The ‘silence your mobile phone ad’ is a specially positioned creative spot asking moviegoers to put their phones on silent mode – prior to the start of a movie. It is a spot exclusively sold to 1 advertiser at a time. The ad spot has to be a maximum of 10 seconds long and has to be booked on an annual basis across all screens in the Motivate Val Morgan circuit (VOX Cinemas, Oscar Cinema, Cine Royal Cinema and Cinemacity).
In November 2017 – alongside the release of Justice League, Motivate Val Morgan in collaboration with Murdoch University Dubai conducted a cinema research project in the form of questionnaires and video interviews at VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Deira, to measure the effectiveness of the ‘silence your mobile phone ad spot’.
Between 7pm and 9pm on 17 November 2017, two teams (comprising of two media students in each team – interviewer and videographer) from Murdoch University were present at each location to conduct video interviews and get questionnaires filled out by cinemagoers visiting the respective cinema locations.
At the time of this research project, Motorola had booked the ‘silence your mobile phone ad spot’.
No of questionnaires:
Mall of the Emirates – 19 respondents
City Centre Deira – 26 respondents
No of video interviews:
Mall of the Emirates – 9 respondents
City Centre Deira – 13 respondents
Please note: the same questions were asked in both segments (questionnaire and video interview) of this cinema research project.
Results from the research carried out at both VOX Cinemas locations are as per below:
How often do you go to the cinema?
Once a week – 21 respondents
2 to 3 times a month – 20 respondents
Once a month – 12 respondents
Once every 2 months – 3 respondents
Often – 6 respondents
Depends – 4 respondents
Not Applicable – 1 respondent
How long before the movie starts (time on ticket) do you arrive at the cinema?
Hour before – 5 respondents
More than 20 minutes before – 19 respondents
10 to 15 minutes before – 27 respondents
5 minutes before – 8 respondents
Exactly at the start time of the movie – 8 respondents
Do you enjoy the pre-show (cinema ads by Motivate Val Morgan)?
Yes – 52 respondents
No – 15 respondents
Do you pay attention to cinema ads?
Yes – 53 respondents
No – 14 respondents
How many cinema advertisements seen on screen do you recall?
1 to 2 ads – 24 respondents
3 to 4 ads – 17 respondents
5 or more ads – 12 respondents
All most all ads – 5 respondents
None – 8 respondents
Not Applicable – 1 respondent
Do you recall the Motorola ad (silence your mobile phone spot)?
Yes – 48 respondents
No – 19 respondents
How creative was the Motorola ad?
Very creative – 22 respondents
Somewhat creative – 15 respondents
Neutral – 7 respondents
Not Creative – 4 respondents
Please Note: only respondents who answered yes to the previous question answered this question
What sort of on screen ads stand out?
Visually creative – 35
Long – 2
Short – 3
Fun/Funny – 6
Catchy – 2
Good Message – 3
Music accompanying the ad – 4
Ads that include the audience – 2
Other – 3
Not Applicable – 16
Please note: respondents could provide one or multiple answers to the question above.
All respondents who participated in the video interview segment signed consent forms which do not grant Motivate Val Morgan permission to publish the footage shot at the two locations.
Research Highlights:
As the results above indicate, the ‘silence your mobile phone ad’ is well-received, due to the following factors:
High Frequency – the ad plays on all screens and alongside every movie across all locations of four cinema operators.
Recall – the ad plays closest to the start of the movie (just before the ticker– movie countdown spot).
Creativity – the ‘silence your mobile phone ad spot’ showcases the most creative ads which remains ‘top-of-mind’
A big thank you out to the media students from Murdoch University Dubai – Tarek Fakhra, Kayla Nobrega, Gem Macalma and Irene Macabuhay, for taking time out on Friday 17 November 2017 to conduct the questionnaires and video interviews, and the management at VOX Cinemas for granting us permission to carry out this research project on a busy weekend at two key cinema locations – VOX Cinemas Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Deira.
Here are some example ‘silence your mobile phone ads’ booked through Motivate Val Morgan:
Axiom – 2012 to 2016
Samsung – May 2016 to January 2017
Motorola – May 2017 to January 2018
Interested in the ‘silence your mobile phone ad spot’? Contact a member of our sales team for more information.
