Mattel has entered into a three month sponsorship of Cineworld’s Movies for Juniors weekend film screenings to promote its new CGI animated TV series, Max Steel.
The global toy brand is using the cinema medium from 8 July to drive brand awareness of Max Steel, which is its latest action figure property launch. Exclusive sponsorship of Movies for Juniors offers the toy company an opportunity to reach its target market out-of-home and in a shared environment on family days out.
Movies for Juniors is Cineworld’s weekly selection of classic kids’ films, screened from just £1 per person. Screenings take place on weekend mornings at 75 selected Cineworld cinemas across the UK with 1.4m admissions per year. The films selected each week provide a chance to see classic family favourites on the big screen that are not currently on release or a second window to watch more recent films released at least three months previously.
The cinema sponsorship provides an alternative window for Max Steel programming content to be shown on the big screen in addition to its broadcast on Nickelodeon’s Nicktoons. Four minutes of Max Steel footage is currently running before the main movie each week and the Movies for Juniors idents will be jointly branded with Cineworld.
In addition to on-screen branding and extended promotional content at the Saturday morning screenings, the sponsorship includes 30’ spots in all family films during the agreement period. The multi-platform deal also incorporates Cineworld’s online and digital communications, cinema point of sale and printed magazines, as well as experiential activity.
The sponsorship deal was facilitated by Carat through Digital Cinema Media (DCM), the leading cinema advertising sales house owned by Cineworld and Odeon. A number of other key exhibitor chains are also offering kids screening opportunities via DCM including Vue’s Kids AM and Odeon Kids.
Joe Evea, Commercial Director, DCM says: “Cinema offers many ways to reach younger film fans and their parents as part of a fun family day out. The impact of Max Steel programming on the big screen, combined with multi-platform off-screen activity online and at the cinema, promises continued brand interaction throughout the cinema experience.”
Wendy Hill, Marketing Director, Mattel says: “Cinema offers families quality time together in an immersive environment. The association with Cineworld’s Movies For Juniors provides a unique opportunity for Max Steel fans to engage with the TV series on the big screen and enjoy programming content with their parents.”
Justin Skinner, Vice President of Marketing, Cineworld says: “Cineworld is delighted to have Mattel on board to sponsor our Movies For Juniors screenings from July 2013. The popular Max Steel brand is a great fit for Movies For Juniors which offers £1 cinema tickets to younger children and accompanying adults. We look forward to a successful partnership with this great toy brand, one that no doubt our young cinemagoers will enjoy.”