng, 2019).
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant challenge to society, profoundly influencing social media behavior and accelerating social media development in the digital environment. The pandemic has hastened the integration of online and offline platforms, impacting traditional media. With lockdown measures in place, users increasingly rely on online shopping, and social media must adapt to meet evolving needs, while offline media provides varied services. This shift demonstrates the necessity of cinemas presenting material that goes beyond traditional film promotion and creates value by engaging with their community and creating interactions between audience members and cinemagoers. Drawing upon SCCT and UGT data, the study investigates how cinema chains have adopted strategies that utilize interactive, customized material that meets audience demands in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Changes After the COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic altered international economic systems while disrupting worldwide industrial supply connections, viewed from macroeconomic variables. Businesses and service organizations have undergone substantial change as the pandemic ends. The disruption in the supply chain affects more than product delivery because it reduces spending on leisure activities, dining, tourism services, and transportation. Businesses that demonstrate flexibility with new market trends position themselves better to use market changes for survival.
Scientists collected vital information about viewer behavior during the 2008 financial crisis, revealing consumer adjustments during economic instability. Research studies show that declining economies lead audience members to select cheaper digital entertainment, thus driving up usage of streaming platforms and social networks (Tryon, 2013). Audiences showed this behavior throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by using digital platforms to access entertainment content, stay connected to the community, and obtain crisis news updates (Napoli, 2021). Research analysis of crisis parallel behavior shows people exclusively turn to digital interactions during unexpected situations.
Social distancing protocols have changed people’s lifestyles and typical behavioral activities. Forcible social distance regulations forced people to change their usual way of life, triggering significant adjustments to their consumption behavior. Physical retail operations have crossed a critical threshold due to the pandemic’s emergence. Many consumers fast-tracked their shift to e-commerce, which deepened their online shopping routines after the stay-at-home economy launched various new business ventures. Economic life entering its new normal may increase consumers choosing digital retail channels thanks to the habits formed by online shopping during the pandemic.
Guided by SCCT and UGT, this study explores the following research questions related to social media adaptation by cinema chains during COVID-19:
(a) How did the frequency and timing of social media posts by Chinese cinema chains shift in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
(b) How did social media posts’ themes and content evolve to maintain audience engagement amid cinema closures?
(c) What impact did changes in content format and interaction methods (e.g., increased use of mobile platforms) have on audience engagement metrics, such as likes, comments, and shares?
(d) How did Chinese cinema chains’ social media adaptation strategies compare to those used by cinema chains in other countries?
China Cinema Line
Overview of the Cinema Line
Recent decades have witnessed a dramatic transformation in China’s movie industry, marked by its central cinema line system that differs significantly from Western models. Instead of operating independently, cinema chains in China operate within operational frameworks controlled and managed by parent companies like Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi. This central structure, created through significant reforms, allows multiple cinemas to coordinate film marketing distribution schedules using an alternative to Western-style cinematic models. This model has simplified distribution and allowed chains to respond consistently to changes in audience behavior (especially digital media use) without confusion or disruption to their chains’ schedules or film release dates.
Drawing on the well-established distribution and screening systems of the United States and other leading film industry nations, China has extensively reformed its cinema system by integrating lessons learned from previous experimental cinema models. The Chinese cinema line system can be understood as a network of cinemas unified under a single operational framework. Through funding or supply arrangements, multiple distribution entities or cinemas are integrated under a unified brand, film scheduling, operational management, and branding strategy.
From a macro perspective, the film industry’s operational process flows as follows: A film is transferred from the producer to the distributor, who then distributes it to the cinema line. The cinema line acquires screening rights for a specific period through the distributor and allocates them to its affiliated cinemas. In this chain, cinema line companies also partially distribute by managing cinema-to-cinema distribution.
Within the film industry chain, the cinema line operates at the transitional point between distribution and screening. It oversees the allocation and management of screening resources, including film supply, scheduling, and cinema operations. On an enterprise level, cinema companies handle various responsibilities related to film distribution and screening before and after a film’s release. The structure of the Chinese film industry chain is illustrated in Figure 1.
China’s film industry chain.
Development of Cinema Lines in China
China’s first film was released in Shanghai in 1896. However, since the mid-1920s, China’s primary film distribution and screening channels were monopolized by foreign films, with American films dominating the box office. This made conditions difficult for Chinese films. By the late 1930s, chain cinemas and theaters began to appear in China’s film screening market, forming an early prototype of the cinema line system and introducing a more diversified and professional business model. Some specialized cinema lines also emerged, catering to specific audiences or exclusively screening first-run films. The development of the cinema line system not only significantly advanced the film industry but also profoundly impacted the evolution of China’s cinema infrastructure.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, film distribution and screening followed the Soviet model, shaped by national policies and conditions at the time. For years, China’s film market operated under a planned economy model characterized by centralized procurement, exclusive distribution, and graded distribution. This structure gave the state-controlled Chinese film companies a monopoly on film production and sales, distributed through administrative tiers (provinces, cities, counties) before reaching cinemas for screening. Although reforms have been attempted, a fully effective distribution and screening system has yet to be implemented.
