• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, September 29, 2014

The process of getting a cinema ad on to the big screen promises to be a lot simpler and faster thanks to NCM Media Networks, which announced Monday that it will be taking its new Turbo service national following a successful regional test.

First unveiled in January of this year, NCM Media’s Turbo allows advertisers to get their ad creative into NCM’s FirstLook pre-show program within 72 hours -- a substantial improvement over the typical lead-time of 10 to 20 days for cinema advertising.

In the first half of the year, NCM tested Turbo in San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno-Bakersfield, Las Vegas, Reno and Hawaii.

Among its other benefits, Turbo can help regional and local advertising clients who employ time-sensitive promotional advertising adopt cinema advertising, including businesses like car dealerships, retail stores and QSRs.

Cliff Marks, president of sales and marketing with NCM Media Networks, stated: “The national launch of Turbo opens the door for many brands who may have previously felt restricted by timing to add cinema to their video media plans.”

Separately, NCM’s management company, National CineMedia Inc, is in the process of acquiring the country’s second-largest cinema ad company, Screenvision, for a total of $375 million, including $225 million in cash and $150 million in stock.

When the deal is complete, the combined NCM-Screenvision network will include theater affiliates in nearly all 210 DMAs across the U.S., consisting of 3,900 theaters with over 34,000 screens, and a total annual audience of 1.1 billion.