Advertising at the Movies: Yay or Nay?

Today's moviegoers are used to the 15-minute delay before the big screen announces the start of the featured presentation. Those 15 minutes are often used to play movie previews, and in many cases to advertise products or services. But is advertising your business, local franchise, products or services at the movies really worth it? In most cases, the answer is no.

People go to the movies to be entertained. They look forward to sitting in front of the big screen, eating popcorn and watching their movie uninterrupted by annoying commercials. They welcome the fact that they can sit back, relax and enjoy their movie without being assaulted from all sides by businesses and enterprises trying to push products and services into their minds. This is why most people choose to take their seats 10 to 15 minutes passed the movie time, as they have come to know what to expect. They spend that time waiting in line to buy pop corn and soft drinks without having to worry about missing the movie.

And what is more, industry surveys show that less people actually go to the movies each year. Today's technology has evolved to the point of having a movie distribution machine on almost every corner. People can even download most any movie from the Internet and watch it for free in the comfort of their own homes, without having to wait for it to be released on DVD. And while the cost of going to the movies has increased exponentially in the last 10 to 15 years, the cost of DVD rentals has dramatically decreased, making most people choose to watch a movie at home instead of in the theater. Just look at Netflix, Tivo, and On Demand's success the past few years.

All this information points to the fact that movie advertising is not a lucrative or efficient advertising method. Advertising spots at the movies are really expensive, even though it is proven that they reach a limited and often distracted audience.