How to... Make the Most of Cinema Advertising

Digital Cinema Media [DCM], the market leader in UK cinema advertising, has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and has done so with cinema, despite the proliferation of access points for film and entertainment, in good health.

The power of cinema advertising is not in doubt but how does a very traditional medium make the most of its virtues when advertisers are faced with an avalache of choice? Here, Karen Stacey, DCM's chief executive since 2015, discusses how innovation at the company, within both the cinema sector and the media industry, has seen a transformation of cinema’s role in the modern media mix, plus, she chooses her ten favourite cinema ads. 

Above: DCM chief executive, Karen Stacey.  

Why do you think cinema advertising is such a powerful tool to engage audiences?

Cinema delivers the most receptive audiences, unbeatable impact and longer-lasting sales effects for brands. At a time when brands are faced with challenges around attention, safety and viewability, cinema’s offering has never been more powerful, with people actually paying to pay attention. 

Rather than blocking ads, fast-forwarding through them or closing their eyes whilst on the Tube, cinemagoers are always looking forward. Brands recognise that there is a clear element of safety in advertising to cinema audiences.

Advertising really needs to stand out and it’s harder to make an emotional or immersive connection through many other media channels where people are juggling multiple things at the same time.

Nothing can rival seeing the latest release, with like-minded people in a darkened room. It’s a powerful and emotive experience that engages viewers in the moment. 

"Experiential will be a big part of the future with a bigger focus on cinema activations, including the likes of live-stunts, immersive activations, pop-up cinema tours and bar sponsorships."

As for cinema advertising itself, how have brands and agencies changed their approach to using the medium? 

We know cinema plays a pivotal role in media and we’ve worked hard to challenge opinions that cinema’s only selling point is a big screen. 

There are a wide range of opportunities for brands looking to maximize the impact of cinema beyond the realms of traditional on-screen advertising. These include new experiential opportunities in foyers, unique sponsorship platforms and new online and mobile channels to help advertisers get closer to their customers.

More than ever, advertisers really believe in cinema and the value it adds to advertisers’ AV schedules, and have started to see us more a as 'must have' as opposed to a 'nice to have'!

"Cinema’s 16-week theatrical window is just one reason why cinema will remain a step ahead when it comes to delivering unique and memorable experiences and stimulating conversations that are current and culturally relevant."

Numbers 10-6 in Karen Stracy's list of her favouritre cinema ads 

10. NHS We Are the NHS

9. Rolex The Art of Storytelling

8. Samsung Do What You Can’t

7. Channel 4 We’re the Superhumans

6. Lloyds Running of the Horses

What impact has technology such as VR or AR had on cinema campaigns? 

We’ve been able to expand the cinema experience with new technologies such as AR, VR and MR. For example, we brought virtual reality to cinemas for the first time with PlayStation launching a campaign across blockbuster opening weekends on the big screen. Alongside screenings of Alien Covenant, which was the perfect match for PlayStation’s new, biggest IP Horizon Zero Dawn, a bespoke campaign also ran in foyer which saw VR pods installed in Vue cinemas across the country which turned cinemagoers into pioneering VR gamers. The PlayStation ad on the big screen also showcased the VR experience of the game. 

We continue to deliver bespoke technical solutions such as 4DX, 3D advertising, Higher Frame Tates (HFR) and Dolby Atmos to pioneer the best sound and screen technology for brands in cinema.

"The cinemagoing experience has dramatically improved over the last decade, with major investment across the multiplexes and independents." 

What do you think is the biggest misconception about cinema advertising? 

That cinemagoers aren’t seated in time for the ads! Research from Assosia Independent Audits (Jan-Dec 2017) shows that almost over 85% of audiences are present from the very start of the commercial ad reel. Cinemagoers are emotionally and physically engaged, anticipating the whole cinema experience, including the ads and the movie, in advance.  

Another misconception is that cinema admissions are in decline. Cinema admissions are in fact extremely strong, having steadily grown over the last few years. They’re also currently up 1.5% this year (vs the same time last year), which marks the second biggest total for H1 this century, behind only the bumper year of 2002 (87.7m).

Numbers 5-1 in Karen Stacy's list of her favouritre cinema ads 

5. Sport England This Girl Can

4. Volkswagen Eyes on the Road

3. Guinness Cloud

2. Cadbury Eyebrows

1. Smirnoff Sea

"Cinema’s core strength [is] delivering a dark room, high emotional impact... cut-through and an engaged audience." 

How do you see cinema advertising evolving in the next 10 years? 

The cinemagoing experience has dramatically improved over the last decade, with major investment across the multiplexes and independents. Cinemas are entertainment venues in the heart of communities across the UK and over the next 10 years, we can only expect better cinemas in terms of the quality of the customer experience.

Cinema’s 16-week theatrical window is just one reason why cinema will remain a step ahead when it comes to delivering unique and memorable experiences and stimulating conversations that are current and culturally relevant! We know our slate years ahead of release so we can help connect brands of today with the content of tomorrow.

Cinema’s core strengths of delivering a dark room, high emotional impact and cut-through and an engaged audience that is always looking forward and away from the distractions of the outside world will also continue to get stronger.

As we look to the future, we want to be leading the way in developing bespoke workstreams that will strength advertisers’ creative outputs and really maximise the use of cinema’s unique space. Experiential will be a big part of the future with a bigger focus on cinema activations, including the likes of live-stunts, immersive activations, pop-up cinema tours and bar sponsorships. 

And how has DCM evolved in the past decade? 

Ten years ago Cineworld and Odeon acquired Carlton Screen Advertising as a 50-50 joint venture to form DCM, with a new focus solely on cinema advertising. 

The digital revolution of cinema saw advertising move quickly from film, to hard drive, to USB and ultimately broadband delivery in a very short space of time. DCM was at the forefront of this revolution, which has resulted in today’s fully automated process. 

Since then, lead times have been shortened to under a week with electronic distribution offering even more flexibility for advertisers, who are now able to target by film, by showing, by cinema and by time across our whole estate.