In 2002, China formalized a cinema line-based distribution and screening mechanism, defining it as a model reliant on cinema networks and linked by capital or film supply. This unified system featured a single brand, coordinated film scheduling, unified operations, and centralized management across multiple cinemas.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019, the cultural and entertainment sector’s consumption of films and related products has sharply declined. After nearly 3 years of the pandemic, the film industry has lost much of its former momentum. The pandemic and challenges in producing high-quality films left cinemas without desirable content. As audiences’ expectations for films have increased, changes in social media behavior post-pandemic have also influenced film promotion. China’s film market became disorganized, with release delays and plummeting box office revenues. COVID-19 left the Chinese film market depressed; however, the market showed resilience. COVID-19 led to a more than two-month suspension of China’s film market, prompting the emergence of alternative viewing methods. By July 2020, over 400 films were available online, benefiting platforms like Tencent, iQIYI, and Youku, which saw significant growth in video traffic.
Chinese cinema chains’ centrality is critical in their social media strategies, particularly given that digitalization has dramatically accelerated and increased consumer engagement expectations. As part of the COVID-19 epidemic, decisions within these chains were simplified and coordinated, facilitating an effective social media campaign that kept in touch with audiences despite physical closures. Centralized control allowed chains such as Wanda and Dadi to change their material quickly and continuously and align their social media content to ensure a consistent brand image across diverse areas. This structure allowed for coordinated responses, including expanding interactive posts, informing the public on reopening plans and reorienting online promotional efforts to warrant engagement when in-person attendance was limited.
Beyond China and Turkey, cinema industries in Japan, India, and Latin America have exhibited unique digital crisis communication adaptations. In Japan, TOHO Cinemas used interactive fan-generated content campaigns on Twitter to maintain engagement despite theater closures. In India, the rise of regional streaming platforms during the pandemic allowed film industries to reach new audiences through digital-first releases (Ghosh, 2021). Similarly, Latin American cinemas relied heavily on government-supported digitalization programs to integrate online ticketing, live Q&A sessions, and interactive promotions (Garcia-Rivera et al., 2022). These diverse strategies highlight how different cultural and regulatory contexts influence digital crisis responses in entertainment industries.
The COVID-19 pandemic created unimaginable challenges for cinemas in the Chinese movie industry. With strict health-related regulations like closures and limited seating capacities, cinema chains faced immediate losses in revenue and a drop in attendance. The centralized model of cinema lines was crucial for coordinated emergency response, especially in using social media to manage public perceptions and sustain loyal customers to the brand. Cinemas use platforms like Weibo to reassure audiences about safety guidelines, engage audiences with alternative material (including behind-the-scenes videos and features highlighting celebrities), and encourage online streaming services as temporary alternatives. Social media provided cinemas an essential way of responding to the “fear economic effect,” helping address audiences’ anxieties while maintaining brand relevance despite personal interactions being absent from their service offering.
Methodology
Investigation Methods of Social Media Behavior Evolution
This study aimed to compare and analyze the changes in social media behavior of Chinese cinema chains before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and the characteristics of their behavioral evolution. To achieve this, the paper conducted content and statistical analyses of tweets posted by cinema chains’ social media accounts, utilizing methods such as time selection, data collection, content-coding, and analytical strategy.
Tweet Selection Criteria and Time Frame Justification
To explore the effects of the viral pandemic on social media usage, the study reviewed tweets from two major Chinese cinema chains, Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi, via Weibo. Tweets were selected based on specific inclusion criteria: each tweet must have been publicly visible from the official accounts of these cinemas and directly related to engaging audiences or promotional content about cinema operations; any that did not fit these parameters were disqualified from the analysis.
The impact of the pandemic on cinema chains has fluctuated with the severity of outbreaks. While each fluctuation provides insight into the effects of the pandemic, the most valuable observation period for examining industry shocks and market reactions under extreme conditions is around January 2020, marking the onset of the pandemic in mainland China and the first suspension of cinema operations. This period coincides with the Spring Festival, China’s largest annual festival, which typically marks the peak of the New Year film season and box office revenue. In previous years, the single week of the Spring Festival accounted for approximately 10% of annual box office sales.
Therefore, this study takes January 2020 as the midpoint and includes the months immediately before and after, covering the 5 months from November 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020, to observe a balanced view of the evolution of Chinese cinema chains’ social media behavior during the pandemic.
The research chooses Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi Cinema as case studies due to their stronghold market positions and significant Weibo followings, making them standard bearers for major Chinese cinema chains. Businesses employ different engagement strategies that generate valuable material for comprehensive comparative research. Tweets were selected for the study when they matched pre-defined requirements such as official source, public availability, and the clear display of audience engagement strategies. Any tweets devoted to company general announcements or non-participation methods were omitted from the analysis as unrelated to social media practices.
The research duration consists of 5 months, from November 2019 to March 2020, which lets researchers monitor pre-pandemic user behaviors, emergency responses during the initial crisis period, and adoption tactics through the pandemic. The selected period included both the Spring Festival revenue peak for theaters and the time after lockdowns were transitorily lifted, and it proved helpful for extensive research purposes.
A systematic thematic coding method was used to achieve consistent and reliable results across the process. The researchers categorized tweets under five previously defined categories, including movie advertising and promotions combined with celebrity interactions and news from the film industry, as well as the studio’s crisis management approach and tweet responses from fans. The researchers used a standardized coding manual for thematic assignment yet achieved high levels of agreement between the two independent coders (Cohen’s Kappa κ = .82), according to Landis and Koch (1977). The dispute resolution process involved independent reviews followed by discussions about coding criteria, and then final decisions were made by the senior researcher. The findings received their accurate form through a detailed and systematic dispute resolution system (Dolan et al., 2019).
