TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 25, 2014) - Canadians from coast to coast will soon have even more fun waiting for the movie to start at their local theatre with the expansion of Cineplex (TSX:CGX) TimePlay to theatres nationwide.
By downloading the free TimePlay app on their smartphones and tablets, movie-goers can interact in real-time with content on the big screen, competing for prizes and receiving special offers from Cineplex and advertisers like Pizza Pizza, Mazda, Koodo and many more.
"At Cineplex, TimePlay is one of the most innovative and exciting ways we engage our guests and provide an exceptional entertainment experience," said Ellis Jacob, President and CEO, Cineplex Entertainment. "Our guests have told us how much they love TimePlay, and we look forward to making this cutting-edge experience available in more theatres across Canada."
A proven asset to advertisers, Cineplex TimePlay affords clients the opportunity to sponsor a game or develop a custom interactive experience. Recent studies show TimePlay scores an amazing 93 per cent for advertising awareness and 94 per cent for correct brand association - significantly out-performing the same metrics for television advertising.
A reflection of its popularity with guests, Cineplex TimePlay regularly sees user engagement rates of 30 to 50 per cent of players opting-in to offers. In 2013, offers from Mazda and Pizza Pizza yielded close to 9,000 test drives and a nearly 50 per cent redemption rate on the offer of a free medium pizza.
TimePlay and Cineplex began testing interactive games at theatres in Toronto in 2011. The positive reception led to an expansion of the program to 231 auditoriums in both Toronto and Vancouver in late 2012. With today's announcement, Cineplex will bring the TimePlay experience to 725 auditoriums in all 10 provinces.
In addition to Toronto and Vancouver, Cineplex will add TimePlay to select theatres in markets nationwide. These include: Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, London, Waterloo, Oakville, Mississauga, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, St. John's and Charlottetown.
To date, the TimePlay app has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times, and achieved more than four million plays on 231 screens in Toronto and Vancouver since January 2012. The app is available on iOS, Android and Blackberry devices. Prizes have included popcorn and drinks, SCENE points and advertiser discounts delivered directly to users' devices.
"Our proprietary technology transforms a smartphone into a game controller which movie goers can use to test their cinema knowledge, driving skills and even their ability to score a goal in hockey, while also sparking live, friendly competition between family, friends and complete strangers in the theatre," said Jon Hussman, President and CEO of TimePlay Inc.
About TimePlay Inc.
TimePlay is a world leader in the multi-player interactive industry. Through its patented, social mobile platform, thousands of people can participate in the same experience, in the same venue in real-time. TimePlay enables mobile devices and tablets to transform into game controllers that interact with content on secondary screens, between players or venues while providing a targeted portal for offer delivery, e-commerce and social networking. TimePlay has offices in Los Angeles, London and Toronto.
For more information on TimePlay please visit: http://timeplay.com Follow us on Twitter: @TimePlayEnt
About Cineplex
Cineplex is one of Canada's leading entertainment companies and operates one of the most modern and fully digitized motion picture circuits in the world. A top-tier Canadian brand, Cineplex operates numerous businesses including theatrical exhibition, food services, gaming, alternative programming (Front Row Centre Events), Cineplex Media, Cineplex Digital Solutions, Cineplex Digital Networks, and the online sale of home entertainment content through CineplexStore.com and on apps embedded in various electronic devices. Cineplex is also a joint venture partner in SCENE - Canada's largest entertainment loyalty program.
Cineplex is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and operates 161 theatres with 1,632 screens from coast to coast, through the following theatre brands: Cineplex Odeon, SilverCity, Galaxy Cinemas, Scotiabank Theatres, Cineplex Cinemas, and Cineplex VIP Cinemas presented by Scotiabank. Cineplex also owns and operates the UltraAVX, Poptopia, and Outtakes brands. Cineplex trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CGX. More information is available at Cineplex.com.