Marketing
To market a cinema successfully, a full picture of the offer is needed:
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What type of cinema is it / does it want to be?
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What's the local demographic of the area?
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How should the cinema offer be pitched / positioned?
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Is it an Everyman or a Cineworld?
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Is it a premium cinema with an optimum food & beverage (F&B) selection or a commercial multiplex aimed at family audiences?
The marketing strategy will be borne out of the answers to these questions which will then be weaved together to form an action plan.
TBP can provide guidance and advice on all marketing aspects from the initial conception through to execution, and ongoing revision - Above the Line (ATL), Below the Line (BTL), social media execution, loyalty & subscription memberships. We know how to deliver your brand promise while maximising commercial revenues. Don’t underestimate how essential it is to have an integrated marketing plan that works symbiotically alongside the film programming team.
It’s important to differentiate between your main product (film and event cinema) and your side product (F&B and other retail). Which is your revenue driver and therefore commercial anchor? Depending on your audience, consumers may want an “experience” based around the main product, often tech-led examples of this would be VIP, ScreenX, Dolby, IMAX, 4DX. If you’re wanting to create a more “upmarket” Everyman-feel then you may opt for a service-based experience with comfy seats or sofas in the auditorium and staff serving premium drinks and snacks directly to the seated customer.
A range of marketing tools and channels are available to promote the different examples mentioned above, for both service and experience-based offers. A cohesive marketing strategy should be both insightful and creative in order to be executed effectively.
Main Course and Side Dish
A TBP visit to a specific cinema in Kuwait meant two of our experienced consultants observed and assessed both commercial and operational processes. A one week fact-finding mission saw department heads and key stakeholders of the company being interviewed, each cinema site assessed, and these results analysed. Any developments from competitors were also examined in the context of a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) report.
After findings from TBP’s investigations were then discussed and workshopped with key stakeholders, senior management and staff. The process is always open and collaborative (rather than rigid) in order for issues to be solved effectively.
Over the next year we worked with the KNCC team through a series of relevant training sessions, including workshops with groups of employees or individuals as required, to deliver the change needed to bring the cinemas up to global best practice.