Venue: PlayStation Theater on W. 44th St. near Broadway -- home to an event for the third straight week (BET in late April, followed by Defy Media first week of May). For the first time in years, Screenvision used an actual theater, rather than turn an open space like Moynihan Station into a pop-up movie palace. In this case, PlayStation was split in half, with the grandstand-like seating in the back for the presentation and the stage section available for food, drink and exhibits connected with upcoming blockbusters like the remake of Jumanji. A video wall served as both room divider and wide movie screen, presenting the company logo moving from left to right as people arrived at their seats. Company executives used the open space in front of the video wall as their stage area. Grade: 3.5 Jacks
Presentation: Over and over again, executives framed their remarks on an equation for successful results from cinema advertising. Start with well-crafted messages specific to the medium (nicknamed premium video here); add the immersive environment of theaters filled with upscale, desirable crowds, and end up with the most memorable impressions a client can achieve. "Not all impressions act equally," warned Screenvision CEO John Partilla, noting that some media (like broadcast TV) are witnessing a decline in desired demographics. "Cinema is the greatest place to tell stories" and the audience is watching those stories unfold in growing numbers, resulting in last year's record-breaking $11.4 billion box-office among 1.3 billion visitors, Partilla continued. What's more, advertisers are finding more disfavor with digital alternatives, due to concerns of having ads co-located near objectionable content.
"Even the biggest site has problems with brand safety," added Chief Revenue Officer Katy Loria (a quick broadside at YouTube without name-calling). "In a landscape where attention is the new return on investment and engagement is the new currency ... we offer the ultimate storytelling canvas for impact." As is the norm for these events, Screenvision's case was spiced throughout with trailers from upcoming flicks, and in a twist, there was a segment featuring a forecast of the top five movie trends of 2018. No. 1: Anticipate one or more blockbusters every month. Grade: 4 Jacks (Pictured below, left to right: Partilla; Screenvision Media Chief Strategic Development Officer John McCauley; Katy Loria, and National Ad Sales Executive Vice President Christine Martino.)
News: Creation of "10 Pack,">