Ezz Elarab Automotive Group – one of the fastest growing and successful automotive sales and services companies in Egypt, recently booked a cinema campaign for Citroën – which included an on screen advertisement and an off screen car display at VOX Cinemas – Mall of Egypt.
The on screen ad was booked from 27th December 2017 – 30th January 2018, while the car display was booked for a period of 2 weeks starting 18th January – 1st February 2018.
As the first ever car display at VOX Cinemas – Mall of Egypt, the Citroën – having caught the attention of many cinema patrons, was sold on the second day of being put on display in the cinema’s foyer area.
Apart from on-screen ads, advertisers who utilize other interactive areas of the cinema tend to see greater campaign results – in terms of higher recall and brand awareness.
In the off screen space, Motivate Val Morgan offers a host of promotion activities – across all the countries we operate in, to compliment and support on screen advertising, ranging from:
and many more…
Contact a member of our sales team for more information on how off screen cinema advertising could help move your brand closer to its target audience.
In advertising, reach is not everything. A media strategy that aims for maximum reach at all costs may sacrifice creativity, positioning and engagement – it won’t necessarily generate the optimum ad spend return on investment (ROI). Cinema provides a platform that can target specific market segments in terms of both demographics and psychographics. Cinema advertising fulfils many of the objectives that a reach-oriented strategy misses out on, such as impact, high recall and audience engagement.
In an Adweek article from 2017, James Cooper, the editorial director, speaks about Screenvision Media unveiling a new creative launch pad ad unit at the 2017 Cannes Lions. Brands taking part in the initiative are eligible for the Hegarty Awards – to honour the best in cinema advertising. Cooper notes how “cinema provides a highly memorable impression in media, reinforced by a 59% ad-awareness statistic.”
Cinema has the benefit of a captive audience, and commercials on the big screen cannot easily be ignored. In addition, niche markets can be catered to. Take for instance a brand selling exclusive sports cars. Mass reach should not factor into their media plan. Instead, carefully crafted content delivered to the correct audience is a superior strategy for marketers and maximum reach should not be the default goal.
The same rule applies when scheduling movies at cinemas. Showing a film at every cinema in the country won’t necessarily produce best results. Reach is not everything — the relevance of a brand’s message to their target market being delivered through the correct channel, is what matters. Cinema provides quality audiences, rather than aiming for quantity.
Besides reach, other brand marketing goals might be awareness, brand positioning, brand affiliation, or short-term impact and hype. What’s important is to have a clear objective of what job the campaign and media should do and be able to measure it.
The need for integrated campaigns
Industry analytical tools are evolving, following the end of Amps and the imminent emergence of new media measurement methodologies, media currencies and segmentation models, marketers need to be clear about their campaign objectives. At the same time, we need to define and understand our audiences better. For instance, in the cinema space, there is a huge correlation between moviegoers and mallgoers, simply because a majority of movie houses in the Middle East are in shopping malls. This opens up possibilities for campaigns using cinema and out-of-home (OOH) activations around malls and in the broader cinema space. This also provides a fantastic opportunity for brand owners to keep their products top of mind within the retail environment. Besides this, there are collaboration opportunities between retail, brand and cinema.
For example, let’s look at Dubai – home to more than 55% of the world’s top international retail brands as well as world-class shopping malls such as The Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. The retail potential of about 2.4 million Dubai residents was valued at Dh63 billion, or Dh26,137 per head in 2015, and was set to grow by 8.5 per cent per annum.
Dubai’s retail sector has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years and the emirate was named the second most important international shopping destination globally after London in 2015 – according to real estate consultancy firm CBRE.
Consumer purchase decisions can be influenced using the various advertising opportunities within malls — including cinema. Hence, there is a need for integrated campaigns that creatively unlock these opportunities. These should be targeted campaigns that don’t aim for reach alone. Cinemas, if you think of it, are more than just the big screen – they are auditoriums and versatile spaces. They can also be used for live broadcasts and conferences to reach a wider audience than just moviegoers.
