Harnessing the power of the cinema to reach holidaymakers
TravelMole Guest Comment by Anna Cremin, head of research, Pearl & Dean
For the general public one of the consequences is fewer or cheaper holidays, with recent Office of National Statistics research showing that last year trips abroad by UK citizens fell by six per cent in the three months to November to 16.4 million, with spending also down six per cent to £8.7 billion.
For many businesses it’s all about cutting unnecessary costs, and the marketing budget is often the first place to look.
However, current thinking strongly supports maintaining marketing spend in a downturn, and for travel businesses, there is a strong case to use cinema advertising to standout and connect with would-be holidaymakers.
In stark contrast to many other types of pastime, cinema box office figures in 2008 actually increased year on year.
Many cinemagoers consider a trip to the movies to be an affordable treat, and cinema advertising can showcase desirable travel destinations like no other medium.
It’s no coincidence that Tourism Australia recently harnessed the power of the silver screen to promote it as a destination, hiring director of ‘Australia’ Baz Luhrmann to create a series of short ads to showcase the area.
More importantly, cinema can deliver real results in these troubled times for tourism.
First Choice ran a series of cinema ads along side TV and magazine activity last year designed to appeal to families and promote their package holiday deals. They found that cinema audiences were 32% more likely to recall the First Choice brand than those exposed to TV or print, the cinema audience was more likely to remember both ad and its message, and most crucially cinema audiences were 49% more likely to chose First Choice as a holiday operator in the following six months.
Cinema provides an exciting, relaxed atmosphere as cinemagoers are waiting to be transported into the film they are about to see This unique environment makes the medium work very hard for brands, even in this time of tightened budgets.
It’s clear that when times are tough, holiday operators will be seeking to cut back.
However, cinema advertising has an in-built targeting system meaning that companies can make sure their ads are seen by audiences most likely to respond.
It also works well alongside other marketing, to drive people online or amplify TV and print advertising messages.
And when you consider the other opportunities cinema offers to engage with audiences, from foyer activity and 3D or interactive advertising to Bluetooth downloads and live events, companies can bring a little of the holiday experience to life for UK audiences.
Phil Davies
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