Movie Theater Advertising: How Much is Too Much??

In an article on BadAds.org, Eric and Linda bring to our attention that movie advertisers risk driving customers away with too much pre-movie advertising.

The companies that sell the advertising and the theaters themselves are doing quite well revenue-wise with this form of advertising. National Cinema Network, which places ads on a third of movie screens in the U.S., increased its prefilm commercial sales by 48 percent in 2002. During the summer, when ticket sales reach their peak, movie theater owners can earn as much as $4 million over five weeks.

With the increase in the amount and pre-movie advertising and the ridiculous number of previews that are forced upon viewers prior to the start of the movie, it won't be long before viewers begin to complain. when I go to the movies, I just plan to arrive 20-25 minutes after the start time and I am still there in time to see the beginning of the movie. How long before more people are doing this?

While I dislike the proliferation of advertising in the movie theater, it is a very captive audience and one that can't be ignored as a marketer. At some point, there will need to be limits on the number of commercials shown prior to the movie.

If this concerns you, check out Didn't I Already Pay for This Movie? It's a web site dedicated to this issue.
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