Cinema is innovating in the marketing of products and services as well as on the entertainment front – a medium open and flexible to collaborating with innovators in all parts of the media space. Cinema advertising complements other media and advertisers and brand managers will find better ROI if they get that science right. The key is to use the versatility of cinema to drive and execute campaigns.
Cinema is uniquely immersive
As a recent Millward Brown white paper points out, one of cinema’s unique selling points is its minimal distractions compared to other media. Multi-screening is still not socially accepted in movie theatres, and ads can also not be skipped or muted.
With wall-to-wall screens, surround sound and its dark environment, cinema is uniquely immersive, so cinema viewers process movie advertising more consciously, which yields results other advertising mediums cannot.
Millward Brown research also shows that the impact of cinema advertising is boosted substantially when people see ads on cinema plus one other screen. This cross-channel synergy contributes on average 20-35% of overall brand effects. Particularly with TV.
For brands wanting their message to have impact with high recall, cinema is the perfect platform. It also provides an opportunity to stretch a campaign creatively, because advertising content has got to be great in the cinema space. The cinema space pushes the boundaries of creativity.
The big screen alone won’t give brands the reach of TV or radio, but a multi-platform strategy offers the best of both worlds. Combining cinema and TV is unparalleled in terms of ROI. The two-visual media complement each other.
In the US – always a bellwether of industry trends – there are already indications of advertisers moving from TV to cinema. The US saw a 1-2% decline in national TV advertising in Q1 2017, according to Pivotal Research Group, while cinema advertising reported 5.8 percent year-on-year growth in 2016.
As advertising budgets get tighter, we need to focus on offering marketers value, and strategists need to create innovative media plans to help achieve their goals.
There have long been a few dominant media types that every media strategist and media buyer recommend. But, some media types are oversubscribed, and now provide less attractive returns. Perhaps strategists need to look to supplementary media to stretch budgets further and move into areas with less clutter.
Opportunities for experimental, experience activations
Gone are the days when cinema advertising was just about screen time accompanied by a call-to-action. An integrated campaign can now embrace branding on popcorn boxes, cinema lightboxes and plasma screens, screens above the candy bar, and sampling stands and activities in the foyer, concourse and auditoriums of cinemas (to name a few). Cinevations (cinema activations which engage audiences) are another popular form of advertising in cinemas.
Media strategists can bundle this high-impact, experiential advertising with another media like TV, radio or print. TV will give you reach, and you can deliver the experiential elements at cinemas.
Cinema makes up 3.41% of the total advertising revenue in MENA as of 2017, according to Zenith. Although cinema advertising in MENA has gone down by 5%, Motivate Val Morgan’s turnover has gone up by 2% in the UAE in 2017. Cinema may not be a huge share of the market, however, it’s one of the only mediums, apart from digital, that hasn’t seen a drastic decline over the years. It is also a medium that can be regionalised or localised — advertisers have the opportunity to limit their campaigns to just a few relevant sites.
Courtesy: Zenith
Courtesy: Zenith
Cinema is all about the experience – the smell of the popcorn, nachos, slush, dimming of the lights and sound, which brands need to optimally embrace to their advantage.
Cinema doesn’t compete with other advertising mediums, it complements them and remains a powerful, targeted, high-impact media experience with a highly responsive audience. Brand owners would see results if they take a broader and more integrated view which incorporates cinema when bringing their products/services to the market.
Cinema is the unique ingredient that brings targeted, quality, creative expression to campaigns, filling in the gaps of a one-size fits-all approach. With growing interest and innovative solutions, the medium is returning to take its rightful place as a key weapon in the targeted advertising arsenal.
The big screen is limitless in bringing campaigns to life!
Sources: SAWA, BIZCOMMUNITY (Cinema News), Emirates 24/7 (Business) and Zenith
Landmark Group’s Centrepoint is the biggest fashion store in the Middle East, the region’s most coveted fashion retail brand – with 140 stores across the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, and also one of Motivate Val Morgan’s loyal clients for many years.
Shyam Sunder, Sr. Marketing & Ecommerce Head, Lead Member – Group Marketing at Centrepoint shares a testimonial on cinema advertising and how the medium has benefited the brand.
