National CineMedia & Screenvision Media Conduct Joint Effort to Assess Moviegoer Sentiment

Rhea-AI Summary

National CineMedia (NCM) and Screenvision Media conducted a survey of 1,311 moviegoers amid the COVID-19 Delta variant concerns from July 29 to August 2. Results show that 79% of moviegoers are unconcerned about the variant, while 87% have attended a theater this year. Notably, 82% are fully vaccinated, surpassing the national average. Box office numbers confirm a recovery trend, with July's gross revenue exceeding $580M, and Q3 revenues tripling compared to Q2. Executives express optimism about sustained audience return and engagement for advertisers.

Positive

• 79% of respondents are not concerned about the Delta variant.
• 87% of moviegoers have attended a theater this year.
• Moviegoers' vaccination rate is 82%, exceeding the national average.
• July box office gross revenue exceeded $580M, indicating recovery.
• Q3 revenues are triple those of Q2, showing significant improvement.

Negative

• None.

Cinema advertising networks National CineMedia (NCM) and Screenvision Media today shared the results of the companies’ first joint research effort, a survey assessing the impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant on movie fans and their movie-going outlook.

The survey of 1,311 moviegoers conducted July 29-August 2 revealed the following:

• 79% of moviegoers are not overly concerned about the new Delta variant
• 87% of moviegoers have seen a movie in the theater this year and the same percentage plan on going to the movie theater between now and the end of this year
• Moviegoers are also outpacing the general population for being fully vaccinated (82% vs ~ 61% national average at the time of this survey).

Nearly 90% of movie fans also indicated their intent to continue leisure activities such as dining out and shopping at malls. And among those that indicated concern about the variant, 73% plan to continue their activities with additional precautions, such as masking indoors and being diligent with sanitizing, while another 15% don’t plan to make any changes.

Monthly box office figures also support the survey’s results, with returns steadily increasing month-over-month. July’s box office gross revenue exceeded $580M. When comparing early Q3 box office gross revenues numbers to earlier in the year, the same time period – approximately forty days into the quarter – the figures show triple the revenue compared to Q2 and more than eight times revenue generated in Q1.

Further underscoring the industry’s comeback, three of the five top grossing domestic movies so far this year – Black Widow, Cruella and Godzilla vs Kong – were all released in cinema and on streaming services on the same day/date.

Executive Remarks

“As the survey confirms, movie lovers are enthusiastically following the world’s greatest content back to their favorite theaters,” said Scott Felenstein, President – Sales, Marketing & Partnerships at NCM. “We expect that audiences will continue their return to the cinema in large and growing numbers, once again delivering significant reach of valuable young, diverse and affluent consumers for advertisers.”

“This data underscores the power of the cinema experience and how behavior of moviegoers is driving the box office recovery,” said Christine Martino, Executive Vice President, National Ad Sales. “While pandemic uncertainties remain, we are confident that given the strong slate in the coming months, moviegoers will continue to come back in droves – and there is simply no better place to engage with this passionate and highly engaged group than on the big screen.”

About National CineMedia, Inc.

National CineMedia (NCM) is America’s Movie Network. As the largest cinema advertising network in the U.S., we unite brands with the power of movies and engage movie fans anytime and anywhere. NCM’s Noovie® pre-show is presented exclusively in 51 leading national and regional theater circuits including AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (a subsidiary of Cineworld Group PLC, LON: CINE). NCM’s cinema advertising network offers broad reach and unparalleled audience engagement with over 20,800 screens in over 1,600 theaters in 195 Designated Market Areas® (all of the top 50). NCM Digital and Digital-Out-Of-Home (DOOH) go beyond the big screen, extending in-theater campaigns into online, mobile, and place-based marketing programs to reach entertainment audiences. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) owns a 48.2% interest in, and is the managing member of, National CineMedia, LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com and www.noovie.com.

About Screenvision Media

Headquartered in New York, N.Y., Screenvision Media is a national leader in cinema and premium video advertising, offering on-screen advertising, in-lobby promotions and integrated marketing programs to national, regional and local advertisers. The company provides comprehensive advertising representation services to top-tier theatrical exhibitors and sports venues nationwide. The Screenvision Media advertising network comprises over 15,000 screens in 2,400+ theatre locations across all 50 states and 94% of DMAs nationwide; delivering through more than 150 theatrical circuits, including 8 of the top 10 exhibitor companies. For more information: https://screenvisionmedia.com/.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This press release contains various forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding, among other things, consumer confidence and behavior and the impact of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic on the movie theater industry. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of important factors, risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that reliance on these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210816005060/en/

FAQ

What did the National CineMedia and Screenvision Media survey reveal about moviegoers' concerns regarding the Delta variant?

The survey found that 79% of moviegoers are not overly concerned about the Delta variant.

How many moviegoers have seen a movie in theaters this year according to the survey?

According to the survey, 87% of moviegoers have seen a movie in theaters this year.

What was the box office gross revenue for July reported by the companies?

The box office gross revenue for July exceeded $580 million.

How do the current box office revenues compare to previous quarters?

Q3 box office revenues have tripled compared to Q2 and are more than eight times higher than Q1.

What is the vaccination rate among moviegoers compared to the national average?

The vaccination rate among moviegoers stands at 82%, compared to approximately 61% for the national average.