It doesn’t always work and can annoy customers, but I appreciate creativity.
I recently went to the movies at a Regal Cinemas location.
Whereas every theater I’ve ever been to has the name of the movie on display above the entrance door, this location was thinking differently.
Apparently, they’ve had a problem with people movie-hopping (paying for one movie and seeing more than one) lately. To combat the problem, this location stopped putting the name of the show above the door, just keeping the theater’s number there.
The number of the theater was printed on the ticket stub, so that should be sufficient identification.
If you don’t know what movie is playing where, you can’t sneak into multiple movies.
However, a number of patrons in our theater expressed confusion over which movie they were about to sit through.
You see, there was NO signage alerting you that you were in the right theater. Even the smartest folk have accidentally popped into the wrong movie before – and that’s WITH the name of the movie clearly displayed.
Is confusing or even angering customers worth the cost?
Is sneaking into multiple movies more a sign of protest against outlandish ticket prices? Is this a value proposition?
I’m sure they save nominal amounts of money in the theater signs, but I hope that doesn’t factor into the decision-making process.
Have you seen this arrangement anywhere else? Do you think it’s a good idea, or one destined for failure?
[I will say this - while I'm not confessing to seeing multiple films, but The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Young Adult should NOT be seen back-to-back.]
Perhaps there is a solution somewhere in here that works for everyone: an all-day movie pass.
For one relatively low price, you can see as many movies as your tush can stand. Would something like that, basically legalizing movie-hopping for a fee, be something you’re interested in? I know I would be!
Again, I appreciate the creativity this theater showed, but think that they aren’t solving the reason WHY people movie-hop, just trying to treat the symptom.
I am so ridiculously happy and honored to share some good news that just became official this morning.
This spring, I will be an adjunct professor at American University teaching a graduate course in Social Media Strategies and Tactics!
I’m so excited to explore the social media world with the class – and present social media in a new, engaging, sustainable way.
Case in point: my tentative reading list includes “Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead” by David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan, and a selection from Grant Morrison’s book “Supergods” on how Superman foretold the online “badge” system we are increasingly living in.
This class will obviously be no fun.
So…coming to a classroom near you this spring, Professor Schaffer!
It’s also provides a dangerous guide to marketers.
The following is the most iconic scene in the film:
While walking through a cornfield in Iowa, Ray Kinsella hears a mysterious whisper:
“If you build it, he will come…”
The line, as fans will remember, leads to Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) building a baseball field that attracts ghosts of deceased baseball stars – and then the spirit of Kinsella’s father. The two play catch, and men around the world remained in the theaters through the credits, so they could compose themselves. (Guilty as charged)
Businessfolks have co-opted the signature line and transformed it into: “build it and they will come.”
Basically, provide the best product, service or experience and people will swarm to it.
I had a debate in college once with a friend. What was more important to a TV show: quality or ratings?
She strongly pushed that quality is what mattered, while I took the side of viewership.
A bad TV show that lots of people watch will be more successful than a well-produced program with low ratings.
Exhibit A: How many of your favorite “great” TV shows have been cancelled for low ratings? Lots!
Because mass viewership is what counts.
This translates outside the TV world, obviously.
You can’t build something and expect people to just come, no matter how good it is.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t build something awesome. But quality and marketing need to line up in order to attract a sustainable audience.
Give them a reason to come, tell them about it and then they’ll come. Give them a reason to come back…and that’s a home run.
Today on the iostudio blog, I discuss the marketing prowess of Lady Gaga and the three top tactics she has perfected. (Click the link, then come back here. We’ll wait.)
I am completely fascinated by her. At such a young age, she forced herself into the public consciousness by having good-to-great music and an unforgettable image. She mastered the art of self-promotion.
(One day, I’ll open a Self Promotion Hall of Fame with Gaga joining Dennis Rodman as the first inductees.)
Previously, I’ve discussed why Lady Gaga is “PR Crazy” (but in a good way) and announced that I want my daughter to consider her a role model.
There is no debate on the awesomeness of Barney Stinson. I’ve already declared him my PR role model.
One addition to the list of reasons to look up to him is his signature style.
Wherever he goes, at all times, he is wearing a suit (AKA: “suiting up”). Heck, he even sang a song about it for the epic 100th episode of “How I Met Your Mother.”
Signature things help you stand out in a crowd. They may not be unique, but they belong to you.
Some examples:
- Mike Tyson’s face tattoo
- ESPN anchor catchphrases
- Richard Simmons’ short-shorts and tank-top
- Bret Michaels’ bandana and cowboy hat
These are visual or aural cues that help people recognize this person when they walk into a room or see them on TV.
In branding, these can be critical, since you are trying to define a person, product or company in an effort to increase recognition, awareness and exposure. Of course, the ultimate goal is the cha-ching of a cash register, where people will watch the show, attend the event or make a purchase.
What are some of your favorite signature things? And how do you stand out in a crowd?
When a new technology comes out, consumers tend to be somewhere along the spectrum between “really effin’ excited” and “really effin’ skeptical.”
Such is the case with the latest prettiest TV cool thing on the block, 3DTV.
I first encountered 3DTV a few years back at theConsumer Electronics Showand I was “really effin’ skeptical.”
The TVs required you to buy expensive glasses (which prevented big viewing parties), cable providers had limited options and the new sets were astronomically expensive. Plus, I don’t really enjoy the 3D effect. Maybe it’s the way my eyes perceive color, but it comes across as a jumbled mess.
This Memorial Day weekend, as my wife and I looked to upgrade from our 47-inch HD Sony Bravia when we move to our new house in a few weeks, we ventured over to The Big Screen Store in Ellicott City, MD.
Normally, I’m not in the business of plugging stores, but that was one of the best decisions we could have made. The store manager, walked us through every detail of all the sets we were considering.
And he dropped this nugget on us:
Apparently, TV manufacturers miscalculated when positioning their line of 3DTVs in 2010. They made the 3D feature the #1 thing to consider, when the consumer market was more skeptical than excited about it. “Come get a new 3DTV! They’re awesome!”
For 2011, they flipped the paradigm, putting the emphasis back on features the market wanted. “Come get a new massive flat panel HDTV! And it’s 3D-capable, if you want it. No biggie.” And in 2011, cnet estimates 3DTV sales will double. I don’t see that as a major coincidence.
This is a brilliant case study in brand positioning.
At the end of the day, an expensive new product must solve the customer’s problems for them to purchase it. Because there is very little 3D content available, pushing that capability as the main feature seemed to backfire slightly. I mean, in that cnet article linked above, they announced that 3DTVs are being adopted at a higher rate than HDTVs were, so they didn’t TOTALLY mess it up.
However, when they repositioned the TV as a top-line set for today that’s ready for the next generation of content, it suddenly becomes a much more attractive product. Who doesn’t want to buy one TV today that’s ready for the next 5-7 years?
The positioning works and in just a few weeks, you can come see the giant shiny 65-inch Panasonic HDTV (ready for 3D, naturally, even though I’m still skeptical of it) in our new house. Super Bowl party, anyone??
