Just wanted to share an ad idea we recently did. First and foremost: ITS CHEAP compared to an ad in a local newspaper that only lasts a day. How cheap is cheap? Well, let me state that I am in the midwest and prices will vary depending on where you live/do business.

Our ad cost us around $2000 for 1 year. "WHAT IS IT?", you ask? Our local Cineplex, Movie Barn, Theater, whatever you want to call it. Before every movie, slides are shown that keep the people entertained before the previews/movie starts. Cost is $750 per screen per year (note: there are cheaper packages, and again I am in the midwest). In our area, our theater has 2 HUGE screens and a bunch of other little ones. We paid to be only on the big ones for a year, plus production costs, all for $2k./yr.

A) The slide shows every 4.5 minutes
2) The slide shows for 10 seconds
C) It relates directly to our business (home theater not really custom, but could be...)
D) compared to newpaper/direct mail..is quite cheap!

Just thought I'd share with the rest of the world.

Now let's all have a minute of silent thanks for BlockBuster.

José, my father tried that same advertising two years ago (not a theater-related business) and got NOT ONE RESPONSE! Who comes to a movie prepared to write down phone numbers? If it works for you and others, Mazel Tov!

Larry
www.fineelectricco.com

Our ad was quite simple. No phone #'s, just the intersection (kimberly at eastern) which is a major intersection. There really is only about 4 lines to read, no need to jot #'s down, sort of thing. Out ad started on Friday. We have seen feedback already. As I said, I am in my area, every area is different. For example, we are 1 of 2 "specialty" stores in our area. Our goal was to get people in the door. I believe our close rate is over 80%...but again, we need them to come into the store for us to close them. Some other variables: the theater we adverstised in is the only real theater we have in this area. This theater charges $8.50 a movie! I've been to theaters 10 times better at less than half the price (Chicago, Houston). So, the "movie-goer" is not necessarily the wealthiest, but in turn expect to spend some dough when they take the family out to see a movie.

I'm ranting: I guess my point was to let everyone know a different form of advertising that they may not have thought of or thought was expensive. Thanks for your time.

Movie ads are not new, and have been around for a long time. My father used to have an ad for his business at the local movie house when I was a child in the 1940's.

Hope your theater has better quality control for its pre-show slide show, our local ones are always totally out of focus and dim, you can barely make out what they are showing. I wouldn't pay to run an ad in these local theaters untill they cleaned up their act.