New methods of marketing

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Cinema marketing operated in a predictable manner for most of the twentieth century, concentrating on star actors and directors, media reviews, poster campaigns, and trailers shown in cinemas. At the local level, newspapers continue to be important (although local radio appears to have a more variable influence) and word-of-mouth is often the best form of publicity. Novel methods of targeting key opinion formers (for example students or energetic cinemagoers) are increasingly being tried but for local cinemas with modest budgets and limited staff time these methods often appear daunting. However the arrival of internet technologies has brought new marketing opportunities to local cinemas as well as to the multinationals.

Internet marketing

The development of internet technologies has brought new marketing opportunities to local cinemas as well as to the multinationals. Relatively low cost, potential reach and the quality of the dialogue that can be achieved between cinemas and audiences makes the various forms of internet based communication ideal for local cinemas.

In the past decade, the use of the internet, whether to develop a venue website, or maintain dialogue with audiences through social media, or promote and sell tickets directly, has become as important a part of the marketing mix for local cinemas as local press advertising or publishing a programme brochure.

• Cinema websites – A number of cinema oriented websites already provide regular programme and venue access information, for example Bing, Film Unlimited (The Guardian) and findanyfilm.com.
• E-marketing – An increasingly attractive, low cost method of advertising a cinema’s weekly programme.  A number of cinemas offer a free email service where details of the films and the performance times are sent to thousands of subscribers.
• Web pages – Film producers and distributors are making extensive use of the internet to market films, especially to the younger, multiplex-oriented audience. Websites can be glamorous, expensive and time consuming to operate. In contrast a simple web page which provides contact details and information about the cinema can be easy and inexpensive to establish. If a more sophisticated website is considered necessary, the costs can be reduced by, for example, a number of local cinemas operating as a regional group and sharing the financial and operational burden
• Advance ticket purchases can be made by visiting the appropriate websites. For audiences who have to travel significant distances the certainty of a ticket is highly desirable. Although telephone booking systems work well, internet bookings are expected to grow rapidly in importance
• Social Media (e.g Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter) have become an increasingly important way for cinemas to develop a conversation with their (interactive) audiences, through which the profile of particular screenings, strands of programming or events can be effectively developed in concert with the audience.
• Publicity materials – cinema promotional material, especially film reviews and still photographs, are now distributed over the internet from specialist websites. Image.net and Picselect are the commercial websites used by most film and video distributors and other cultural organisations. An annual subscription is payable for some of these services.