Will 'Multisensory' Ads Cast A Spell On Theatergoers?

CJ 4DPLEX makes movie seats rock and forces cool and hot air through the theater to give moviegoers a unique experience.

Moviegoers were delighted by Xfinity's 4DX ad before Wicked: Part One. Photo: Jaime Blanc (C) 2024.

Companies have done something similar for years for movies, but now CJ 4DPLEX is working with National CineMedia (NCM), the largest cinema advertising platform in the U.S., to tie its multi-sensory experience into ads running in theaters.

“You go into a theater with the mindset of being entertained,” said Mike Rosen, CRO of NCM. “We are not interrupting the movie experience with ads that are less compelling. The ad becomes part of the experience.”

For the first time, NCM worked with CJ 4DPLEX’s sensory experience to tie it into an ad through a deal with Comcast’s Xfinity and Regal. The 4DX ad spot debuted last month in the U.S.

Universal Pictures worked with the companies to produce an ad-like short film about the making of "Wicked." The visual ad experience combined dynamic onscreen images with synchronized motion seats and environmental effects like bubbles, wind, and lightning.

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