What Would It Take to Get You Back Into a Movie Theater?
There was a post recently on Blog Maverick about the current state of movie marketing, and how much it costs and what folks do to get a rear end in a seat on opening weekend of a movie. He then tosses the ball out and wants to know who’s got a better idea.
I am just an average Joe, and I always look at these types of questions as to what sorts of marketing sways me. I posted that they should take the “28 Days Later” approach further — that movie had posted the first X minutes online for anyone to see. But, in that case, you would have had to come to it, either by word of mouth or stumbling across it or seeing an ad telling you to go see it or whatnot. Instead, why not take the AOL approach and mail the first X minutes [to a suitable cliffhanger or whathave you] and send it out on dvd to everyone’s mailbox?
That way you could reach people like, say, my aunt, who goes to movies, but would never, ever go to Apple’s Trailers page.
It can’t be that expensive, or I wouldn’t have gotten so many AOL discs in my life.
Of course, to actually get me back into a movie, you’d have to have a cry room. Or a Tuesday matinee “baby day” like our local Alamo Drafthouse theaters. And a take-no-prisoners no cell phone policy. Hey, like our local Alamo Drafthouse theater!
Todd said,
August 2, 2006 @ 1:36 am
I think that is a great idea. I just watched the first 20~ minutes to A Scanner Darkly on the web a couple days ago at Ifilm. I now know enough to know that I want to see it, but I can wait a while until it’s on dvd at netflix.
If they did make actual disks, they could even put the first X minutes of a couple movies. That way they save some money by combining disks and have more shown. If the first movie isn’t for you, go to the next one.
Cam said,
August 10, 2006 @ 12:40 pm
Apparently what it takes to get me back into a movie theater is 96-degree weather.
Mom2fur said,
August 26, 2006 @ 5:55 am
What got me back in the theater–and usually does about once a year–is when my son asks me to go to the movies with him! We saw X-Men III for his 16th birthday. And we went to the first matinee, which is always about half price. I won’t go at night–hate crowds, hate lines. Oh…and I might go see “The Wicker Man.” I have seen the original twice and it’s one of the creepiest endings ever.