Data Acquisition
Data were collected from Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi Cinema’s official Weibo accounts using Weibo’s advanced search and filter functions. Tweets were extracted based on relevance to audience engagement, promotional content, and operational updates. The dataset covers the period from November 2019 to March 2020, ensuring a balanced representation of pre-and post-pandemic engagement patterns and crisis adaptation strategies.
Potential biases were considered during data collection. Selection bias may arise from excluding deleted or private tweets, which was mitigated by cross-referencing archived Weibo analytics. Algorithmic bias, where Weibo’s ranking system prioritizes certain content, was controlled by collecting data at consistent intervals. Given the 5-month observation window, temporal bias was acknowledged as a limitation. However, the selected timeframe effectively captures the immediate impact of the pandemic on cinema chains’ social media behavior. A random 10% dataset sample was manually verified, ensuring a 98% data fidelity rate.
This study extracted reseach topics from each tweet based on the date, time, content, method, forwards, comments, and likes. Each tweet can be represented as an a-dimensional interest vector.
Where,
It is assumed that the subject vector distribution of a follower’s tweet
Where
Generally, a stronger relationship between the tweet’s focus and the user correlates with increased interaction and likelihood of forwarding. Therefore, this study selected January as a midpoint, along with the surrounding months, for a 5-month period to measure interaction intensity between the source and user, thus assessing the source’s influence on the receiver. It is assumed that the total number of microblogs contained in the historical forwarding record of user
Where
The user’s preference for movie-related content is an internal driver of their social media behavior, while external influences modify this behavior based on interactions with upstream sources. These two factors are mutually independent in influencing social media behavior, leading to the following deduction:
Where
It is assumed that in user
It is assumed that in the user’s historical forwarding record, the number of microblogs with the influence of the source on the sink is
The methods described above effectively facilitated the collection of relevant tweet data within the observation period. During this timeframe, a web crawler was used to gather data from the official Weibo accounts of Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi, resulting in a dataset of 1,035 tweets from Wanda Cinema and 221 tweets from Guangdong Dadi. The specific data items collected included the following: tweet release date, time, content, release method, number of forwards, comments, and likes.
Content Coding
Thematic coding was conducted using a structured framework developed by reviewing crisis communication and social media engagement literature. A pilot coding of 200 randomly selected tweets refined the categories, resulting in six themes: promotional content, crisis communication, industry discourse, celebrity engagement, interactive content, and public sentiment. Two independent coders manually annotated the dataset. Discrepancies were resolved through a three-step process: independent re-evaluation, consensus discussion, and final arbitration by a senior researcher. This ensured consistency and validity in thematic classification.
This study collected information on various characteristics of tweets, including dates, times, material, number of comments, forwards, and likes. Material codes were generated manually by reviewing each tweet to assign thematic codes before grouping similar topics for analysis. To increase reliability, two coders independently reviewed every tweet using an algorithmic system to assign tags according to topics according to an agreed-upon algorithm for coding; Cohen’s Kappa measured intercoder reliability, which resulted in an average payoff value of 0.82, signaling strong agreement among them whereas discrepancies were solved via discussions to assure accurate data gathering and increase accuracy of analysis (Cohen, 2013).
Data was verified by linking tweets with publicly accessible Weibo records and accurately verifying their themes, dates, and engagement metrics. This ensured rigor and accuracy in data collection and code, enabling trust when analyzing it in subsequent studies. The specific topic codes and tweet statistics are presented in Table 1:
Tweets Subject Code and Statistics.
Evaluation Strategy
This study’s evaluation strategy was devised to thoroughly examine the development of Chinese cinema chains’ social media usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three primary approaches—statistical, content, and comparative analyses—were employed to gain an in-depth understanding of changes in tweet frequency, timing, engagement metrics, thematic content, and frequency of engagement metrics in real time. Each method allowed for a comprehensive examination of how engagement strategies have changed during its progression throughout this pandemic.
Statistical Analysis
Statistics collected social media behavior modifications through monitoring tweet frequency and time patterns and interactive measures that incorporated comments, sharing activities, and liking actions. The tracking method studied tweeting patterns during outbreak events from before the events to after epidemic bursts appeared by evaluating associated indicators. The time-based investigation of posting trends would demonstrate how operations adapted through digital strategies because of operational limitations. The data obtained from audience engagement metrics allowed statistical analysis to determine the most effective content types for increasing interaction and specific methods that drive positive engagement results.
The researchers evaluated tweet frequency results with descriptive statistical calculations that involved mean, median, and standard deviation assessments for audience interaction patterns. Subsequent reseach can utilize the engagement metrics for statistical evaluation through paired t-tests to measure transforming patterns during pre-pandemic and pandemic times, though the Mann-Whitney U test to provide non-normal distribution data analysis for optimum reliability results, using Pearson’s correlation coefficient to measure theme-posting relationships with simultaneous audience engagement while using time-series analysis to analyze temporal frequency patterns, to provide evidence-based findings regarding Chinese cinema chains’ alterations in their digital initiatives throughout the crisis.
