Movie Audience Still Low. Some People May Never Go Back.


LOS ANGELES – About 49 percent of pre-pandemic moviegoers no longer buy tickets. Some, roughly 8 percent, are probably lost forever. To win back the rest, multiplex owners must “urgently” rethink pricing and customer benefits, in addition to focusing on coronavirus safety.

These were some of the takeaways from a new study of the state of the American movie industry, which was in trouble before the pandemic – participation is declining, streaming services are booming – and struggled to rebound From the coronavirus forced closures in 2020. Over the weekend, ticket sales in the United States and Canada totaled roughly $96 million, up from $181 million in the same period of 2019.

Study, Published online on MondayIt was self-commissioned by Quorum, a film research company led by Quorum. David Herrinformer head of research at United Talent Agency; Cultique, a consulting firm run by long-time brand strategist Linda Ong; and Phanthropology, which defines itself as a research, strategy and creative agency. They plan to conduct the survey quarterly.

Ms. Ong said, “Research clearly shows that theaters are suffering as the pandemic intensifies, accelerates and amplifies all emerging trends that are already underway.” “This is the definition of a perfect storm – not that several problems exist at the same time, but that they have an intensifying effect on each other.”

Emerging trends? Increased ticket and discount prices. Decreased “experiential value”, including the perception that watching movies has become a hassle. The dilapidated state of shopping centers that host many theatres. A generational shift towards streaming, gaming, and other smartphone-based entertainment. “Before, maybe you went occasionally – you overlooked the inconveniences,” said Mr. Herrin. “Now you add security concerns to that mix and suddenly you’re a veteran moviegoer.”

Research companies surveyed 2,528 people who visited the cinema in 2019. (Some went once a week, some once a month, and others “several” times a year.) About 51 percent of respondents said they bought tickets. in recent months, some drawn by the cinema chain reward programs. According to Mr. Herrin, it’s largely white males aged 25 to 45 living in cities. “Once you step outside of that demographic, you really start losing people,” he said.

The 49 percent who no longer bought tickets were more likely to favor vaccinations for participants. Mr. Herrin said this predominantly female group is more likely to be concerned about price and value. Still, he noted that roughly a third were “hopeful” to return to theaters at some point. Among the changes that are most likely to bring them back are: lower prices for classic discounts, newer seats, moderation of phone usage in movies.

“There must be a sense of urgency,” said Mr. Herrin. Using Hollywood jargon for multiplex work, he added, “I don’t know how big of a window there is for exhibition to win back these people.”

“Probable losses,” according to the study, which found that 8 percent of respondents who said they didn’t buy tickets during the pandemic and didn’t see them come back were low-income consumers. The researchers noted that the group had a large proportion of Hispanic, Black, and Asian women.



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