It has been said that “insanity” can be defined as repeating the exact same pattern and expecting different results. If that’s the case… the movie industry is INSANE!
The USA TODAY has run an article about the fact that theaters are getting ready to increase their ads by about 30% between now and 2008. Are they CRAZY!?!?
Some pundits point to the fact that there is a slight slide in theater attendance and that the theaters need to find new revenue streams to make up for that loss. The only problem is that they’re failing to realize that 20 minutes of advertising before a film finally starts is one of the factors that’s keep some people away from the movies today.
We’ve talked about this issue before here on The Movie Blog… but it deserves repeating. PEOPLE HATE THE COMMERCIALS BEFORE A MOVIE!!!! I know several people who go to about half the movies they used to go to a few years ago specifically because they get so annoyed by the ads. YOU TOLD US THE FILM STARTED AT 7:10PM!!!! WHY IS IT NOT REALLY STARTING UNTIL 7:31!?!?!
Once again, the movie industry shows a TOTAL LACK OF RESPECT for it’s patrons. And they wonder why people aren’t going to the movies as much. I may just have to shut this whole site down soon… pretty soon the movie industry is going to run itself into the ground.
Not a fan of ads like most people, but like most people I;
1. agree we need some form of advertising
2. like the big screen
3. and love the trailers.
Seems like the advertising gurus are going to have to change their plans as most people(on this site at least) seem to have a way of NOT being reached by the ads.
I’d suggest(if i was a ad guru) having a few trailers at the start(cheap ones) then have a movie trailer(one of the better ones), then have a few more minutes of better quality ads(then another trailer), etc etc/
so steadily increase the entertainment value. i think they could also get away with a hell of a lot more ads if they showed a 2-3min independant short film between the ads. Or like in the good old days, show a bugs bunny cartoon at the start of the film to get people in the mood.
basically, they can and they WILL increase the ads. How they accomplish that and get people to arrive early to see them remains to be seen.
Hey there DrMaxRosa
You said:
“Until you remove the “insanely” large InterClick banner ad from your homepage, you have no right to complain about the length of commercials before movies.”
Ummm… there are two major differences. First of all… I don’t charge you $10 to come on the website first. Second, you don’t have to sit through the ad to get to the content. You don’t see the difference?
You also said:
“Consider this, would you rather have extra commercials to site through or see ticket prices rise $4.00 a pop?”
That’s funny…. just a few years ago ticket prices were much cheaper than they are now AND there weren’t any commercials before the films started. They’ve created an atrificial and inflated economy that swells in proportion to it’s own growth. It’s self perpetuating.
I don’t mind 20 minutes of ads, as I then I have time to buy tickets, which takes a ridiculous amount of time due to combining ticket and candy bar lines. I guess they can’t have a separate line for indecisive people, as then they would clog up the lines figuring out where to line up.
I do mind:
A theatre which normally has 15 minutes of ads, suddenly gets 30 minutes of ads.
Movie having no ads. I’ve already allowed for ads and now I’ve missed the start of the movie.
Movie having no ads and starting 5 minutes early.
Waiting 30 minutes before the ads even start at film festivals so we can hear some useless introduction to the movie, by a guest speaker who couldn’t even arrive on time. I guess they were allowing for ads.
In summary, give us ads but let us know when the real movie starts.
Hey John,
Until you remove the “insanely” large InterClick banner ad from your homepage, you have no right to complain about the length of commercials before movies.
Consider this, would you rather have extra commercials to site through or see ticket prices rise $4.00 a pop? I say talk through the commercials, look the other way, go get a $5 popcorn. Show the marketing agencies that it’s not a good channel to use for advertising.
thanks,
DrMaxRosa
I only ever turn up early for a showing if it’s early into the run of a big movie. Otherwise I’ll generally show up at the theatre at the start time shown, buy my ticket, wander over to concession and get my food, then go get my seat. Usually that kills the 10 – 15 minutes of ads and I can make it in just in time for the trailers.
Of course then sometimes they have half-the-ads, trailers, other-half-of-ads, which pisses me off.
If you go to the same cinema like I do for most of my films, you can get used to how they present the commercials & trailers. What I usually do is come in 10 minutes after the supposed screening time, I almost always catch the trailer and then miss the commercials. It also helps when youre running late, timing it just as the film is about to start.
I HATE COMMERCIALS AT MOVIES! On tv, I understand they need advertising revenue, I already paid $9 for a ticket, they don’t need to try to sell me a car too.
Unfortunately I love movie too much to stop going because of commercials and if I try to time it after the commercials are over, all the good seats in the theater are taken. Bastards!
P.S. – even though not mentioned in article, I echo Mecho…trailers are always fun to watch.
-Drewbacca
http://www.moviepatron.com
If the simultaneous theatrical/DVD release schedule ever comes to fruition I’ll probably never set foot in a movie theater again.
Vic
We should count our blessings. When I worked down in the Carribbean for a couple of years the big theatre we frequented in San Juan typically showed 35 – 45 minutes of commercials before even getting to the previews! Mostly spanish language commercials before the American film… So the routine was buy tix for the 12:30 matinee at 12:15, then go have lunch and settle into your seat by 1:10pm so we could catch the previews.
This is one of the reasons why I watch movies at home now. Really, the only thing theatres have over home theatres now-a-days is size.
I love the trailers too, but I hate the commercials, although the Orange ads and ads like the latest Sony bouncing balls one are great to watch.
I’ve timed the last three movies I’ve been to, and they start 30-40 minutes after the advertised time. That’s adverts and a few trailers.
Hey Mecho,
The trailers are a different thing. I’m talking about commercials for cars, feminine products, gum, fruit juice, online ticket ordering… yadda yadda yadda.
I also like trailers… but the commercials are way out of control
I, for one, happen to look forward to the pre-movie previews!!! I like to see the up and coming and have something to look forward to!!! So keep the previews on there.