Content Analysis
A content analysis approach enabled researchers to categorize and analyze tweet content so they could identify changes in material importance from the pre-pandemic period to the post-pandemic era. The analysis method required researchers to assign tweets to categorized themes including “film promotion” and “public health updates” together with “industry news” and “celebrity topics.” Every posted tweet underwent independent analysis by two trained evaluators who calculated their agreement using Cohen’s Kappa as an assessment of coder reliability. The resulting scores reached 0.82 which demonstrated solid unity among reviewers. Through thematics, researchers could track meaningful changes that took place in social media strategies. Social media platforms observed the transformation of traditional promotional content into audience engagement materials because of physical theater closures. This investigation investigated material patterns to derive strategies for addressing audience needs when crises occur.
Comparative Analysis
Comparative analysis was used to analyze the social media habits of Chinese cinema chains by comparing them to cinema industry practices from other countries, including Turkey. The comparison focused on the variations in tweet themes and the frequency and engagement strategies of Chinese chains like Wanda, Guangdong Dadi, and the Turkish cinema chain Cinemaximum. Examining the frequency, timing, and interactions between nations and across nations identified the importance of regulatory and cultural aspects in formulating effective digital media engagement strategies during a pandemic. In addition, a global perspective enabled this study to shed light on Chinese cinema-specific strategy and provide insight into how cinema chain operators are changing their business practices to adapt to particular regulations and cultural situations.
Data Representation and Visualization
The results of the analysis became more understandable because of different visualization techniques. Tweet frequency data for pandemic periods utilizes line graphs, and bar graphs to demonstrate desktop versus mobile posting methods. Table 1 organizes content variations with audience engagement statistics in a well-ordered manner. A combination of statistics stays in the methodology structure while descriptive language accompanies them to improve understanding for non-specialist readers without altering methodological accuracy. Illustrations support the main empirical research by making the analysis results more accessible to comprehend.
Limitations of Data Sources and Generalizability
This study explores Weibo information originating from Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi chains; these comprise only a portion of Chinese movie industry and thus may not apply universally or across platforms on social media. Due to their significant market presence and significant user engagement on Weibo, both chains were chosen for research as they provide insight into common tactics and behavior seen at major cinema chains. But it should be acknowledged that adding more platforms or chains would give a more complete picture of the industry’s media amplification in the context of the pandemic. Future research could broaden their study by including cinema chains or studying cross-platform interactions.
The overwhelming presence of Weibo in Chinese social media space allows research on audience engagement, but scientists have to manage its restrictions, which reduce broader population applicability. Because the study focuses exclusively on Weibo researchers cannot evaluate engagement behaviors that occur across other major Chinese platforms like WeChat along with Douyin and Bilibili because each platform operates with its own unique algorithms and user base structure (Zhou & Feng, 2019). Different crisis communication approaches emerge from Facebook as well as Twitter and Instagram social media techniques used by worldwide cinema organizations leading to distinct audience participation patterns. Researchers should conduct investigations to examine crisis communication practices across numerous digital platforms to develop a complete understanding of these methods. New research must include data collection from various platforms to verify if Weibo adjustments represent general industry developments or remain specific to China’s digital space.
Ethical Considerations
The analysts conducted this study based on research ethical standards due to publicly accessible social media data. Anonymized data analysis occurred through Weibo’s open platform because researchers excluded user identities from recording to protect user privacy during this investigation and diminish ethical issues related to Weibo usage. The online research on publicly accessible data followed ethical guidelines that protect privacy and confidentiality principles.
Results
The section maintains a systematic structure starting with tweet timing pattern and frequency modifications and proceeding to changes in content delivery while investigating audience engagement behaviors. This method organizes the presented findings to show how cinema chains adapted their operations alongside the changes they made to audience interactions.
Evaluation on the Change of Tweet Frequency
The frequency of tweets serves as an essential sign that Chinese cinema chains are undergoing behavioral modifications in their social media strategy. The study evaluated how Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi adjusted their tweet frequency during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods through Figure 2. The cinema closures executed across mainland China began on January 23, 2020, as evident in Figure 2A and B. The outbreak of the pandemic led to a substantial reduction in daily tweets released by cinema chains starting from January 23, 2020. Wanda Cinema issued 34 tweets during February 10th 2022 which became its highest tweet count because the company distributed news about film festival awards. Daily tweets from Guangdong Dadi Cinema, together with Wanda Cinema, decreased throughout this period. From November 2019 through March 2020, Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi released 1,256 tweets, averaging 8.3 tweets every day before the pandemic, but reduced their tweets to 3.5 posts per day after it started.
Comparison of tweet frequency between two cinemas before and after the epidemic year: (A) frequency of tweets before and after the epidemic in Wanda cinema line and (B) frequency of tweets before and after the epidemic in Guangdong Dadi.
The frequency of tweets declined sharply after the first lockdown measure became effective, as shown in Figure 2. After reducing its initial promotion volume, the cinema industry directed its marketing efforts toward specific audience connections instead of mass promotional campaigns. The present trend matches previous observations that organizations decrease promotional strategies during crises to build interactive social connections (Napoli, 2020; Yuan & Jiang, 2020).
The research data presented in Figure 2A and B shows that cinema chains experienced a substantial decrease in tweet frequency after the pandemic began. Organizations in crisis situations initially transition toward managing their reputation and reassuring audiences due to SCCT principles (Coombs, 2007). Wanda Cinema and Guangdong Dadi Cinema adapted their Weibo profiles by cutting down marketing content while focusing on audience-fostered information. According to UGT, users search for content that satisfies their changing requirements because of their ongoing needs (Katz et al., 1973). Audience engagement patterns transformed due to the pandemic into less active tweet behaviors that consisted of passive content consumption instead of active user interactions. Digital crisis communication methods need to adapt their strategies to adapt audience behavior patterns if they plan to keep their audience committed in the long run.
