This is topic AMC and Regal merge...of sorts in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Stephen LaPadula (Member # 3050) on 04-01-2005, 07:09 PM:
 
Seems like a fandango type deal where other theatre companies will be able to get in on the action too......this comes the same day Loews signs with Screenvision. Scroll down for both stories
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AMC ENTERTAINMENT INC.® AND REGAL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF NATIONAL CINEMEDIA, LLC.

New National Digital Distribution and Media Company Will Reach 11,200 Screens


Kansas City, Mo. and Denver, Col. (March 29, 2005) - AMC Entertainment Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE:RGC), two of the world’s leading theatrical exhibition companies, announced today that they are combining their respective cinema screen advertising businesses into a new joint venture company called National CineMedia, LLC. The new company will focus on the marketing and sale of cinema advertising and promotions products; business communications and training services; and the distribution of digital alternative content.

National CineMedia combines the operations of Regal CineMedia, Regal Entertainment Group’s (“REG”) media and new business development subsidiary, and National Cinema Network (“NCN”), AMC’s cinema advertising subsidiary, both pioneers in the development of in-theatre digital distribution technology, pre-show entertainment and cinema advertising. The new company will provide the foregoing services to owner circuits AMC and REG, as well as other affiliate theatre circuits. National CineMedia will represent approximately 11,200 North American theatre screens (8,200 digital), reaching more than 450 million movie guests annually.

Kurt Hall, co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of Regal Entertainment Group and president and chief executive officer of Regal CineMedia will be assuming the role of chief executive officer of National CineMedia after a short transition period. Hall has been CEO of Regal CineMedia since its formation in 2002, and has an extensive background in the theatre industry as CFO and then CEO of United Artists Theatres prior to its combination with REG.

National CineMedia’s Board of Directors will be comprised of its CEO and representatives from owner circuits, and AMC and REG equity sponsors.

“An innovative national digital network is being created that will provide improved cinema advertising and marketing products, training and communications services and a new type of digital platform for the distribution of live and pre-recorded entertainment content,” said Hall. “National CineMedia will continue the transformation and growth of the cinema advertising industry initiated by NCN and Regal CineMedia over the last few years.”

“With its industry leading digital distribution technology, focused sales and marketing teams, and broad geographic reach, the new company is perfectly positioned to deliver more revenue to our owner circuits and other exhibitors, while at the same time providing a high quality entertainment experience for theatre patrons,” Hall added.

National CineMedia will have its headquarters in Denver, Col. with offices in New York City, Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles.

“National CineMedia will quickly become the cinema media industry’s premier player in terms of value and quality,” said Peter C. Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of AMC. “The strength of our combined assets creates an unmatched in-market depth that advertisers seek and ensures a high quality pre-show entertainment experience that our guests expect.”

“We look forward to working with this new entity the way we have in the past with Regal CineMedia and continue to explore new ways to create incremental shareholder value through the better utilization of our theatres,” said Michael L. Campbell, co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of REG.

In addition to Hall, after a short transition period, National CineMedia’s senior management team will include Cliff Marks as president of sales and chief marketing officer and Tom Galley as chief operations and technology officer. Marks currently serves as Regal CineMedia’s president, marketing and sales. Galley currently serves as Regal CineMedia’s chief technology officer.

About Regal Entertainment Group
Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE:RGC) is the largest motion picture exhibitor in the world. The company's theatre circuit, comprising Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres, operates 6,273 screens in 558 locations in 40 states. Regal operates approximately 18% of all indoor screens in the United States including theatres in 44 of the top 50 U.S. markets and growing suburban areas. The size, reach and quality of the company's theatre circuit not only provides patrons with a convenient and enjoyable movie-going experience, it is also an exceptional platform to realize economies of scale in theatre operations.

Additional information is available on the company's Web site at www.REGmovies.com.

About AMC Entertainment
AMC Entertainment Inc. is a leader in the theatrical exhibition industry. Through its circuit of AMC theatres, the company operates 230 theatres with 3,554 screens in the United States, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The company, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., has a Web site at www.amctheatres.com.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Lauren Leff, Regal CineMedia
(212) 931-8107
lauren.leff@regalcinemedia.com

Pamela Blase, AMC Entertainment Inc.
(816) 480-4749
pblase@amctheatres.com

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\Loews Cineplex Entertainment Joins Screenvision's Digital Network

[More:]

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, (NAMC) – Screenvision, the world leader in cinema advertising, today announced that it has extended its long-standing partnership with Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation, the premier major market movie-theatre circuit. Under the agreement, Screenvision is funding and installing its High Definition digital cinema advertising management system in select Loews Cineplex Entertainment theatres within the top 25 DMAs.