Why does Centrepoint choose to advertise in cinema? How does cinema fit into Centrepoint’s media strategy?
“Being a fashion destination in leading malls where cinemas are present, the cinema medium has always been an intrinsic touchpoint in our customers’ journey. Also considering our rich repertoire of world class films, we believe we can captivate our customers on the big screens and inspire them to keep shopping with us.”
What is Centrepoint’s view on the medium and how does it compete/compliment other advertising mediums utilized by the brand?
“Cinema is undoubtedly a great medium and the few remaining captive audience platforms which can entertain viewers without skipping. Hence, while we are digital marketing driven, we cannot let go of the potential and popularity of Cinemas in this region.”
Does Centrepoint use the cinema medium for campaigns relating to brand awareness, tactical promotions, or both?
“Both. Centrepoint has managed to harmonise both fashion and tactical campaigns with its new SALE films. Our series of films, ‘Sabotage’ ‘Lies’ and now ‘Unleash Greed’ are path breaking and balances both quite brilliantly.”
Was cinema the best fit for a specific commercial/campaign?
“The Centrepoint SALE is the biggest retail events in the region and we have been inventing in the property with some trail blazing work and consistent presence in cinemas across the region.”
How efficient was it to book/deal through Motivate Val Morgan?
“We get the best in class cinema network at great value with Motivate Val Morgan. It’s been a long and enduring relationship as both brands continue to improve and innovate.”
Check out some of the Centrepoint ads that were booked through Motivate Val Morgan and screened across our network of cinemas in the UAE:
CENTREPOINT | SALE | 2015
CENTREPOINT | THIS RAMADAN #SPOTLIGHTONYOU | 2016
CENTREPOINT | LIES | 2016
CENTREPOINT | SABOTAGE | #LOOKGOODSALE | 2016
CENTREPOINT | BACK TO SCHOOL | 2017
CENTREPOINT | UNLEASH GREED | 2017
Source: Centrepoint, Landmark Group
As part of Majid Al Futtaim cinemas investment of AED 1.2 billion ($330 million) through a series of acquisitions, organic expansions and a commitment to customer experience, VOX Cinemas – leading cinema chain in the Middle East, is expected to launch at The Avenues mall in Kuwait in March 2018.
VOX Cinemas presently operates in UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar and Bahrain with 29 cinema locations in total (including the City Cinema chain locations in Oman).
VOX Cinemas – The Avenues in Kuwait, will house 17 screens with an approximate seating capacity of 1679, and will include 2 MAX screens, 4 Theatre by Rhodes screens, 2 Kids screens and a new VOX experience for teens.
The Avenues is the biggest mall in Kuwait with a footfall of 52 million in 2015, and is a prominent site for Saudi nationals. The mall presently has a cinema managed and operated by Cinescape Cinemas with 8 screens (including VIP and Dolby Atmos screens).
VOX Cinemas will launch its first cinema in Kuwait in the new extension of the mall, and as the official cinema advertising partner of VOX Cinemas, Motivate Val Morgan is pleased to announce that we will be extending our cinema advertising footprint to Kuwait in March this year.
Stay tuned for further updates.
Sources: VOX Cinemas and Arabian Business
In a region that is known for its year-long sales and shopping festivals, Centrepoint had to stand out in an overly competitive and cluttered category, meet expectations that are incredibly high and attain more footfalls in their stores.
With 140 stores across the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, Centrepoint is the Middle East’s biggest fashion store and also the region’s most coveted fashion retail brand.
Their newest ‘Sale’ regional advertising campaign conceptualized by Impact BBDO, Dubai, is based on ‘one of the purest emotions’. When there’s a sale, you feel like you want everything in the store. And if that comes across as greed, that’s okay. Because the Centrepoint Sale is the only socially acceptable place to unleash greed.
“This is a bold new moment for Centrepoint as we look to take the brand forward. The film tackles the motivations and modern contradictions behind consumer decision making.”, states Simon Cooper, Head of Centrepoint.
