Cinema Is Where It’s At

 

With cinema ad revenue climbing, it’s no wonder movie theaters are trying all sorts of new gimmicky ways to advertise. National CineMedia just announced they will be running 3D ads as well as collaborating with Jagtag to interact with mobile-users at the movies.

Samsung started running 3D ads in April and National CineMedia has several more bites on the line. Could this be why they’ve also attracted 18 new clients in one quarter? NCM says it’s spill-over from broadcast TV — and that media buyers are hungry for alternatives to the networks. The new clients came in categories such as automotive, insurance, beer, toys, video games and print media.

NCM is just one company with 17,000 screens in 172 markets across the country that saw their ad revenue go up for the spring/summer movie-watching season. I hope you can use them as inspiration and motivation to set the same kind of goal for your local silver screens. Families are at the movies — push your clients to be there too!

Now, this Jagtag business could be a way for your clients to engage with audience members already at the movies. According to MediaBuyerPlanner online, “The new NCM Interactive Network mobile advertising option allows users to snap a photo of an item with a ‘jagtag’ and send it via text or email to a specific address, receiving in return an advertiser’s videos, product information, music, mobile coupons and other engaging multimedia. Products with jagtags could include box office handouts, posters, counter cards, drink cups, or popcorn bags.”

Now what’s smart about this is that it doesn’t require a Smart phone — it works with any phone that can take a picture — therefore reaching way more people. Jagtag believes it can reach 90% of mobile users, and NCM says 700 million people pony up the cash for a movie ticket these days (that is, just at theaters within NCM’s network alone). So you do the math on how many consumers could be interacting with brands during this blockbuster season.

[Sources: Goetzl, David. "National Cinemedia Runs 3D Ads." MediaPost's Media Daily News. Aug. 5, 2010; "In-Theater Mobile Advertising Opp Available via NCM, Jagtag." MediaBuyerPlanner.com. Aug. 4, 2010; "Revenue Up at National CineMedia." Denver Business Journal. Aug. 3, 2010.]