Forecasting Series Launch Appeal Using Syntheo

The Challenge: Predicting Engagement Without a Pilot

A global streaming platform was planning its next major original series—an ambitious dystopian drama targeting Millennials and Gen Z viewers across North America and Europe.

But there was a catch: with scripts still under development and no trailer or pilot footage available, the content team faced a critical question:

“How appealing will this concept be to our core audiences?”

Traditional research routes—like focus groups or concept tests with live panels—were too slow, costly, and unfeasible at such an early stage. They needed early-stage, predictive insight, grounded in realism but generated at speed.

The Solution: Enter Syntheo, Our AI-Powered Synthetic Personas

To bridge this early-development gap, the streaming client partnered with DataDiggers and leveraged Syntheo, our AI-powered synthetic insights engine.

Syntheo generates highly realistic digital personas based on a blend of behavioral data, cultural markers, and demographic specificity—ideal for hard-to-reach or future-focused research. Each synthetic persona reflects real-world psychographics, enabling simulations of reactions even before production assets exist.

Using this approach, we designed a fully synthetic concept testing study.

Key Features of the Study:

• Target Segments:
  🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 Millennials (25–39) and Gen Z (18–24), with a strong interest in sci-fi, dystopia, and streaming media.
• Test Stimuli:
  
  • Series logline
  • Character archetypes
  • Mood board and short narrative synopsis
  • Tagline and possible episode titles
• Syntheo Output:
  Reactions from 500+ synthetic personas (250 per region) reflecting the psychographic and media consumption behavior of the target cohorts.
• Scenarios Simulated:
  
  • Genre affinity strength
  • Likelihood to click on a trailer
  • Binge potential
  • Perceived originality
  • Anticipated social sharing behavior

The Results: Early Validation & Directional Clarity

📊 Key Insights Delivered:

• Click-Intent Probability:
  64% of synthetic Gen Z respondents showed a high likelihood to click on a trailer, with France and the UK showing slightly stronger engagement than the US and Germany.
• Character Appeal:
  Personas resonated most with the morally conflicted antagonist, suggesting deeper exploration of this role could boost engagement.
• Episode Drop Strategy:
  Bingeing potential was highest among synthetic UK Millennials and lowest among German Gen Z, prompting consideration of a staggered release in select regions.
• Perceived Originality:
  Synthetic respondents rated the series at 7.8/10 for uniqueness, validating the creative team’s early vision and informing future marketing language.

📍 Business Impact:

• Greenlighted script development based on predicted engagement
• Tailored character arcs and promotional strategies by region
• Informed trailer tone and copywriting for pre-release hype
• Avoided ~$70,000 in pre-production live testing costs
• Reduced time-to-insight from 4 weeks to 48 hours

Why Syntheo Was the Right Fit

Syntheo’s synthetic personas are not just fictional avatars—they are data-driven, behaviorally grounded representations of real consumers. For early-stage idea testing like this, Syntheo enables:

• Rapid exploration without needing real panel recruitment
• Bias-free insights in the absence of brand or visual influence
• Scalability across geographies and psychographic niches
• Simulated reactions based on established audience archetypes

Combined with DataDiggers' deep understanding of entertainment audiences and our ISO-certified research protocols, this approach delivers predictive value without compromising quality or rigor.

“Syntheo gave us clarity when we only had a concept,” the client shared. “We were able to pivot early, with confidence—and we’re now in production with a stronger pitch to our audience and investors.”

About DataDiggers

Founded in 2015, DataDiggers is a technology-driven market research agency focused on speed, precision, and data integrity. Our proprietary panels span 65+ countries with 2 million active members, offering verified insights from both consumers and B2B professionals.

With solutions like Syntheo, Modeliq, and Correlix, we support early-stage idea exploration, simulation, and scale research—empowering smarter, faster decisions for both agencies and global brands.

Whether you’re testing a trailer, a product, or a market entry strategy—DataDiggers ensures your insights are not only timely but truly actionable.

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Interested in running early-stage testing using synthetic personas?
Talk to our team or explore more about Syntheo.