The IMAX Brand Takes Off - Susan Ritchie Communications

The
®
A PUBLICATION OF IMAX CORPORATION
The IMAX Brand Takes Off
From the USA’s Smithsonian Institution to South Africa’s
BMW Pavilion, IMAX theatres around the world have been
instrumental in the dynamic growth of IMAX brand awareness.
Inside, eight theatres share their success stories.
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INSIDE
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Message from Brad Wechsler
& Rich Gelfond
IMAX Educates
The Swiss Transport Museum
Cinema Plus
BMW Pavilion IMAX Cinema
Famous Players IMAX Theatres
Coming of Age
Coming of Age (cont’d)
Sony IMAX Theatres
McWane Center
The Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution (cont’d)
IMAX Brand
Forum der Technik
New Films
Message from Brad Wechsler
and Rich Gelfond
Since we acquired IMAX in 1994, we have taken a
strategic approach to what IMAX, “the brand,” means and
what it doesn’t mean, and how it can and can’t be used.
This governs every facet of our executive decision-making, from the films that the Company
“green lights,” to the theatre partners and sponsors we work with, to the locations we choose
and the technology we invest in.
The first question we ask ourselves when we see a script is, “is this an IMAX movie?” The first
question we ask when someone shows us a new technology or an acquisition opportunity is,
“is this something that fits within the IMAX umbrella?” We’ve been disciplined and focused in
terms of where we’ll use our brand and how we’ll let it grow.
The educational content of The IMAX Experience is still very much a part of what we are. It is
a truly amazing experience that facilitates learning while entertaining audiences. It transcends
culture, language and even politics. Educational institutions were the first to realize the
potential of the medium. It educated, it entertained, and, above all, it got their audiences
coming back for more.
On a day-by-day basis, over the years, there have been a series of little victories which have
slowly convinced people of the value of the brand. These victories have coalesced into a major
momentum where people ‘en masse’ have started to recognize the value of the brand.
The stories featured in this issue are just a brief sampling of some of your success stories.
Unfortunately we do not have room to feature the many more that exist worldwide. You are
the reason for the strength and the dynamic growth we’ve witnessed in brand awareness. We
intend to continue our vigilance and hope to meet the challenge of providing new films that
are educational and exciting, worthwhile but not boring, innovative without stooping to cheap
thrills or violence. We don’t always do it perfectly, as Mel Miller points out on page 6. Our goal,
however, is to support you to maintain the excellence your patrons have come to expect of
The IMAX Experience.
IMAX’S CO-CEOS RICH GELFOND (LEFT) AND BRAD WECHSLER AS THEY
APPEARED IN ADVERTISING AGE MAGAZINE’S “MARKETING 100” ISSUE,
WHICH LISTED THE IMAX EXPERIENCE AMONG THEIR TOP 100 BRANDS.
September/October 1999 Volume 3 Issue 5
Publisher
Jennifer Rae
Design/Layout
Hard Drive Design Inc.
Editor
Susan Ritchie
The IMAX Experience is
published six times per
year by IMAX Corporation.
Senior Editors
Victoria Dinnick
Sue Mander
Design Consultant
Gayle Bonish
IMAx Corporation
2525 Speakman Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L5K 1B1
Contributing Editor
Liam Romalis
Tel: (905) 403-6500
Fax: (905) 403-6450
e-mail: sritchie@imax.com
Circulation Assistant
Suzanne Tibbo
©1999 IMAX Corporation.
All rights reserved.
Photo Assistant
Beth McLeod
Printed on recycled paper.
IMAX®, OMNIMAX® and The IMAX Experience® are
registered trademarks of IMAX Corporation, Mississauga,
Canada.
Fantasia 2000 © Disney Enterprises Inc.
cover image: Peter Griffith / Masterfile
IMAX Educates
IMAX’s Commitment to
Education
by Sue Mander, Film D ist r ibut ion
With the recent opening of the 200th
theatre (Sacramento, California’s Esquire
IMAX Theatre), we’ve reached a significant
critical mass in terms of our distribution
network. It was not too many years ago
that we were looking forward to this time
– when the large-format industry would
no longer be considered a fad – and for
some reason, 200 always seemed the magic
number. It’s an indicator that we’re no
longer in our infancy, but in an adolescence
of sorts, moving quickly into adulthood –
building strength and maturity as shown
by the affiliations, organizations and
individuals drawn to this industry. As the
industry expands into multiplexes and
more commercial markets, what does this
mean to the future of the educational
market? It’s our view that, along with the
general public as the primary market for
theatres, a healthy school group business
is critical to a theatre’s success.
The demand for educational product
remains high among all theatres.
Commercial venues are scheduling
educational films to attract schools and
groups during the day. Institutions, with
educational films as their mainstay, are
increasingly augmenting their evening
programs with double bills and more
commercial films. This overlapping of
interests is one of the reasons there is
almost double the number of active film
distributors of large-format films today
than five years ago. This is good news for
theatres because, in terms of films, they
have never had so much choice. Of the
estimated 35 or more 15/70 films scheduled
(or already in release) for 1999 or 2000
release, traditional science and natural
history documentaries make up the
largest category with 43 per cent of the
titles, followed by commercial subjects
with 24 per cent. The balance consists
of destination films, human history
and sports topics, all featuring a strong
educational component.
This year IMAX Film Distribution is
releasing three new films. Along with
Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box are two
natural history subjects – Island of the
Sharks and Galapagos. We’re currently
in production on Cyberworld and Space
Station 3D (working titles), both of which
will come with a full educational package.
In the past five years, IMAX has taken
major strides in becoming a family
entertainment company with an
internationally-recognized brand that
stands for high quality, entertaining and
educational programming. Whether the
films are primarily fictional or traditional
documentary, shown in a multiplex or
in a museum, IMAX continues to be
committed to producing a strong
educational component to accompany
most of the IMAX-distributed films.
