Mobile and the Movies: Getting Reel With Video
The use of mobile in the movies was never going to be limited to Liam Neeson’s unforgettable scene from Taken. Advertisers in the entertainment sector have been waking up to the opportunity that mobile provides – not just as a second screen, but also as a flexible and exciting medium that can engage users in a variety of ways. Watching films and reading up on film news and information has become a cross-screen experience and this gives studios and marketers fresh opportunities to access cinema-goers at home, at work, or on the move.
There has been a massive change in video consumption habits, 2015 was the first year that more digital video content was consumed on mobile than on desktop in Europe. The rise of devices with better screen specifications, faster internet speeds and greater software support means it has become easier and more viable for consumers to watch content on the go. According to eMarketer, the average mobile user now consumers 65 minutes of video on smartphone or tablet per day –only 4 minutes less than time spent watching Live TV.
But treating mobile video and TV as competitors is not very helpful. The two should instead be used in conjunction to broaden awareness and drive incremental reach. For marketers, a cross-screen campaign has never been more important, especially as users can process content in very different ways across different devices. Research done independently by both Facebook and Twitter has shown that 74% of a mobile video campaign’s value was delivered in the first ten seconds, and that users can recall content at a significantly higher rate when seeing it on mobile as opposed to desktop. Advertisers should focus on tailoring their campaigns to the devices in question.
An average film-goer may see an ad on TV before checking their phones to see what the reviews are like, or look up the latest film news on their favourite film blog. Moments like this are perfect for placing engaging mobile ads. Using the latest tools in ad tech, like machine learning and location targeting, as well as developments in creative potential with rich media and HTML5, advertisers are able to catch these potential audiences and increase awareness for films or franchises.