Big screen magic is back for brands and box office lovers
Tom Linay, Content Business Director at Digital Cinema Media [DCM], heralds the opening of UK cinemas as pandemic restrictions are lifted, and predicts a successful return for brands and movie-lovers alike.
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You’ve probably heard, it’s been a rough past 14 months for cinema.
It has for everyone, but cinema has been hit hard, with UK cinemas closed for over half of that period. The big screen has been through tough periods before though, and it is nothing if not a survivor. Cinemas will be re-opening from Monday of next week [May 17] and with the film slate looking extremely promising, we’re daring to be optimistic about what the future holds.
Cinema will have a key role in the advertising market for the rest of 2021 and beyond.
Research has shown that the UK public is more eager than ever to return to cinemas when they start to reopen this month, with 59% citing the cinema as their most missed out-of-home entertainment activity. Lockdown over the last year has reignited audiences’ passion for seeing films on the big screen, which I’ve really felt on a personal level too, and this only further cements our belief that cinema will have a key role in the advertising market for the rest of 2021 and beyond.
Above: Three releases cinema-goers can see over the coming months.
One of the mediums that has benefitted over the last year is the streaming platforms, which obviously presents challenges for advertisers as there are no commercial opportunities available for brands. The cinema audience is a mirror image of these platforms – it is young, affluent and light TV viewing – and we’ll be offering even greater value for brands in terms of audience profile and targeting. There’s still nowhere like the big screen, to see a film or to screen an ad.
Streaming platforms present challenges for advertisers as there are no commercial opportunities available for brands.
Research shows that 16-34s and families are the most keen to return to cinema. 63% of the returning cinema audience last July to October, when cinemas were last open in the UK, was made up by 16-34 year olds – up from 34% in the same period in 2019. The film slate when cinema re-opens on May 17 offers a host of opportunities for these audiences, from Peter Rabbit 2 [opening 17 May], and Cruella [May 28] to The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It [May 26], and A Quiet Place Part 2 [June 3]. But, encouragingly, distributors are putting films out for older audiences in the first few weeks too, including Oscar winners like Nomadland and The Father, and heart-warming true British stories such as Dream Horse. The cinema industry sees green shoots of optimism everywhere.
It’s important to remember that before Covid-19 halted us all in our tracks, cinema was experiencing a boom.
Signs around the world in cinema markets that are further along the comeback trail are promising too. Australia has been seeing seriously impressive numbers for Peter Rabbit 2 and Godzilla Vs Kong, while the US is seeing films like Mortal Kombat post box office numbers we may not have seen from it pre-pandemic. So, when brands return to cinema, what can they expect? Our exhibition partners will be doing everything they can to create a comfortable, safe environment for cinemagoers to enjoy the sanctity of the big screen. In terms of our advertising offering, we’re still focussing on in-reel advertising and three premium positions. It’s important to remember that before Covid-19 halted us all in our tracks, cinema was experiencing a boom and we feel it’s important to get back to doing what we did so well.
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Above: After a series of delays due to the pandemic, Bond is finally set to be back in September.
DCM Studios, the company's creative arm, is also continuing to develop its offering to brand and agency partners looking to capture the cultural moments inspired by film and get even closer to the content through film partnerships or creating unique experiences through the latest technology. Cinema is in an enviable position that we know our film slate far ahead of our time. Using this knowledge, we can work closely with advertisers to create bespoke to content ahead of films, as we have already done for the likes of Max Factor, Lidl, NatWest and KFC.
DCM Studios is continuing to develop its offering to brand and agency partners looking to capture the cultural moments inspired by film.
Crucially, the distributors are backing cinema, too. Despite the high-profile moves over the last 14 months, very few of the major titles went to streaming platforms, with most opting to simply delay their release until cinemas are ready to show them and audiences are ready to watch them. So, consequently, between now and the end of the year we have no less than three Marvel films, and a Venom AND a Spider-Man. DC Comics get in on the action too with The Suicide Squad. There’s big screen musicals, including In The Heights, Dear Evan Hansen and Spielberg’s take on West Side Story, jaw dropping sci-fi in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, and Bond WILL be back on the big screen in No Time To Die in September.
I’m just hoping that the big cinema re-opening goes smoothly and that we all re-discover our love for the big screen, whether that's cinemagoers, brands or advertisers.
So, while in thought leadership pieces such as this, people like to make bold predictions about the future, I’m just hoping that the big cinema re-opening goes smoothly and that we all re-discover our love for the big screen, whether that's cinemagoers, brands or advertisers. It’s been an eventful 14 months, I’d take an uneventful rest of 2021, thank you.
If you need me, you know where to find me (dead centre, three rows from the front).