Specifically, Into The Deep, Special Effects,
Africa’s Elephant Kingdom, T-REX: Back
to the Cretaceous and Cosmic Voyage have
proven to be strong draws for school
groups over the past few years. Over
this period, we increased our spending
on educational materials to include an
educational sales mailer as part of our
standard package, which includes a
comprehensive study guide booklet and
educational information on our website.
As we look ahead, we plan to enhance
our educational package further, based
on feedback from theatres and educators.
For example, in the second part of a twophase “facelift” being given our website
we plan to enhance the educational
content with more information for
educators and more interactive material
for students. We are currently polling
group and education sales managers at
all theatres with a comprehensive survey
asking for information and feedback
about materials and sales activity and
will share global results in future issues
of this newsletter.
Sue Mander can be reached at
smander@imax.com
Galapagos
Educational Package
The Smithsonian Institution’s National
Museum of Natural History recently opened
the new Johnson IMAX Theater and will launch
Galapagos in 3D in late October.With thousands
of students visiting the museum each year,
Laura McKie, Assistant Director of Education,
and the museum’s public programs staff expect
to face a heavy demand for education materials.
In response, a comprehensive teacher’s guide
for the film is being developed by the National
Science Teachers Association. NSTA is also
creating an educational classroom poster and
a dedicated website, scheduled to go on-line in
December 1999, will be available for educators
and students alike.These materials will support
the National Science Education Standards in the
Life and Earth Sciences for students in grades
five through eight on topics such as heredity,
speciation, diversity and adaptation of organisms.
The educational poster and an accompanying
article will be published in the January 2000
issue of NSTA’s Science Scope magazine.
For the first time a comprehensive family
guide will accompany the film. Developed by
the Institute of Learning Innovation, this guide
will feature games, stories, puzzles and activities
for families with children ages five through 13.
McKie worked with a broad group of advisors
and consultants, including educators, scientists
and classroom teachers, as well as the Charles
Darwin Foundation and the Embassy of
Ecuador in the development of these
resources. Financial support was received
from the National Science Foundation.
For more information, visit the Galapagos
web site at http://www.nmnh.si.edu/galapagos
3
Verkehrshaus der Schweiz, Lucerne, Switzerland
The IMAX theatre in Lucerne, a beautiful small town in Switzerland
with a population of only 60,000, drew 515,000 people in 1998.
Their triumph, in building awareness of the IMAX brand from
ground zero, is a beacon for both institutional and commercial
theatres in Europe. Peter Hauri highlights the successful results
of identifying a clear strategy.
The Swiss Transport Museum –
Appeal to the Emotions
by Pe ter Haur i, Ver kehrshaus der Schwe iz
Thanks to the innovative spirit of director
Fredy Rey and the management, the museum
decided to invest in Switzerland’s first IMAX
theatre. It is located at the entrance to the
precinct of Verkehrshaus der Schweiz (Swiss
Transport Museum) in Lucerne, probably
Switzerland’s most attractive tourist centre
situated on the shores of Switzerland’s beautiful
Lake Lucerne. The goal was to create a main
attraction to the museum that was fully in
tune with the times and would appeal to a
large numbers of visitors. The IMAX Theatre
opened its doors to the public on July 1, 1996
and I am pleased to report that these
expectations have been exceeded.
Communications philosophy
and positioning
From inception, we sought to use the available
budget and resources to ensure that the
Key Messages
· The IMAX Theatre is the new key attraction
in the Verkehrshaus and greatly enhances the
experience gained by a visit to this institution.
· The IMAX Theatre also acts as an independent
element that offers its very own form of
experience in special programs.
· For the supporting organizations, partners and
sponsors, the IMAX Theatre symbolizes the will
to enhance the attractiveness of the Verkehrshaus
in order to secure its financial independence.
· For sponsors, the IMAX quality label is a way of
linking up with state-of-the-art technology and
quality and to display their message within a
supportive but instructive leisure environment.
· The IMAX Theatre offers travel and tourist
organizers an outstanding product whose quality
label is already familiar to many foreign guests.
IMAX theatre would become as well known
as possible within the shortest possible time
and that it subsequently would remain as an
exceptional venue.
Beyond facts that needed to be communicated,
we felt strongly that all communications would
meet our goals only if they addressed the
emotional aspect of The IMAX Experience and
brought out clear audience benefits. The initial
appeal should be to the emotions, and the
justification follows afterwards. This must be
done consistently in a way that arouses the
curiosity of the target group – in this case as
broad a public as possible – and evokes a lively
response from the press.
Marketing Campaign
The marketing and PR campaign for our IMAX
Theatre consisted of two phases. In the first
phase, we had to say, very loudly, that there was
something new at the Swiss Transport Museum;
because brand awareness in Switzerland was
nearly zero, we had to explain to our public what
The IMAX Experience meant. The aim of our
opening campaign was to stimulate dialogue.
In the second phase, we focused the attention
of the public on the films, always trying to
design exceptional creative campaigns that
would ensure the theatre’s continued appeal to
the public. To launch this phase, we organized
a film festival three months after the opening.
The idea was to give the public a glimpse of
what would happen during the next few years
on this giant screen. We executed remarkable
marketing campaigns for our film openings,
such as the well known Whale-Fluke in Lucerne,
the “Penguins on Ice” on several lakes of
Switzerland and the beaver-worked tree-trunks
in major shopping malls and train stations
throughout the region.