The agreement also continues Screenvision’s exclusive rights to on-screen slides and rolling stock advertising on Loews Cineplex Entertainment’s 1,424 screens across the country, including 148 Star Theatre screens in the Detroit area and 30 new screens to open later this year.

“Without question, Loews is one of the most prestigious movie houses and we are delighted to grow our partnership,” said Matthew Kearney, CEO of Screenvision. “We are extending our digital network to their top-tier theatres and believe that, together with Mann, Colorado Cinemas and Malco, we are keeping our promise to the exhibition and advertising communities to rapidly build out our digital network in top markets and in high-quality theatres.”

Earlier this month, Screenvision initiated a 24-month plan to build a High Definition digital cinema advertising network consisting of more than 5,000 screens nationwide.

“We feel that there are a lot of strengths to our major market presence,” commented Travis Reid, CEO of Loews Cineplex Entertainment, “and that these assets will be optimized, when part of the leading cinema advertising network. Screenvision brings us their successful track record in revenue generation as well as their commitment to digitize our theatres, a powerful combination.”

Screenvision will introduce its digital network across Loews Cineplex Entertainment theatres in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington DC, Detroit, Seattle, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. The operational backbone of the network, SkyArc™, is a secure High Definition digital cinema advertising inventory management and satellite-based delivery system created and managed by Thomson through its Technicolor Digital Cinema business.

“Our job is to provide a complete, turnkey range of advertising services for our exhibitor partners,” said Darryl Schaffer, Executive Vice President, Theatre Operations and Exhibitor Relations, for Screenvision. “Through the implementation of our digital network and preshow, we can drive increased revenue for Loews while helping to improve the overall movie-going experience of their customers.”

The self-titled Screenvision Digital Preshow began airing in Mann theatres March 4, 2005. The hosted program includes a mix of entertainment content, exhibitor content and local and national advertising and runs in advance of movie previews and the film.

“Screenvision has been a very valuable partner for Loews, and we feel that their approach to the preshow will not only enhance the movie-going experience, but generate greater revenue and increase the opportunities for current and future advertising partners,” said John McCauley, Senior Vice President, Marketing, of Loews Cineplex Entertainment.

About Screenvision

Screenvision provides cinema marketing solutions to its advertising clients through on-screen sight, sound and motion (Cinema Spots), still image advertising (Cinema Slides) and in-theatre promotional opportunities (Cinema Extensions). Nationally, Screenvision is the largest cinema network, exclusively providing Cinema Spots to advertisers on more than half of the nation’s available movie screens. On the regional level, the company’s Screenvision Direct business unit offers Cinema Slide and promotional opportunities to small and mid-sized businesses in local markets around the country. In addition to its US-based operations, Screenvision has an extensive pan-European presence.

Screenvision is a joint venture between ITV plc (LSE: ITV), the UK’s leading free to air commercial television broadcaster with divisions operating television and cinema advertising sales and one of Europe’s largest commercial television production businesses as well as a major distribution business exploiting an extensive film and program library; and Thomson (Euronext: 18453) (NYSE: TMS), the world leader in integrated solutions (technologies, equipment and services) for the entertainment and media industries.

About Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation

Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation (www.enjoytheshow.com) is the third largest movie theatre chain in the world, with 200 theatres and 2,176 screens worldwide and is privately held by Bain Capital, The Carlyle Group and Spectrum Equity Investors. Loews maintains operations in the U.S., Mexico, South Korea and Spain. The company operates under the names of Loews Theatres, Cineplex Odeon, Star Theatres and Magic Johnson Theatres in the United States, as well as Cinemex in Mexico, Megabox in South Korea and Yelmo Cineplex in Spain
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-01-2005, 07:16 PM:
 



 

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Posted by Thomas Dieter (Member # 2507) on 04-01-2005, 07:41 PM:
 
Does anyone here see a Monopoly growing. Lets see. Regal has taken out Edward Theatres, United Artists, Hoites, and now AMC (who bought out some of the GCC). And to top that all off, Century has offered their theatres up for sale to both AMC and Regal, meaning no matter what, they will all be one soon. I can just see it now. Once all the large theatre companies are under one umbrella, the MPAA is going to buy the chain and it will no longer be Regal, or AMC, or National CineMedia. I don't know, I just see this going to far, and getting to big. And being someone that would like to own their own small theatre chain, this really erks me as it's bound to happen.
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 04-01-2005, 08:52 PM:
 
This is just screen advertising ... the two companies are not merging their operations ...
 

