Cinema ads eight times more effective than TV, says report

A study by Hall & Partners has found that cinema ads are “processed by the brain more consciously” and therefore “more powerful and emotionally engaging” than TV ads. The results concluded that cinema ads are just over eight times more effective at making a brand stand out.

The study  of 1,200 participants included a cinema “cell” that was recruited in the foyer of cinemas and a TV “cell” recruited through an online panel. According to reports, both samples were asked how many of a range of ads they remembered seeing. While 13 per cent of the cinema sample remembered the brand they had seen in the cinema, only 1.6 per cent of the TV sample could do the same.

It also found that those watching ads in a cinema are twice as likely to recall a brand, than those viewing TV ads. When the participants were shown an unbranded still from an ad, three times as many of those who saw it in the cinema were able to recall which brand it was for.

Simon Rees, the chief executive at DCM, said: “Maybe we’re stating the obvious, but the sheer impact and engagement of watching an ad on the big screen means cinema is the medium of choice when it comes to strengthening a brand, delivering key messages, increasing awareness and attracting new customers, especially amongst a desirable, hard to reach target audience.”

We are questioning the findings to some degree, as people only go to the cinema occasionally, and TV is more a part of everyday life.