TO ASSIST IN PEOPLE’S PRONUNCIATION
OF THE WORD “IMAX” THE FOCUS OF THE
OPENING CAMPAIGN WAS BASED ON A
GIANT EGG WITH CHICKENS AS A PICTORIAL
RIDDLE.WITH “EI” (PRONOUNCED “I”)
MEANING EGG AND “MAX” AS A NAME,WE
ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO QUESTION “WHAT
EXACTLY ARE EGG AND MÄX, OR EIMÄX?”
This was the core of our two-fold campaign
which has stood us in good stead as brand
awareness has grown and we have benefitted
from a very successful theatre.
Our hopes for the future
of the IMAX brand
The market is in a critical phase: on the one
hand, it has to grow; on the other hand, it must
not lose its value. The value, in my view, is based
on two overriding factors: high quality family
entertainment with educational content; and
a certain exclusivity of the experience which
should not be available just around the corner.
Peter Hauri can be reached at imax@verkehrshaus.org
Cinema Plus by Nick Nichles, Cine ma P lus
Assaulting the Senses
Cinema Plus Limited operates a total of six IMAX theatres, including theatres in Thailand and New Zealand. Four are a vital part of their
communities in Australia, including their flagship, the Panasonic IMAX theatre in Sydney. It was the recent recipient of the Major Tourist
Attraction of the year, an award bestowed by the New South Wales Tourism Council. Nick Nichles, director of marketing and programming
until August, 1999, has a proven track record in brand management. He was formerly vice president of marketing for McDonald’s, Australia.
To understand how we at Cinema Plus are trying to position the IMAX
brand in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, we need to define the
market we want to compete in. As a commercial operator, dedicated
to large format exhibition, we have to compete in the out-of-home
entertainment market. We compete with the zoos, museums, cinema
multiplexes and theme parks for the entertainment dollar.
We use the word “assault” because it is a much more active word than
immersive, which many people use to describe The IMAX Experience.
While there is the exhilaration of the physical sensation or the thrill of
exploration of the natural, the core brand essence is the involvement
guests feel when they come to an IMAX theatre. The dimensions of
their involvement are:
In this crowded market, we need to differentiate ourselves. Why should
people come and see a documentary on the World’s Biggest Screen (as
the screen in our Panasonic IMAX Theatre, Sydney is)? Is the size of a
movie screen enough to get people to part with their discretionary income?
Moreover, is it enough to get them to come a few times a year? The
name “IMAX” has to stand for something more than just a big screen.
Exotic, Empowering, Shared Emotion
The position we want to take in the market is as follows:
To families and young adults, the IMAX theatre is Australia’s biggest outof-home entertainer that provides an enriching and hedonistic experience
by assaulting their audio and visual senses in a safe, unique environment.
Our films lift the spirits; they transport guests to another world; they
heighten the senses and feed the need for fantasy and escape. The
audience shares the mood. In addition, the physical dimensions of the
building reinforce the sense of exhilaration and involvement, giving
guests an adrenaline rush.
Therefore, whenever we communicate with our guests (through
advertising or banners outside our theatres) we need to convey how
people will feel once they’ve seen a film in our theatre. For example, we
search to find the best single, big image from the film to use in all our
communication. We avoid montages or composites because this reduces
the size of what we’re trying to depict. Reducing the size of the image
lessens the impact and therefore our attempt to convey how guests
will feel when they’re in the theatre.
The brand essence is carried through our film marketing strategy.
Every film has the same strategy: To sell The IMAX Experience
through the film title. An example of an execution of this
strategy come from our marketing of T-REX. The headline
we used in our communication was: “Meet a star with huge
screen presence.”
Cinema Plus
IMAX Theatre Adelaide, Australia
IMAX Theatre Auckland, New Zealand
IMAX Theatre Brisbane, Australia
IMAX Theatre Melbourne,The Museum of Victoria, Australia
At Cinema Plus we hope that guests will continue to think of us
as a genuine alternative to their regular cinema-going experience.
They will only do that as long as the content continues to be
ground-breaking and of interest to them. We know that 79 per
cent of our guests have a re-visitation intention. They will come
back because they want to have their IMAX experience again
with a subject matter that interests them. This means we need to
promote great product.
Since Everest and T-REX and even Olympic Glory, or perhaps
because of, the rules for large-format filmmaking have changed.
We need documentaries that entertain, possess drama, plot and
narrative. When we have a consistent supply of those films, then our
guests will truly think of us as the next wave in filmed entertainment.
Krung Thai IMAX Theatre, Bangkok,Thailand
Panasonic IMAX Theatre Sydney, Australia
5
BMW Pavilion IMAX Cinema, Cape Town, South Africa
Mel Miller, a brand-savvy marketer, has always positioned
and promoted the BMW IMAX Cinema with exceptional
innovation and verve. Against South Africa’s unique
landscape, the theatre has proved to be a significant
success. Said a teacher from a disadvantaged community,
“I have been teaching for 28 years.You have done
more for my students in 40 minutes than I can do in
a whole year. Bless you for bringing IMAX to Africa.”
Miller’s passion for the brand, combined with his
irreverence for sacred cows, resulted in this thoughtprovoking piece.
BMW Pavilion
A Way of Life
“IMAX is more than a movie, it’s a way
of life!” jokes Vas, our Chief Projectionist.
A slight aberration of our 1994 launch strategy
“More than a movie – it’s an Experience,” it is
what most staffers at the BMW Pavilion IMAX
Cinema feel about the brand. This commitment
is one of the key success factors which has
enabled us to sell close to 2.5 million tickets
in just five years – a remarkable achievement
considering the size of the local IMAX theatregoing audience estimated at 100,000 people
who each visit the theatre five times a year –
topped-up by an additional 50,000 domestic
and international visitors a year.
