Day 3 of the Audience Development & Innovation Lab started at the Grand Hotel Sofia with a joint meeting between Europa Cinemas and Europa Distribution. 17 European distributors joined the network members to discuss collaborative pathways into creating joint marketing campaigns, engaging new audiences, and modelling sustainable practices.

Enhanced marketing campaigns to engage new audiences

Following break-out group discussions between exhibitors and distributors, a number of central concerns emerged. Chief among them was more and clearer communication; several groups emphasised the need for face-to-face meetings and the development of personal relationships. There was a clear desire for more regular feedback on both successes and failures so that iterative improvements can be made by both parties as required.

The Netherlands emerged as an example of best practice where there is a central platform called Filmdepot that all distributors use to share information and that is available for exhibitors to download digital assets from, too. It takes time to set up, but serves as an important starting point from which to access available marketing materials and information, and makes things easily accessible for exhibitors, too.

Though not every territory shares the same structural approach to marketing films – for example, in Spain, exhibitors are responsible for creating their own marketing materials to support a film’s release whereas most other European countries would have a series of such assets paid for and provided by the distribution company – the desire for tailor-made materials was also discussed. Providing cinemas with a budget with which to make bespoke materials to directly target their intended audience demographics doesn’t necessarily have to be more expensive and can, in fact, prove to be more financially viable. That said, it was also raised that distributors should be as aware of the target audience for their film as exhibitors are. Having a very clear view of what a movie is and where to position it within the market is crucial. An awareness of ticket price variations for audience accessibility is also essential.

Streamlining workflow and timelines also arose as a significant challenge for some markets. For many cinemas, marketing materials simply arrive too late – one or two weeks before the film is released. Or, in other instances, the marketing materials are not useful or suitable for the film or the venue – coasters, banners, and other physical media are rarely discussed between the parties before being sent. This is neither financially nor environmentally optimal or sustainable. Among exhibitors in the room, Lithuanian cinemas seem to be the only ones green enough not to require print materials.

Similarly, more discussion around helping smaller cinemas outside of the larger cities would also come as a welcome change. Distributors usually select cinemas from bigger cities to host talent Q&As and cinemas in smaller cities often feel left out. Simultaneous live-streaming was suggested as an option so that those cinemas can also offer their audiences the additional content. This is especially important given that event screenings play such an essential role in setting the cinema experience apart from home viewing in an age of ‘on-demand’ viewing.

Giveaways and merchandise were also discussed with some cinemas saying that the onus on the cinema to arrange so many competitions and giveaways had become a burden and that giving the materials out as a ‘surprise’ with tickets had become a more manageable albeit less promotional solution. This led to a further discussion of the technical challenges around producing and providing merchandise. Technically, distributors must pay extra for ‘merchandise rights’ – one reason why film posters that are provided for promotional reasons must not be made available for re-sale and should be ‘destroyed’ after the film run. However, promotional materials are not technically ‘merch’ if they are given away with tickets or for competitions.

Finally, the persistent challenge of screening films with a range of desirable subtitles also arose. Though needs vary from country to country, there is a clear desire for national language subs on every film as well as other key markets for those countries, including, in many instances, English subtitles for student and immigrant communities.

Session 4 – Data Management: Work Smarter, Not Harder

Back at the Network member cinema Cultural Center G8, the focus shifted from distribution to data management. Annette Knijnenberg from Filmhuis Alkmaar in The Netherlands and Raiko Puust from Artis Tallin in Estonia both presented their experiences of incentive-based data enrichment and tools with which to gain audience insights and build loyalty. Data driven strategies, Puust said, make marketing more efficient, especially for small teams. Social media and ticket sales are all opportunities to optimise engagement, “Every campaign and screening generates valuable data,” Puust said. Exhibitors were encouraged to turn challenges into opportunities: negative results can be used to refine strategies; AI can assist and needn’t be feared; and data can be used to better understand audiences in order to better serve them.

Subscription models workshop led by Jon Barrenechea

Following lunch, independent Cinema Consultant, Jon Barrenechea, led a workshop on subscription models as part of his wider research for the Network on opportunities and obstacles to subscription. “The cinema is the last cultural activity where it is frowned upon to use your phone,” Barrenechea said, recognising the uniqueness of the cinema experience and the challenges in keeping that uniqueness alive. From concerns around membership fees, cannibalisation of audiences, competition with other subscribers and the technical as well as legal implications of entering into such a programme, participants spent the afternoon discussing the wins and pitfalls of subscription models.

As always, the diversity of the Network came into play, with some cinemas citing their geographic isolation, or screen density – “cinema deserts” and single-screen venues still prevail in many regions – as reasons that subscription models are not an attractive prospect. Similarly, there are many mixed use venues in the network, which even led to the discussion of a “cultural card” that might be used at other arts venues such as theatre, opera, ballet and fine art. Conversely, some territories wondered about the potential for using a subscription model like Cineville across borders – for a sort of Balkan pass for instance, or that could be used throughout Europe for frequent travellers.

Session 5 – Europa Cinemas’ Tools for Collaboration & Strategic Emulation

Day 3 came to a close with a series of presentations that gave whistle-stop overviews to our Collaborate to Innovate fund and Boot Camp training scheme, introduced by Europa Cinemas team members Marija Serban and Bianca Popistas. Luke Makris from Cinema Galeries in Belgium presented on their Collaborate to Innovate 2021 project of adapting Cineville in Belgium while Kornelija Maziliauskaité from Cinema Centre Romuva in Lithuania and Antonija Seba from Cinema Samobor in Croatia both presented on their experiences in running Boot Camps in 2024. More information on how to apply for these initiatives can be found on our website.