Sprint (NYSE: S) and National CineMedia (NASDAQ: NCMI), operator of the largest digital in-theatre network in North America for cinema advertising, alternative entertainment and events, have entered into an exclusive, multi-year agreement to promote courtesy in movie theatres through a series of public service announcements reminding moviegoers to silence their cell phones and refrain from texting during feature films.
The new Sprint courtesy campaign will be created by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco and placed through Mindshare/Kinetic in New York. The spots will be seen on more than 14,300 screens in over 1,100 AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) movie theatres – the three largest theatre operators in the U.S. – beginning in October 2008.
This multi-year commitment follows Sprint’s recent cinema success with the Sprint Instinct from Samsung movie-themed campaign, which included a spot running in National CineMedia’s FirstLook digital pre-feature program, highlighting a trailer-style clip promoting Instinct: The Greatest Product-Placement Movie of All Time, a film that promised “no plot, no romance, just phone.”
“This partnership represents a tremendous opportunity for Sprint and an exciting
extension of our proven success with cinema,” said Simon McPhillips, Media Director with Sprint. “Sprint customers enjoy getting whatever they want whenever they want it via the Now Network, but theatre audiences everywhere appreciate a courtesy reminder with a relevant and positive message about appropriate cell phone usage.”
“We are thrilled to have Sprint join NCM as our exclusive courtesy partner to help us preserve the movie going experience,” said Cliff Marks, president of sales and chief marketing officer with National CineMedia. “Cell phone courtesy continues to be a key priority for our movie theatre circuits and audiences alike, and people are very receptive to these types of messages.”
Through its FirstLook digital entertainment and advertising pre-feature program, Lobby Entertainment Network (LEN) and other promotional products, National CineMedia provides advertisers with multiple ways to interact with movie theatre patrons. Designed with the audience in mind, FirstLook showcases behind-the-scenes features from A&E Television Networks, Discovery Communications, NBC, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Turner Broadcasting System, Universal Studios, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. that are rotated between theatres about every two weeks to help ensure that frequent movie-goers are entertained by fresh content.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving nearly 53 million customers at the end of the first quarter 2008; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
About National CineMedia
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 Holdings 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 17,000 screens of which over 14,500 are part of the company’s Digital Content Network (DCN). NCM LLC’s network covers 170 Designated Market Areas(r) (49 of the top 50). During 2007, approximately 685 million patrons attended movies shown in theatres currently included in our network. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) owns a 42.3% interest in and is the managing member of NCM LLC. For additional information, visit www.ncm.com.