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Posted by Thomas Dieter (Member # 2507) on 04-01-2005, 08:57 PM:
 
Oh, then I mis understood that.
 

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Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 04-01-2005, 09:07 PM:
 
In short, the 2Wenty will be headed to a AMC near you - and eventually that mom and pop theatre down the street.
 

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Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 04-01-2005, 10:01 PM:
 
Well, I expect this will result in the lowering of ticket prices, since this will bring in even more ad revenue. After all, Regal has the utmost respect for its customers and I'm sure they will pass some of this revenue back on to them.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-02-2005, 02:16 AM:
 

quote: Mike Spaeth

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This is just screen advertising ... the two companies are not merging their operations

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quote: Mike Olpin

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In short, the 2Wenty will be headed to a AMC near you - and eventually that mom and pop theatre down the street.

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Negative...Our pre show advertisements will still be called "MovieWatcher Pre Show Entertainment"...and yours will likely remain "The 2wenty". They will just now bare adverts for National Cinemedia, instead of NCN or Screenvision.
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 04-02-2005, 06:34 AM:
 
While the name may not change, I'd be willing to bet the format is more like Regal's pre-show ... with the specially produced segments and stuff like that, rather than just commercials.
 

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Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 04-02-2005, 10:55 AM:
 
Oh, this all just makes me sick.

I went to a Century theatre last night and there were NO commercials, and only two previews/trailers.
I really enjoyed that!

As far as big mergers and such go, like I've said in other posts, it's going to come down to the studio's owning their own screening chains to show a 2 hour 'preview' commerical of their new DVD coming out in a month. So no, movie theatres are not going to 'die', but there are certainly going to be fewer of them, and it's not going to be like it is today.

Screenvision and Cinemedia and such better make whatever money they can now. I certainly wouldn't buy stock in 'em. Plus, why invest in a company that pisses people off. These people are no better than the low lifes that install pop-ups and spyware on peoples computers. They really are violating people's privacy, IMO.

From now on, I'm boycotting any theatre chain that shows commercials. And if Century (or whoever buys them) starts in, I'm just going to wait for the DVD.

all of 'em!
 

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Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 04-02-2005, 02:49 PM:
 
I went to an AMC and watched their "Movie Watcher Network Preshow" last night. It will be interesting to see what hapens in regards to the content formating, since they are so different. Here is what I would like to see stay, and what I think needs to go.

I really liked the animated trivia slides that are onscreen between the previous movie and the PreShow countdown. I would like to see National Cinemedia incorporate that into the Regal 2wenty, which just has a blank screen and "WideScreen Radio" up untill the 2wenty. Also this allows for local advertising, a market I think Regal is somewhat missing out on as spots inside the 2wenty can be prohibitively expensive for many small buisinesses.

Believe it or not, I hope MovieTunes stays. As unbearable as it is, it's head and shoulders above Five Alarm Music's "WideScreen Radio". Plus they have music video sequences that can be sprinkled into the preshow.

Content Segments - This is what Regal's show has that AMCs does not. A set of primary sponsers like NBC produces a 2-4 minute segment going behind the scenes of whatever their latest show is. While still advertising, it helps break up the string of 15 short 30 second spots from Rebock, Axe, M&Ms, etc.

I hope that the new company replaces some of NCNs hardware. The projector they used was unbearably low resolution.

It will be interesting to see how much the final product differs at the two chains.

[ 04-02-2005, 04:33 PM: Message edited by: Mike Olpin ]
 

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Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 04-02-2005, 04:23 PM:
 
It'll also be interesting to see just how much more of this crap people will put up with before they stop going to the movies for good! (Quite a few people in the town of Davis have been pretty angry since the 2 Signature theatres there were Regalized.)
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-02-2005, 05:20 PM:
 
The problem really boils down to the fact that there is sync audio on the 2Wenty more than anything else. (I've never seen an AMC preshow.) If it was purely visual with some form of generic non-sync music playing, it wouldn't be nearly as bad because if you're alone and kinda bored, you can watch it. If you're with friends and want to chat before the show starts, it's not an intrusion.

Filmmakers created entire features for many years without audio. I'm sure these commercial guys can handle it.
 

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Posted by Dean Kollet (Member # 1789) on 04-02-2005, 08:58 PM:
 
even though they aren't merging operations, couldn't this still be considered a monopoly?
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-02-2005, 09:25 PM:
 
I have not seen the Regal thing, but the AMC "Movie Watcher Network" has _got_ to go. I paid to see a film tonight at an AMC house and was subjected to the AMC MWN for the first time in several months.

