Hipcricket, Screenvision put movie-goers in the interactive seat

Pre-movie commercials aren't new to movie-goers or theatre operators. Getting the attention of those viewers, however, has long been a struggle for the brands advertising on screens before movie showings. A new offering from Screenvision and Hipcricket may change that, by making the ads interactive.

Called The Limelight, the pre-show tool uses Hipcricket's Ad Life platform to give viewers a way to interact via mobile device while in-theatre. Viewers can use SMS options to play games and can earn redeemable points for free tickets at future showings or to get free snacks.

"What better way for brands to interact with increasingly tech-savvy audiences than while they anticipate watching the latest summer blockbuster movies with their mobile phones right in their hands. Rather than serving static ads, we are providing a richer, more engaging experience for movie-goers during the pre-show period," said Lee Heffernan, SVP, Marketing, at Screenvision. "By partnering with Hipcricket, the passive movie-going experience has become fully interactive."

Screenvision is releasing The Limelight at more than 14,000 screens across the US.

According to data from the Cinema Advertising Council ad recall rates are about four times higher for viewers in theatres than those watching at home via television. Still, adding more interaction could boost that or even increase other metrics - like brand favorability, purchase intent or loyalty factors.

Tags: Hipcricket, mobile engagement, mobile marketing, mobile trends, movie advertising, Screenvision