anyone here tried advertising before a theatre movie?

Has anyone here tried advertising before a movie, and what was your experience with it? Did you make a video or use slides?

I was thinking of doing this, but first I have to find out how much it costs.

Do people still watch movies in theatres?

ETA: Not saying that to be a smart ass, asking if that's going to reach enough people to make it worthwhile. Kinda depends on target market too. Probably better for family (when it's a little kids show where you can reach parents accompanying youngsters) or senior portraits (when it's a movie aimed at teens) than for other market segments.

Im thinking senior portraits.

And i think lots of people still go to see movies in theatres. there is usually a pretty good number in there, especially opening week. but not sold out most of the time. Twilight might be a good one to advertise before, not sure when the 4th one comes out. Possibly Harry potter 20.

...your target audience is who?

I wouldn't see a point in it, after the movie nobody is going to remember, do you remember ANY ads you saw before a movie? Besides lets go to the lobby one I can't remember one at all.

I am one of the people who still watches movies in theatres. A lot. lol )

To the OP: what kinda of advertising? Like handing out fliers? I know it would be a waste of paper with me as I throw them out right away.

Svetlana wrote in post #11799385
To the OP: what kinda of advertising? Like handing out fliers? I know it would be a waste of paper with me as I throw them out right away.

I assumed he meant ads running on the screen before the lights dim.

before the movie, before the real commercials come on. They usually display local advertising on a slide show style program. I am just trying to figure out how to get the seniors attention, and the more places they see my business name the more likely they are to think of me.

Most of the movies I go to anymore, the high schools are too busy making a scene, being noisy etc to even be watching the screens. I'm not expert in senior marketing, but your target would probably be parents as they are usually the ones making the final decision!

That brings up a good point, who usually buys the senior portrait packages? I was thinking it was the seniors since they are usually the ones with the disposable income.

I think this would be a major waste of money, you really have to do some research in targeting the people you want to go after with advertising. Big business targets their demographics hardcore and so should small businesses, at least the ones with any smarts, it's a lot of research and preparation.

Target marketing is what you want to do, especially with seniors, and you need to target the kids as well as the parents. Parents are the ones paying, parents are the ones who want them most, since when did the kids in high school have "disposable income"? They're working part time jobs usually more interested in spending it out on the weekend, paying off first vehicles, etc....not pictures.

So, you have to figure out your demographic - high end or low end, you have to figure out what you're selling - quality drive or price driven (what can you deliver), you have to figure out how to reach that demographic, then you have to reach them. It's just not as simple as throwing an ad in the paper or on the powerpoint presentation before a movie that teenagers are not paying attention to 99.9% of the time.

MJPhotos24 wrote in post #11799659
I think this would be a major waste of money, you really have to do some research in targeting the people you want to go after with advertising. Big business targets their demographics hardcore and so should small businesses, at least the ones with any smarts, it's a lot of research and preparation.

Target marketing is what you want to do, especially with seniors, and you need to target the kids as well as the parents. Parents are the ones paying, parents are the ones who want them most, since when did the kids in high school have "disposable income"? They're working part time jobs usually more interested in spending it out on the weekend, paying off first vehicles, etc....not pictures.

So, you have to figure out your demographic - high end or low end, you have to figure out what you're selling - quality drive or price driven (what can you deliver), you have to figure out how to reach that demographic, then you have to reach them. It's just not as simple as throwing an ad in the paper or on the powerpoint presentation before a movie that teenagers are not paying attention to 99.9% of the time.

My main target is the higher end, but I also have packages for the lower end. The packages begin at $150 and includes an hour of photography and the top package is $3500. I don't expect many to go for that one, but I cant sell it if I do not offer it.

I am working on getting senior reps in each high school around me. This has been my main marketing effort lately. There are 45 schools within 1.5 hours from here, probably 30 within 45 minutes. If I can get a few reps in 30 schools, I am guessing I wont have time to worry about further marketing efforts. The rep rewards are pretty good, with over $1350 worth of items if they refer 20 kids and win the reward of most referrals in their school. I dont expect many to get 20 but that is as far as I stated the rewards for them.

I have also been working on facebook, building my friends list of seniors, so I can easily provide new information to entire class lists by year.

Now I'm just trying to think of further ways to advertise to my target market. Portraits at the mall would be great, but the main photographer in town has that covered. Although I read something recently that one of his previous assistance that went out on his own may have taken over the mall displays.