There is no doubt as to what UAE’s audiences want to watch when they hit the multiplexes – can you guess? Based on 2014 box office receipts, 58 per cent spent on watching action/adventure movies as they spent an estimated $157.8 million (Dh579 million) across all non-Arabic film. They spent a further $4 million on Arabic language films that year.
In 2015, the grand total spent on all-language cinema swelled to $189 million as the UAE witnessed the addition of more cinema screens.
According to a report by Northwestern University in Qatar, in partnership with the Doha Film Institute, “while Egyptian films claimed nearly all box-office revenues among Arabic-language films in Egypt and UAE since 2012, Lebanese films have made nearly two-thirds of box office revenues in their own country over the same period.”
“In two of the biggest cinema markets – Lebanon and Egypt – Arabic-language films earned more at the box office per title than non-Arabic films. This is despite Arabic-language films claiming only a fraction of box-office revenues overall throughout the region.”
2017 is another big year in terms of blockbuster releases and offers a diverse slate of action/adventure movies over the months ahead. Visit our trailer park to view the trailers of the latest movies releasing in the UAE.
Source: Gulf News
In the latest round of the ‘Audi Challenges Arabia’ campaign, a fan challenged Audi Middle East to light up a football pitch, a challenge Audi couldn’t refuse.
With the help of 22 Audi Q7’s and their Matrix LED headlight technology, Audi Middle East helped an ambitious Omani boy towards reaching his dream. As a first and exclusive for the Middle East region, Audi Middle East has launched a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The ‘Audi Challenges Arabia’ initiative asks fans to nominate an Audi challenge that would become a reality for them.
This is the third challenge to be delivered by Audi Middle East since initiating the ‘Audi Challenges Arabia’ campaign in the region. The first challenge took place during August 2015 at the Dubai Autodrome with the ‘Audi R8 adrenaline’ challenge. The second challenge was the ‘Audi Elevation challenge’, where an Audi RS 7 raced the elevator of the tallest building in the world – Burj Khalifa.
More than 4,000 challenges have been submitted since the start of the Audi Challenges Arabia campaign. The third successful challenge to be made into reality came from an Audi fan, who submitted the request to light up a football pitch. Audi Middle East accepted the challenge, and also helped a 13 year old – Zakaria Daoud, Omani boy take a step forward towards his dream to become a professional football player.
Zakaria Daoud, who lives in a remote village located in the mountains of Oman- with no proper paved roads, dreams of becoming a professional football player. Yet the village lacks any facilities such as a football pitch where he can develop his talent and play regularly with his friends.
Audi Middle East extended the challenge of lighting up a football pitch and surprised the child by building a new football field for Zakaria to practice his favorite game with his friends.
With the help of 22 new Audi Q7’s, the pitch was built in the mountainous area of Al-Rustaq, which is located 1,500 meters above sea level and can only be reached by a 40 kilometer rocky off road route.
The second part of the challenge was completed with the help of Audi Q7’s Matrix LED technology, which completely illuminated the football pitch and surprised the village children with their new pitch.
The commercial for the third challenge under Audi Challenges Arabia screened at MVM’s circuit of cinemas in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Fans can also watch previous #AudiChallengesArabia videos that Audi Middle East has already achieved on the bespoke microsite www.audichallengesarabia.com.
There’s no denying that in times of an economic downturn, every dollar spent will be scrutinized and will need to work harder.
With the first six months of 2016 forecasted to be the toughest for the economy of the MENA region since 2009, its fair to say that clients will be more reluctant to just ‘toss’ money towards media, and will therefore most likely only invest in advertising that works in the right channel and at the right moment – targeting the right audience.
So why is cinema the safest and the right medium to invest in during an economic downturn?
Well, history tells us cinema and recessions are like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – the perfect combination! Similar to how cinema emerged as one of the least affected industries during past economic woes, the next six months seem to be no different in the UAE (hello, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and an incredible line-up of blockbuster movies releasing in 2016).
Take the Great Depression (1929 -1939) as another example – from failed farmers to working mothers and displaced children, the great depression invaded homes across the U.S. Twenty-five percent of the country was unemployed during the peak of the depression (1933), while even more just barely made ends meet. Despite the agonizing economic hardship faced by nearly all of the country, 60-70 million Americans still packed into theaters each week. You wonder, what made sitting in a theater for an hour and a half worth a hard-earned 15 cents?
As explained by Dixton Wector (historian), “the content of motion picture was designed for escape – the majority reflecting the tastes of tired and jaded adults seeking a ‘never-never land’ of luxury, melodrama and sentiment.”