Our key success factors are:
· Embracing and understanding
of the IMAX brand
· An enthusiastic team dedicated
to complete customer satisfaction
· Insightful film selection and programming
· A focus on a quality experience to
differentiate it from other film entertainment
· Driven by constant creative and innovative
marketing ideas
These have resulted in our IMAX theatre being
ranked amongst the top five visitor attractions
in Cape Town.
On a deeper, more altruistic level, the IMAX
Cinema is more than a way of life, it is a
commitment to making a difference by helping
to uplift the standard of education in South
Africa; to creating an appreciation and
by Mel Miller, Mille nium Ex potainme nt
responsibility for the natural environment in
which we live; to the opening up of hope and
opportunity to those that see none and the
stimulation of fertile minds that do.
York when Sony announced their SONY
IMAX Theatre) that the Disney organization
has bought Imax Ltd. when Fantasia 2000 runs
for a four-month window in IMAX theatres?
For us, The IMAX Experience is more than just
an immersive and enriching experience. With
over 250,000 school children having visited
our theatre, it is an immensely rewarding one.
Having helped initiate The IMAX Experience,
we believe our next task is to help identify the
key elements that define and constitute it.
Innovation and growth are the lifeblood of
Imax as they are of any business. Focused, they
can make the IMAX brand a formidable force.
Ill-defined, they are as different as film is to a
lens. But, bring them together and the “big
picture” is clear for all to see.
Currently, the primary focus is around the
IMAX product and its offerings – the technology
of the hardware (3D, PSE, QTRU, etc.) and the
content of the software (CGI in T-REX, etc.)
But even more fundamental is our need to
understand the very broad and widely defined
IMAX target group and their expectations of
the Brand – both now and into the future.
In the first instance, a clear, unequivocal
brand character is fundamental to the longterm success of the IMAX brand into the new
millennium – what is the IMAX brand and
what does it represent?
Disparate film content, confusing product
offerings and unfocused marketing led by
diverse strategy developments will make this
definition an all-but-impossible task. Consider
how the disastrous Nutcracker film together
with the glitzy Vegas Race for Atlantis motionbased IMAX attraction will affect the integrity
of Everest or Graeme Ferguson and Toni Myers’
new 3D space film? Or whether loyal IMAX
theatre patrons will think (as they did in New
In the second instance this focused character –
importantly the expectation it promises
and delivers – needs to be extended to every
customer interaction in order to make The
IMAX Experience a complete and total
experience as defined by our customers.
Whether they connect with the brand via
the Worldwide Web, how they purchase their
tickets, the physical contact they have with
the theatre and its personnel, through to the
quality of the screening and their final “takehome” impression, each contact constitutes
an element of the total experience.
Only when we have closed the loop will The
IMAX Experience be our competitive advantage
and product discriminator which distances us
from conventional entertainment. Until then
it will simply remain a slogan devoid of
promise and meaning.
We look forward to working with other likeminded groups within the IMAX network in
pursuit of this objective.
Mel Miller can be reached at melmiller@imax.co.za
Serving our
Guests’ Needs
Big Screen! Big Sound! Big Difference!
by Shanna Young, Famous Players
Famous Players has acted with a clear vision, boldly and with confidence, to change the entertainment
experience for movie-goers and to set a new standard for commercial exhibition in Canada. They now have a
record seven IMAX 3D theatres open across the country, a groundbreaking achievement and a great credit to
their IMAX Theatres team, headed by Laura Brillinger. Famous’ Executive Director for IMAX Marketing Shanna
Young details their quest for differentiation and how they have maximized the synergy between two leading brands.
In 1996, Famous Players launched plans for a three year, $500 million
building expansion in Canada, the largest in the Company’s 79-year
history. The result three years later has set the standard in North
America and perhaps the world for how guests can see and experience
movies. Our entertainment destinations, under brand names such as
Coliseum, Colossus, SilverCity and Paramount, are innovative,
stimulating, interactive venues that enable our guests to entertain
themselves while we offer them the most attentive and courteous
service. In addition to state-of-the-art conventional cinemas with
stadium seating and THX sound, we celebrate the art and fun of movies
with highly-themed lobbies, interactive game centers called TechTown
and an extended and unique range of concession food items such as
Starbucks, Pizza Hut, New York Fries and Surf City Squeeze.
An important and strategic component to this larger expansion program
is the establishment of our national circuit of Famous Players IMAX 3D
Theatres within these spectacular entertainment complexes. Our rollout of theatres has been swift and aggressive. In the period between
December 1998 and June 1999, we have successfully launched
seven IMAX Theatres in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and
Edmonton. This initiative reflects the company’s constant
search to address our guests’ needs and fully round out the
entertainment options that we can provide. Importantly,
the IMAX and IMAX 3D system provides a different,
unique and high quality film experience for our guests.
brand is a perfect complement to the Famous Players proposition of
“Big Screen, Big Sound, Big Difference.” The IMAX brand brings some
of the same qualities to the table with giant screens, advanced sound
systems and an incredible in-theatre experience. Famous Players
IMAX Theatres will attract the much coveted daytime audience to our
entertainment destinations as well as expand and broaden The IMAX
Experience ‘reach’ by capitalizing on traffic from the conventional side of
the business including a younger demographic and night-time audience.
Our short term goals for the IMAX brand are to continue to establish
each of the facilities and maximize broad awareness and trial of them.
Longer term we see our circuit continuing to be an integral part of
the Famous Players “big” experience, experimenting with different
marketing strategies and tactics to meet our guests’ needs and being
well positioned to take advantage of the increased volume of largeformat film releases to come.
