Cinema in your media mix

360 degree advertising is the buzzword in marketing circles. Let us understand the meaning of the term. It means a marketing strategy where every piece of information concerning a particular brand is communicated to the target audience through all possible channels.

The most popular modes used in advertising are television, print, radio, outdoor, direct mailers, telemarketing and internet. While each of them offers certain advantages and disadvantages, it is important to remember that there is one more medium which has not been adequately tapped yet in our country viz. the cinema medium. With a spurge in the number of multiplexes and the arrival of state-of-the-art movie screening technology, advertising in movies is now a very attractive option for marketers.Cinema advertising offers unmatched advantages-

• It delivers your message to a captive audience.
• On-screen ads can use full sight, sound and motion to increase ad recall.
• Frequent repetition of the message insures that moviegoers see and remember your ad, building brand awareness.
• Advertiser’s company image is often boosted by the association with the movies on the big screen in full colour.
• Because movie theatres are located near or in suburban shopping malls and other high-profile retail areas, ads are positioned close to point-of-purchase.
• Campaigns can be targeted by a demographic profile based on the geographic location of the movie theatre.
• Cinema provides a marketing environment that is uncluttered and finds the consumer in a relaxed and receptive frame of mind.
• Advertising recalls of ads placed in cinemas are much higher than ads placed on television.

Used as part of an integrated marketing campaign, where print, radio, television and other mediums are used in conjunction with each other, cinema can double or triple the impact of a campaign, perfect to get your message across. Advertising in cinemas helps you reach targeted consumers with innovative messages that engage moviegoers in a highly effective manner.

Cinema offers you scope to reach out to your TG through multiple touch points. These contact points put together can help a marketer to create a roadblock campaign in cinema. These various touch points are the entrance of the multiplex, box office, elevators, foyers, lounge, washroom, the F&B counter, the auditorium door, the aisle, the seats and of course, the big screen. All these can be used to communicate to the audience in many innovative ways. You can use cut-outs, standees, ticket jackets, OPDs, flyers and pamphlets, etc. to advertise.Apart from branding, cinema also offers scope to engage the audience through Experiential Marketing. Effective cinema advertising can also include one-on-one promotions, partnering with events or sponsorships and can be conducted at suitable spaces within the multiplex, promoting a variety of products to consumers.Cinema advertising in India is definitely growing. With more awareness about the benefits of this medium, more and more brands are seeking the assistance of cinema advertising companies in India to design effective promotion plans.

Devesh Chawla is the author of this article on Business Mentors. Find more information, about Business Startup Ideas