Role

Koy Strategy served as a strategic advisory and AI-powered validation partner for a major Hollywood studio’s Southeast Asia division, supporting their upcoming theatrical release slate. Our work focused on testing and analyzing localized consumer feedback for a series of tentpole films scheduled for 2025. We led end-to-end research, including questionnaire design, AI-conducted interviews using our proprietary tool Sayle, and strategic recommendations tailored to major and emerging urban markets across Indonesia. Deliverables included bilingual executive summaries, data visualizations, and localized go-to-market strategies.

Challenge

The studio aimed to strengthen its footprint in Indonesia’s dynamic theatrical market but faced several key challenges:

• Evolving Market Dynamics: Local films were increasingly dominating the box office, requiring a refined understanding of how international titles resonated with varied regional audiences.

• Resource Constraints: With condensed timelines and limited on-the-ground bandwidth, the studio needed an external partner capable of running comprehensive audience testing independently.

• Cultural and Linguistic Nuance: Effectively positioning films in Tier 3–4 cities necessitated deep cultural insight and language sensitivity to inform marketing and creative decisions.

Solution

Koy Strategy deployed a 12-week AI-enabled research program aligned to the studio’s release calendar. Highlights of the engagement included:

• Localized AI Interviewing: Using our Indonesian-language AI interviewer, Sayle, we conducted over 200 qualitative interviews across diverse audience segments. Each title was supported with customized scripts to assess creative resonance, cast appeal, promotional effectiveness, and local competition.

• Film-Specific Insights: Research was conducted on a rolling basis to match release timelines, with each title receiving targeted analysis and feedback to support in-flight campaign decisions.

• Strategic Output: Our deliverables included detailed reports with region- and demographic-specific recommendations, content and positioning strategies, and localized marketing tactics. All insights were translated for cross-functional use across executive and field teams.

This engagement enabled the studio to better align global content with local audience preferences and laid the groundwork for repeatable, data-driven marketing innovation across Southeast Asia.