In a bid to promote the elements that go into creating the magical experience of cinema-going, Europe’s largest cinema chain Odeon has revealed its new creative platform.
Building on the “We Make Movies Better” positioning, which was extended from parent company AMC in the U.S., Odeon’s pan-European creative agency Elvis has developed internal and external communications to meet the audience’s demand for escapism.
As revealed last month by Adweek, the cinema chain has adopted four brand pillars that reflect elements of how the cinema-going experience engages audiences represented by brand characters. Those are; The Magician who immerses people in the magic of the movies to create a sense of escapism; The Memory Maker who makes the experience “magically unforgettable,” The Creator who makes movies “more delicious,” and The Navigator who makes movie-going “easier.”
The design and visual effects for the characters by Elvis in collaboration with Preen, represent a heroic, superhero feel, to reflect the age of Marvel and Harry Potter franchises, which have proven popular in recent years but with the aim of also including a grounding in reality.
Neale Horrigan, executive creative director for Elvis, explained: “Our line-up of four incredible characters enables us to breathe life into the new ‘We Make Movies Better’ brand framework, making it tangible for cinemagoers and Odeon colleagues alike. Each of the characters represents a different facet of the Odeon Cinemas Group experience, showing how it’s more immersive, more memorable, more delicious and more seamless than those of its competitors.”
Featuring in theaters and over the company’s digital and social channels, the characters will represent the chain throughout its European markets—with Odeon in U.K., Ireland and Norway, UCI in Italy, Germany and Portugal, Cinesa in Spain, Filmstaden in Sweden and Finnkino in Finland. A 30-second launch video to introduce each of the characters has also been released via brand platforms.
Nicole Burdett, group head of marketing and campaigns for Odeon Cinemas Group, explained that there was the need for a creative idea to engage audiences as they return to the cinema after two years of Covid-19 restrictions through “a bold, ownable concept.” She added that the new brand purpose would also be shared among the company’s 11,000 staff across Europe.
The original “We Make Movies Better” positioning was revealed by AMC last summer through an advert featuring Academy-Award winner Nicole Kidman.