Evaluation of the Change of the Time for Publishing Tweets
In addition to tweet frequency, this study also examined the timing of tweets posted by the two cinema chains. The specific results are shown in Figure 3.
Comparison of tweet timing before and after the epidemic in two cinema lines: (A) the timing of tweets before and after the epidemic in Wanda cinema line and (B) timing of tweets before and after the epidemic in Guangdong Dadi.
As shown in Figure 3A and B, Wanda Cinema had a high number of tweets in December, while Guangdong Dadi was most active in November. Their peak posting times were concentrated from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. A horizontal comparison of the tweet timing for the two major cinema chains over the 5 months before and after the pandemic outbreak reveals significant changes in tweet timing post-outbreak. Specifically, Wanda Cinema’s early morning tweets increased considerably later in the pandemic, while Guangdong Dadi’s nightly tweets increased after the outbreak.
Evaluation of Changes in the Way of Publishing Tweets
Next, this study analyzed the changes in the tweet publishing methods of Guangdong Dadi Cinema before and after the pandemic. The specific results are presented in Figure 4.
Comparison of the changes in the way of releasing tweets in two cinema line before and after the epidemic: (A) the number of tweets on diffrent channels of Wanda cinema line before and after the epidemic and (B) the number of tweets on diffrent channels before and after the epidemic.
The Weibo account tweets from these two cinema chains both exhibited substantial decreases in numbers through different posting methods after the pandemic started, based on Figure 4A and B. The tweets also decreased in number, which focused on raffle themes. The official Weibo website posts at Dadi Cinema dropped, but the number of tweets from mobile applications surged. During pandemic restrictions, the content editors who worked for the cinema account established their operations using mobile-based platforms.
Theme Changes of Tweets
The research evaluated tweet theme adjustments for both cinemas throughout the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods. The thematic developments of cinema chains’ social media content appear in Figure 5, which displays pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Promotional materials, including trailers and event marketing, made up most of the initial pre-pandemic content on social media until pandemic-related changes brought a surge in discussion about celebrities and industry updates as the accounts adopted audience-oriented content strategies instead of direct marketing approaches. Crisis communication research supports this finding as brands use relationship-based messaging during emergencies to maintain their audience’s attention (Coombs, 2007; Dolan et al., 2019).
Comparison of changes in the theme of tweets before and after COVID-19 in two cinemas: (A) theme changes of tweets before and after the epidemic in Wanda cinema line and (B) theme changes of tweets before and after the epidemic in Guangdong Dadi.
The number of tweets on themes like “film and television promotion” and “interactive raffle” dropped substantially, while tweets on “celebrity topics”, “special topics,” and “industry topics” soared notably, according to Figure 5A and B. The rise in “industry topics” corresponds with the release periods of multiple film festivals and award ceremonies. Chinese cinemas within mainland China restructured their social media strategy by decreasing inefficient thematic tweets while boosting content intended to sustain audience loyalty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wanda Cinema used a more hands-on and operational method in its social media approach versus Guangdong Dadi Cinema.
Audiences resort to entertainment and familiar personalities during crises as a coping mechanism (Cauberghe et al., 2021), explaining the rise in “industry news” and “celebrity topics.” According to UGT, audiences select their media content actively because they need information, reassurance, and social connection (Katz et al., 1973). These research findings validate previous studies regarding digital adaptation methods the cinema industry uses.
Impact of Interaction Utility Change
Before analyzing their consequences, the study examines how theme modifications affect the Weibo-generated data from both cenimas. The influence of collaboration between the two cinema chains emerges in Figure 6. Wanda Cinema achieved the most significant levels of user engagement in December when it received 2,622 forwards and generated 1,053 comments and 1,100 likes, according to Figure 6A and B. The social media metrics show Guangdong Dadi registered the minimum number of interactions throughout March because they obtained no forwards and likes and received no comments. Tweets encountered fewer forwards combined with comments during periods of the pandemic, but the likes population within this sample grew substantially.
Comparison of the effects of interaction utility changes before and after the epidemic in two cinema lines: (A) impact of interactive utility changes before and after the epidemic in Wanda cinema line and (B) impact of interactive utility changes before and after the epidemic in Guangdong Dadi.
Tweet content with raffle themes generated higher interactive behavior in forwarding and commenting, yet celebrity-based topics and film promotions received more likes than other interactive measures. The decrease in raffle-themed tweets and the increase in tweets about celebrity events explains why researchers observed the alterations in user interactions.
Active audience participation metrics declined steeply as users began favoring passive interactions, as shown through their liking behavior in Figure 6A and B. The transformation in user behavior appears to follow UGT principles because people modify their participation according to their current situational needs (Napoli, 2020). The pandemic prompted audiences to choose lower-effort interactions, such as post-liking over discussion, because digital fatigue alongside uncertainty during the crisis became prevalent.
Audience behavior transformation requires crisis communicators to adapt their strategies based on an SCCT perspective. In cases where audiences demonstrate passive participation, the content must be adjusted to support stronger interactions by using interactive features such as polls, Q&As, and community discussions (Dolan et al., 2019). The successful cinema chain Wanda Cinema achieved adaptation through its utilization of celebrity content and industry updates, which followed audience preference adjustments.
