Val Morgan Cinema, aiming to illuminate cinema’s role in reaching valuable younger demographics, has partnered with Kantar to conduct a comprehensive study.
The focus? To quantify cinema’s impact within the broader audiovisual (AV) landscape, particularly concerning its ability to deliver incremental reach and optimise advertising efficiency.
Kantar
Tomorrow’s consumers, today’s trendsetters
Recognising the pivotal role of youth audiences as both current trendsetters and future economic drivers, Val Morgan Cinema sought to deepen its understanding. This initiative builds upon the findings of the 2024 “Famous” study, which underscored brand fame as a catalyst for growth. The new research extends this understanding by highlighting the necessity of engaging youth.
Quantifying cinema’s impact
The study leverages data from Kantar’s Media Reactions 2024 report, specifically focusing on ad equity metrics. Additionally, it incorporates cross-media analysis derived from Kantar LIFT+ campaign measurements, concentrating on younger demographics. This dual approach aimed to provide a holistic view of cinema’s performance within the media mix.
Sharon Hilton, head of media insights at Kantar, commented, “The research was crucial in measuring and understanding campaign impact and ad equity perceptions amongst the GenZ cohort. The insights confirmed that Cinema is a powerful campaign driver. Audiences are immersed in a high-quality setting where brand messages can resonate – a catalyst for impactful storytelling and deep audience connections”.
Reach, efficiency, and impact
The research confirms cinema’s significant value in connecting with youth audiences. The data highlights cinema’s ability to:
• Build Incremental Reach: Cinema effectively expands the reach of an AV campaign, tapping into audiences not readily accessible through other channels.
• Drive Greater Efficiency and Impact: Cinema delivers a higher return on investment per frequency, maximising the impact of each advertising exposure.
Key findings
Cinema has one of the highest advertising equities among younger audiences, making it a powerful tool for building positive brand perception. Its ability to engage viewers fosters brand affinity and long-term loyalty.
Cinema delivers incremental reach and multi-channel synergy amongst youth audiences:
• 44% of Cinema’s reach was incremental to TV.
• 31% was incremental to digital.
• 18% was incremental reach to both TV and digital.
Cinema is one of the most efficient media channels, delivering impact far beyond its budget share, delivering 15% share of campaign impact per person (impact per Reach percentage) reached with just 6% of the budget.
Guy Burbidge
Managing director of Val Morgan Cinema, Guy Burbidge, said that “youth audiences have been a bedrock of Cinema for many years”.
He continued: “The channel offers brands something truly valuable for brands – it’s a curated, deeply engaging, immersive experience that has the highest level of ad equity, attention, and mental availability. The power of the big screen translates into genuine brand outcomes.”
Burbidge says he is confident the data will continue to show the advertising benefits of cinema: “Over the next few months, the slate is full of golden opportunities for brands to align with and leverage globally recognised IP that will undoubtedly deliver youth audiences, with Thunderbolts* in May and 28 Years Later releasing in June. July will see two massive superhero epics – Superman and Fantastic Four: First Steps release – followed by Freakier Friday in August.”