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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- There's nothing quite like the magic of the movies: the lights dim, the screen brightens, and for a few hours, the audience is transported to another world. But for many moviegoers, that magic is dampened by the cost of tickets, a stale foyer atmosphere, or lackluster concessions. In its latest U.S. Brand Ranking Study, Market Force Information, a leader in customer experience management, delves into what today's audiences expect from their cinema experience—and the all-too-common frustrations that make them hesitate to return.
Moviegoers Crave Value and Affordability
With insights from over 4,150 moviegoers, Market Force's 2024 study reveals that price remains a decisive factor in drawing people back to theatres. While 70% of respondents listed more affordable tickets as their top motivator, 60% highlighted concession prices, and 47.5% called for more discounts or coupons. This clear call for value underscores a significant opportunity for theatres to stand out through competitive pricing strategies and promotions.
Top Brands That Captivate Audiences
For brands that have excelled in customer loyalty, Emagine stands out with a leading Customer Loyalty Index (CLI) score of 4.52, closely trailed by Marcus Theatres at 4.51 and Cinepolis at 4.48. These scores reflect a high level of audience satisfaction and willingness to recommend, with Emagine, Marcus, and Harkins also ranking among the most trusted brands. Additionally, Marcus, Santikos, and Malco demonstrated strong market share through a high share of wallet, indicating the extent to which patrons choose to spend their entertainment dollars with these brands.
Rory Butler, a movie theatre industry expert at Market Force Information, summarized the study's implications for theatre operators: "Our findings highlight that theatres excelling in affordability, trust, and atmosphere earn lasting loyalty. These results provide a roadmap for operators: to stand out, focus on meaningful pricing tactics, elevate the overall theatre ambiance, and bring added value to the concessions experience. Moviegoers are clear about their priorities, and brands that meet these expectations are rewarded with stronger customer relationships and repeat visits."
Room for Improvement in Price and Atmosphere
Most theatre brands struggle with three primary areas: ticket affordability, perceived value, and foyer atmosphere. This feedback suggests an untapped opportunity for brands to differentiate by enhancing the atmosphere in theatre entrances and lobby areas, an improvement that could bring back regular visitors.
Concessions: A Key Area for Enhancement
Food and beverage offerings remain an area where theatres can make a notable impact. With only 36.4% of patrons rating these offerings a full 5/5, there's ample room for improvement. Emagine, Epic, and Alamo Drafthouse are noted leaders in this area, but across the board, patrons desire better variety and taste in the food options, particularly at prices they feel match the quality.
Inside the Auditorium: A Mixed Bag
Once inside the auditorium, moviegoers rate video quality, seating layout, and audio highly, but they express frustration with the number and length of commercials and trailers. Emagine, CMX, and B&B stand out with the best overall auditorium experiences, showing that balancing quality and the right ambiance can significantly enhance viewer satisfaction.
Challenges with Cleanliness and Ticketing
The study also highlighted that restroom cleanliness and ticket purchasing are ongoing pain points. Notably, customers of brands like Tavern, Studio Movie Grill, and Amstar reported the highest incidence of problems, with ticket purchasing, staff interactions, and food quality ranking as the top complaints. This feedback suggests that theatres could benefit from focusing on operational excellence to resolve frequent issues.
Streaming Platforms: Changing Preferences
In the world of streaming, Amazon Prime has overtaken Netflix as the preferred choice, followed closely by Hulu. Disney saw a notable drop, from 48% in 2023 to 44% in 2024, a shift that may indicate evolving tastes among viewers.
Contact Market Force for In-Depth Insights
For more detailed insights and to see how each theatre brand stacks up, contact Market Force for a briefing. The interactive report provides a comprehensive look into what drives customer satisfaction and loyalty within the cinema industry. Brands can leverage this information to make impactful changes that resonate with moviegoers.
To access the movie theatre study results, please visit:
https://www.marketforce.com/movie-theater-research-2024-access
Brands and analysts interested in a full walkthrough of results can schedule at:
https://www.marketforce.com/schedule-a-briefing
Join our growing consumer panel at:
https://panel.marketforce.com/become-a-panelist
About Market Force Information
Market Force, an MCI company, helps global brands improve customer experience and operations at each location. Through services including mystery shopping, site audits, contact center, social reviews, surveys, employee engagement, and analytics, Market Force drives consistent growth and profitability for clients. We provide solutions for industries such as hospitality, retail, theatres, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, restaurants and more. Learn more at: https://www.marketforce.com
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SOURCE Market Force Information