Shyam Sunder, Sr. Head of Marketing adds, “The Centrepoint Sale is one of the biggest retail events in the region. Our new film from Impact BBDO is based on a strong behavioural insight which directly relates to our Sale.”
“The first thing people asked when they saw the film was “where did you shoot this?”. Their jaws dropped when they learnt it was in Beirut. We are immensely proud that a film shot in Lebanon is raising the bar in the Middle East.”, say Cynthia Chammas and Michelle Abou Zei, Executive Producers at Truffle Films.
Fadi Yaish, ECD of Impact BBDO, Dubai sums it up well – “The Centrepoint Sale comes with up to 70% off, it would be a crime if you weren’t greedy.”
In less than 24 hours since its release on social media, the film had already been viewed over a million times and is making a positive impact – in terms of footfalls across Centrepoint stores.
The 60 second advertising campaign was booked through Motivate Val Morgan and screened across cinemas in the UAE:
VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira, Mall of the Emirates, Burjuman, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, City Centre Ajman and City Centre Fujairah (All Screens)
Oscar Cinema – Al Foah Mall, Al Raha Mall, Al Wahda Mall and Al Ain Sports Club (All Screens)
Cine Royal Cinema – Dalma Mall (All Screens)
The commercial was booked to screen from 21st December 2017 to 3rd January 2018.
Sources: Impact BBDO and Centrepoint
UAE telco du has been named as 2018’s Dubai Lynx Advertiser of the Year. The prestigious award is presented annually to an advertiser in the MENA region who sets themselves apart through the calibre of their creative and innovative marketing and communications.
Over the past four years du has won 39 Dubai Lynx awards including 3 Grands Prix, 13 Gold, 16 Silver and 7 Bronze Dubai Lynx awards. Last year’s success alone included two Grands Prix in Integrated and Interactive for “#POSTWISELY”, a campaign that inspires the online community in the UAE to think before they post personal information on social channels.
Please note: The du commercials above are inspired by true stories that have occurred in the UAE or internationally.
“In recognising innovative marketing and inspiring creative communications the Advertiser of the Year Award focuses on the phenomenal talent, effort and the creative bravery displayed to bring ideas to life,” said Jose Papa, Managing Director, Cannes Lions. “du has proven to live its company mission to ‘enhance your life, anytime, anywhere’ through its engaging creative work and we’re delighted to be able to honour this and celebrate its continued success,” he continued.
Opened in 2006, du has constantly worked to enhance and expand the variety of services across the telecommunications industry for the millions of customers they serve in the MENA region. The company has over 2,000 people from more than 60 countries working to develop their services and is committed to reflecting the diversity of the public they serve. Alongside services such as telephony, data hubs and internet exchange facilities, du is dedicated to implementing sustainability practices across all aspects of the business.
The creative range of campaigns surrounding “du Tuesday” were hugely successful both with customers and at Dubai Lynx. Promoting a generous offer of 2 cinema tickets for the price of 1, the iterations of the campaign evolved over the years but consistently displayed excellence in craft, winning multiple Film Craft awards.
Abdulwahed Juma, Executive Vice President, Brand and Corporate Communications, du said, “We are deeply honoured and thrilled with this recognition. This is an endorsement of the outstanding creative calibre of our team in du and partner agencies. The win motivates us to continue our endeavours in reaching out to our customers in exciting and engaging ways.”
du will be presented with the Advertiser of the Year Award at the Dubai Lynx Awards Ceremony on 14 March 2018 in the Madinat Jumeirah. The celebration of the best creativity from across the MENA region brings to a close the three-day Festival of inspiration and learning.
The Awards Ceremony will see 10 jury presidents awarding the 2018 Lynx Awards along with the winners of the Young Lynx PR, Print, Integrated and Media competition and this year’s University of the Year. The Masar Student Creative Award for Print and the STC Student Integrated Competitions are announced at a dedicated Student Awards Ceremony on the final day of the Festival.
Entries to the Awards are now open with the deadline for entering on the 8 February 2018. Visit www.dubailynx.com for more information.
Source: Dubai Lynx (Press Release) and du
Akshay Kumar poses as a superhero in the new poster for his next film PadMan, which touches upon the issue of women’s sanitary hygiene.
