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Author Topic: Need ad ideas for theatre upgrade - help! Ray Bernardi Expert Film Handler Posts: 120 From: Antrim, NH, USA Registered: Feb 2003 posted 04-28-2003 08:58 PM                     I've got a few other threads going about my theatre upgrade here in NH - it's all starting to happen. D-day is fast approaching. We close our doors on May 8th and reopen on May 15th with the Matrix reloaded. I need ad copy in by Wednesday this week to announce the upgrade and premiere. I'm going to run half page ads in the local papers and I have two interviews set up with the papers as well. They are going to run feature stories on the upgrade and give me some free publicity. For the half page ads I want tag line ideas - Here's a few I've come up with - They probably suck, but hey - I'm trying... 1) MATRIX RELOADED 05.15.03 THEATRE RELOADED 2) Remember that quiet little theatre in downtown Peterborough? It ain’t so quiet anymore! 3) Finally - More bass than Franklin pierce lake! (that's a local lake around here) 4) We've got the nicest rack in town! Sound rack that is. (my wife came up with that one believe it or not) That's about all I got right now - I have plenty of other ad copy for the main ad, but I'm having a real biotch of a time with a tag line. You guys seem pretty creative... any suggestions or ideas? One quick saying that gets the point across? Remember, I'm going from a 20 watt mono PA system on radio shack speakers (that's no joke) to a new 5-channel Ultra-stereo surround sound system pushing 1.8 kilowatts of raw power to 8 cinematic pro JBL speakers topped off with 18-inch subwoofers cranking out thundering bass! Put on your advertising executive hats and help me out here.....  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-28-2003 09:09 PM                        I kind of like the MATRIX RELOADED <> THEATRE RELOADED idea. I would go all-out to give specifics on the sound upgrades: Mention the format ("State-Of-The-Art 6-Channel Dolby Digital Surround Sound" or whatever it is), use the JBL brand name, brag about the wattage and the subwoofer.  |  IP: Logged David Favel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 764 From: Ashburton, New Zealand Registered: Feb 2002 posted 04-28-2003 10:17 PM                     Do a few "late & loud" sessions.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-28-2003 10:50 PM                     If you are going to brag about amplifier power and sound systems I have four things for you to consider: #1 Please do not use the line "state-of-the-art". It is SOOOOOOOOOOOO overused and unbelieveably corny. If you are going to use that, you mine as well claim to have a "solid state" sound system, as that would be just as lame. #2 If you are going to brag about your sound system, it had better be pretty damn good. It would be embarassing if you advertised about your new "super duper mega phiggidy sound system" and then it didn't really sound all that great because your acoustics still need work or your installation tech isn't that good. #3 Also remember, boasting a big sound system means it had better sound good loud and you had better play it loud. #4 Don't forget the bumper stickers on your sound rack. A sound system cannot be super duper mega awesome without them!  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-28-2003 11:01 PM                        I've always remembered the ads where someone sitting listening to their system is "blown away", as if by a strong wind. Maybe run an ad that includes a photo of some people sitting in your theatre with hair, glasses, and clothing askew from the impact of the sound. Get someone to certify that your theatre sound system violates OSHA guidelines when the sound system is turned up all the way (and assure people you don't routinely do this). Put your theatre's name on a list of "typical" sound levels in decibels: http://www.ourhealdsburg.com/noise/sound_comparison_table.htm http://members.aol.com/motionizer/page28.html http://www.healthyconnections.com/library/noise.html Run a contest with a sound level meter challenging anyone to shout at a higher volume than your sound system can produce. Get a local newspaper to run a story and photos of your new sound system being installed. Publicize a ceremony to destroy the amplifier and speakers from your old sound system with a sledge-hammer. Leave the empty speaker shipping boxes stacked in front of your theatre. Offer a big prize to anyone who can bring in and set up their home audio system and speakers in your theatre and beat the sound quality. You may need to set a price limit on how much they spent on it.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 04-28-2003 11:44 PM                     You could brag that your sound system has the ability to make small children cry and old people themselves at the SAME TIME!! I like Theater Reloaded and The Nicest RACK In Town! Actually, you could probably use them both: Theater Reloaded as the heading and "We've got the nicest RACK in town...sound rack!" at the bottom, or next to a pic of your sound rack. