Cineworld, owner of Regal Cinemas and the second-largest cinema chain in the world is considering bankruptcy amid the news that it is in $5bn of debt. With in-person movie going still struggling post-pandemic due to COVID-delayed movie releases, the price of tickets increasing, and the ability to see many movies simultaneously or shortly after the theater, is advertising in cinemas still a media tactic that makes sense?
Don’t count out cinema just yet.
Even with the aforementioned challenges, the recent releases of blockbuster epics like Top Gun: Maverick and the latest chapters of Thor, Doctor Strange, and Jurassic Park are drawing people to movie theaters. Cinema-going is an experience, with many people still flocking to the big screens for that very experience as a way to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
We’ve been hearing from a few of our vendor partners that viewership and attendance are back on the rise. In May-July of 2022, NY & Philly DMAs ranked in the top 10 in box office sales across the entire US. This past summer, Cinema reached over two-thirds of adults 18-34 (67%) and over half of adults 18-49 and 25-54 with box office hits such as Top Gun and The Rise of Gru premiering onscreen during this timeframe. Across the US, more adults attended the opening weekend of new movie releases than participated in other popular summertime activities like baseball, bars, beaches, or live music events. In the state of New Jersey, Q4 attendance is expected to be in line with Q4 theater attendance of 2019, with box office hits such as Avatar and Wakanda Forever hitting theaters Nov-Dec.
Cinema advertising also has the ability to captivate movie-goers in a way that traditional TV may not. With proper movie protocol directing people to turn off their phones, there are no alternate devices to distract their attention. The large format visual and sound offered in cinema can also draw people in, which some brands are incorporating into their creatives, like this ad Hyundai created with Jason Bateman, which also ran on TV and digital streaming.
With theater companies looking to expand their reach, cinema advertising is more than likely going to evolve as well, with a 360 approach to the moviegoing experience. This could include targeted ads geofenced around theaters with extended scenes, brand collaborations on franchise-specific interactive games, and ticket-ordering prompts.
Are you working with the right partner to strategize your media campaigns?
As an agency, we have subject matter expertise across both traditional and digital media channels – and have been running cinema advertising for clients for years. Our team has the skills to build a strategic marketing plan built around your goals and aimed at driving success. Contact us today to learn more about how we can make your next campaign a blockbuster!
