AMC theaters are adding more pre-Film ads; Is it an evil without An areassary that the theaters survive?

If you have ever checked your watch 15-20 minutes in what should have been the start of your film, just to be welcomed by another trailer or car spot, well … tied. Starting from 1 July, AMC Theatres, the world’s largest cinematographic chain, is adding even more ads before the film starts.

AMC has ink an agreement with National Cinemedia Inc. to start managing what is called “Platinum Spot”, which will present an announcement shown right before the start of the film, in that last stretch of trailer when the anticipation is reaching the peak. It is an announcement that the public will not fail.

This is a move aimed exactly to generate what AMC calls “vital revenue”, and here’s what they had to say about:

“While AMC was initially reluctant to bring this to our theaters, our competitors have fully participated for more than five years without any direct impact on their frequency”.

They are not wrong. Regal and Cinemark signed this model years ago. AMC was the last Holdout. But, after the pandemic devastated the exhibition industry and with the 2024 which delivered a mixture to the box office, the company is looking for every dollar it can find.

However, it is difficult not to feel a little defeated. As a fan of the film, you want the theaters Prospino. You want AMC survives because the industry needs it to survive. But worsening the cinematographic experience, especially when it is already fighting the mentality “I will wait only for streaming”, it seems a step in the wrong direction.

It’s funny, because AMC’s slogan is “Let’s make the best films”, but this will make the film worse in their cinemas.

It is not that the public does not notice it. According to the AMC website:

“The runtime listed is the duration of the film. The film does not start at the show published. There are about 20 minutes of preshow material, including trailer, between the published showtime and the beginning of the film.”

And now, that “preshow” has just gone longer.

To be honest, AMC is trying some really good things. On Wednesday discount is returning, which is a solid move to recover the occasional public. But commercials? This is only another reason why people present themselves late or completely jump the theater.

It’s not about hating the ads. It concerns the main experience. People go to the cinema for escape, not to see ads for insurance rates or real estate agents. If the industry really wants to survive, perhaps it should focus more on remembering because we fell in love with cinemas first, not so we continue to introduce ourselves 25 minutes late.

Source: Bloomberg