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
Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas is set to invest AED1.2 billion ($330 million) through a series of acquisitions, organic expansions and a commitment to customer experience.
VOX Cinemas has secured 23 new locations, opening progressively over the next three years, with 2018 set to be the company’s most aggressive year yet, when it will open 16 locations with a total of 145 screens spanning seven countries in the MENA region.
The company said recent joint ventures in Oman and Bahrain have anchored the company as the region’s largest cinema entertainment provider.
This year’s expansion into Africa with Mall of Egypt in March and Qatar in April led the Middle East expansion, with further new cinemas in Bahrain and Kuwait opening in the next six months. New cinemas will also launch across the UAE.
Cameron Mitchell, CEO for Majid All Futtaim Cinemas said: “We are continuing to extend our unique offering to more movie lovers by doubling our screen count to over 600 across seven countries in the Middle East, creating more than 1,500 new jobs across the region by 2020. Recently, the company expanded its film distribution interests through a new partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Film across the region, and we are currently reviewing opportunities in film production for 2018, rounding off our vertical integration plans.”
Mitchell added that the company expanded its customer base by 50 percent in the last 12 months, expecting to end the year with 18 million visitors.
“We are excited to bring our branded concepts to several new locations, including Majid Al Futtaim’s City Centres Sharjah, Al Zahia (UAE) and Sohar (Oman), as well as in Al Ain and on Palm Jumeirah.”
Motivate Val Morgan is the official cinema advertising partner of VOX Cinemas.
Source: Arabian Business