If you are a moviegoer who lived in the UAE between 2008 and 2010 – when the economic downturn was in full swing, you might still recall the somewhat crowded multiplexes- spanning all ages. But why frequent cinemas when unemployment rates were at an all time high, businesses were experiencing discouraging times, and a great sense of depression loomed the region? The simple answer: that’s the power of the movies! People still want to be entertained, perhaps more so in tough times.
Week after week (between 2008 to 2010) movies performed relatively well at the UAE Box Office:
Cinema truly delivers an ultimate environment for advertisers, and over the years, many advertisers have embraced the value proposition of cinema advertising – a distraction free environment with high ad recall, and a captive audience who cannot fast-forward or block ads. Additionally, the value of integrated campaigns utilizing both on screen and off screen messaging has the potential to double, or even triple the impact a brand can make on moviegoers.
Cinema remains a relatively cheap form of entertainment here in the UAE, especially compared with eating out, or a night down at a pub. Coupled with a mind-blowing line-up of movies releasing this year, and a range of cinema experiences the UAE has to offer – IMAX, 3D, and 4DX, cinemas will continue to attract moviegoers in numbers this year too- thus, there’s no friendlier medium than cinema for advertisers to invest in during times of a slower and bumpier economy.
Contact a member of our sales team for a detailed list of this 2016’s movie-line up, and for more information on our cinema advertising packages.
Sources: boxofficemojo.com, The Telegraph, xroads.virginia.edu, The Hollywood Reporter, and Campaign
VUE Cinemas in the UK and Ireland commissioned leading scientists from the Thrill Laboratory and neuroscientist Patrick Fagan from Goldsmiths to undertake a phenomenal 2D vs. 3D public study in 2015.
The Study:
Moviegoers participated in a scientific test at VUE Piccadilly to understand the effect 3D films had on the brain.
The study demonstrated that watching films in 3D gives a mental boost, enhancing speed of reaction and the brain’s ability to process information.
Procedure:
Using brain monitoring headsets which monitored 14 different parts of the brain – each part of the brain indicating the different ways in which we process what we see on the screen, how we feel emotionally, and the kind of things we want to so (scream/jump out of the seat). The collection of these bits of information was fed into computer technology were scientists were able to work out levels of excitement, engagement, and ultimately levels of enthrallment the audience experienced in 3D.
Results:
Conclusion:
The audience reflected a good mix – men, women, older and younger people who experienced and consumed 3D content differently. 3D films excited everybody – in slightly different ways. On the whole, everybody enjoyed a unique and intense experience.
VUE is one of the leading cinemas operators, owning the most modern state-of-the-art multiplex cinema circuit in the UK and Ireland – with almost 800 screens at over 80 cinemas.
Interested in playing your ad in 3D? MVM also offers 3D production and UP conversations from 2D to 3D.
Source: sawa.com
As yet another year draws to a close, sadly, the furor over ad blocking continues.
The rise of ad blocking has proven what many people have long known: too much clutter reduces ad effectiveness by making people less receptive to advertising in general. We’ve all witnessed this happen with TV – the more clutter there is, the less bang ads get for its TV buck.
Thinking digital? Well, unfortunately digital channels are now feeling the pinch too. Today, millions of people around the world are opting to install ad-blockers that allow them to surf ad-free. Attempts to ensure ads are seen – by making them more intrusive, simply push people to fight technology with technology. So instead of continuing down this slippery slope, advertisers should be asking themselves what the world would be like with less clutter.
What’s the medium least explored but capable of delivering a lot more advertising effectiveness?
Are you forgetting the cinema medium?
Yes, there is hope after all! Cinemas offer advertisers a receptive audience who pay to watch a movie from start to finish, with little or no distractions from what is being shown on the BIG screen.
A new study named Building Box-Office Brands by Millward Brown (commissioned by Digital Cinema Media – UK) explores the role of cinema in today’s European cross media landscape, and demonstrates the power of cinema’s uncluttered media environment.
It was found that cinema was one of the hardest hitting channels, vying with magazines for the biggest return on investment.
Here are five key takeaways from the Millward Brown study:
1. Cinema Makes Brands Memorable
Cinema, Magazines and TV are the strongest contributors of Saliency (awareness) per person reached. Having strong Saliency means consumers are more likely to recall brands when activated by an idea relating to retailer or category choice. That, in turn, drives sales volume.
