Theater Chains Sued for Running Too Many Commercials (1 Viewer)

[Colin Jacobson]

Regal has commercials in between trailers now. And not Nicole Kidman but actual ads for things like cryptocurrency.

Really? Wow.

That's not come to AMC - not yet, at least.

Once the Maria Menounos thing wraps, it's trailers and AMC promo - with the IMAX or Dolby Cinema promos at those showings, of course.

I wish trailers went more like 10 minutes vs. 20 minutes, but at least I know the movie won't start until about 20 minutes after ticket time so I can arrive then if I desire.

Which I don't - I like trailers! But AMC's website/app even tell you that the movie won't start until 20 minutes "late" or so, which is nice.

This info makes me glad I'm not a Regal boy anymore!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

A quick point and a serious question:

-Running a commercial theater multiplex costs more in overhead and movie rental costs than it grosses in revenue from ticket sales alone.

(I don’t think anyone loves commercials where there didn’t used to be any.)

But given that reality, what alternate proposals do you have for theaters to cover their overhead so they can stay open and continue to show movies?

Yeah, I don't really strongly object to pre-movie ads.

Do I enjoy 'em? No, but they're not an affront to my principles or whatever.

If they help keep theaters going, then bring 'em on.

I'd rather sit through 10 minutes of ads than not be able to see movies in theaters.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Mostly when I go to the movies, if there's anything before the trailers, it's like Noovie or First Look. After that, it's about 20 minutes of previews and that kind of stuff I always look forward to. It's all part of the experience for me.

Yup. That's the AMC experience: 20 minutes of Maria Menounos then trailers/chain promos and the movie.

Maria's pretty hot, so I don't mind!

 

[ScottRE]

Honestly, I would prefer the free streaming channels do this: all the ads up front and then no interruptions during the show or movie.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

That was no part of MY conversation...no where in MY text do I address the subject of "empty theaters". My subjest text is about the theater owners unwillingness (after 3 years in COVID) to address the commercial Elephant in the room. They have not onlt contiued to show commercals, but have doubled down on these. At these gate prices, I'd rather wait and see at my house!! That apparently hasn't changed much in almost 20 years, according to this thead!!

My suggestion to you is to get a better understanding of the whole thread, taking something out of context or adding some one elses text to another...before you attack some one?

Your "doubled down" comments don't seem to connect to reality - at least not for a lot of us.

I mean, if you count the pre-ticket time promos as "pre-movie ads", then maybe. But pre-ticket time ads have been around for decades.

I remember local theaters used to run slides that advertised local businesses pre-ticket time. Those were way less interesting than Maria Menounos.

In my experience, chains learned that people hated non-trailer/chain promos after ticket time and they've scaled back.

Apparently some still run 'em, but as I noted, I've not seen any "regular ads" in the US for many years. Last time I saw this was Manchester England 3.5 years ago - and even then I was surprised, as I thought that trend had died.

The "ads after ticket time" thing peaked probably... 20 years ago, when this thread started.

It's not the "menace" it used to be.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Honestly, I would prefer the free streaming channels do this: all the ads up front and then no interruptions during the show or movie.

But then they know you'd just go get a snack during the start and ignore the ads.

Of course, people can/will do that at theaters, but it's less convenient, so multiplexes have a more "captive audience" than homes do.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I wonder if chains might move back to more post-ticket time non-chain ads now that reserved seating is the norm.

The pre-ticket time stuff undoubtedly draws fewer eyes than in the past because there's less need to arrive early.

If you don't need to get there 10-20 minutes pre-ticket, you won't, so "Moovie" etc get less exposure.

The sponsors know this and probably want to find other ways to get bang/buck.

Ergo: more post-ticket ads.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Really? Wow.

It’s a new thing that Regal rolled out this year - one ad in the middle of the trailer roll, presumably something that the sponsor has paid a premium price to place in front of a larger, more captive audience. I don’t love it but it’s not the end of the world either.

