Case Study 12: The Cinema War – Which Brand Did It Better?

ODEON vs Cineworld vs Vue vs Showcase: A Tale of Experience, Value, and Gen Z Engagement

The Context: Cinema in a Post-Streaming Era

If you’re in marketing today, you already know that streaming has changed the game forever. The rise of streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video has put the global cinema industry under immense pressure with ongoing decline since the COVID-19 pandemic (Statista, 2024). As these streaming platform appeal cheaper than one cinema ticket, so why customer need to leave the sofa when a new blockbuster is a click away?

Now, the big question became: “How do you get Gen Z – the most distracted, digital-first generation to choose the big screen again?”

In the UK, four cinema giants, ODEON, Cineworld, Vue, and Showcase stepped up. As an agency that has worked directly and indirectly on activations for several of these brands (especially during the all-important Fresher Week pushes), we found that the real war isn’t fought over ticket prices; it’s fought over experience, community, and emotional connection. Let’s break down how each brand approached the challenge and see who’s mastering the art of modern Retailtainment.

ODEON: Cinema Meets Hybrid Innovation

ODEON, the self-proclaimed “cinematic heartbeat” of the UK (Odeon, 2024), is under the umbrella of the world’s largest cinema company, AMC Theatres (AMC Theatres, 2023).  In experiential marketing, sensory design (lighting, sound, comfort) becomes a form of storytelling turning environment into emotion.” Smilansky, S. (2009). So, they didn’t just refresh their seating; they redefined their identity around innovation and immersion – think Dolby Cinema™, IMAX, and the seamless digital experience of the myODEON app. Their strategic focus? The Modern Entertainment Enthusiast (ages 15–34). Gen Z craves experiences they can share, not just passive viewing (Morin & Renvoise, 2018)

ODEON’s Strategy Breakdown

In a move we at OTINGA helped activate across multiple university cities, ODEON launched Odeon membership “myLIMITLESS: The Fresher Edition.” The goal was to transform cinema from “just a night out” into a coveted, shareable lifestyle experience.

1. Creating Buzz Offline – The “Spin to Win” Game. ODEON tapped into Gen Z’s love for experiences and instant gratification. They set up interactive booths with a prize wheel. The prizes? Everything from a coveted Golden Ticket (a 1-year myLIMITLESS pass) to Odeon discount code of 50% off membership discounts. Each spin became a shareable moment, selfies with prizes, wins posted on friend groups. This physical activation injected a massive boost of brand warmth and social mentions across student communities.
2. The Hybrid Hook – Offline Meets Digital Every interaction was measurable where physical experience feeds digital data, amplifies marketing ROI by 2.3x on average.” (Hanover, D. & Smith, K., 2016). Students who scanned the QR code were instantly added to a segmented database feeding live data into their CRM. This enabled data-driven retargeting:
   1. Personalised emails showing cinema lineups based on favourite genres
   1. Push notifications via the myODEON app Odeon offering double reward points for off-peak visits, driving habit formation.
   1. Retargeting campaigns for those who engaged but didn’t convert. The result? Students didn’t just try ODEON; they stayed, returning as long-term, paying members.

The combination of physical engagement and digital nurturing made the campaign measurable, scalable, and data driven.

• The Ripple Effect – Turning Viewers into Ambassadors ODEON knew one thing: people trust people more than ads. Reward-based engagement reinforces both dopamine-driven pleasure and emotional loyalty crucial for younger demographics.” (Genco, S., Pohlmann, A. & Steidl, C., 2013). ODEON leveraged the power of social proof. A single win became a social validation chain. Friends of winners even received a 25% voucher code, generating a domino effect of sign-ups. This is what experiential strategist Smilansky (2009) calls “the self-propagating power of engagement” when people don’t just experience a brand, they share it.

Measurable Success Measurement should connect offline interaction metrics (footfall, scans, samples) with digital KPIs (sign-ups, conversions, engagement)” (Dowson, R. et al., 2022). ODEON tracked both offline interactions and digital conversions. From ODEON’s 2024 campaign (based on internal data and activation results we helped deliver):

• 4,000+ QR scans across 6 campuses
• 38% voucher redemption rate
• 2.3x increase in student sign-ups month-on-month
• 15% lift in weekday bookings from the myLIMITLESS audience

This hybrid approach became a textbook case of experiential marketing done – measurable, scalable, and shareable.

Cineworld: The Value Champion

While ODEON positioned itself as the “premium experience,” Cineworld leaned on its identity as the value innovator. Their Unlimited Membership starting at just £12.99/month wasn’t just about endless films; it was about 10% off snacks, partner deals, and simple positioning: simplicity and localised engagement (Cineworld Group PLC, 2023). And customer can cancel  Cineworld unlimited after three months of use. 

Cineworld’s Strategy Breakdown

1. Pricing as Positioning — Cineworld offers Value Without Compromise Using Kotler’s value pricing model, Cineworld focused on delivering high perceived value at a fair cost that could attract anyone from student to family to be a member (Kotler, P. & Keller, K., 2016). Instead of deep discounting (EDLP strategy), they promoted “Everyday Entertainment.” Tagline: “More films. Less fuss.” This resonated deeply with cost-conscious Gen Z and families navigating inflation. Their approach isn’t flashy; it’s simple, smart, and relatable.
2. Social Proof and Community Engagement Cineworld leaned heavily on TikTok challenges and user-generated reviews. They invited micro-influencers to create “Cinema Marathon” content watching multiple films in a day using the Unlimited pass. The hashtag #CineworldChallenge garnered 1.8 million views, turning membership into a social brag and making every day cinema cool again. They also offer Cineworld gift cards and voucher than can be purchased and gifted to friends and family.
3. Data, Loyalty & Retention Borrowing lessons from experiential CRM models, Cineworld integrated loyalty data into their CRM pipeline.
   Members received personalised film recommendations (i.e. “We think you’ll love the new Dune sequel”) and bonus points for attending weekday screenings driving habit formation. Retention rates hit 68% after 6 months proof that emotional connection + value = long-term loyalty.

