In the ever-evolving landscape of out-of-home (OOH) advertising, cinema venues are emerging as a wonderful landscape for brands. Gone are the days when a basic poster of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800 Terminator featured outside a theater.
Today, with the rise of digital signage, cinema operators are crafting engaging, interactive environments that elevate the audience experience. These dynamic displays, strategically placed outside theatres, captivate moviegoers from the moment they arrive – offering brands an unparalleled platform to connect with their target audience.
While in-mall displays and screens can garner impressions, they often fall into the category of fleeting encounters, akin to traditional billboards and street-level displays. These mediums typically offer what industry insiders call ‘transition impressions’, where viewers are en route to their destinations.
Cinema advertising, in contrast, presents a unique advantage. Unlike mall visitors who are often in transit, cinemagoers have reached their intended destination. They are exactly where they want to be – at the movies.
The blockbuster audience mood
Moviegoers typically arrive in a relaxed, joyful state of mind – comparable to a holiday mood. This positive emotional state makes them more receptive to messaging and brand experiences, a phenomenon supported by Hearst’s ‘Power of Positivity’ study in 2023. The cinema setting itself is designed for engagement, priming audiences for visual and auditory experiences in a way few other environments can match.
One of the key advantages of cinema digital screen advertising is the sheer scale of the displays relative to the space. In locations like the Mall of the Emirates or Dubai Mall, the size of digital screens in the cinema foyer area is imposing compared with the available space. This ensures that advertisements are virtually impossible to miss.
‘‘Cinema ads enable brands to connect with positively attentive audiences.”
Cinema advertising also benefits from a unique content ecosystem. Compared with mall environments, cinemas have less advertising clutter, significantly reducing the risk of ad fatigue or avoidance. Cinema screens don’t just display advertisements; they seamlessly blend ads with movie trailers and other entertainment content, creating a more engaging and less intrusive advertising experience.
A recent case study highlighting the effectiveness of cinema digital screen advertising was seen with the release of ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’. The campaign leveraged the power of digital screens, especially the IMAX entrance screens for brands at the Mall of the Emirates. As fans queued for hours in front of the IMAX theatre, they provided extended exposure to promotional content.
Blockbuster brand positioning
The excitement surrounding the event created a perfect storm of audience attention and emotional investment. This campaign generated one of the highest impression rates ever recorded on these screens, demonstrating the potential of well-timed, targeted cinema advertising.
Over the past four years, the number of digital screens within cinema complexes has grown dramatically. From 2020 to 2024, our network experienced an astounding 160 per cent increase in digital screen installations. This surge is not just about quantity but about enhancing the overall experience with immersive, interactive advertising.
The digital landscape in cinemas includes various sizes, each offering a unique way to engage audiences. Digital pillars stand tall in high-traffic areas, greeting guests as they enter and setting the tone for their
cinema experience.
Hero screens, positioned strategically above concession areas, command attention right where customers are making purchase decisions. Digital Poster Screens are ideal to mimic movie announcements with teaser campaigns of ‘Coming Soon’ launches and then making the grand reveal with ‘Now Showing’.
For brands looking to make a larger-than-life impression, these placements are invaluable.
The synergy of cinema advertising
What elevates this advertising approach is the synergy between these digital screens and traditional on-screen cinema ads. Together, they create a cohesive, multi-touchpoint experience that lingers with the audience even after the movie ends.
Picture a moviegoer seeing your brand on a digital pillar upon entering, receiving a reminder on the hero screen while buying snacks, walking along the concourse corridor beside the digital poster boxes and then encountering the main feature of your campaign on the big screen. It’s a seamless brand journey that leverages the captivating power of cinema.
Looking ahead, 2025 is set to be a blockbuster year, with an exciting lineup of high-profile sequels and original releases that promises to drive a significant increase in cinema traffic – the highest in the post-pandemic era. As the line between advertising and experience continues to blur, cinemas offer brands fresh opportunities to tell their stories in ways that feel natural and engaging.
By integrating content across both cinema digital screens and the main screen, cinema advertising delivers a ‘blockbuster’ impact, enabling brands to connect with positively attentive, receptive audiences in a premium environment. It isn’t just about advertising anymore; it’s about being an integral part of the cinema experience. In a world where capturing attention is increasingly challenging, cinema always delivers a story worth experiencing.
By Avinash Udeshi, Chief Operating Officer, Motivate Val Morgan