Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Reactions to Door Prizes/Giveaways?

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Posted by Scott Jentsch (Member # 1681) on 04-06-2006, 06:28 PM:

Have you done door prizes and giveaways before movies?

If so, how have they been received? Do you find you need a particular number of an item or certain value of item to make it worthwhile (non-tacky)?

For example, Akeelah and the Bee is opening on the 28th, and the board game Scrabble plays into the plot line. I had the idea of buying a bunch of games from a local store and doing a giveaway before the movie started.

How many would be appropriate? One would be too cheap, but at $7 each, it adds up quickly.

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 04-06-2006, 09:02 PM:

What we do at our theatre(classic movie) is give one prize away for each ticket type(ie child, student, adult, senior, and comp). It is almost always liked by the crowd.

Cody

Posted by Matt Whitney (Member # 2909) on 04-06-2006, 09:02 PM:

Whenever we have done handouts, it has always just been promo materials that the studio gave us. I have gone into a theatre with as little as 5-10 items to give away. I like to do some kind of trivia contest with the audience and whoever answers correctly gets the handout. In your case you might want to do a spelling bee with winners getting the game.

Posted by Chris Mosel (Member # 1451) on 04-07-2006, 08:52 AM:

For "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" we attached Gold V.I.P. passes (not subject to restriction) to random Wonka Bars. We gave away 8 passes over the entire opening weekend. You would have thought they won a car or something. I guess the prize value is not as important as the relationship of the prize to the feature. We promoted it big and people reacted big.

Posted by Matt Kerekes (Member # 2777) on 04-07-2006, 09:45 PM:

Scrabble games sounds like a great idea, I would recommend though trying to trade out passes for the games, maybe about 10. $7.00 is about the price of a ticket, so maybe 10 passes for 10 games. IF trading out won't work, see if you can cross-promote with a toy store or something and see if they will donate the games and you can put up a sign in the lobby or something advertising where they came from. Take care.

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 04-09-2006, 10:46 AM:

If you want to do a larger promotion some form of scratchcard competition may be an idea.

Have some large prizes (3 month passes?), some smaller prizes (comp /popcorn vouchers, and some discounts (on popcorn etc [making sure that you still make enough profit].

To fund the printing of the cards you could get other businesses to sponsor the cards and in return have some of the cards offer a discount at their business.

You could give out cards with every ticket or with concession stand items. (local regulations may require to have a non purchace necessary entry route).

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Door prizes will probably not get you any extra sales, but may encourage people to try to see a film at the busy times.

Posted by Luci Reeve (Member # 3651) on 04-14-2006, 05:39 PM:

During SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE I made Tiramisu and gave it out in little cups as the audience was leaving the theatre. People really liked it.

On week nights we give away a free popcorn. One of my managers used to give away something from the lost and found. The audience loves it. They feel like someone cares.