Shanna Young can be reached at syoung@famousplayers.ca
The synergies between our two leading brands is
powerful. Effectively, Famous Players IMAX Theatres
bring the best of the large-format and conventional
cinema worlds together. We recognized that the IMAX
Famous Players IMAX Theatres, Canada
Colossus Langley, British Columbia
Colossus,Vaughan, Ontario
Coliseum, Mississauga, Ontario
Famous Players Paramount, Montreal, Quebec
Famous Players Paramount,Toronto, Ontario
SilverCity Edmonton, Alberta
SilverCity Riverport, Richmond, British Columbia
7
Coming of Age
by Victor ia D innick, Communicat ions
©A.M.P.A.S.®
I
n Amsterdam, on June 24 this year, IMAX was awarded Cinema Expo
International’s first Technical Achievement Award. More important
than the recognition of the excellent technology was the endorsement
of IMAX’s commercialization of the large-format medium and the
Company’s pre-eminent position in that medium.
Of the 60 films listed weekly in Variety’s top grossing box office
listing, up to nine in one week have been large-format films.
The IMAX brand is permeating the mainstream film industry.
Almost 30 years old, it has extraordinary value, meaning and
durability. The fact that commercial and institutional theatres
want to program educational films during the day and
more commercial films on evenings and weekends is a major
milestone. The commercial operators recognize the day-time
drawing power of top quality large-format educational content
and IMAX intends to continue to lead the way in the provision
of that content.
“IMAX technology represents a quantum leap in the world of
film exhibition,” says Jimmy Sunshine, co-managing director
of Sunshine Group Worldwide which produces Cinema Expo
International. “As we go forward, these theatres are becoming
one of the most significant ways cinema exhibitors can
differentiate themselves from one another regardless of locale.”
Endorsements for The IMAX Experience are coming in from
a wide range of areas. Publications that are among the most
respected in the marketing and branding arena have taken note
of the progress of the IMAX brand. Advertising Age magazine’s
special ‘Marketing 100’ issue (June 1999) listed The IMAX
Experience among their top 100 brands, products and services
which have captured the interest of the North American public.
IMAx was listed along with e-Bay, iMac, The Phantom Menace
and The VW Beetle, to name a few.
This award is not something a company can lobby for. The
selection process for this honor is triggered by public acclamation,
the most important endorsement a brand can get. A panel of
editors selects what brands, products and services are getting a
lot of consumer attention, what are people on the street talking
about, and what’s on the cutting edge for the year. The top 100
brands are driven by both marketing and popular culture. The
inclusion of the IMAX brand reflects the coming of age of the
large-format medium and the rapid growth of brand awareness
over the last few years.
When the Sony IMAX theatre opened in 1994 in New York,
Sony’s head office felt that the strength of the Sony brand
precluded the use of IMAX in the name of the theatre. Company
officials thought long and hard about what they could name their
theatre, for example The Sony Grand. At the end of the day, Sony
requested a license for the IMAX brand, to stand beside their
name because of what IMAX stands for – the next best thing to
being there. The IMAX brand has come to mean the most highend, immersive, transporting experience available, something
that can’t be found anywhere else.
The benefits of using the brand
have been recognized by many
theatres and their remarkable
success stories have helped
the IMAX brand achieve the
awareness levels it now enjoys.
For example, the Museum of
Natural History in New York
used to call their IMAX theatre
the Naturemax Theatre. The
increased awareness of the brand
generated by the Sony IMAX
theatre in New York, and other
theatres like the Smithsonian’s
Langley IMAX Theatre, persuaded them that it was in their
interest to look at a name change. Today, one of the results
of their name change is increased attendance.
IMAX’s strategic focus has also extended to projects with
Hollywood. There were many opportunities available to the
Company but the best partnership for the growth of the brand
was with Disney. Positioning the IMAX brand with the Disney
brand,
in addition to their very strong Fantasia 2000 property, is an
incredible opportunity for IMAX. The Disney marketing
machine and Disney magic will bring more people to IMAX
theatres for the first time than ever before, opening up a whole
new audience to us. Research shows that 96 per cent of people
who go to an IMAX theatre will recommend it to a friend and 83
per cent intend to come back to the theatre in the next year.
Fantasia 2000 should make a permanent change in the size of the
network’s audience.
If the medium is still in its infancy, it is certainly moving from
a crawl to a walk at an incredible pace. Get ready to run.
Victoria Dinnick can be reached at vdinnick@imax.com
Africa’s Elephant Kingdom: A Discovery Channel Pictures Release. Everest: A MacGillivray Freeman Film. Presented by Polartec®. Mission To Mir: ©MCMXCVII Imax Corporation/Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Across The Sea Of Time: A Stephen Low Production. A Sony Pictures Classics Release. Special Effects: ©WGBH Educational Foundation. To Fly: Produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films for Francis Thompson Inc.
and the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Cosmic Voyage: ©MCMXCVI Smithsonian Institution and the Motorola Foundation. Into The Deep: ©ANM II Limited Partnership 1994.
The Dream Is Alive: ©MCMLXXXV Smithsonian Institution/Lockheed Martin Corporation.
91
Sony
IMAX Theatres
CREATING A BUZZ
by Mar y Jane Dodge, Loe w s Cine plex Enter tainme nt
The first key development that changed the face of Imax Corporation after it
went public in June, 1994 was the opening of the Sony IMAX Theatre in New York.
Sony introduced The IMAX Experience into the mainstream and showed that the
medium had enormous potential. With theatres in Tokyo, Chicago, San Francisco,
and a fifth soon to open in Berlin, Sony continues to push the IMAX brand forward
internationally with flair. Mary Jane Dodge, a veteran of the IMAX industry, talks
about how The IMAX Experience was introduced into one of the most competitive
entertainment environments in the world.
When we opened the Sony IMAX Theatre,
no one knew what to expect. It had never been
done before in a consumer movie complex in a
major city in the U.S. We were also introducing
a new 3D technology with personal sound (PSE).