They have gone from a silent slide show with five minutes' worth of film ads (which was annoying enough) to an animated "slide show" equivalent plus _fifteen_ _minutes_ of full-motion advertising, with sync sound, approximately half the running time of which was used to promote DVD releases. If this isn't a tacky way to insult the customers who just paid to see a motion picture in a theatrical setting, then I don't know what is.

Additionally, the picture "quality" is crap (even compared to horrid video->35mm transfers) and the sound sync is off.

I seriously question whether the people who come up with this stuff have ever seen a quality theatrical film presentation in a "real" movie palace even once in their pathetic little lives. Whoever came up with this POS should have been fired but probably got promoted instead.

I have trouble understanding why they need this "extra revenue" when their 16-plex lobby is full of people who paid $9.50 per ticket plus many more dollars on concessions.



And, yes, this theatre has quit using its curtains, which used to close between the slide show and the feature.
 

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Posted by Dean Kollet (Member # 1789) on 04-02-2005, 10:26 PM:
 
as soon as I get it cleared with my boss, I'm going to post our pre-show here. Granted, it's a student audience, and what I have to work with is awesome...but we have some good ideas. I'm working on an interactive one, as we show midnight movies where we encourage audience participation (at least singing and/or yelling out quotes during the movie, it's not as annoying as one would think). This is all done on powerpoint.

As for the 2twenty (sp?) and AMC's pre-show hell, I can honestly say they need new marketing people. I know they have a very broad audience to cover, but still....they can do MUCH better...
 

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Posted by Chase Hanson (Member # 2779) on 04-03-2005, 09:41 PM:
 

quote: Scott Norwood

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I seriously question whether the people who come up with this stuff have ever seen a quality theatrical film presentation in a "real" movie palace even once in their pathetic little lives. Whoever came up with this POS should have been fired but probably got promoted instead.

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quote: Scott Norwood

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I don't care who came up with the idea. It sucks regardless.

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You took the time and effort to dedicate two sentences to ragging on the entity that formed this.

And now it appears to have been a little thrown off by the fact that the target of your venom, wasnt quite as easy pickins' as you had wanted.
 

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Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 04-05-2005, 08:54 PM:
 
My friend in Florida is fed up with theater "poor" quality shows. Has purchased a new HD DLP rear projection TV, a new DVD player and a Comcast HD box....no more movie theaters. These companies are shooting themselves in the foot.
 

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Posted by Robert Burtcher (Member # 3227) on 07-04-2005, 04:02 AM:
 
I haven't seen either Regal's 2wenty or AMC's MovieWatcher Network... but it sounds like bad business to me. In my opinion, the pre-show entertainment should be mostly unobtrusive... There for the customers who want to enjoy it, and easily ignored for those who wish to have a conversation or otherwise occupy the time before the show. Creative slideshows and MovieTunes/Cinema Radio/etc are, IMO, much preferred by customers.
 

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Posted by Jason Miller (Member # 2341) on 07-04-2005, 07:26 PM:
 
Maybe they should stop broadcasting ads on the radio too. maybe stop putting them in newspapers, magazines, etc...

the T.V. should take the hint and stop interrupting my 15 minute show with 2 minutes of ads every 10 minutes.

then any internet advertising should go. And putting flyers on cars or in film cans is a definite no-no.

in fact maybe ALL advertising should be banned and the only way for people to hear about NEW things would be to accidentally stumble across them.

face it. Advertising is an integral part of commerce. there is no bastion of silence. everywhere you look you will find something telling you about something else.

if you think the pre-feature show is too loud then send a complaint. but it wont be going away. if you think the content is inappropiate or ridiculuous then send in a complaint. but it wont be going away.

I go to movies all the time by myself. I would RATHER watch the pre-feature stuff than listen to teenagers yak on about crap. or old people talk about what ailments they have. or listen to the damn couple behind me sucking each others tongue.

I agree some of it isn't interesting to me. but a lot of it at least doesnt piss me off. and some of it makes me laugh. The Twenty at one point even had Aqua Teen Hunger Force excerpts.

just my 2 cents...
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-05-2005, 01:23 AM:
 
..REG's is called "CineMedia" - a division of REG dedicated to the preshow concept.
 

