Muvi Boulevard Riyadh City is the largest cinema in Saudi Arabia, and the biggest in the world by seating capacity.
Saudi homegrown cinema brand Muvi Cinemas opened the Kingdom’s largest cinema at Boulevard Riyadh City on 02 March, 2022.
The cinema boasts a total of 25 screens and features a variety of unique concepts.
For VIP experiences, the cinema offers four luxury Muvi Suites and four Muvi Boutique auditoriums – theatres with a theme of a city or popular place such as London, Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
Two Muvi Junior screens are available for children aged three to twelve years with a party room attached to celebrate special occasions.
Muvi Boulevard Riyadh City is also home to a 4DX and Xperience screen powered by CGS for an immersive cinema experience.
The official launch of Muvi Cinemas’ newest and largest venue was held in conjunction with the grand premiere of ‘The Batman’. Sultan Al Hokair, founder and Chief Executive Officer at Muvi Cinemas, said, “The launch of our newest Muvi Cinema at Riyadh Boulevard City was a great moment for both the Muvi brand and film lovers alike. As the largest movie theatre in Saudi Arabia, our customers will experience best-in-class entertainment while enjoying the latest cinematic technologies.”
The opening ceremony of the cinema and screening of ‘The Batman’ were attended by a distinguished list of guests and industry officials.
Muvi Cinemas presently operates 195 screens across 20 locations in 9 cities of Saudi Arabia.
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities at Muvi – Boulevard Riyadh City.
Source: Muvi Cinemas
VOX Cinemas opens Qatar’s most luxurious cinema at Doha Oasis.
VOX Cinemas launched its second location in Qatar at Doha Oasis on 1 July 2021. The 19-screen cinema with a total of 1,239 seats includes five luxury auditoriums- four VIP and one VVIP, allowing cinemagoers to sit back and relax in reclining leather seats while enjoying in-seat dining, as well as signature VOX concepts such as 4DX and Kids.
Guests can also enjoy gourmet cuisine in the private dining room or indulge in their favourite cinema snacks at the Candy Bar. The new state-of-the-art multiplex is integrated with Yalla! Bowling, which will have eight lanes and feature the most advanced digital score keeping computers and video simulations. This underpins VOX Cinemas’ commitment to provide families with unrivalled and customer-focused entertainment concepts.
Fadi Kahal, Regional Manager, VOX Cinemas said, “VOX Cinemas Doha Oasis is taking the luxury cinematic experience to the next level with the ultimate VIP concept and an exceptional offering that caters for the whole family. The all-encompassing entertainment destination is in line with our commitment to innovate and introduce world-class entertainment options that go beyond guests’ expectations. We are very excited to welcome new guests and create great moments together at our latest offering in Qatar.”
VOX Cinemas Doha Oasis has implemented an all-encompassing sanitisation and physical distancing plan to ensure that guests can have an exceptional experience with added comfort and peace of mind.
The cinema exhibitor presently operates 37 screens across 2 locations in Qatar, and 600+ screens across 50+ locations in 8 countries across the MENA region.
Motivate Val Morgan warmly congratulates VOX Cinemas on the opening of Doha Oasis and welcomes this new location to our regional circuit.
Contact us to advertise your brand on the screens of VOX Cinemas – Doha Oasis.
Source: VOX Cinemas (Press Release)
4DX had its best year yet at Global Box Office in 2019, with CJ 4DPLEX – the company behind multi-sensory 4DX cinema technology, announcing it had a record-breaking year, grossing more than £246 million ($320 million) for 4DX worldwide.
Marking a 12% increase from 2018’s record of $286 million, it was the best year yet for the groundbreaking format. The uptick is partly credited to booming revenues in the U.S., where 4DX Box Office increased by 73% from 2018, while European markets grew by 17% from the previous year.
The announcement was further proof that a rising tide lifts all boats, after the global box office hit a record high in 2019, surpassing $42.5 billion. Overseas revenues also soared to new heights, topping $30 billion for the first time.
The trend toward premium and immersive cinema formats is helping to fuel this growth.
