Warner Bros. and National CineMedia (NCM) have formed a partnership to provide pre-feature entertainment content and advertising in movie theatres nationwide.
Through the arrangement, Warner Bros. will provide original, exclusive content for NCM’s FirstLook pre-feature program, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at upcoming Warner Bros. films including Fool’s Gold and Speed Racer. Delivered through NCM’s Digital Content Network (DCN) – the largest digital in-theatre network in North America – FirstLook is currently seen on approximately 13,500 screens in AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Georgia Theatre Company, Goodrich Quality Theaters, Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other network affiliate movie theatres nationwide in 164 markets throughout the U.S., including many of the highest grossing theatres in 49 of the top 50 Designated Market Areas®. Warner Bros. will also utilize many of NCM’s advertising and promotional products in theatre lobbies, including NCM’s Lobby Entertainment Network (LEN) which features more than 2,200 video and high-definition plasma screen displays strategically placed in the lobby and concessions areas of over 900 theatres.
“Of all of the many marketing channels available today, the one place you can be sure to reach an audience is in a movie theatre,” said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “National CineMedia’s FirstLook and other movie theatre marketing elements allow us to reach people in the perfect environment.”
“Our new relationship with Warner Bros. and other Warner companies reflects our commitment to bringing theatre audiences high-quality pre-feature entertainment content,” said Cliff Marks, president of sales and chief marketing officer, National CineMedia. “With one of the broadest feature film slates in the business, we are excited about giving our theatre audiences a FirstLook at what’s coming from the Warner family of companies.”
Warner Bros. joins NCM’s existing FirstLook content partners A&E Television Networks, Discovery Communications, NBC, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Turner Broadcasting System and Universal Studios in providing a high-quality entertainment experience for patrons. Designed with the audience in mind, FirstLook is presented for early-arriving moviegoers and ends approximately at the advertised movie show time (when the film trailers begin). FirstLook’s entertainment content segments are rotated between theatres every two weeks to help ensure that frequent moviegoers are entertained by fresh content.
About Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s largest producers of film and television entertainment. It is a subsidiary of the Time Warner conglomerate, with headquarters in Burbank, CA, USA. Warner Bros. includes several subsidiary companies, among them Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Home Video, DC Comics and The CW Television Network.
About National CineMedia, Inc.
National CineMedia (NCM) LLC operates the largest digital in-theatre network in North America through long-term agreements with its founding members, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), the three largest theatre operators in the U.S., and through multi-year agreements with several other theatre operators. NCM LLC produces and distributes its FirstLook pre-feature program; cinema and lobby advertising products; comprehensive meeting and event services and other entertainment programming content. NCM LLC’s national network includes over 14,400 screens of which over 12,600 are part of the Company’s Digital Content Network (DCN). NCM LLC’s DCN covers 164 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50). During 2006 and the nine months ended September 27, 2007, approximately 550 million and 423 million patrons, respectively, attended movies shown in theatres owned by the NCM LLC founding members (excluding Loews). National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 44.8% interest in and is the managing member of NCM LLC. For additional information, visit www.ncm.com.
