So what are they watching? Family and action adventure films are popular, but Hispanics command the highest share of audience in the horror/thriller and romantic comedy genres. And they are not just going to the cinema; Hispanic households are 24 percent more likely to purchase DVDs than the average American household.

By understanding the unique consumption habits of Hispanics, the movie industry can tailor a portion of its advertising to a box office constituency that can build brand awareness and success for movies to come.  Read more about the movie-going habits of Hispanics in the current edition of Consumer Insight.

For one thing, cinema audiences are literally “captive” — changing the channel isn’t an option, and there are few distractions.

Moviegoers also tend to have more disposable income than average Americans.  They purchase consumer electronics — XBoxes, DVD players, and Blu-Ray players — at far higher rates than the rest of the population, and many are voracious consumers of other entertainment across a variety of media platforms.

Children, teens, young parents, and Hispanics — all coveted segments for marketers — also tend to be avid moviegoers.

In-cinema advertising is not without challenges.  Currently, pre-movie advertising is distinctly less popular than movie trailers with many viewers.  The effectiveness of on-screen advertising also varies quite a bit by market.

The takeaway for marketers? 

Think broadly and holistically — tie your in-cinema ad campaign into a broader, multi-medium campaign. 

Effective in-cinema advertising requires a different approach than TV ads: aim for a longer, more dramatic, “movie-like” creative. 

Finally, don’t restrict pre-movie advertising to the big screen — make sure your campaign touches multiple formats of any film, including DVD and licensed video games.

View Nielsen PreView’s report.