The new poster was shared by Akshay Kumar on Twitter with a caption that reads “Meet the real life superhero, PadMan.”
Actress Sonam Kapoor also shared the poster and captioned it: “A great representation of Ghandhi’s Quote. ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’. PadMan brings you an inspiring true story this Republic Day.”
The film is inspired by the life of Coimbatore-based Arunachalam Muruganantham, who found a way to make affordable sanitary napkins for women in his village. PadMan also feature Amitabh Bachchan and Radhika Apte, and is slated for release across cinemas in the UAE on January 25, 2018.
Watch the trailer below:
Films featuring Akshay Kumar have always been well received by cinema audiences in the UAE. Below are UAE admission figures for movies featuring Akshay Kumar:
Toilet Ek Prem Katha (2017) – Approximately 103,200 admissions (screened for 3 weeks)
Jolly LLB2 (2017) – Approximately 114,000 admissions (screened for 5 weeks)
Brothers (2015) – Approximately 130,500 admissions (screened for 4 weeks)
Akshay Kumar will also star alongside Rajnikanth in the upcoming Indian Sci-Fi film 2.0 (Tamil) – which is also slated for releases on January 25, 2018. 2.0 is the first Indian film that is directly shot in 3D and is anticipated to be a MEGA blockbuster.
Don’t miss out on advertising your brand alongside Bollywood blockbuster starring Akshay Kumar in 2018.
Contact a member of our sales team for more information on cinema advertising opportunities.
Source: Gulf News (Tabloid) and Twitter
VOX Cinemas, a unit of leading retail and leisure pioneer Majid Al Futtaim, opened its first independent venture in Bahrain at the newly-launched The Avenues mall on 28 November 2017 – offering cinemagoers a new and improved cinemagoing experience. This comes within weeks of the launch of its joint venture with Bahrain Cinema Company, VOX Cineco at City Centre Bahrain.
The Avenues mall – which opened of its doors for visitors two weeks ago, has already become the must visit destination in the Bahrain.
It is the first commercial and entertainment mall of its kind in the Kingdom, with a unique seafront location extending 1.5 km. It is strategically located in the heart of Manama, adjacent to King Faisal Road. The development brings a new concept to the Kingdom – with a design inspired by The Avenues mall in Kuwait – giving visitors an outdoor feeling while remaining indoors, protected from the heat by a transparent ceiling.
The newly opened cineplex boasts 10 screens with a total seating capacity of 929 and includes a MAX screen (the largest screen with ultra-comfortable seating) and three Theatre by Rhodes screens (the first-of-its-kind in Bahrain) – a concept which is the brainchild of Michelin Star celebrity chef Gary Rhodes.
Majid Al Futtaim is set to pump Dh1.2 billion ($326 million) into the Middle East entertainment market as part of its massive expansion plans. The company has set a target of opening more than 600 screens over the next one and a half years across seven countries in the region – UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt and Lebanon.
“The investment will involve a series of acquisitions, organic expansions and a commitment to data-driven exceptional customer experience,” remarked Michelle Walsh – Chief Operating Officer for VOX Cinemas.
With fully digital screens, VOX Cinemas (Latin word for voice) will be offering cinemagoers in Bahrain more movie releases, daily movie sessions, flexible timings and an exclusive cinema dining experience by Theatre by Rhodes, she stated.
Aimed at the high-end customers, the tickets for Theatre by Rhodes are priced at BD16 ($42), while the MAX VIP tickets will cost BD5 and MAX Regular tickets BD4.
With this new launch, VOX Cinemas has refined every aspect of the cinema-going experience in the region to make it more engaging, fun and hassle-free – from the ease of ticket purchase to innovative seating alternatives, and more delicious food and beverage offerings.
VOX MAX, she stated, is a mega-screen concept which was first launched by VOX Cinemas in the UAE in 2011, and since then it has become one of the most popular movie-going experiences for cinemagoers today.
“We present movies the way directors intended them to be watched – on huge screens, with crisp, digital imagery supported by surround sound technology and comfortable seating,” explained Walsh.