4DX provides cinema audiences a variety of special effects in cinemas, such as vibrating chairs, blowing winds, fog, and splashing water, through the use of specially designed in-theater technology.
Listed below are the 7 highest movies that smashed 4DX Box Office Records in 2019:
Avengers: Endgame – $34.4M
Aladdin – $25.9M
The Lion King – $23.2M
Frozen 2 – $18.8M
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw – $16.9M
Captain Marvel – $14.0M
Spider-Man: Far From Home – $13.2M
The top 4DX markets – Japan, China, Korea, France, U.S, Mexico and United Kingdom – together account for more than 66% of the format’s total global box office takings in 2019. These markets broke records in attendance and global box office, surpassing the top seven record of 2018. Most of all, U.S. became the biggest grosser among seven countries as 4DX box office grew more than 73% in comparison to 2018.
The multi-sensory format and Cinema Advertising
4DX engages audiences to be part of the adventure whilst experiencing the entirety of virtual reality, and also offers advertisers an exciting format of cinema advertising – guaranteed to create greater brand impact.
Here’s an article with example 4D cinema campaigns booked through MVM:
Achieve Greater Brand Impact with 4D Cinema Advertising
Break through the confines of advertising and explore the possibility of aligning your brand with a movies scheduled to release in 4DX format across the Middle East.
Mulan
No Time to Die
Black Widow
F9
Wonder Woman 1984
Top Gun: Maverick
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Jungle Cruise
The King’s Man
Contact us for 4D cinema advertising opportunities across the Middle East.
Sources: Digital Cinema Report and PR News Wire
VOX Cinemas opened its third location in Cairo, Egypt at City Centre Almaza on 1st October 2019.
City Centre Almaza is the fourth and latest addition to Majid Al Futtaim’s portfolio in Egypt – which also includes Mall of Egypt, City Centre Maadi and City Centre Alexandria
Located in the heart of Heliopolis, City Centre Almaza spans over 100,000 square meters and features unique retail spaces, dining outlets and exciting lifestyle experiences – providing great moments for both residents and tourists in Cairo. The mall is also set to become one of the favoured destinations for shopping and entertainment over the next couple of years.
VOX Cinemas at City Centre Almaza is home to 16 state-of-the-art screens with a total of 1401 seats, and includes IMAX, MAX, Kids, 4DX and Gold Class experiences.
The cinema exhibitor presently operates 44 screens across 3 locations in Egypt:
Mall of Egypt – 21 screens with 2288 seats
City Centre Alexandria – 7 screens with 1626 seats
City Centre Almaza – 16 screens with 1401 seats
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates VOX Cinemas on its opening at City Centre Almaza in Egypt and warmly welcomes this new location to our regional cinema circuit.
Contact us for more information on cinema advertising opportunities in Egypt.
For more information on locations and movie timings in Egypt, visit https://egy.voxcinemas.com/
Sources: Daily News Egypt, VOX Cinemas and Majid Al Futtaim
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Cinema is appealing to a more diverse group of consumers than ever before, making it an attractive platform for many brands to utilize. In order to ensure brands reach and engage their target audience effectively with their cinema promotion, there are certain consumer trends to be kept in mind, considering their potential impact on the outcome of a campaign.
The following article was published on LinkedIn by Casey Story – Organization Development Professional | Learning & Development Specialist | Sales Trainer & Coach
Kurt Wagner from Recode Media wrote an article stating that, “2019 will mark the first-time digital ad spend in the US outpaces TV and print combined.” Marketers will attest to this trend as there is a noticeable change in expectations among clients. Media planning conversations use to focus mostly around aspects including: Audience, engagement, reach, recall, like-ability, however the stakes have been shifting since 2008. Which most will remember as the year we all started walking around with cash registers in our pockets (personal smartphones).
Shifting of expectations from brands are steering agencies and media sales professionals to steer towards a ‘Positive Business Outcome’ approach to their media strategy. These teams are now focused on identifying the right consumers, reaching them in the right environment, engaging with them at the right time, and on the right devices to achieve and prove delivery of the KPI’s set forth by their clients.
