Back in the day, i.e, pre-pandemic, going to a movie was a very casual experience. No one thought much about going for the latest tentpole flick, and theatres could expect a somewhat steady revenue.
Streaming was always a major competitor for theatres, but everything changed once we were forced to go indoors.
Image Credit: Eyesight Productions
People developed a habit of watching new releases on streaming, and most were turned-off by the idea of having to travel to watch a movie.
So what even is the point of a theatre release anymore?
Let’s look at Summer 2023 to find out!
Image Credit: The Big Issue
While Fast X, Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse and Mission Impossible drew great box offices for post-pandemic releases, they did not affect any major behavioural changes.
But on July 21st, Barbenheimer changed the way cinemas will operate forever.
Before Summer 2023, cinemas were essentially running on life-support. No matter the studio, the CGI or the cinematography of theatrical releases, consumers simply did not want to return to the theatres as a matter of habit. Sure, Avatar 2 and Top Gun: Maverick attracted movie-goers, but those felt more like bandages than permanent fixes.
Here’s what theatres attempted to do for revenue instead:
Live screenings of sports events
Re-screenings of old movies
Image Credit: Times of India
But once again, none of these proved to be steady streams of revenue.
So what can movie marketers and theatre-owners do to bring back their loyal customers?
The future of movie marketing lies in social media trends and peripheral experiences.
We saw the first signs of this cultural shift back in Summer 2022, when Minions: The Rise of Gru saw droves of men and women flock to theatres in suits.
In fact, the situation got so bad that many theatres banned people in suits from watching the movie (due to their rowdy behaviour).
Image Credit: Variety
And now, in Summer 2023, we see a similar (but more civilised) trend of fans making the act of watching a movie (or two) an event.
The Barbenheimer phenomenon went beyond the memes and the merchandise, and resulted in $1 billion + combined total box office sales.
Whereas Oppenheimer mainly gained momentum by simply being a stark opposition of Barbie, Warner Brothers’ marketing team went above and beyond while promoting the Barbie movie
Theatres had transformed from simple viewing venues to full-blown entertainment destinations. People were coming for more than just the film; they were coming for an event.
Peripheral experiences linked to watching barbie included:
1. Dressing up in pink/as a barbie doll
Image Credit: WWD
2. Special barbie-themed popcorn tubs
Image Credit: Regal
3. Barbie packaging photo booths
Image Credit: Twitter/mirrorball
And many, many more exciting gimmicks.
Events, be they sporting events or concerts, always have major multiplier effects and bring in a lot of money from outside the community. This is why countries put up major bids to have FIFA host their world cup in their territories.
Similarly, malls always have theatres because they attract crowds and encourage people to spend. For example, on a typical Sunday, a family will not just go for a movie to their local mall, but they would also spend money at the food court and on products from the various shops.
My point here is: with the major changes that the cinema-experience is undergoing, the multiplier effect of movies is going to increase. Take Barbie for example.
The typical movie-goer for Barbie:
Reserved their seats well in advance
Bought a new outfit to go watch the movie
Made social media posts about the experience
Spent money on movie snacks
Spent money on transportation
Spent money in the mall in which they watched the movie
Also bought tickets to watch Oppenheimer
One transaction (buying a ticket for Barbie) leads to so many more actions and purchases, and movie marketers need to take advantage of this.
In conclusion, movie studios and theatres need to keep in mind how consumers are going to view their offering, and plan the ideal cross-branding efforts (Barbie & Aldo), the right social media campaigns (Barbie’s “This Barbie does xyz”) and the perfect peripheral experiences (Barbie & the Barbie packaging photobooths)
Comments