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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Author
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Topic: AMC and Regal merge...of sorts
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Scott Norwood
Film God
Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 07-26-2005 03:47 PM
Theatres should drop _all_ non-movie-related advertising. Trailers, gift certificates, popcorn, Coke/Pepsi, etc. are fine. Join-the-army/navy/marines and car ads are not. Why? Because they change the movie-going experience such that the exhibitor who is supposed to be putting on a SHOW ends up making his SPECIAL EVENT FOR WHICH PEOPLE HAVE JUST PAID $9 look exactly like television, which people can watch at home for free.
I can tolerate slides because they are relatively inoffensive, easy to ignore, and don't have synchronized sound. I don't have major issues with slide shows if they are accompanied by soft, instrumental music. Film ads and/or their DLP equivalents are loud and annoying and their production values are universally poor. They also remind customers too much of television ads.
What many exhibitors just don't understand is that movies aren't TV. TV is supposed to be a free and readily accessible form of mediocre entertainment. Movies aren't. A night at the movies is SOMETHING SPECIAL. People plan such events in advance. They pay good money for their tickets. They do so because they want to see films on the big screen and, usually, enjoy a social experience as well. TV doesn't do this; movies do. In return, they deserve a SPECIAL presentation. Advertising cheapens the experience, without actually reducing ticket prices.
The showtime "issue" is really a nonissue. Just because the feature starts on time does not make the material which precedes it any more palatable.
I'm not opposed to advertising in general and, in fact, many people welcome certain types of advertisements in an appropriate context: people who attend movies usually want to see trailers; people in the market for automobiles usually enjoy the car ads in newspapers; people searching for a particular type of business would probably appreciate an informative ad in the Yellow Pages. The context is important, however, which is why car advertisements aren't appropriate in movie theatres. Would you want to see advertisements before a Broadway show? During a meal at a restaurant? At a musical performance?
As for the use of ad revenue to improve presentation: that's a loaded question which doesn't represent what represent what really happens. Presentation quality didn't improve when the chains started showing ads, and wouldn't have declined if ads had never been shown. The major exhibitors see advertising as "free money" and, in the short term, they are correct. Over the long term, however, it just provides one more reason for people to stay home or seek alternate forms of entertainment.
This is all actually very good for the independent exhibitor who chooses not to show advertisements. ![[thumbsup]](graemlins/thumbsup.gif)
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Jack Ondracek
Film God
Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 07-26-2005 07:11 PM
quote: Mike Spaeth
This is an issue with a very vocal MINORITY. In the 6 years I've been running theatres ... I have had exactly ONE complaint about the pre-show rolling-stock advertising.
Maybe... but I've known people to just avoid repeating a distasteful experience, long before they'll actually make their feelings known. If you got one complaint, chances are good a lot more just passed you by without saying anything.
Advertising may very well do the theatre industry some good. I don't know, and it would take a lot to convince me of it because of my personal bias against the practice. However, the polls, comments in articles, blogs and discussion boards, and personal contact I've had (and it's been more than one in the past 6 years... and I don't do advertising... and I don't have an indoor theatre anymore... and my place is a drive-in)... seem to put negative customer feelings about advertising at least near the 50% mark.
I used to have people get mad at ME, because they assumed all theatres ran rolling stock advertising, and they were showing up at my place late, trying to avoid it. Their problem with me was that I didn't run advertising, and the show was already on when they arrived.
What is curious to me is that there are plenty of people out there who will tell you they don't like the rolling stock stuff. It's too loud... it's annoying... it makes conversation with your companions difficult... not to mention the long-trumpeted "if I want ads, I'll stay home and watch TV for free... etc. etc. The theatre companies SAY they're making a boodle by foisting such annoyances on their audiences, while hotly denying that it has anything whatsoever to do with perceived declines in ticket sales... which the media are hot on right now.
What I wonder about is whether the advertisers have firmly tracked substantial income from their investments in this kind of advertising. I suppose there must be a couple that have, but on the suspicion that they could just be mouthpieces for the theatres, I'd sure like to see some widespread statements from such rolling stock advertisers. THAT'S something I haven't seen in the trades, blogs or discussion boards... that the Joe Blow Company bought a few hundred thousand dollars worth of ads on some theatre network and is now swimming in orders from newly-found rabid movie-going fans.
...were that true... I might be buying some of that advertising myself.
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Eric Hooper
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 532
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 07-26-2005 07:26 PM
I'll be honest.
I used to hate, HATE, rolling stock ads which started at the advertised. I still do.
When I first saw the twenty, I hated it. HATED IT! I felt so violated. Where was my nice intermission music???
That was 2 years ago. I just became accustomed to the fact I was going to have to sit through it and it was here to stay. So I got over being mad about it, and just learned to deal with it.
I've recently been to a few indie and (Landmark) theatres recently. Upon arriving in the auditorium, 10 minutes before the advertised, I became bored very quickly! "Ok, where's the twenty? This silence and/or crappy music is boring." I kind of felt cheated.
Then, at (and after) the advertised, Landmark has started running rolling stock now. And I HATE it! Rolling stock on or after the advertised is way more intrusive! The twenty kind of entertains and keeps you from being bored up until the advertised.
I think people these days have very short attention spans, and would rather watch commericals on the twenty rather than sit in silence.
Now, is it human nature and evolution, or have we all been brainwashed?
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Jack Ondracek
Film God
Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 07-27-2005 02:19 AM
quote: David Stambaugh
if you poll a group of people exiting a movie [and we all know how painful that can be], a high percentage will be able to correctly recall the specific ads that ran.
OK... but recognition doesn't necessarily mean a positive impression... one that is likely to motivate a purchase. That's the kind of data I'd be looking for. An ad that pisses people off because they couldn't get away from it (read "capitive audience") might very well be memorable, but might not cause them to rush out and buy the product. If that happens, then the advertiser has realized no return on his investment, and the theatre, while making some short-term income off the advertiser, has risked alienating a patron. We've got some theatres around here that are running condom ads in their pre-show, touting a 'quality and responsible experience'. Sorry... that's not something I want to take my family to, regardless of the rating or the movie that's coming next.
Yah, yah... I know, Regal sez that the 2Wenty is their time, not the customer's. I'd bet they're not saying that to their advertisers, though. Their spin really does brush off any notion that anyone might dislike their pre-game show. Unless non-ticketed patrons are allowed to come in and enjoy the rolling stock stuff, then leave when the "really paid stuff" comes on, then it's arguable that all of it is the customers' time.
This may sidetrack the topic here, but I've read the articles where the chains say that we just have to deal with it... the ads are necessary to keep their theatres open. Maybe, if they hadn't overscreened every market with a population over 25, they wouldn't have put themselves into a situation where rolling stock, video games, church rentals and payphone revenues represent the make or break point for their business... and that's too bad. If a lot of them just got back to concentrating on turning out a quality core product, they might not have so many people comparing DVD's more favorably than going to the movies.
While I'm grumbling about life in general... does anyone here find Regal's global telephone answering system easy to navigate?(what is it??? Fandangophone?). I personally find it a pain in the butt... but maybe that's just me!
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