While digital advertising allows brands to achieve several of these key components in the new outcome-based approach to planning, there are several considerations including: identifying the right consumers, reaching them in the right environment and engaging with them at the right time, that must still be supported by other channels in the traditional media space.
The following are three US consumer trends in 2019/2020 that make cinema advertising a more viable channel than ever to support brand goals:
Subscription Movie Going is Still Alive
Similar to blockbuster, taxi services and the music industry, the movie going industry did not feel a major disruption of their consumer’s expectations for a long period of time. The model was straightforward: negotiate with studios to fill theaters and auditoriums with blockbuster hits, sell tickets and concessions, invest in capital improvements that enhance the overall experience if/when needed. The main purpose was that the content on screen should be enough to encourage consumers to spend $10-20 dollars per ticket to see the films. Here’s where MoviePass makes its entrance.
The long-term arithmetic reflected in MoviePass’ model made it clear that without improved compensation from the circuits, the company was working on both borrowed time and money. As we know, the negotiation never happened, and MoviePass has been written down by its holding company.
The low-cost subscription model that MoviePass introduced however dramatically changed the consumer expectation regarding the cost of going to the movies. For the first time in years the exhibitors (Cinemark, Regal, AMC) have had to adjust their pricing strategy and are introducing subscription plans of their own. These actions have been well received by consumers. AMC recently announced that since launching their Stubbs A-List program (a $19.95 monthly subscription) in June of 2018, they have enrolled over 700,000 members.
This trend is important for advertisers considering cinema campaigns, because the data shows that when consumers have access to lower priced movie tickets, they see more movies. In the same article published in Variety, AMC noted that Stubbs A-List members had accounted for over 14 million movie ticket sales in the same amount of time.
Cinemark, Regal, and regional affiliates throughout the US are all working to finalize or develop their own subscription-based models to adapt to this shift in consumer expectation. What this means for advertisers is that passionate movie goers, those same consumers that drive 73% of spending in the US will be coming out in record numbers to their local movie theaters throughout 2019 because for the first time in years, they have a more affordable way of doing so.
Hollywood’s Franchise Era
The question, “When will Hollywood introduce us to new stories?” often rings in the minds of movie-goers alike. Ben Fritz’s book The Big Picture – The Fight for the Future of Movies answers this and discusses Hollywood’s shift towards the ‘franchise movie model’.
The reality is most consumers want two things when they choose to go to the movies:
Consumers may argue that they would prefer more adult dramas, romantic comedies, horror films, etc. However, the facts (historical ticket sales), reveal otherwise.
Looking at 2019’s slate of films, it is safe to say that we are in the heart of the Hollywood franchise era. The opportunities to experience something larger than life and culturally relevant are already driving record box office sales.
Captain Marvel (2019) made a total of $1,126,129,839 at the Worldwide Box Office. While remakes of popular Disney classics have been making cinema rounds. Classics such as: Dumbo made a total of $347,866,307 since its release in March 2019. Cinema-goers have also witnessed a rise in live-action remakes of popular Disney films this year, with movies such as The Lion King which made a whooping $1,638,761,919 at the box-office (to date). Whereas, the live-action version Aladdin’s live action version made a total of $1,037,017,346 since its release in May 2019.
From the Marvel Universe, the concluding film of the franchise- Avengers: End Game broke records at the box-office banking a total of$2,795,473,000 and continued to run in cinemas for 20 weeks across cinemas in the US.
The last quarter of the year holds great promise for the box office with mega sequels such as Frozen II, Jumanji: The Next Level and the concluding film of the Star Wars series: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker soon to release across cinemas worldwide.
Advertisers considering cinema campaigns should look closely at the historical success of the franchise model in domestic ticket sales. In the last four years, the highest grossing movies yearly in the US have come from within a franchise. This trend appears to continue throughout 2019. With the increased occurrence that moviegoers will be visiting theaters due to: Lower priced subscription service tickets and quality of content, advertisers have a unique opportunity to extend their reach among this audience year round.
Content Marketing: A Driving Force for Customer Connections
As digital spending eclipses traditional media spend this year, the digital marketplace has certainly become increasingly noisy. When adopting a positive business outcome marketing strategy, the goal is less about a brand’s ability to yell louder and more often than their competition. The goal, hence must shift, and brands must identify innovative ways to engage with their audience in an authentic manner, a trend that is leading the shift toward content marketing.