“Our aim is to create great moments for everyone every day, through offering innovative cinematic experiences and exceptional customer services and dining inside a theatre is one of them,” she added.
Additionally, VOX Cinemas will be soon launching a new loyalty programme – VOX Rewards in order to make the cinemagoing experience more special.
“It will reward loyal cinemagoers by providing them complimentary tickets, food and beverages, as well as a range of special offers and movie updates,” said Walsh.
The cinema chain is also planning for partnerships with leading credit card companies and banks. “We have already struck a deal with Visa and we are in talks with other companies as well,” she added.
According to Walsh, future plans for Bahrain include the launch of the 4DX cinema concept which will take movie buffs into a world of their own where they can touch, smell, feel and live every moment of their chosen movie attraction.
Traditional cinema fare also takes on a new twist at VOX Cinemas Bahrain, with the candy bar featuring a restaurant-style menu that includes crepes, sandwiches, French fries, salads, gourmet popcorn, muffins and beverages such as coffee and fresh juices, she added.
As the exclusive cinema advertising partner of VOX Cinemas, Motivate Val Morgan congratulates VOX on the launch of their new cineplex in Bahrain and proudly welcomes VOX Cinemas – The Avenues to our circuit.
Contact our Account Manager in Bahrain for information on cinema advertising opportunities at VOX Cinemas .
Source: Trade Arabic and Malta Wind
There was once a time when the luxury media landscape used to be simple – including mainly television, outdoor, print, radio and a tad of cinema. Then luxury consumers went ahead and started finding inspiration and shopping opportunities in places and at times that brands found puzzling.
This consumer-driven puzzle became more complex as high-end fashion brands started showing their collections in-season, launching digital and print ads instantly and allowing consumers to buy runway items in real-time.
To address this complexity, luxury brands started heavily investing in digital media with fervor unseen in any other industry. Nevertheless, the safest and best way to guarantee a larger segment of affluent consumers are exposed to a brand and its respective message is by including a variety of touchpoints in its media plan.
This article explores why luxury brands should choose cinema as a medium for advertising, how cinemas in the UAE and other parts of the Middle East have evolved over the last two years – catering to a range of audiences; including affluent consumers with a sophisticated mindset, and why cinema remains an important touchpoint – when targeting niche audiences.
Why choose cinema as a medium for advertising:
Ideal Environment for Advertising
Dark Auditorium & Distraction Free – All eyes on the big-screen and attention guaranteed without interruptions.
Everything About it is BIG
Larger Than Life Image – Consumers notice cinema ads as they make real use of the big screen with impressive graphics, panoramic landscapes and unusual visual displays.
Exceptional Audio
Surround Sound & Booming Bass – Sound is a key part of the cinema experience, with the best ads using it to optimize its effect.
Captive & Receptive Audience
“Opt in” Medium – With the audience choosing to go to the cinema, your brand reaches out to a relaxed and receptive audience.
In addition, cinema offers 360-degree exposure and innovative opportunities to brands – utilizing both on-screen and off-screen advertising. Ranging from sampling, activations, promotions and many more activities, advertisers can now compliment and support their on-screen ads with off-screen advertising for greater brand impact.
Research from the region to justify investment in cinema advertising:
Commissioned by Motivate Val Morgan – market leader in cinema advertising across the Middle East, Ipsos – global market and opinion research specialist, recently conducted a study to decipher movie-going audiences and measure the effectiveness of cinema advertising in the UAE.
The report, Cinema 360: Audience, Advertising and Movies, examines the following:
The study validates the distinctive power of cinema as a medium for entertainment and advertising: premium first-run content, delivered to a captive and engaged audience, in an impactful environment, can deliver significant uplift and value to advertising budgets.
Here are the key findings from Cinema 360: Audience, Advertising and Movies
It is also important to note that the movie-going culture is big in the UAE – especially amongst locals and affluent expats.
Click here to access the full report.
How cinemas in the region have evolved:
Over the last two years, cinema operators have invested a great deal on expanding and upgrading their respective cinema multiplexes.
This upgrade includes the revamp of existing luxury cinema screens and the introduction of luxury cinema concepts and stand-alone boutique cinemas.
