• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, March 26, 2014

Cinema advertising revenues rose 6.5% from $636 million in 2012 to $678 million in 2013, according to the latest figures from the Cinema Advertising Council, which includes the two dominant cinema ad networks, NCM Media Networks and Screenvision.

That’s a record high for the industry since CAC began tracking revenues back in 2002.
 
The top cinema ad categories last year were automotive, computer software, consumer electronics, consumer products, and TV, according to the CAC, which counted 93 new brand advertisers in 2013, powering growth in the retail and apparel and travel and leisure categories. Regional and national advertising rose 5.7% to $531 million -- making up 78.3% of all spending -- while local spending increase 9.7% to $147 million, for 21.7% of total revenues.
 
CAC President and chairman Katy Loria noted the continuing vitality of cinema as an advertising medium, with 2013 notable as “the highest-grossing box office year in U.S. history, at $10.9 billion.” The CAC also touted upcoming upfront presentations from both NCM and Screenvision, which have both signaled their intention to lure video ad dollars away from broadcast, cable TV, and online.

To woo marketers, the CAC and its members are emphasizing the youthful skew of the cinema audience, with 34.7% of moviegoers falling in the 18-34 demo, and a median age of 30.5 for all moviegoers.
 
Screenvision’s upfront presentations will begin April 2 in New York, with events in Los Angeles, Detroit and Chicago the following evening. NCM Media Networks’ upfront is scheduled for May 14 in New York City.
 
Earlier this week, Screenvision unveiled a new preshow package of entertainment and advertising, “Front & Center,” with a new format to better showcase entertainment programming and ads. The new “Front & Center” preshow runs 20 minutes and consists of three entertainment blocks, with advertising opportunities including custom branded content segments, sponsorship of show segments, music, trivia, the preshow, and custom promos and interstitials. There is also capability for interactive engagement with partners like Shazam.
 
NCM announced several new deals with regional theater chains, as well as the renewal of an existing deal. Altogether, the new and renewed affiliate agreements bring the NCM network to around 1,580 theaters with 19,880 screens nationwide .