As an uber Harry Potter fan, I could not wait for my final encounter with Harry, Ron and Hermione. But where to go for the final chapter of Harry’s epic adventure? The Odeon that are ‘fanatical about film’ or maybe Vue who promise ‘the ultimate guest experience’

Generally speaking, I always opt for the cinema nearest to me (in this case the AMC). However, do we ever choose a cinema due to what the brand promises? And, if not, is there a real gap here for a major cinema chain to truly differentiate themselves?

AMC describe themselves as innovators and entertainers, priding themselves on superior guest service but does the heart of the brand come through in reality?

The Experience

The first thing that hit me as I walked through the doors of the AMC on Wednesday was that it felt very cold, both physically and visually. No glimmer of entertainment, just a huge queue. As I approached the box office the staff smiled but apart from that buying my ticket was a dull affair. There was no interaction or even a thank you for choosing to come to ‘AMC’ – I’m a stickler for manners! However, the price was fantastic at £6.75 compared to the Odeon prices which reach a whopping £8.85 for a ‘standard ticket’.

Then I encountered one of my favourite parts of the cinema experience, the purchasing of the popcorn! Now don't get me wrong, I cannot fault the product at all, but the service and ambience was a bit of a let-down. The staff seemed bored which was quite ironic seeing as this is a company that embraces entertainment. There was certainly no sign of their brand values shining through.

Finally, the main auditorium. Overall I found this to be quite a pleasant, yet generic, experience. The seats were comfy and I had room for my drink and popcorn (always a concern). The room was very clean, which is always a good sign, showing that the owners care.

Brand Alignment

From a film point of view I can't praise the AMC enough; for me, I feel the final chapter of Harry Potter was fantastic. However, the experience was completely generic and couldn’t be attributed to any cinema brand. I feel the main problem with the major cinemas (the AMC being no exception) is that they all look and feel pretty much the same. None of the cinema chains stands out and truly differentiates themselves in terms of the experience offered.

As the cinema industry predicts what happens now the Harry Potter mayhem has come to an end and what the next big innovation will be (such as 4D and more bespoke cinemas opening), is there an opportunity for one of the major cinema players to think beyond the film (which in this case, I see as an hygiene factor) and focus on creating an unique cinema experience, which staff can embrace and deliver day in and day out?

Even though other main chains in the UK have a bigger presence, AMC, potentially, are in great position to create a unique brand experience aligned with what is already rooted at the heart of their cinema – exceptional guest service. Did you know that AMC were the pioneers of the cup holder? Now that is a little gesture that made a big impact on the guest service. Could AMC create new and exciting gestures to deliver a truly entertaining experience? Could they bring the essence of entertainment back into the cinema world beyond the film?

Looking at the cinema chains, what does seem clear is the potential for AMC (or potentially another of the big UK cinema chains) to really be famous for creating a uniquely different experience. It will be interesting to see how the industry continues to develop; maybe in years to come we will not only be excited by going to see a film but also the cinema we are going to watch it in.