Moreover, the research investigated strategies implemented across different international markets. In Yolcu (2021)’s study on Cinemaximum, Turkey’s largest cinema chain, Twitter usage before and after the pandemic revealed that: (1) the number of tweets by cinema chains declined significantly after the pandemic; (2) new tweet topics emerged, including announcements on COVID-19 measures, the significance of cinemas, the privilege of cinema experiences, nostalgia for cinemas, updates on the film industry, reopening preparations, online surveys, and health measures; (3) popular topics post-pandemic included competitions, games, questions, puzzles, engagement prompts, humor, and interesting information (Yolcu, 2021).
The pandemic caused Wanda Cinema, China’s biggest cinema chain, to limit its Weibo posts while introducing new content about release rescheduling notices and pandemic-related talks. The primary interests in social media became review discussions about movies and television shows, celebrity content, and recorded interview exchanges. Although trailers proved dominant on these accounts, they started to include previews of dramatic online content more often.
When evaluating the posts from China and Turkey’s biggest cinema chains through social media analysis, it became clear that they both cut down their online presence after the pandemic. The different times when outbreaks occurred and different national policies caused both countries to develop other social media strategies. Turks used psychological engagement techniques to boost audience loyalty, yet Chinese cinema owners present substitute media content about movies and television to keep viewers intrigued by entertainment programming.
Audience behavior shifted substantially as a result of the pandemic outbreak. The pandemic led to lower interaction frequencies among users, yet passive interactions, including liking content, became more prevalent relative to active interactions like comment writing and sharing. Research by Yee et al. (2022) validates findings that demonstrate users exhibit less active participation but maintain interest with low-effort communication during crises. The pandemic caused audiences to increase their social media exposure to familiar personalities, and this behavior reaffirmed the platform’s function as a crisis communication system (Napoli, 2020).
Discussion
During the COVID-19 epidemic, Chinese cinema chains Wanda and Guangdong Dadi developed adaptive social media strategies, which the research investigated. Social media content directed at Weibo users underwent changes that emphasized community building for Wanda and Guangdong Dadi while they closed their cinemas. Wanda’s promotional approach showcases how entertainment updates and sector news build interactivity with users (Laguna et al., 2020; Yolcu, 2021). The modifications in social media approaches match worldwide responses to emergencies, demonstrating how platforms maintain audience connections by offering substitute communication channels after a disruption occurs. The study illustrates how communication strategies depend on cultural influences and regulatory requirements between different countries (Steblyna, 2018).
The analysis from this study confirms the theoretical predictions within Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT). Organizations should develop purposeful crisis communication strategies according to SCCT to protect their reputation and built confident relationships with their stakeholders (Coombs, 2007). Wanda Cinema along with Guangdong Dadi Cinema transitioned their Weibo strategy from promotional content promotion to crisis management publishing that focuses on audience engagement and reassurance following the Chinese New Year holiday. The communication method follows SCCT recommendations, which support organizations to change from providing basic fact updates (instructing strategy) to using emotional reinforcement strategies (boosting strategy) during extended crises per Coombs et al. (2010).
Media consumption follows a goal-oriented principle that derives from audiences needing information, entertainment, and social engagement, according to UGT (Katz et al., 1973). The evolution of the method used by cinema chains to handle social media suggests they used audience needs from the pandemic as their guide during the crisis period. UDGT supports that users decreased their preference for direct marketing while increasing their focus on social engagement since they needed reassurance and feelings of belonging. The combination of Crisis Response and Uses and Gratifications theories provides a strong interpretive framework to confirm how digital crisis communication strategies adjust according to changing audience preferences.
Shifts in Tweet Frequency and Timing in Crisis Contexts
Key Observations and Strategic Adaptations
The study demonstrated how Wanda and Guangdong Dadi adjusted their social media content scheduling while strengthening the intensity of their posts because of COVID-19. The theater closings suspended main operations but the chains intensified their tweeting during active periods to develop relationships with their audiences and boost visibility (Yolcu, 2021). Social media post schedules received scheduled adjustments by managed entities to enhance tweet visibility at high engagement times supporting greater audience engagement.
Connection to Crisis Communication Theory
Situational Crises Communication Theory (SCCT) emphasizes the importance of messaging and timing strategies to manage stakeholders’ perceptions in a crisis energetically (Zhang & Chen, 2022). Following SCCT, these Chinese film chains’ time-management strategies show an intentional change to maximize impact, particularly when audiences are more likely to interact. Strategic timing helps businesses keep their image visible while assuaging concerns from stakeholders and mitigating any risk to reputational damage due to crises; such strategies were utilized here by altering tweet timing and material theme distribution (Jin & Austin, 2020). Beyond corporate crisis management, cinema chains’ digital engagement strategies also shaped public attitudes toward social media as a crisis tool. The shift to Weibo for real-time communication reinforced digital media’s role in addressing emotional and informational needs during crises (Katz et al., 1973). Developing crisis management strategies requires strategic digital engagement because such practices build public trust and crisis resilience (Napoli, 2020).
Broader Implications
Social media platforms play an essential role in crisis communication management, as movie theaters use them to meet audience needs. Organizations that support customer requirements during operational disruptions remain connected to their active customers throughout disruptions. Hornmoen and Maseide (2018) proved that evolutionary social media scheduling creates lasting customer relationships and organization-wide crisis preparedness during difficult times.
