Discovering who watches what in movie rentals, by zip code

The New York Times has published an interactive map that tracks Netflix movie rentals for the top 100 movie titled, zip code by zip code, across 12 US metropolitan areas. Netflix provided data on the top 50 rentals for each zip code.

We’ve known that different areas have different tastes and purchasing preferences, and the NYT/Netflix maps provide a means for marketers to understand selected markets. For a range of business types, maps such as these provide vivid details to help target resources. Of course, such maps don’t answer the “why” that certain movies prevailed in certain zip codes — it’s up to astute professionals to figure it out, or bring other demographic maps the mix. They loved “Knowing” in Jersey, but “Grand Torino” played well in the Twin Cities area.

Just to give you an idea of what movies prevailed in what markets, as culled from the Netflix maps:

Zip code 10001 (midtown Manhattan, NYC):

1. Milk
2. Rachel Getting Married
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Doubt
5. Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Zip 07522 (Across the river in Patterson, NJ):

1. Knowing
2. Eagle Eye
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
4. Twilight
5. Star Trek

Zip 90120 (Beverly Hills/Los Angeles, CA):

1. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Doubt
4. Milk
5. Changeling

Zip 75074 (Plano/Dallas, TX):

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Twilight
3. Seven Pounds
4. Slumdog Millionaire
5. Body of Lies

Zip 55345 (Minnetonka/Minneapolis, MN):

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. Grand Torino
4. Milk
5. Changeling