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Posted by Brandon Willis (Member # 2345) on 07-25-2005, 11:56 PM:
 
Has Georgia Theatre Company joined National Cinemedia?
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 07-26-2005, 12:35 AM:
 
They were already under Regal Cinemedia ... so I would assume yes.
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 07-26-2005, 12:45 PM:
 
You do all know that Cinemark has purchased a 21% interest in National Cinemedia? As of Jan of next year, we'll have Regal, the new AMC (including all the old Loews theaters), Cinemark, and a number of smaller circuits NCM is contracting with all showing the new version of the 2wenty (it is scheduled to be renamed) - or what I like to call the ultimate in infomercial enteratainment. This also means that because all these screens will be using the Christie Digital projectors, we can expect a lot more digitally projected live events, like teenybop concerts and NASCAR. I can't wait.
 

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Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 07-26-2005, 01:20 PM:
 

quote: Jason Miller

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if you think the pre-feature show is too loud then send a complaint. but it wont be going away. if you think the content is inappropiate or ridiculuous then send in a complaint. but it wont be going away.

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Then the customers WILL be going away, and they "wont" come back!
 

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Posted by Jason Miller (Member # 2341) on 07-26-2005, 02:50 PM:
 
I'm sure the customers wouldnt be leaving based solely on the fact that there is ads before the movie.

they usually have other complaints. people talking.. uncomfortable seats... temperature... volume... image...

What do you suggest the theatre companies do? drop all advertising? think it will happen? where is the line drawn? does advertising other movies count? if someone complains that they were "forced" to watch that ridiculous trailer about some comic book movie where some guy has claws should we pull the trailer? should we just cross our fingers and HOPE that someone shows up to see movies based purely on their sense of adventure?

I fail to see what the big deal about putting content BEFORE a show? do you need quiet time to relax and meditate on the movie experience you are about to receive?

Ever had anyone ask "What's that movie about?" guess what... NO ONE WILL KNOW!

"Have you tried that new pill that regrows hair and makes you live 10 years longer and increases sexual performance and improves your memory?" "NO. never even heard of it" "OF COURSE NOT! it would be WRONG to tell you about such products in case you might get offended about hearing that there are new products/inventions in this world!"

"You ever gone to that website where all the cool projectionists talk about film stuff?" "No.. never heard of it." "Proabably not. Some guy was putting flyers in film cans and he was branded a traitor to mankind and is now living in some hut in the woods mixing some sort of chemical to put on film.. film-guard I think." "Never heard of that either." "Shit.. I've told you too much"
 

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Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 07-26-2005, 02:55 PM:
 
I understand the complaints about rolling stock ads shown after the feature start time but what is the big problem with ads shown before the start time? Is it really that much different than the old slide based ads? As long as the volume isn't so loud that patrons can't talk over it, who really cares. I mean, most of the pre show time is spent finding a seat, and going out to the concession stand or the bathroom. I mean how long is anybody really sitting there being tortured by these ads, 5 or 10 minutes?

Like I said, once the advertised start time arrives, the only things that should be shown are trailers and the feature. Honestly, it is far more annoying to see the ridiculous quantity of obvious product placements in movies like "The Island."

A question for ya'll, IF the revenue created by these ads was used to improve the presentation of the feature film, would you still be against them?
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 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.
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 07-26-2005, 04:53 PM:
 
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.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 07-26-2005, 07:11 PM:
 

quote: Mike Spaeth

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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.

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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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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 07-26-2005, 07:23 PM:
 
Theater ads have a relatively high recognition factor compared to most other forms of advertising. That means 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. Much higher than from, say, TV viewers.

I read this somewhere. Probably on the Internet. But I don't doubt it's true.
 

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Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 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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Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 07-26-2005, 07:29 PM:
 
I'd say DE-Evolution
 

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Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 07-26-2005, 07:59 PM:
 
I've got to admit that when theaters started showing ads, I was one of the people who sat in the audience and booed loudly. But after all this time, as long as the house lights are at least halfway up and the sound isn't too loud, it really doesn't bother me. The thing that actually bothers me more now is when the same ad is repeated.

What are the alternatives? Of course everyone claims to hate the ads, but if discontinuing the ads means raising ticket prices, then keep the ads. I paid $10.75 today at the Ziegfeld in NYC. I really don't want to see it go higher.
 

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Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 07-27-2005, 01:24 AM:
 
I'm in the Amen Corner with Scott & Jack.

I hadn't really thought about it, but probably the big "better theatre" reason I prefer a couple of independents to the chain theatres in some markets is that the independents don't run ads (or slides). What happens before the show is what sets the tone.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 07-27-2005, 02:19 AM:
 

quote: David Stambaugh

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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.

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