2. Cinema Creates A Brand Love Story
Cinemas make consumers fall in love with brands. No media channel is better at building Brand Love. It’s also the most efficient, delivering 5.4% media ROI for every £1m invested. Love makes brands swell rapidly in value: consumers are far more likely to pay a premium for what they truly love.
3. Cinema Generates Brand Difference
Cinema is the number one place to create Brand Difference, delivering the biggest contribution per person reached, and with almost 5x more efficiency than online videos. Brands that are seen as ‘Different’ increase brand value, attract new customers, and command a price premium and stronger loyalty.
4. Cinema Turns Audiences Into Customers
Cinema moves people. Cinema and Magazines are the most successful media at driving ‘consideration’ for brands. Cinema also has 20x the media ROI for efficiency vs. TV. Consideration helps create customers and is a key brand metric at the furthest point of the purchase funnel.
5. Cinema Wins Influential Fans For Brands
Cinema, Magazines and Online Videos are the most efficient media at driving brand recommendation. Word of mouth – particularly in today’s socially networked world, creates brand advocates.
Is the above pertinent to the UAE cinema industry? The answer: yes, yes and yes!
Movie-going is a habit in the UAE – the result of three influences:
1. Superior Blockbuster Line-Ups
In 2014 and 2015 we witnessed a number of blockbuster releases, with some literally breaking box-office. 2015’s Furious 7 (ran for 15 weeks) had a cumulative box office admission of $10.8 million, followed by Jurassic World (ran for 15 weeks) which amassed $7.8 million. Spectre (still in its 5th week) has already collected $6.6 million to date. 2016 indicates a strong line-up of blockbusters and is anticipated to be far bigger and better than previous years. And as we all know, there is no better place than the big screen when watching the release of a new blockbuster.
2. Increasing Number of Multiplexes Across the UAE
Middle Eastern box offices have enjoyed double-digit annual growth in recent years, owing in many cases to the expanding network of cinemas that have been developed across the Middle East. 2015 alone saw VOX Cinemas open new complexes at Nation Galleria in Abu Dhabi, and Burjuman, Wafi Cineplex and Shindagha in Dubai. The result being, more and more people can enjoy going to a movie in their area.
3. Improved Cinema Experience
Leading Cinema operators in the UAE – including VOX Cinemas, have heavily invested in catering to a wider audience by enhancing the cinema going experience – whether it is comfort, indulgence, or state of the art visual/sound the customer is in pursuit of. Additionally, VOX has included all of the latest international cinema technologies such as 4DX, and IMAX (with laser technology) – a concept relatively new to the UAE.
Now tell us, what’s not to like about the cinema medium?
Rather than demanding for more intrusive ad formats, maybe advertisers should consider less cluttered environments.
Cinema advertising may not reach a huge audience by the standards of TV. But it offers a quality of exposure that is hard to find elsewhere. With cinemagoers being more relaxed and receptive, and therefore more likely to recall the advertising itself and the brand for which it’s for, cinema advertising is sure to work more effectively. Interested in including cinema in next year’s advertising mix? Feel free to contact one of our team members.
Sources: Millward Brown, DMC UK
The region’s first IMAX with Laser was launched on September 28th 2015 at VOX Cinema, Mall of the Emirates and has since been chockablock with IMAX blockbusters.
Most people would agree the best theatrical movie experience is 70mm IMAX film projection. But with IMAX Laser, IMAX Corporation’s aim was to try and replace – and hopefully even surpass – that experience. And… they’ve succeeded!
But what exactly is IMAX Laser, and is it really worth paying extra money to see?
IMAX Laser is definitely another evolutionary step in the theatrical experience. Jonathan (Jon) Paula – professional You Tuber and founder of Jogwheel Productions (a media production company specializing in web videos), shares his thoughts on IMAX’s new “laser” projection technology, how it works, and why it is absolutely worth paying extra money to see a movie at a cinema with IMAX Laser. Check out his review below:
IMAX vs. 70mm film projection at a glance:
“I don’t want to see a movie in any other format except IMAX Laser from now on” says Jon. “Yes it costs a few extra dollars, but is completely worth it.”
According to Andrew Cripps – President of IMAX for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, “Dubai is the cheapest place in the world to experience IMAX with Laser.” The cost of watching IMAX at VOX Cinema at Mall of the Emirates is around Dh75, while at the Empire Cinema in London the cost is around £19.95 (Dh112).
If you’re still to experience this new technology, there’s no better time than now to do so. With the festive holidays around the corner, drop by VOX Cinema at the Mall of the Emirates and don’t miss out on watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens – currently screening in IMAX with Laser.
Sources: The National, World According to Jon, Slash Film