Everyone was on pins and needles.
The IMAX brand was not well established in
New York. At that time, the two other giantscreen theatres – the Naturemax at the
Museum of Natural History and the Kodak
Omni Theater at Liberty Science Center – did
not use IMAX in their names. We discussed
many names, but in the end we chose Sony
IMAX Theatre because it represented two
important things – quality and innovation.
These things fit perfectly with the Sony brand.
Five years later, the success of the theatre
speaks for itself. Knowledge and understanding
of the IMAX brand has now increased
incredibly in New York. Whenever I meet
people and I say I’m from the Sony IMAX
Theatre, everyone says “Oh, that giant screen
on Broadway!” Promoting the size of the
screen – eight stories high – and the 3D
technology plus Sonics’ sound really caught
on in this city. It’s become the definition of
what The IMAX Experience is.
When we opened the Sony IMAX Theatre,
we pulled out all the stops. We explored every
advertising, publicity and promotion we could
possibly do – and then doubled them.
This complex was a new concept in moviegoing and Sony Theatre’s flagship. We were
paying homage to the great movie palaces of
the past and looking towards the future. That’s
why The IMAX Experience played a critical role.
We had three simultaneous promotional
campaigns: national, international and local.
The media hard hat tours really created a buzz.
Of course, The New York Times was critical to
our success. We gave them the works and they
responded with intensive coverage, including
an editorial about the theatre by Frank Rich,
a legendary theatre critic who could make or
break a Broadway play.
it gives people something to talk about.
This has contributed to our success: having
a familiar name to use and building on that
name helps fill the seats.
Mary Jane Dodge can be reached at
mary_jane_dodge@loewscpx.com
Nobody knew for sure if it would work –
we took a chance on leading with such a
high-profile opening – sometimes you fall
flat on your face. New Yorkers expect to
have the best and we were all thrilled that
this theatre was really embraced – an
overnight success. Even David Letterman
mentions it in his monologues.
We were sold out for the first six months.
There was a tremendous amount of press
both here and in Japan and it was a great
source of pride to Sony.
When we launched in San Francisco as part
of a 15-plex, the IMAX Theatre was again
the focal point of most of the PR. The Sony
IMAX Theatre at Metreon, in the heart of the
downtown, is the first IMAX theatre in the city.
The theatre has had great success so far and the
growing awareness of the IMAX brand has
played a significant part in our success.
A 3D image on a screen eight stories tall not
only provides a unique movie-going experience,
Sony IMAX Theatres
Metreon IMAX Theatre, San Francisco, USA
Navy Pier IMAX Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Sony IMAX Theatre, Sony Theatres at Lincoln
Square, New York, USA
Tokyo IMAX Theatre, Japan
John Mackay, a respected member of the museum community
in the U.S., is committed to the IMAX brand and to preserving
its integrity.The power of The IMAX Experience to educate and
enrich people’s lives was fundamental to the decision to build an IMAX
theatre as an integral part of a new science and technology centre
designed to revitalize Birmingham’s core. Supportive of Imax’s
expansion and the growing awareness of the brand, he
cautions that the growth must be managed with sensitivity.
McWane
Center
A Winning Combination
by John Mackay, McWane Ce nter
It seems like only yesterday Birmingham threw a huge party for itself
as McWane Center was unveiled to an eager public! Eyes blinked in
amazement, fingers pointed wildly and strands of vowels formed words
that previously were spoken by only the coolest of teenagers. It was
the opening of McWane Center and the IMAX Dome John W. Woods
Theater. On July 11, 1998, over 12,000 first-day visitors of all ages
encountered a world-class science and technology center and its
IMAX theatre – the ultimate theatre-going experience. The combined
experience has had an incredible impact and has now reached more
than half a million visitors in McWane Center’s first year of operation.
From the beginning, it was our goal to establish an educational
attraction and resource that represented the highest quality. Through
state-of-the-art exhibits, engaging programs, and the integrity of The
IMAX Experience, McWane Center has accomplished this goal. Citizens
of Birmingham now take great pride in associating themselves with
McWane Center and its IMAX theatre. By offering visitors an experience
unlike any other, the IMAX brand echoes and amplifies the mission
of the science center. Jim Walker, our theatre director, encourages
us during these first few years to emphasize this “experience” in our
promotions, rather than the attributes of a specific film. With a
consistently simple message, people now have come to know what
it means to experience the adventure of McWane Center and the
IMAX Theater – it’s a winning combination!
Public recognition of the IMAX brand has been a key element in
McWane Center’s marketing success. “Top of mind” awareness of the
brand provided the impetus we needed to sell the first phase capital
campaign. It has always been a “one-two punch” with the theatre and
McWane Center. The punch continues to land powerfully on a market
that now has three IMAX theatres operating in Alabama as well as three
others within a two-and-a-half hour drive from Birmingham. Although
IMAX theatres are multiplying rapidly, I think the brand has, for the
McWane Center IMAX Dome John W.Woods Theater, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
most part, continued to be associated with organizations of high stature
in other cities around the world. This fact has not been lost on the
people who live here as well.
IMAX and McWane Center together can have a tremendous social and
economic impact on this community. Looking to the future, I hope that
IMAX will keep in mind the tremendous investment often made by local
citizens and public entities in establishing institutional theatres such as
ours. It is important not to misstep in a fashion which could result in
failure for a currently successful theatre.
There are great expectations that McWane Center will reverse downtown
decay and rekindle the spirit of the city center. There can be no doubt
that we have a mission in Birmingham of a higher order, and just as
important as the bottom line, our success as community builders already
speaks volumes about the power of the IMAX brand. In Birmingham,
“IMAX” has become a name which melds into our public psyche, and
the IMAX Dome theatre is a major source of growing civic pride.
