Cinema continues to buck media downturn

Cinema admissions continue to buck the economic downturn with January 2009 figures at a five-year high, buoyed by home-grown hits such as the feel-good Slumdog Millionaire, nominated for 10 Academy Awards.

Total admissions for January were 14,504,588, up 7.7% year-on-year – its strongest performance since January 2004, according to figures released by the Cinema Advertising Association. The latest NMR figures for January also show cinema spend increasing by 5.3% year on year at £9.5m.

Martin Bowley, CAA spokesperson, says: “This is really good news as despite the economic downturn, and perhaps in spite of the awful weather, these figures mark the highest January for admissions since 2004.”

British success including actress Kate Winslet’s double awards win and tearful acceptance speech at the Golden Globe’s in January have also piqued interest in films this awards season. Winslet won two awards at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles, winning best actress for Revolutionary Road and best supporting actress for The Reader.

“The awards season has definitely helped in driving people to the cinema as Slumdog Millionaire has taken £16.9m to date as a result of the buzz surrounding the film and its numerous wins at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs. No doubt this success will continue at the Oscars as well where it has received 10 nominations,” says Bowley.

The industry has also benefited from strong performances and innovation elsewhere, such as the digital 3-D horror flick My Bloody Valentine, which has taken £5.7m to date and a record-breaking opening weekend for a 3D film. Role Models, another film targeted at 15-24 year-olds, grossed £7.8m.

The figures follow a strong performance in 2008, with admissions up by 1.1% to 164.2m, driven by the industry’s most successful summer since 1969.

Bowley says: “Even as the recession continues to bite and consumer confidence slides, these figures show that a visit to the cinema is one thing viewers are not prepared to sacrifice. This can only be good news for advertisers who gain not only a captive audience, but also the growth of innovations such as digital screens, 3-D and highly targeted, more sophisticated ad solutions that encompass the entire cinema experience.”

Ian McNaught, CAA spokesperson adds:

“This latest set of January admissions figures builds on 2008’s success, and with films including Harry Potter, Wolverine, Terminator Salvation and the Transformers sequel still to come in 2009, it looks set to continue in this vein. Given this bumper crop of films, brands will be keen to capitalise on the positive experience of cinema to create real engagement and standout with consumers in the current climate.”