There are generally two approaches to developing a content marketing strategy:
When a brand has done well adopting either strategy, they pull their audience to their message instead of simply pushing more content into an already crowded marketplace. The impressions delivered from a content marketing strategy are much more valuable because customers actively seek out the content and actively share the message to other, like-minded, potential consumers.
Cinema is one of the last channels available for brands to tell an authentic story, at scale, in an environment with no ad skipping devices, and in front of consumers looking to be entertained.
Content marketing pieces delivered in this environment cut through the noise. Campaigns resonate with consumers, and the transparency of the cinema platform provides piece of mind for brands seeking to reclaim bot served impressions and eliminate wastage of advertising resources.
Are these trends similar in the Middle East?
Movie Ticket Offers
Leading cinema chains in the Middle East have tied up with mobile network providers (Example – du and Etisalat in UAE), offering cinemagoers to buy one movie ticket and get the other free. Similarly, numerous banks also provide customers a range of Debit and Credit card offers to availing movie-ticket and/or a free upgrade on the size of popcorn and beverages at the candy counter. Certain bank cards also offer moviegoers a buy 1 get one get one free movie ticket deal.
Such offers affirm the fact that when consumers have access to lower priced movie tickets, the frequency of cinema visits increase.
Love for Franchise Films
The craze among movie-goers for popular franchise films isn’t limited to the United States alone. Cinema statistics in the Middle East reveal the love and commitment among movie-goers in the region.
Following are statistics of UAE admissions for MEGA blockbuster franchise films:
Captain Marvel (2019)
Ran for 12 weeks and did over 425K admissions
Dumbo (2019)
Ran for 12 weeks and did over 180K admissions
The Lion King (2019)
Did over 697K admissions in the first 8 weeks since release
*The movie is still screening across select cinemas in the UAE
Avengers: End Game (2019)
Ran for 15 weeks and did over 848K admissions
Cinema Experiences like Never Before
A number of cinema chains in the Middle East offer unique cinema experiences – thus catering to the increasing demand by cinemagoers to watch movies like never-seen before. Audiences can now enjoy the latest blockbusters on mega screens such as IMAX, MAX, Dolby Cinema, nibble on gourmet delights at Dine-in Cinemas or opt for a luxury experience such as Gold by Rhodes, Theatre by Rhodes and Platinum Suites, while lounging in a comfy reclining seats, or dive into action on with 4DX and ScreenX.
VOX Cinemas recently launched a concept of ‘Distraction- Free Cinema’ to ensure cinemagoers immerse themselves entirely in the cinematic experience by tuning out all the distractions from theatres which include: no use of mobile phones or smartwatches, no late arrivals and no guests under the age of 18. Ninja-like staff are on surveillance inside the cinema throughout the screening.
In summary….
As price discovery, consumer targeting capabilities continue to improve the effectiveness of a brand’s digital execution, it’s important for marketers to identify the channels that allow them to reach a brand’s right consumer, in the right environment, at the right time, with a creative and authentic message.
Based on the forecast of movies, the trends in consumer behavior, and a shift in how brands are building relationships with their audience, there has never been a better time to double down in the cinema space.
Source: LinkedIn, Vox.com, AdAge, The Numbers, MVM Statistics
Globally there are more than 150,000 operational cinema screens and the GCC accounts for 1,300 of them. Research by PwC estimates that more than 1,000 cinema screens are expected to launch over the next three to five years, and the total number of cinema screens are expected to increase by 38.4 percent in the MENA region.
Another study by PwC indicated that the box office revenue in the MENA region exceeded $500 million, which accounted for approximately 1.25 percent of the global box office revenue (US$39.92 billion) in 2017 – up three percent from 2016. With a growing population across the GCC and an increasing level of investment by both regional and international cinema exhibitors, the cinema industry is set to thrive over the years ahead.