As IMAX continues to develop, I hope that it does not endanger its now
venerated brand by diluting the experience through over-saturation and
eventual banality. I am concerned that we risk a huge shift in public
perception in the next few years of growth. Whereas current public
opinion of The IMAX Experience is “out-of-the-ordinary,” it quickly
could become one which is deemed as “commonplace.” Yes, it’s all about
presentation. I believe that the physical setting, quality of associated
venues of the theatre as well as films selected, all translate directly into
the experience theatre-goers have, remember and tell others about.
Keep The IMAX Experience “special” and it will continue to be the
remarkable, powerful, medium it is today.
John Mackay can be reached at jmackay@mcwane.org
11
The Smithsonian Institution
Symbol of
Excellence
by Br idge t Shea, Smiths onian Inst itut ion
The Smithsonian Institution’s leadership has been essential to the growth of the medium in the institutional world from its early days.
The opening of the IMAX theatre at the National Air and Space Museum in 1976 was a pivotal point. Together with NASA, the Smithsonian
and Imax produced a series of space films which have taken more than 100 million people into space. The opening of a second IMAX
theatre – at the National Museum of Natural History – was another defining moment. Bridget Shea, manager of the NMNH’s Johnson
IMAX Theater, and former manager of NASM’s Langley IMAX Theater, tells the story.
Smithsonian visitors no longer say, “IMAX, what is that?” They now say,
“IMAX, let’s go see that!” With a theatre open since 1976 at the National
Air and Space Museum, The Smithsonian has run more 15/70 films than
just about anyone. During the past five years we have witnessed a surge
in IMAX brand name recognition. We welcome a truly international
audience as well as serving visitors from across the United States and
Canada. We are able to see trends in visitor expectations and knowledge
of the experience that is beyond the effects of our regionally-based
marketing efforts. IMAX’s goal of positioning their brand name in the
film industry has paid off for all theatres.
Imax’s efforts to brand the “IMAX” name and market it
to a worldwide audience was one of the factors that
the Smithsonian considered in choosing a 15/70
projection system for the new theatre located
in the National Museum of Natural History.
During the several years it took to complete
the final design and make a system selection,
the IMAX brand grew in recognition
and eventually the decision was made to
incorporate the brand into the Johnson
IMAX Theater name. Earlier this year
the IMAX name was added to the Air
and Space Museum’s theatre name,
making it the Langley IMAX Theater in
order to capitalize on the high brand
recognition among their diverse audience.
With an Institution that is 153 years old,
incorporating a brand name into a new
addition or a valued asset is a significant
and weighty decision.
The Smithsonian name is a longstanding, revered symbol of
traditional values, excellence in
research and extensive exhibition
of the nation’s priceless treasures.
Serious consideration of our visitors’
expectations and the Institution’s need to ensure that
its reputation is always maintained in the strictest manner has led to
debate over the past years about the use of brand names in recognition of
generous donations or, as in the case of the IMAX theatres, the use of a
recognizable name that defines an experience. In the end, it was accepted
that the brand name IMAX does indeed now describe a unique filmgoing experience and that to serve our customers, we chose to incorporate
the brand into the identity of both the established and new Smithsonian
15/70 theatres.
Since the Johnson IMAX Theater is the second 15/70 theatre at the
Smithsonian, it was necessary to help visitors locate the new theatre
inside another museum and establish an identity that is
unique and understandable.
We are experiencing very little confusion
as to where the Johnson Theater is
located and what movie-going
experience is being offered. When
you hear a visitor say, “Hey, they have
an IMAX theatre here, let’s go,” you
know you have made the right decision
to use the brand name to effectively
communicate what you are selling with
as few words as possible.
The Smithsonian’s two
theatres each have a strong,
separate identity, and with the
inclusion of the IMAX brand name,
visitors can expect the unique, high-quality
educational experience that both the
Smithsonian and IMAX names promise.
Bridget Shea can be reached at
shea.bridget@nmnh.sci.edu
Smithsonian Institution,Washington, D.C., USA
National Air and Space Museum,
Langley IMAX Theater
National Museum of Natural History,
Johnson IMAX Theater
Galapagos: ©1999 Smithsonian Institution and Imax Ltd.
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION’S RICH TRADITION OF MAKING FILMS FOR THE
IMAX THEATRE NETWORK, FROM THEIR INITIAL INVESTMENT IN TO FLY TO THEIR
CHRONICLING OF THE GROWTH OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE PROGRAM,
HAS HELPED TO DEFINE THE IMAX BRAND FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.THEIR
NEWEST 15/70 PRODUCTION, GALAPAGOS,WILL PREMIERE IN OCTOBER AT THE
NMNH AND EMBODIES THE DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AND
PRESENTATION THAT HAS LONG BEEN THEIR HALLMARK.
Blue Planet: ©MCMXC Smithsonian
Institution/Lockheed Martin Corporation
Mission To Mir: ©MCMXCVII Imax
Corporation/Lockheed Martin Corporation
The Dream Is Alive:
©MCMLXXXV Smithsonian Institution/
Lockheed Martin Corporation
13
IMAX Brand
Brand
Associations
by Ashle y Kons on, Affiliate Mar ke t ing
Consumers generally perceive that the IMAX brand promises a filmed entertainment experience
like no other, and conjures up powerful associations of high quality, entertaining and enriching
“first person” experiences for the whole family.
The inherent value of the IMAX brand is that it reinforces
favourable and unique perceptions in the minds of our consumers.
These perceptions support the local IMAX theatre’s inclusion on
their entertainment consideration lists and positively influences
their decision-making process.
