AMC Entertainment is currently toying with the idea of creating texting-friendly auditoriums for movie goers who can't keep their hands off their smartphone for the span of a full-length feature.
The news comes from AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron, who explains that "You can't tell a 22-year-old to turn off their cellphone. That’s not how they live their life." As a result, the movie chain is floating the idea of designating certain theaters as texting-friendly spaces. Similar to the idea of having a separate smoking section in a restaurant, these spaces would give patrons the choice of what kind of theater experience they wish to have.
While there is no word on whether the texting-friendly auditoriums will become a reality any time soon, the news does demonstrate the struggle that theater chains face when it comes to accommodating tech-savvy consumers such as millennials.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Texting-friendly Auditoriums
- Creating designated spaces in movie theaters for patrons to use their smartphones during screenings.
- Tech-accommodating Theater Experience
- Recognizing the need to cater to tech-savvy consumers by offering options for smartphone usage during movies.
- Challenges of Millennial Moviegoers
- Addressing the struggle that theater chains face in meeting the expectations of millennials who are used to constant connectivity.
Where This Applies
- Movie Theater Chains
- Exploring opportunities to innovate the movie theater experience by experimenting with designated texting-friendly auditoriums.
- Smartphone Manufacturers
- Collaborating with theater chains to develop features or apps that enhance the movie-watching experience for smartphone users.
- Mobile App Developers
- Creating new applications or features that allow moviegoers to interact with their smartphones in designated texting-friendly auditoriums.