Adapting Content Themes to Audience Needs During Disruptions
Evolving Content Priorities
This research demonstrates that Chinese cinema chains transitioned their promotional focus from film advertisements to presentation of “celebrity topics” and “industry news.” These film-related topics targeted spectators who sought reliable information and well-known names but not promotional materials about films. Social media operations during emergencies adjust to feature useful content that supports community cohesion (Austin et al., 2012; Gambura & Apuke, 2018).
Alignment with Audience Engagement Theories
The Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) shows its full potential in this case because it explains how people engage with media that gives them entertainment alongside information needs (Yaqoub et al., 2022). As audiences increasingly relied on social media platforms for satisfaction during cinema chain disruptions (Yolcu, 2021), social media was increasingly used for celebrity updates and industry news; cinema chains also adjusted accordingly by emphasizing celebrity updates while continuing engagement while their services were suspended (Herring, 2018).
Implications for Social Media Content Strategy
The findings demonstrate how cinema chains and entertainment brands should adjust and make their material strategies customer-oriented to navigate emergencies. Brands achieve brand visibility and audience connections through audience need monitoring and targeted important content delivery even when operations remain limited. Businesses must use real-time adaptiveness as a key component in their social media planning. The established structure enables continued audience participation through upcoming modifications (Austin et al., 2012; Rolán, 2012).
Role of Mobile Platforms and Passive Engagement in Social Media Adaptation
The necessity of mobile-friendly content emerged because users mainly access social media through mobile devices. Research analysis shows mobile platforms create simple connection options that produce essential user engagement “likes” instead of requiring users to complete tasks like sharing or commenting (Farman, 2015; Humphreys, 2013). The fundamental use of visual engagement enables cinema chains to recover their audience during emergencies and stay ahead of audience needs for automated social connection methods.
Interpreting Passive Interaction Preferences
The “liking” actions indicate decreased involvement, which coincides with the Uses and Gratification (UGT) theoretical frameworks suggested by Yee et al. (2022). Users want effective communication platforms to reach content while minimizing their time usage, and passive interactions demonstrate public engagement and provide vital brand insights (Alhayan et al., 2018; Naderi & Wohn, 2023).
Optimizing for Mobile and Passive Engagement
The mobile audience demands short mobile content with image-based engagement from cinema companies that uphold their mobile capabilities while maintaining audience interaction. Cinema chains adapt through their dual active-predictive approach to audience methods, which support mobile accessibility by observing public behavioral patterns. The engagement levels between the audience and cinema operators stay equal through high and low touchpoints (Pagani & Malacarne, 2017; Willems, 2021).
International Comparison: Social Media Strategies Across Cultural Contexts
Differences in Engagement Tactics Between China and Turkey
When comparing social media versions of Chinese cinema chains like Wanda and Guangdong Dadi (Lu, 2016) and Turkey’s Cinemaximum (Yolcu, 2021), some striking similarities and distinctions emerge. Both regions decreased the frequency of tweets significantly during the epidemic, reflecting a general shift away from frequent posting as opportunities for engagement in person decreased. Turkish cinema chains focused more on nostalgia and emotional engagement with their audiences through memory-driven material; Chinese chains instead used industry news and topics related to celebrities as an angle to keep audiences up-to-date with changes in the entertainment world.
Impact of Cultural and Regulatory Influences
These variations illustrate the impact of factors relating to culture and regulation in crisis communication strategies. Turkish film theaters operating in an environment based on memories of shared emotions and emotional bonds, as well as a solid connection to the past, have embraced culturally relevant themes to promote feelings of community and nostalgia (Yolcu, 2021). Previous studies argue that emotional and identity-driven content is beautiful in environments like Turkey’s social media-focused context, where viewers prioritize personal, close relationships (Bayın Donar & Aydan, 2022). Chinese cinema chains under a central media regulatory structure placed greater importance on updating their content toward business than on individualization of engagement strategies—in line with China’s policy on crisis communications, which emphasizes controlled dissemination of information over individualization of engagement strategies (Yuan & Jiang, 2020).
Global Takeaways for Crisis Communication
Luo et al. (2022) stress how cultural awareness affects social media crisis management through different cinematic approaches used in China and Turkey. Internationally managed cinema chains reduce their audience disengagement issues by having content adaptation strategies that promote emotional connection or formal announcement formats (Tang, 2024). Social media plans receive directorial updates based on specific audience preferences, thus helping cinemas build enduring customer relationships and preserve brand attractiveness even during difficult periods. Effective emergency communications worldwide require knowledge about various cultures’ literal rules and cultural regulations.
International Comparison: Social Media Strategies Across Cultural Contexts
During crises, the digital engagement strategies of Turkish and Chinese cinema chains function differently from those of other worldwide entertainment industries. According to Yoon et al. (2022), the South Korean CGV company used live streaming and influencer marketing to keep viewers returning to theaters, while Hollywood studios released their films through premium streaming platforms.
The creation of engagement strategies grew out of cultural needs and mandatory legal prerequisites. Sentimental tendencies characterize audience behavior in Turkey, so viewers prefer emotional content with nostalgic themes during their cinematic interactions. China’s social media approach sent specialized industry information according to the state-prescribed standards regarding internet communication and public speaking (Yuan & Jiang, 2020). Western global cinema companies serving customers in the U.S. and UK markets have implemented subscription models combined with social media connection programs. Strategic crisis communication adaptations must arise because organizations must tackle particular cultural aspects, regulatory boundaries, and technological limitations that characterize each situation.