The deregulation of Saudi Arabia’s film industry in 2018 has opened up a billion-dollar market for cinema exhibitors and film distributors. The undoing of this law will also present movie distributors with a tremendous opportunity – to exhibit in an additional market which happens to be the largest of all GCC countries, and allow brands to add cinema – a new, effective and unrivalled platform, to its media mix for greater reach.
According to Cameron Mitchell, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas, VOX Cinemas – which presently operates 355 cinema screens, will invest Dh2 billion and add 600 cinema screens in Saudi Arabia.
“All eyes in the industry are on Saudi Arabia right now,” he said. “We will invest $100 million in a year to open 100 cinema screens – part of the Dh2 billion plan to open 600 cinema screens in Saudi Arabia in the next three to five years. Overall, we will operate around 1,200 cinema screens across the region in five years’ time. With the Saudi market opening, we see a lot of opportunities in the region’s cinema and entertainment industry.”
With Arabic being the predominant language amongst Saudi nationals, local filmmakers and content writers – with the help of other creative talent across the region, will also be encouraged to produce more Arabic movies.
Image credits: Abu Dhabi World Online
Not only is cinema an ideal environment – distraction and disruption free, to watch new movie releases, but it’s also a place where movie-lovers frequent when wanting to experience unique concepts and technology on offer – 3D, 4DX and Dolby Atmos to name a few. Cinemas across the region also offer luxury experiences – which include a selection of fine food and drinks, for movie lovers with higher spending power.
Going to the cinema has now become a popular pastime across the GCC, with cinemagoers also watching more than one movie per week, which can be attributed to the promotions by both banks and telecom providers across the region – similar to that of ‘Buy one, get one free’ with HSBC, ‘50% off on Saturdays’ by Visa in Bahrain and ‘du Tuesday’ in the UAE. With audiences now being able to watch the latest movie releases in an affordable, comfortable, luxurious and memorable way, cinema admissions across the region can expect to witness steady growth over the years ahead.
Despite the proliferation of movie streaming platforms and the abandonment of cable, population trends indicate that cinema is still the preferred platform to watch new movie releases – premium first run content. Aside from being one of the fastest growing regions in the world, it is also one of the youngest, with over 50% of the region’s population under the age of 25 years. The younger generation tends to spend more on watching movies at the cinema, and in years to come, it will be this segment of GCC ‘s population that will drive the region’s cinema industry to new heights, allowing it to capture a larger share of the global box office.
With a mega line-up of blockbuster releases – such as Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Lion King, X-Men, Fast and the Furious, Toy Story 4 andStar Wars (to name a few), 2019 is predicted to be another record-breaking year – most likely attracting larger audiences between the ages of 16-34 years.
Motivate Val Morgan offers advertisers a regional cinema circuit – spanning across UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and has the expertise to strategically plan a marketing campaign to engage cinemagoers at every stage of the cinema experience.
Find out more on our offerings – onscreen, offscreen and cinevations, and contact us to bring your brand to life on the big screen.
Source:Arab Health and Khaleej Times
On June 8th 2018, VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif launched 10 new screens – bringing its screen count to 20 screens and seating capacity to 2573 seats.
The cinema now includes 10 regular screens, 2 VOX MAX screens, 4 THEATRE by Rhodes screens, an IMAX Sapphire screen, a 4DX screen and 2 VOX Kids screens.
The expansion of VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif is part of Majid Al Futtaim’s AED 335 million enhancement project at the mall which also includes:
Mohamed Al Jasmi, Senior Mall Manager of City Centre Mirdif – Majid Al Futtaim said, “We are pleased to release phase one of City Centre Mirdif’s AED335 million enhancement project which will add value to the mall’s existing world-class facilities. We are committed to delivering an unparalleled shopping experience as the needs and expectations of our customers evolve and look forward to introducing the new VOX Cinemas complex and mall prayer rooms next year.”
The redevelopment of existing assets such as City Centre Mirdif is a key element of Majid Al Futtaim’s overall UAE strategy announced in June 2016: to open 10 new City Centre destinations, 28 cinemas, 40 Carrefour supermarkets and a 740,000 sqm community, by the end of 2020.
Sources: City Centre Mirdif (Press Release) and VOX Cinemas