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Jason Whyte Expert Film Handler Posts: 132 From: Victoria, BC, Canada Registered: Sep 2002 posted 04-29-2003 02:42 AM                        Ray, If you're featured in your local newspaper, have yourself photographed in the auditorium, you in the foreground with the screen in the background. That's worked wonders here for local theater owners. I've looked around but not seen pics of your auditorium. I'm VERY curious if you have any. Jason  |  IP: Logged Ray Bernardi Expert Film Handler Posts: 120 From: Antrim, NH, USA Registered: Feb 2003 posted 04-29-2003 05:58 AM                     quote: I've looked around but not seen pics of your auditorium. I'm VERY curious if you have any. I will be adding pics very soon. quote: #4 Don't forget the bumper stickers on your sound rack. A sound system cannot be super duper mega awesome without them OF COURSE! Why didn't I think of that!!!!!  |  IP: Logged Gerard S. Cohen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 975 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-29-2003 07:31 AM                     I understand your emphasis on the volume of sound, but aren't some people turned off by sheer loudness? City people are offended by jerks who park their sports cars with all doors and windows open, blasting neighborhoods with insane monotonous noise. (Maybe your small-town patrons have not experienced this.) Sprint ads take another tack, at least on PBS. Their icon is a pin dropping in slow notion, making a clear crystal sound. If the sound system is crafted so that "you could hear a pin drop," dialog and music will sound their best. "Our theatre will destroy your hearing" appeals to masochists, it seems to me.  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 04-29-2003 09:31 AM                        We've been running "teaser" advertisements in the local county and community newspapers for the last month or so, just to stir up interest in our new Drive-In Theatre. About once a week for the last 4 weeks. Our screen contractor is coming next Monday to erect our 59.5 foot x 25 foot tower, (the bottom of the screen will be 16 feet above the ground). I had thought about running a little "bragging rights" type of advertisement as well. I want to find a big screen TV, and place it under the screen tower. Take a photo of the two of them side by side, and the text below the photo would read... Your big screen... our BIG screen...Any Questions? I thought the comparison of the two would make a great visual impact. You could do the same thing with your Theatre Reloaded campaign. You could photograph a closeup of a friends typical home theatre sound system rack in their living room, then photograph your new "reloaded" soundrack in the projection booth of the theatre. The caption under the photograph could read.... Your home theatre sound system... our CINEMA THEATRE sound system...Any Questions? Just an idea. On another note. I have found recently that newspaper ad layout designers don't know their butt from a hole in the ground!! You tell them you want "X", they give you back "Y" for your approval and print run. After spending $200.00 on a one-time ad that looked as if a 3rd grader did it, I gave up on the artistic abilities of the ad department. I now create all of my own advertisements using Microsoft Publisher, then export the publisher files to Adobe Acrobat. The newspapers can't do anything with a Publisher file, but the Acrobat *.pdf file inserts directly into their layout program. Sure makes it easier for me, and saves some artwork cost in the process, and my ad always looks exactly like I want it to.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-29-2003 10:28 AM                        Nobody likes a sound system that's bordering on causing pain. That isn't what you want to do to the audience at all. Hyperbole in the ad is fine, as long as you deliver a good "product" without causing anyone harm.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-29-2003 10:29 AM                        Gerard Cohen wrote: quote: "Our theatre will destroy your hearing" appeals to masochists, it seems to me. I agree that "Silence is Golden" and clarity of reproduction is probably more important to me than ear-splitting volume. Unfortunately, when promoting a sound system, "feel-it-in-your-gut" sound is what sells, especially for the "action-adventure" crowd.  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 04-29-2003 10:33 AM                     quote: If you are going to brag about amplifier power and sound systems I have four things for you to consider: #1 Please do not use the line "state-of-the-art". It is SOOOOOOOOOOOO overused and unbelieveably corny. If you are going to use that, you mine as well claim to have a "solid state" sound system, as that would be just as lame. Yeah, I think in the past we have advertised as having a State-of-the-art sound system. Dolby 'A' Stereo.  |  IP: Logged Randy Loy Expert Film Handler Posts: 156 Registered: Aug 1999 posted 04-29-2003 10:43 AM                     Ray, how about this one... "When we're done upgrading the sound system at our movie theatre the 'talkies' won't just talk, they'll speak with authority!" Then follow it up with info about your new system, comparing it to the old system. To me, the suggested line doesn't necessarily indicate loud, but rather better and with more punch.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-29-2003 01:46 PM                        Whenever I've written any advertising about sound, I've always mentioned the "quiet" along with the loud. Some people are genuinely turned-off by claims of loudness, but if you add other aspects of good sound, like "realism" and "orchestral music" they'll get the drift without being turned off. I like your "Theatre reloaded" idea. That's very cool.  |  IP: Logged

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