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Author Topic: Boston Globe article on pre-movie ads Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 02-22-2005 04:03 PM                     In parts of Latin America and the Caribbean ads have been the norm for decades...but in such locations such as Puerto Rico they list the advertising (cartelaras)and feature start showtimes. Used to love the smoking ads....climbing mountains, surfing, sky diving....and still have enough lung power to smoke Liquor and beer ads...busty women, flowing spirits and not a drunk person in view  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 02-22-2005 04:23 PM                        Ads were the norm 30+ years ago in theaters in Bangkok, Thailand. Condoms were among the products routinely advertised. They also had several ticket price levels, based on seating location, with escalating prices for the better seats. And you could pick out the exact seats you wanted when buying tickets.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-22-2005 05:33 PM                     I just love when people claim that the Fandango trailers are "ads". It's the theater's online ticketing service you idiots!  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2005 09:33 PM                     quote: Jim Ziegler the lost revenue would have to be made up somehow.. Yes, money that you NEVER HAD IN THE FIRST PLACE is considered "lost" revenue. It's all corporate double-speak bullshit! "They" can phrase it any way they like to make it sound like the end of the world will come about sooner if they don't have a way to make up for their "lost" money! The truth is that the consumer is going to bend over and grab his ankles to take it up the ass just as long as they are willing to put up with it. There's only one way it's going to stop. That is is we show them what "lost revenue" REALLY looks like! I can't stand going to watch a movie at the very theater I helped build! They've fucked it up in so many ways it's not funny! There needs to be more people who stop acting like sheep and vote with their wallet. It's the only way companies are going to get the message. I'm not talking about boycott. I'm just saying that people THINK about where they are spending their hard-earned cash. If the company that you are contemplating doing business with doesn't satisfy 99% of your wants or needs, DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THEM! If the theater has too many ads for your taste (or ads AT ALL) and you don't like it, don't go there!  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 02-22-2005 09:47 PM                     I keep reading the term "captive audience". Apparently these people are strapped to their seats or something.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-22-2005 10:09 PM                        Well they are not strapped in, but they certainly won't get up and wander the lobby to avoid seeing the ads (and how would management handle a couple of hundered people actually doing just that?). Or they can do what a small number of New Yorkers did about 8 years ago when they first started ads in New York. Seems like the whole town was in revolt. The papers made a big deal abou it and even the Mayor had his say (what did I tell you about politicians?!) So people began going into the theatres with those personal alarm horns -- small compressed air devices which fit in the pocket or purse and when you press the button, it gives out one loud horn blast. As soon as the ad hit the screen, WHAAAAAAAH-WHAAAAAAH! Loud as hell. It always got applause. I don't know if this was the reason ads disappeared for a time and were held at bay for at least another few years. It made good press, but Randy has it right. Don't go to theatres that do stuff you don't like. Problem is, that's exactly what we are talking about, isn't it -- people abandoning theatres as the place to get their movie entertainment. They do it for a variety of reasons, unwanted, annoying ads is just another one of them.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 02-22-2005 11:08 PM                    I have no control over the ads other than put them on when I get them. But, If the film companies feel like they are losing revenue because people are avoiding the movies do to the ads, then it is up to them to demand that they not be played prior to their features. Pretty much as Disney does for their G and PG movies  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 02-23-2005 02:56 AM                     Warner banned rolling-stock ads from their movies a little after Disney did, but around 2000 they started allowing them again, right when I went to work for a theater that ran them.  |  IP: Logged Jim Ziegler Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 753 From: West Hollywood, CA Registered: Jul 99 posted 02-23-2005 06:07 PM                     quote: Yes, money that you NEVER HAD IN THE FIRST PLACE is considered "lost" revenue. It's all corporate double-speak bullshit! Randy - if a company stops running the ads, it becomes lost revenue. Since the preshow slides/audio ads we run pays my booth payroll and allows for a projectionist in the booth when, I am not keen on dropping them. We do not run rolling stocks.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-23-2005 07:29 PM                     I know it's all about semantics but it's actually "lack of supplemental revenue". I'm running a business. It's more or less profitable. Suddenly, I get advertising and I'm making MORE. Then, one day, the ads don't come any more. The EXCESS revenue stops coming but I'm STILL making the same amount of money I used to. In the current corporate culture we live under, once revenue is seen it becomes the norm. If that revenue stops coming it is seen as a loss. This is not a problem by itself. It's just psychology. However, it becomes problematic when people use that psychology to justify their own agendas to the detriment of other people. Namely, the customer. Essentially an ad exec. can walk into your office and say, "You're loosing money!" The typical knee-jerk reaction to a statement like that is, "Oh, my God! We're loosing money! We must advertise!" There's no consideration for the customer's needs or wants. Ads appear on the screen whether people like it or not. Then, suddenly, there comes a day when, if the advertising money stops coming people start saying things like, "I'll have to lay off a projectionist if we don't make money from advertising!" The truth is, if you're business isn't healthy in the first place those few extra dollars aren't going to keep your business afloat for long. Make your business a place where people will WANT to come and give you their money! It'll pay off in the long run!  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 02-23-2005 07:57 PM                     So then would you accept if your company gave you a pay raise, but then took it away if they werent doing as well as they thought they would, but you were doing your job just as good. I mean its extra money that you didnt have to begin with, so it shouldnt be a problem right?  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-23-2005 08:52 PM                        Never ... in 5 years of managing theatres ... have I had a customer complain about our rolling stock ads.  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-23-2005 10:58 PM                        Mike, You're the exception, not the rule. I've been in for 17 years and I never have heard complaints like I have in the last 8-10 years. N-E-V-E-R! Where we once ran 3 trailers and maybe 2-3 paid ads, we now run 6 trailers and up to 5 ads and policy trailer & format logo. It's damn near 15 and up to 20 minutes on some titles... if it were my place... 10 minutes tops... including any paid ads, which I most liekly would not run.. pre-who digiatl slides woudl be fine, as it is, essentially, free time in MY space. Just my observations...  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-24-2005 12:39 AM                     ..just that extra revenue with slides, digital preshow stuff, rolling stock, helps buffer the "House Nut" expenses that the theatre has to put up with, since the each customer is costing the theatre money. I don't like it anymore than the customer who has to put up seeing the stuff on the screen for 15 minutes, but if the customer only knew how much liability they are when entering the theatre.....something has to compensate for their presense in the theatre ESPECIALLY when they don't stop at the snakbar, which is the bread and butter for the theatre. Thx goodness that film companies don't care about the concession sales... -Monte  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-24-2005 01:32 AM                     Jeremy, you're right. But, I did state it was a matter of semantics and psychology. It's not necessarily the increase or decrease in revenue that I disagree with. It's natural to want to take in more money for your business. (Or your home budget.) What I disagree with is the use of semantics/psychology for one person to advance his agenda over that of another to the detriment of the customer. I used to go to the Warner Theatre back in the 70's and they had rolling stock ads. However, they started BEFORE the published showtime. AND, the screen went blank for a couple of minutes between the ads and the start of the rest of the program. Further, the ads were different than the ones on TV. They didn't yell "BUY! BUY! BUY!" in the customer's face and they were unique to anything else. Even the most hard-boiled among us still has nostalgia for the old "Flick Your Bic" ads! No? It's not just the ads themselves. It's the way the ads are presented and the character of the ads themselves that's objectionable. In the long run, they are driving away the very customers they are hoping to court. No dog ever got fat that was fed its own tail!  |  IP: Logged

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