Luxury cinemas are intimate and private with fully reclining armchairs and adjustable footrests arranged in pairs with their own private table. The seating is tiered for unobstructed
The sheer opulence and indulgence of these luxury cinemas also offers unsurpassed levels of service. Drinks and snacks are served on-demand throughout the movie and the menu offers a range of premium food options.
An exclusive lounge facility is adjacent to each of these luxury cinemas – for guests who want a more intimate cinema experience.
Motivate Val Morgan serviced cinemas that offer luxury cinema experiences include: VOX Cinemas (regionally), Reel Cinemas (UAE), Oscar Cinema (UAE), Cine Royal Cinema (UAE), Roxy Cinema (UAE) and Cinemacity (UAE).
Partnering with celebrity Michelin star chef Gary Rhodes, VOX Cinemas introduced a new luxury THEATRE by Rhodes – the first concept of its kind in the Middle East in September 2015 at its Mall of the Emirates cinema location.
THEATRE by Rhodes delivers the most innovative and customer-focused experience, presenting movie lovers with a full food and beverage menu –prepared by in house chefs who are all trained to meet the internationally renowned Rhodes’ standard.
From a state-of-the-art auditorium to the large leather reclining pod-seats, waiter service and exclusive lounge, THEATRE by Rhodes is luxury cranked up to the max – effectively an upgrade on the VOX Gold Class cinema experience.
THEATRE by Rhodes is solely available at VOX Cinemas: Mall of the Emirates (UAE – Dubai), Yas Mall (UAE -Abu Dhabi) Nation Towers (UAE -Abu Dhabi), Doha Festival City (Qatar) and The Avenues (Bahrain).
The Roxy at BOXPARK in the UAE offers a boutique ambience that combines plush retro elements (Italian leather-trimmed seats), cutting edge audio-visual technology and a carefully-crafted menu of gourmet selections
It is the region’s first boutique cinema experience – combining plush and retro elements that delivers a magical movie experience.
The average cost for a couple in one of these luxury high-end cinemas (including tickets and F&B) is around 450 AED for just one movie night – thus offering luxury brands with the perfect target audience – the coveted, but hard to reach, affluent and educated consumers between the age of 25 to 60+.
Example Luxury Brand Cinema On-Screen Campaigns Booked Through Motivate Val Morgan:
Cartier
An advertiser from 2016.
Tiffany & Co.
An advertiser from 2016.
Tag Heuer
An advertiser from 2017.
Other Luxury Brand On-Screen Cinema Advertisers of Motivate Val Morgan:
Example Luxury Brand Cinema Off-screen Campaigns Booked Through Motivate Val Morgan:
Elie Saab
An advertised from 2017.
Versace
An advertised from 2017.
Narciso Rodriguez
An advertised from 2017.
Why cinema remains an important touchpoint – when targeting luxury niche audiences:
With an increase in the number of blockbusters releasing across the region and an equal increase in the number of cinema admissions each year, there’s no doubt that cinema remains an important platform for entertainment – catering to all ages and nationalities, and advertising in the region.
Luxury cinema concepts are very high-end and upscale – designated plush lobby areas, comfortable leather reclining seats, bespoke F&B offerings and a personalized waiter service, which elevates the movie going experience for consumers with a sophisticated mindset.
Such cinemas create small, intimate and curated relationships with sophisticated audiences which are more viable for luxury brands than mass awareness-seeking media campaigns.
Brand Storytelling is increasingly becoming the new way to create meaningful dialogs with luxury consumers – and there’s no better place than cinema for showcasing such content.
Luxury cinema concepts are no longer specific to certain operators. Today, most reputed cinema operator across the region offer unique luxury cinema experiences – catering to audiences of varying levels of sophistication.
Why choose to partner with Motivate Val Morgan:
Motivate Val Morgan’s coverage includes over 480 cinema screens across 55 cinema locations in the Middle East – UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. We partner with leading cinema operators who offer luxury cinema experiences and have a presence in the best shopping malls across the region.
Contact a member from our sales team for more information on cinema advertising opportunities that target affluent and sophisticated audiences.
Source: Luxury Daily