For at least the past decade, theaters by me have shown commercials or preshow advertising before the published showtime, and about 20 minutes of trailers following the published showtime. Like you, I don’t consider the Nicole Kidman stinger or a concessions promotion to be a commercial.

My plan for the past decade since reserved seating came about has generally been not to arrive in my seat until about 15 minutes after the published showtime. Having those extra few minutes has often made it possible for me to make showtimes I otherwise would have missed, and being later than the trailers but not later than the movie means I’m not burned out or burdened by those additions.

It seems like a simple solution - if you don’t want to see the commercials, just arrive after they’ve finished.

 

[Edwin-S]

I don't like arriving after the commercials are over and then having to ask people to move their legs so I can get to my seat.

I even had one asshole demanding I say please to him after asking him to excuse me, because he wanted to impress his girlfriend with his "manliness".

I wanted to jump on top of him and strangle him in his seat for that.

Edit: it still passes me off just thinking about it.

 

[Wayne_j]

The theater I prefer going to just plays 3 - 4 trailers starting at ticket time and the movie starts 8 - 11 minutes after the time on the ticket.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

It’s a new thing that Regal rolled out this year - one ad in the middle of the trailer roll, presumably something that the sponsor has paid a premium price to place in front of a larger, more captive audience. I don’t love it but it’s not the end of the world either.

Yeah, that's always how I felt. Ads = not preferable but not a biggie - certainly still seems nuts people filed a lawsuit about it.

Funny how audiences fully accept - and even desire - ads when we call them "trailers"!

I think my last visit to Regal was 2018 - the animated "Grinch", IIRC. I guess that was the year I joined A-List and went AMC full-time.

I remember I had some leftover Regal Crown Club benefits to burn so went there 1 last time!

 

[Tino]

Honestly I’d rather have ads than a blank screen and listen to inane audience chatter.

 

[jayembee]

Funny how audiences fully accept - and even desire - ads when we call them "trailers"!

That's what I say to my wife when we watch just-released trailers on YouTube, and I have to watch an ad or two before the trailer starts: "I can't believe that I'm expected to watch a commercial in order to watch a commercial!"

 

[Edwin-S]

I don't see an ad trying to sell me an SUV as a 1:1 analog with a trailer announcing upcoming film releases.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Having happily left this guest experience in the past, it has returned post-COVID. Went to see Devotion the day after Thanksgiving and enjoyed 11 minutes of commercials preceding the trailers. There may have been some before the movie start time, but I only counted those from the show time onward.

And was reminded at what an odious, awful experience it is. I do understand theaters are hurting for revenue these days. I hope they find a better way to get profitable.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Having happily left this guest experience in the past, it has returned post-COVID. Went to see Devotion the day after Thanksgiving and enjoyed 11 minutes of commercials preceding the trailers. There may have been some before the movie start time, but I only counted those from the show time onward.

And was reminded at what an odious, awful experience it is. I do understand theaters are hurting for revenue these days. I hope they find a better way to get profitable.

What theater did you visit?

 

[Chuck Mayer]

It was a Regal (Palmetto Grand, in Mt. Pleasant, SC).

 

[DaveF]

Yeah, that's always how I felt. Ads = not preferable but not a biggie - certainly still seems nuts people filed a lawsuit about it.

Funny how audiences fully accept - and even desire - ads when we call them "trailers"!

My experience is people like high quality and relevant ads.

Peak ‘90s computer magazines (PC World, PC Magazine, Computer Shopper), the ads were glorioius! I’m reading a computer magazine because I like computer stuff and all the ads are showing me more computer stuff!

When I’m out to see a movie, seeing trailers — which are promos in the form of a 4-min movie and many times better than the actual movie they’re promoting — are on-target for my interests in the moment.

It’s going to a movie and getting garbage ads for cars or crypto(?!?!?) or anything not-movie experience related that pulls me out of the experience.