18 COMMERCIALISATION
licence from the council to allow you to play the film. Costing around £10,000 to put on, drive-in movies can be at the upper end of the investment scale for events and if relying on ticket sales alone, you need to charge £20 per car to make profit. “People often forget that it’s only the two people sitting in the
front seats that are going to be able to see the screen,” warns managing director Melanie Hurley. ”But if it’s a balmy evening, people can get out and have a picnic next to their car.” A drive-in movie ticks the all-important ‘experience’ box, whilst
costing little more – or less depending on the amount of people in the vehicle – than your average cinema ticket per person. Promotions could be tied in to drive extra revenue or to allow management to lower the ticket cost. “Speak to your local car dealership and charge them to park a
few of their cars in the front row instead of doing a promotion in the mall,” suggests Hurley. “That way people could sit in the cars and get a feel for them, and it might be that someone from the dealership is around to answer questions and book test drives.” Ice skating rinks can be a great draw during Christmas, and from
a marketing perspective, Hurley says they’re a great way to collect data.
Melbry Events are collaborating with the biggest ice supplier in
the world to offer an off-the-shelf rink, complete with box office and boot exchange – all the centre needs to do is supply the staff. “You’re doing something very wrong if you don’t make money on
“You can get over 40,000 skaters over Christmas in a good ice rink”
Aside from permanent, weekly or monthly markets, many
shopping centres have been setting up smaller one-off versions, often in conjunction with food and drink fairs. But in terms of indoor/outdoor crossover and novelty
commercialisation enterprises, markets are just the tip of the iceberg. Shoppertainment recently set up a traditional Tunisian Bazaar at
Clacton Factory Outlet, where authentic traders - who had travelled from Tunisia especially - sold freshly cooked foods like paella and couscous as well as dried fruits, olives and garlic. The Bazaar also had non-food stalls selling traditional
handcrafted Tunisian leather bags, handmade ceramics, lamps, slippers and tiles. Shoppertainment provided a custom Bedouin tent where
customers could relax and there was free entertainment for all the family with samba dancers, drummers, a local belly dancing group and camel rides.
INSIDE OUT Artificial beaches, drive-in movies, music concerts, hosting a circus and – moving into the winter months – ice rinks all do roaring trade, adding a touch of fun and excitement to a shopping trip. Melbry Events has experience of putting on such events and has
an impressive client list including thecentre:mk, The Trafford Centre, Liverpool One, DTZ, Westfield London, Meadowhall, Jones Lang LaSalle, British Land, The Mall and PRUPIM. In terms of drive-in movies, Melbry show Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story 3 and Rio. All you need is a car park and a
SHOPPING CENTRE July 2011
www.shopping-centre.co.uk
something like that,” says Hurley. “You can get 40,000 skaters over the Christmas period in a good ice rink.” She says centres should expect to make 30-40 per cent on top
of the original investment but admits that success is down to quality and good customer service. “It’s things like having new skates,” she says. “If you have boots
that have done seven seasons and look scruffy, then nowadays people will get straight on Facebook and complain about it.” And they don’t have to be run solely during the Christmas period.
“Ice rinks tend to be run from November time until early January when the kids go back to school,” explains Hurley. ”But dancing on ice starts in February and runs through to April – why not have your ice rink run in conjunction with a TV programme? It’s so popular, people will watch it and think, ‘I want to have a go’.”
OUTSIDE IN With the UK’s weather a tad on the unpredictable side, bringing the outdoors in could be another option. Artificial beaches, with sand, deckchairs and other paraphernalia, are one way to make your customers feel like they’re on holiday. Melbry Events usually advocate charging £1 ticket, giving parents
with young children a cheap way of entertaining them during the summer holidays. Commercialisation comes in with the concessions, selling drinks, snacks and ice creams, and RMUs selling things like buckets and spades, inflatables, swimwear, hats and sun cream could be brought in, giving the impression of a beachfront parade. In-line retailers could also set up stands or mannequins showcasing their summer ranges. Melbry Events can supply a digital sea or ‘magic’ floor with
moving waves, coral and fish. “It’s what I would call a grounded event – it’s not flashy, just a
lovely family-orientated event,” says Hurley’s colleague, Penny Chick. “And it’s organic, spend will increase naturally.”
Find out more: For more information, please contact the author:
mia.hunt@
jldmedia.com
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