In this article
- As part of its attempt to diversify revenue streams, the movie theater company, AMC plans to offer its popcorn for sale in retail stores next year.
- Is there any marketer reading this NOT immediately thinking “damn! It’s so simple and makes perfect sense! How can I do something similar?”
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The combination of the shutdown of many movie theaters during the pandemic and increasing streaming options means that — out of choice or necessity — we certainly brought movie viewing home. Now we can make that experience complete with genuine movie theater popcorn. That staple of entertainment nourishment is coming to stores — possibly near you.
Behind it are the people of AMC, who recently announced that it will make its popular AMC Theatres* Perfectly Popcorn accessible to consumers outside of its theaters in various ways:
(* – that’s how they spell it despite being in the USA)
- At the start of 2022, it will be available “at select mall retail locations around the country.” In addition to the popcorn, there are some mysteriously unnamed “movie theatre treats.”
- The real thing popped in real theaters will be available to fans who are not coming in via “food delivery-to-home services.”
- Taking the takeout notion a bit further, AMC will offer “To Go” packages in the theaters. (guessing you don’t have to buy a ticket to get in to do the popcorn pickup.)
- A coming attraction later in 2022 is having the popcorn available both in “prepackaged and ready-to-pop microwaveable” form in supermarkets and convenience stores.
Adam Aron, Chairman of the Board and CEO of AMC, had quite a lot to say about the move. He began by saying this makes perfect sense given that AMC literally sells tons of the stuff every day:
“The announcement that AMC will become a competitor in the multi-billion popcorn market is so natural and logical, one wonders why the idea has not been tried before. Needless to say, AMC knows popcorn ever so well. On our busiest days, AMC Theatres currently pops in the range of 50 tons of popcorn per day.”
But it’s not just about delivering the treat that its existing customers enjoy but using it as a way to attract a whole new crop of customers. Accordingly, Aron continued:
“With this new AMC initiative, we expect to reach entirely new segments of the U.S. population with our popular AMC Theatres Perfectly Popcorn. For AMC Entertainment, this is an opportunity to diversify our business and to create a new revenue stream for our company, all the while delighting popcorn lovers whether they are in our theatres, are on the go, or find themselves in the comfort of their own homes.”
So there you have it: even a movie theater company may break out of the boundaries of its traditional business, capitalizing on what can transfer well to markets of people who may have gotten a little too used to staying in. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em – at home.