PVR Inox Unveils ScreenIT to Boost Footfalls
Multiplex chain PVR Inox launched ScreenIT, a new service accessible on its application that promises to address the slump in footfalls and enhance the utilisation of screens. This is at a time when the over-the-top platforms are gaining ground and the content pipeline is lean with differentiated film products.
Launched with over 500 titles in the library and slated to expand beyond 1,000, ScreenIT enables audiences to browse, book, and promote movies at their own discretion. The ticket prices are unchanged to keep the customers affordable.
According to Renaud Palliere, CEO of The Luxury Collection and Innovation at PVR Inox, ScreenIT is a game-changer in terms of audience engagement. "There's no downside in this initiative.". The only silver lining is to maximize and optimize admissions. It creates viral marketing opportunities for people to see content they couldn't necessarily see again on the big screen. They can design and customize the experience the way they want, and they can earn from it, he said.
India's multiplex industry has been reeling in the face of a decline in attendance. Footfalls declined by 6% in 2024, to 883 million, according to Ormax Media. That's much lower than the peak before the pandemic, when it was 1.03 billion in 2019. While higher ticket prices have compensated partially for revenue loss, the industry is far from easy as the Hindi film industry has been reluctant to greenlight fresh projects following a series of recent flops at box offices.
Mulplexes like PVR Inox have resorted to re-releasing old hits to fill the content gap. Re-releases have been a godsend so far, and that has helped PVR Inox; it adds up to 6% of its admissions in Q2. According to Kamal Gianchandani, Chief of Business, Planning and Strategy, PVR Inox, re-releases have delivered more or less similar performances as that of new releases in the last eight to nine months.
ScreenIT enables the users to choose films of any genre, be it action, romance, or regional cinema, and then schedule the screenings at a preferred time and location. The service is available across 120 screens in 50 cities in India. However, there is a minimum threshold to confirm a screening a minimum of 10% of the auditorium's capacity needs to be filled. For example, if a selected hall has 100 seats then it would require a minimum of selling 10 tickets so that the movie could be screened.
To induce involvement, ScreenIT rewards users for spreading the word through their social network: when a user buys a ticket via SSN's unique promotional link, they are rewarded with a 5% cash rebate. This business model essentially makes audiences become an advocate for the content they want.
He compared the initiative to the boom of the circular economy model in sectors such as e-commerce and travel. In such sectors, the user takes an active role in the process to make the system work. "It's about turning the audience into brand ambassadors of the content they want to see and rewarding them for that", he said.
ScreenIT is a very innovative way for PVR Inox to embrace the shift in consumer behavior and create an exciting and rewarding experience at the movies, potentially becoming a benchmark for the multiplex industry.
