The ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon helped cinemas in the UK to achieve bumper sales after their release on July 21, according to figures from consumer and location intelligence specialist CACI.
Curzon topped the leaderboard for both month on month sales growth in July, up 223%, while transactions grew 192%. (Sales represents the value of total sales, while transactions are based upon people making a purchase).
Picture House was not far behind with a 170% growth in sales and 129% rise in transactions. The figures are particularly noteworthy given that Barbie and Oppenheimer were only in cinemas for 11 days in July.
Comparing sales year-on-year, Curzon had a 144% uplift while Everyman saw a 71% increase against July 2022.
The three largest cinema brands – Cineworld, Vue, and The Odeon – all benefited from year-on-year sales growth of above 30%, with only the latter two sitting below the industry average of 44%.
Across all leisure sectors including gyms and fitness, music and video, and participation leisure, July 2023 sales grew by 23% month-on-month and transactions were up 17%, according to CACI figures. Cinema was therefore not the only sector within leisure that saw a sales boost this summer, with the wet weather a key factor in driving success elsewhere too.
Arabella Dalloz, head of leisure at CACI, commented: “It goes to show that the cinema sector can still churn out great results if they have blockbusters to work with.”
Rob Arthur, founder of the leisure, entertainment and cinema consultancy, Entertainment Solution Services (ESS), added: “To just put on a film is simply not enough anymore. The success of #Barbenheimer was the culmination of great film production; superb brand, social PR, and studio marketing efforts; in parallel with the positive impact of event driven, social, and high-specification, community-focussed cinemas. Next up for the UK big screen: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which will be a global phenomenon.”
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