Theoretical and Practical Implications
This study contributes essential elements to Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) regarding the application of crisis management through social media by cinema businesses. SCCT promotes audience-specific crisis response strategy development through Chinese movie chains that present regular updates about industry developments and security-related content. The principles of SCCT indicate that organizations facing crises should move past direct marketing to reassure their audience populations (Coombs, 2007). In our research, cinema chains chose to share industry news plus celebrity content instead of previous promotional material. Research has confirmed that strategic crisis communication planning effectively controls public reactions to crises (Sturges, 1994). The study demonstrates that social media satisfies comfort needs when traditional engagement methods become limited while revealing how cinema chains adapt their content due to psychological human requirements. The study advances the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) through evidence that people modify their audience behavior in response to crises. Social media engagement represents a dual mechanism that functions to preserve psychological attachment during uncertain periods, as per earlier UGT findings, but beyond their entertainment-based examinations.
The joint application of SCCT and UGT in this study creates fresh insights into digital crisis communication by adapting brand strategies and audience conduct to external disruptions. Independent research beyond the study of cinema demonstrates that organizations within different sectors can adopt similar approaches to adapt their social media methods when social platforms experience timing alterations and thematic changes or disruptions. Brands can create successful digital crisis management by developing entire Internet-based protocols for the crisis, pre-crisis, and post-crisis phases (Jiao & Wang, 2023).
Conclusion
The film industry, like many others, has undergone tremendous changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis conditions within the film industry lead to severe operational problems and potential permanent shutdowns. During the COVID-19 crisis, Chinese cinema chains modified their digital marketing approaches according to Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT).
Under SCCT, we identified that marketing shifted from transactions toward audience peace of mind and the formation of shared communities. Marketing promotion cutbacks, increased industry updates, and celebrity attractions form part of an operational strategy that protects the company’s reputation during the crisis. Wanda Cinema follows SCCT’s bolstering strategy by strengthening its positive brand ties even after operational interruptions. The UGT view supports how cinema chains modified their programming to meet customers’ changing interests. Audiences developed passive internet usage patterns through increased liking behavior instead of active commenting and sharing mechanisms because they searched for meaningful interactions without high effort. Under crisis circumstances, successful adoption of social media strategies became possible through industry dialog and interactive content combined with meaningful narratives to uphold digital audience engagement.
Research findings provide foundational requirements for developing rules that apply to digital literacy programming, cultural participation systems, and social media emergency preparedness methods. Digital crisis literacy needs to be taught to Weibo users because they base their information consumption on this platform. Therefore, they face challenges when differentiating between real news and fake content. Businesses use virtual events and digital storytelling methods to protect their cultural heritage during emergencies. Official national crisis management plans need built-in professional social media participation strategies to reach maximum public response levels.
Social media concentrated on audience participation after the industrial shutdown, eliminating token promotions and brand visibility. The maneuvers implemented by movie theater networks required modifications to their communication practices and operational methods, content updates, audience interactivity, and global network expansion. The results from Weibo data analytics conducted on two Chinese chain cinemas created the foundational knowledge to evaluate crisis-driven social media strategy adaptiveness. Researchers should conduct prolonged studies of diverse social media networks to completely understand ongoing digital practices.
Cultural adaptation within digital strategies leads to valuable research outcomes in these investigations. Distribution companies maintained audience relationships using digital platforms and industry-wide entities to transmit urgent crisis information through social media contact systems for specific audiences. Research demonstrates that effective digital crisis communication strategies need audience behavior adjustments for businesses to maintain their position while resisting industrial disruptions. The audience outreach system needs modernization due to the movement from standard promotional practices toward lifestyle-focused content for movie industries. In response to this shift, Chinese cinema social media teams continue interacting with customers by combining entertainment media and actor interviews alongside industry news coverage segments.
Limitations and Future Research Directions
The study requires acknowledging constraints in its scope to understand the effects and significance properly. The study maintained a restricted focus on applying its analysis to only two Chinese cinema chains, so it does not work for all cinema chains in different cultural environments. Data from Weibo provides insufficient information about platforms that differ in audience response due to its short observation period of 5 months, which also prevents mapping societal media methods throughout an extensive crisis duration.
Further studies should investigate different approaches to improve the understanding of how crises in the film industry transform social media behavior. Future studies should concentrate on additional social media platforms beyond Weibo by investigating platforms like Douyin and WeChat or international options to achieve complete knowledge about user-base engagement approaches. Experimenting multiple movie chains operating within and beyond China would result in generalization and improved findings. Long-term observation of social media behavior during crises enables the discovery of transformation patterns in engagement approaches that guide appropriate modifications to social media practice.
Footnotes
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, H.L. and Z.S.; methodology, H.L. and Z.S.; software, H.L. and Z.S.; validation, H.L. and Z.S.; formal analysis, H.L. and Z.S.; investigation, H.L. and Z.S.; resources, H.L. and Z.S.; data curation, H.L. and Z.S.; writing—original draft preparation, H.L. and Z.S.; writing—review and editing, H.L. and Z.S.; visualization, H.L. and Z.S.; supervision, Z.S.; project administration, Z.S; funding acquisition, H.L. All authors approved the final manuscript.
Funding
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Philosophy and Social Sciences Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (Grant No. 23NDJC158YB).
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
References
,