Church of the Customer Blog
« "Movies are not like pork chops." Really. | Main | Advertising ourselves to death »
March 21, 2006
"Movies are not like pork chops." Really.
Why are movie-theater revenues down three years in a row?
Well, there's all that competition for time and attention. Few original movies. Too expensive concessions. A rising number of TV-style commercials before the film.
It all adds up to bad word of mouth.
Jeff de Cagna thinks cell-phone jamming -- an idea proposed by the National Association of Theatre Owners to help restore some decorum back to the movie theaters -- would actually hurt attendance.
Really? The conversations we always seem to overhear during pivotal scenes are usually about who's meeting whom at the bar. Or updates about calving cows.
Here's the part I love: Dan Glickman, the new head of the Motion Picture Association of America and former U.S. Agriculture Secretary, thinks all the film industry needs to do to get more butts in theater seats is a creative slogan like "Got milk?" or “Pork: The Other White Meat."
Technorati tags: Movies, Theaters, Advertising
Other blogs that reference "Movies are not like pork chops." Really.:
The individual chains need to come up with better promotions.
Bring back the double feature or charge 1/2 for each additional movie you see in a day.
Free small popcorn with unlimited refills (make them get up and come out to the concession stand more often and the salty popcorn will drive more soda sales).
I just finished a market research project for a class regarding why movie theater attendance is down and how to increase attendance.
There are many factors of why people don't go to the theater as you cited above, the biggest reason I found in the study was the high ticket prices. 85-89% of people would go to the theaters more often if the prices were lower.
Mark Cuban has a couple blog posts about the movie industry, this is a good one:
http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000127044892/
It all comes back to keeping the customers happy and theater owners want to increase marketing and not customer satisfaction.
Why doesn't anyone ever mention the cost of going to the movies today? It costs me $10 for a single ticket. So if I take someone with me (or go as a date), it costs $20 just to walk in the door. Add $15-$20 for concessions and we're already up to $40.
And that's only two people. What about families or dinner before/after? We're closing in on $60 for a night at the movies.
I know that is what keeps me away.
"Got Milk" was very visible, but it didn't increase the consumption of milk. The MPAA needs to rethink its strategy ...
Hey guys,
I really enjoy your blog. I even linked to it from mine. Keep up the good work!
Tony
It's a function of high ticket prices and experience. Going to the movies can be really awful -- people talking through the film, phones ringing, candy wrappers crinkling -- all making for a negative film experience for many people today. For the same money (two people), you can buy the DVD and watch it at home, especially since so many people have big screens and surround sound. Why wouldn't you rather see it on the comfort of your own sofa? I think Cuban and company are on track with the day-date theater and DVD releases for film. It's no longer a premium experience in the theater.
I heard a story on NPR the other day about how movies were doomed on their current course and the only way to make them better would be to make them a better experience than sitting in our homes.
Have you seen some of the new home theater TVs /equipment you can buy? It's better than the theater, in a lot of respects.
A slogan isn't going to change a thing. It's the experience of going to the movies, having fun, and watching the actual movie. Slogans can only reinforce a good experience...but the experience has to exist first.
However, there may be hope. My wife and I recently attended a movie at an IMAX theater for $11.00 each. IMAX has a HUGE screen, great sound (you chair would shake on good explosions), and the concessions were reasonable...3.50 for a soda AND popcorn.
Additionally, they're starting to show more 3D pictures, which I've only seen previews for. But they are NICE! Very cool to have objects appear like they're actually 2 feet in front of your face.
Maybe movie theatre revenues are down because:
1. They subject me and my kids to 30 minutes of trailers and adverts before the main feature when they don't have an attention span of 30mins plus 2 hours for a movie.
2. Maybe because they exhort money for candy and soft drinks that are way too expensive.
(3 tickets £14 - 1 drink, 1 popcorm, 2 sweets £12)
I love the movies except the Pink Panther.
Sell me a monthly season ticket and I'll go more often as I have made greater commitment.
More comfortable chairs, cheaper concessions and better movies .. the trifecta is the only way Hollywood can turn it around now .. great blog