Most branding experts believe that a brand’s value is either
polished (enhanced) or tarnished (diminished) through every
point of contact with potential customers. Customer contacts
that communicate and reinforce the appropriate IMAX brand
associations will polish the value of the brand in the minds of
consumers, whilst those that do not will tarnish it. Successfully
branding The IMAX Experience requires a rigorous approach to
your marketing and operational efforts and a determination to
“polish” the IMAX brand by emphasizing the appropriate brand
associations at every point of contact with your customers.
Sergio Zyman, two-time marketing czar of Coca-Cola and one of
the most respected and influential marketers in the world today,
recently commented, “if you want to win you are going to have to
have discipline, determination and a well-thought-out playbook.
You are going to have to develop a strategy. Know that strategy
is everything… because if you want to establish a clear image
[of your brand] in the minds of consumers, you first need a clear
image in your own mind.”
By definition therefore, successfully branding The IMAX
Experience in your theatre must begin with a determination of
the desired associations that you will need to create in the minds
of your customers and the creative strategies to do so at every
point of contact with them. Ultimately your success will be
determined by the degree to which your new marketing and
operating culture enables you to “program” these associations
in the minds of your customers.
In reality, good marketing is as much of a science as it is an art.
While space is too short to discuss it here, psychologists have
developed an authoritative associative network memory model
which adds significant credibility to the value of this approach
to branding your theatre. Undoubtedly, ensuring a consistent
expression of the appropriate IMAX brand associations in all
advertising and other communication strategies and through
theatre design, aesthetics, concessions and guest services
strategies will ensure that you continue to polish The IMAX
Experience rather than tarnish it… always!
Ashley Konson can be reached at akonson@imax.com
An Exercise in Co-Branding
by Michael Alt man, Affiliate Mar ke t ing
The Esquire Theatre is a Sacramento landmark originally opened in 1940. Beautifully restored in
art deco style, the theatre was re-opened in July by Imax’s Theatre Group as the Esquire IMAX
Theatre. From the beginning, the marketing strategy was to leverage significant public relations
efforts and create awareness and trial of The IMAX Experience at The Esquire IMAX Theatre
by motivating consumers to go and see the films T-REX: Back to the Cretaceous and Everest.
The advertising tag line reflects this theatre/film co-branding strategy – The Esquire IMAX
Theatre. Movies Like No Other.The visual style for both theatre signage and advertising
emphasized a “first person,” immersive and entertaining movie experience. So far, response by
the consumer has been excellent. Examples of print and out-of-home advertising and signage
can be found on IMAX Affiliates Online.
Michael Altman can be reached at maltman@imax.com
Big Screen Cinema - Projektgesellschaft, Germany
Discovery IMAX Theatre Potsdamer Platz, Berlin
Forum der Technik, Munich
Dr. Dieter Buchwald is one of the greatest innovators
on the IMAX landscape, consistently and persistently
leading new approaches in film programming and
marketing the IMAX brand at his two successful
theatres in Munich and Berlin.The Discovery IMAX
Theatre Potsdamer Platz, Berlin surpassed the
one million visitor mark after only eight months
in operation, underlining the value of the unusual
programming philosophy Dr. Buchwald pioneered at
the Munich theatre. Ines Boehm, marketing manager
at the Forum der Technik in Munich, explains the
challenges they had to overcome.
!"#$%&'(#&)(*+,-.
Forging Our Own Path
by Ines B oehm, For um der Technik
We opened as the first IMAX theatre in Germany in November 1992.
Most of our audience had never heard the word “IMAX” before, only
those who had visited the U.S. and had been to an IMAX theatre over
there. We had to start to build the IMAX brand for Germany completely
by ourselves with no support. The only help we had was the IMAX
logo which certainly attracts attention. But other than that, we had very
limited choices of making the public aware of what IMAX really means.
The materials we received from Imax at that time were very poor. Even
to build awareness that “IMAX” is pronounced as in English and not as
a German would say, “E-M-A-X”, took us quite some time.
In 1996, when we launched our IMAX 3D theatre with New York –
Across the Sea of Time we experienced the same lack of marketing
material as we did a few years before. Nothing had been done so far to
capture The IMAX 3D Experience in pictures. The only famous print,
which probably everyone is familiar with, is the puma jumping into the
audience – and this is painted! This is just a small example of how we
had to forge our own path in building the IMAX brand.
Our program offers hourly shows from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 11 p.m. on
the weekends. Dieter Buchwald also created an innovative new form of
film programming which differs from those in other countries. To this
day we are still playing Blue Planet and Grand Canyon, films we started
with at the beginning, as part of a mix of 12 different films (eight 2D
films and four 3D films).
We feel that the success of the IMAX brand is really a result of the effort
each IMAX theatre has put into marketing the brand and creating its
attractiveness. The IMAX brand itself is not sufficient to be a success.
It is the people at the IMAX theatres who are achieving it. To make this
effort a bit easier, we would hope that the support from Imax will
increase, of course. The longer the IMAX brand exists, the more effort
we have to put in keeping The IMAX Experience alive and vivacious.
The challenges to market the giant-screen experience will be greater
when The IMAX Experience becomes an “older” product and when it
starts to lose the excitement of the “new.”
Ines Boehm can be reached at boehm@fdt.de
Thanks to Dr. Dieter Buchwald, we established the IMAX theatre as an
attraction for residents and tourists alike as a gigantic movie-experience.
15
GALAPAGOS ©1999 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND LTD.
CYBER WORLD PHOTO: SATOSHI KITIHARA - FLIP BOOK: GLASS CITY
ISLAND OF THE SHARKS ©1999 WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
SIEGFRIED & ROY: THE MAGIC BOX ©MCMXCIX MAGIC BOX PRODUCTIONS