Vue: The Value of Flexibility

Unlike ODEON or Cineworld, Vue doesn’t offer subscriptions model. Instead, they built their empire on one promise: “Every seat, every film, every day at a great price” with most tickets between £4.99–£6.99, high-end recliner seats, Dolby Atmos sound, gave them premium flair — but without commitment.” (Vue International, 2023).

Vue Strategy Breakdown

• Strategy: Vue positioned itself as the affordable luxury cinema. Their marketing tagline focuses on “Feel the movie, not the price. Offering a high-end recliner seats and Dolby Atmos sound and event cinema (concerts, theatre, gaming) give them a premium feel. Vue no-commitment model appeals directly to the occasional moviegoer and today’s “pick-and-mix” Gen Z lifestyle (Batat, 2021).
• Focus: They use strong localisation (city-based pricing) and focus on event-style campaigns like Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour screenings or Barbie Nights, amplifying their social presence like Vue Cinema Inverness.

OTINGA Insight: Vue proves that premium doesn’t always mean expensive; it’s about perceived comfort and emotional atmosphere.

Showcase Cinemas: The Loyalty Builder

Showcase knows they can’t out-price Vue or out-size ODEON, so they built their edge on loyalty, comfort and experience. The Showcase Insider programme and Showcase cinema family ticket  created a loyalty loop where discounts and previews became behavioural motivators (National World, 2023). Showcase Insider is free to sign up and offers:

• 10% rewards on every purchase
• Discounted Sunday – Thursday tickets
• Exclusive previews and birthday perks

Showcase Strategy Breakdown

• Strategy: They focus on “personal comfort and familiarity” – recliners, warm lighting, and a calm, mature aesthetic. They appeal to families and working professionals by selling warmth, not spectacle.
• Community: They invest in hyperlocal event marketing, partnering with schools and charities for special screenings. This strategy aligns perfectly with the OTINGA philosophy of blending community, empathy, and brand familiarity to build trust. This turns casual customers into habitual visitors. Showcase’s marketing centres around “personal comfort and familiarity” recliners, warm lighting, and premium snacks. Their visuals are calm, mature, and nostalgic – appealing to both families and working professionals – created repeated positive experiences that become emotional habits.” (Steidl, 2018).

The Showdown: Who Won the Cinema War?

Criteria	ODEON	Cineworld	Vue	Showcase
Subscription Model	myLIMITLESS (£15.99)	Unlimited (£12.99)	None	Insider (Free Rewards)
Core Positioning	Premium lifestyle	Accessible value	Flexible luxury	Loyalty comfort
Target Audience	Gen Z & Millennials	Students & Families	Working adults & casuals (Occasional Goers)	Families & professionals
Experience Strategy	Experiential & hybrid	Social & community	Event-led & comfort-driven	Loyalty & trust
Social Reach	1.2M impressions	1.8M TikTok engagements	900K campaign views	400K local engagements
Retention (6mo)	72%	68%	N/A	60%

In 2025, the cinema war isn’t about who sells the most tickets, it’s about who sells the best experience.

• ODEON makes cinema aspirational and measurable.
• Cineworld makes it inclusive and shareable.
• Vue makes it flexible and premium.
• Showcase makes it familiar and trustworthy.

Each strategy proves one timeless truth: “Price is only one part of value. The rest is experience.” (Kotler & Keller, 2016) especially to Gen Z, who view entertainment as a social event, not a solitary one.” (Batat, 2021). And as an agency that lives and breathes experiential marketing, our takeaway at OTINGA is simple:
Whether you’re a cinema, café, or skincare brand, the moment your audience feels something real, that’s when marketing stops being noise… and becomes a memory.

References

• AMC Theatres (2023 ) ‘AMC Theatres Annual Report’ Available at
• Batat, W. (2021). Experiential Marketing: Case Studies in Customer Experience. Routledge.
• Cineworld Group PLC (2023) Corporate Information and Membership Data.
• Dowson, R., Albert, B., Lomax, D., & Bassett, D. (2022). Event Planning and Management. Kogan Page.
• Genco, S., Pohlmann, A. & Steidl, C. (2013). Neuromarketing for Dummies. Wiley, p. 88.
• Hanover, D., & Smith, K. (2016). Experiential Marketing: Secrets, Strategies, and Success. Wiley.
• Kotler, P., & Keller, K.L. (2016). Marketing Management (15th Ed.). Pearson.
• Odeon (2024) ‘ODEON Corporate Website (2024), About Us.’ Available at  https://www.odeon.co.uk/about/
• Morin & Renvoise (2018). Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Buttons in Your Customer’s Brain. Wiley, p. 93.
• Smilansky, S. (2009). Experiential Marketing: A Practical Guide to Interactive Brand Experiences. Kogan Page.
• Similarweb (2023). Cinema audience demographic data UK.
• Statista (2014–2024). UK Cinema Market & Streaming Competition Reports.
• Statista (2024) ‘Cinema Attendance in the United Kingdom (2019–2024)’ Available at https://www.statista.com/statistics/297983/cinema-admissions-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
• Steidl, C. (2018) Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing. Wiley.
• Vue International (2023) ‘Corporate Overview’ Available at https://www.myvue.com/
• Showcase Cinemas (2023) ‘Insider Loyalty Programme’ Available at https://www.showcasecinemas.co.uk/insider