While the first official day of summer is upon us, the summer movie season began back in May with the release of the mega-blockbuster the Avengers, to which I eagerly took my two boys.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the movie; with my children laughing embarrassingly loud when Hulk declared Loki to be a “puny God.”
Summer Escape
Movies are great escape; you get to see other worlds, be other people, fall in love all over again. It is also nice to be in a dark theater, in a comfortable chair, where you can unplug and focus on one thing for a few hours. From the movie titles to the concession stand, there is always something for everyone. For these reasons, movie theaters are also a great environment to reach your consumers.
Attention-Grabbing
While TV consumers are fast-forwarding through commercials on their DVR, movie audiences are watching ads on a 40-foot screen with very few distractions. Movie theaters have a leg up on other media as an out of home event. Movies in the theater don’t have to compete with background noise that media in the home experience. A Myers Research study on “Emotional Connections of Audiences to the Media they Consume” ranked movie theaters number one out of 40 media spaces in “likelihood to pay attention to the advertising messages.”
Full-Circle Approach
Movie theaters can also go well beyond simply running static ads or commercial spots. On-site access for promotional giveaways and other experiential opportunities can increase audience engagement.
Print items distributed with tickets, companion websites and mobile apps are now all part of movie theater vendors’ media space portfolio. National CineMedia’s “ Movie Night Out ” app is a great example of integration, as it can recommend movies and help consumers find additional activities related to the occasion, including restaurants and retail locations.
Enjoy the Show
This expanded menu of options ensures advertisers can reach their consumers before, during and after the movie. Be one of 221 million consumers expected to visit the movies scheduled for release this Summer and Fall.
The Dark Knight Rises
The Bourne Legacy
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
SkyFall (Bond)
And as you dive into your own experience, consider how you might connect with your consumer before or after the show.
:: By Gretchen Reisner, Out of Home Specialist
