July 17, 2005

Commercials at Movies

Well, lets get this guest blogging under way. I would like to address the issue of commercials at movies. While I waited to see The Fantastic Four the other night I took note of all the commercials that played before the movie. I know that the theater has to charge over a million dollars for coke and popcorn to help pay the mortgage for the elaborate building they have built. However, why do I have to sit through "The Twenty?" I feel like I am at a bar with a loud band playing and I cant talk to or hear my date or my friends because, "The Twenty" is blaring. What happened to the days when you went to the theater and anticipated two things...the new previews and the movie? Now, I don’t mind the light music and the trivia questions that some theaters provide but I did not pay to see commercials, I paid to see a movie. If I want to see commercials then I will TVo them when I get home. Here is a list of the commercials that I saw while waiting on my well-paid movie. TNT's The Closer, NBC's The Biggest Loser, www.cc.com, Cingular Wireless, Regal Entertainment Group, The Twenty, Sony Erickson, THQ Destroy All Monsters, and The Will Rogers Institute.

Now, I am a Cingular customer and I support what The Will Rogers Institute does. However, I don’t want to see their commercials right before a movie. I suggest that if you feel the same way then email these businesses and let them know. Also, tell the management of the theater. I am sure they will say to come later so that you don’t have to see the commercials. That is not always an option when you are meeting friends or wanting to get a good seat at a blockbuster movie.

Sometimes I get credit card offers in the mail along with other junk mail. Here's what I do with those self addressed stamped envelopes that the credit (debt) card companies send with their junk mail. I fold everything up and stick it back in their return envelope along with coupons or other junk mail that I receive. Why? It takes more effort than shredding it but if it is over the weight limit that the post office allows for their S.A.S.E. it costs the credit card company money. Since I didn’t sign up for their card I really don’t care to get their snail spam mail. Did you know that if you put "Return to sender" on your junk mail they sometimes will stop sending it to you.

I think if we make the the same gesture to the theater industry they may stop the commercials. I am going to keep emailing them and taking note of how many commercials run before a movie. I am not supporting any TV show that airs a commercial. I think we should just make our voices known and perhaps they will listen. Maybe they should run the commercials after the movie. Let me know what you think...

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