Why do so many movie advertisements mention "Only in Theaters"?

Why do so many movie advertisements mention "Only in Theaters"? - Four Women Sitting Inside Fendi Cinema

I've noticed that advertisements for films and film-related merchandise in the USA that relate to films that are in theaters will almost always include the phrase "Only in Theaters" somewhere, often in smaller print at the bottom. There seems to be no difference as to studio - Disney does this as much as Sony who does this as much as Universal. What exactly is the purpose of this phrase? More specifically, is this a marketing phrase intended to steer potential customers to the theater (with the consequence of omitting the phrase being that customers are less likely to visit the theater or more likely to become frustrated trying to locate a copy), or is it a disclaimer or disclosure that is required by some regulation (with the consequence of omitting the phrase being that a customer has grounds to file a complaint with authorities when they cannot find the film in their local video shop or online)?

The fact that the phrase often appears in smaller type leads me to believe that its primary purpose is as a regulatory disclaimer rather than advertising material, but that seems an odd thing to require and it isn't clear exactly who is requiring it.

  • Do studios add this phrase because they believe (or have data indicating) that it will drive more theater ticket sales?
  • Is this simply a standard or traditional practice, something that people have come to expect as what professional film producers do?
  • Is there a specific law or regulation that requires studios to add an "only in theaters" disclaimer or disclosure in advertising materials?


Best Answer

Actually, I can see why it would be both a required disclaimer and a marketing strategy. I very rarely go to the theater. I am more likely to wait for the “Only in Theaters” film to hit a streaming platform. Even if I have to pay for it. It has gotten to the point of my not renting Blueray discs or DVDs. Knowing when something is no longer “Only in Theaters is useful. There are also some other films that will stream on higher end platforms or in other markets. In which case, knowing it is only in theaters in your market can be useful. Then, there are the streaming originals. This would differentiates the “Only in Theaters” films from them. But, that’s just me.




Pictures about "Why do so many movie advertisements mention "Only in Theaters"?"

Why do so many movie advertisements mention "Only in Theaters"? - Netflix Quote on a Red Screen
Why do so many movie advertisements mention "Only in Theaters"? - Cartoon Movie Showing on Theater Screen
Why do so many movie advertisements mention "Only in Theaters"? - Bobbin on heap of film



Why do movies always say only in theaters?

There are also some other films that will stream on higher end platforms or in other markets. In which case, knowing it is only in theaters in your market can be useful. Then, there are the streaming originals. This would differentiates the \u201cOnly in Theaters\u201d films from them.

Why do movie theaters not have captions?

Movie theaters provide closed captioning through devices that some customers describe as inconvenient and prone to malfunctioning. Open captions, however, are displayed on the screen in a way similar to subtitles; everyone in the theater sees the same captions, on the same screen.

Why are there so many adverts at the cinema?

In an age when traditional media have to compete for our attention with the internet and social networking, the cinema auditorium represents an effectively captive audience, and in recent years advertisers have increasingly targeted it.

Why do movie theaters have so many previews?

Cinemark, Regal, and AMC generally spend more time playing previews than a small, regional movie theater does. This is probably just due to the fact that the large national chains have relationships in place with advertisers, so there is more demand (and money) for the large chains to show advertisements.



Why movie theaters aren't dead yet




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Davide De Giovanni, Sebastiaan Stam, Tima Miroshnichenko, Dmitry Demidov