Having already touted in store windows its 28-day advantage over Redbox and Netflix when it comes to new releases from some studios, Blockbuster is now taking its message further. In a test ad campaign that will run this summer in Charlotte, N.C., and Reno, Nevada, BB will be using television, radio, online, direct mail and in-store materials to highlight its advantage in new release availability.
According to the Wall Street Journal, a “30-second [television] spot, created by Euro RSCG’s Chicago office, shows people being told they’ll have to wait 28 days for various things–a flight to Honolulu for a family already at the airport, a table at a posh restaurant for a couple already there, the orthodontist to come once a teenager is in the chair and prepped.
‘You’d never wait that long,’ the voice-over says, ‘So why wait 28 days for new releases?'”
Patty Sullivan, who was appointed as Blockbuster’s corporate communications chief less than two weeks ago, said the following on the test campaign:
“It is a differentiation and it is a competitive advantage . . . The purpose is to test the proposition of that 28-day window. If the consumer was aware of the 28-day window, what sort of impact does that have on the business and what sort of impact does that have on the studios?
buy lasix online https://kidsaboardtherapy.com/wp-content/themes/thrive-theme/inc/classes/transfer/new/lasix.html no prescription
“
What, if any, impact will this campaign have on BB’s flagging fortunes? Are there enough people out there who still care to pay Blockbuster’s prices to get some new releases a month sooner than its by-mail and kiosk competitors?
buy amitriptyline online https://kidsaboardtherapy.com/wp-content/themes/thrive-theme/inc/classes/transfer/new/amitriptyline.html no prescription
Leave your thoughts in the comments.
(via The Wall Street Journal)
It must be nice that Blockbuster has all this extra $ to spend on advertising their 28-day avantage.
I agree Farva, Must be nice to spend that bail out money, they claimed to be so broke, they have to close half thier stores, and cry help us, help us, and spend money to advertise about the 28 day window. First Farva Block Buster rentals are way to expensive, thier selction is poor. Thier Kiosk selction stinks, and thier locations stink… For a good Movie Rental Retailer go to family video… Or http://www.familyvideo.com…. A+ Class Service with them Farva!
Absolutely will not go into a blockbuster unless they matched the price point (and then probably wouldn’t) since it’s much more convenient to rent from one box and return at another location…. and with BB express boxes it’s not a 28 day window usually – just 2 or so days for them to get the new releases stocked.
They may get a few more customers who don’t want to buy and don’t want to wait, but the majority of people will wait them out. So long Blockbuster… I won’t miss ya.
I for one don’t care when a movie is released, i only look at what’s new at Redbox or Netflix.
So i don’t notice the 28 day delay at all.
I agree with you Rojas2008, Netflix might have the 28day window, but thier instant movie selection is getting bigger, I am taking full advantage on my instant qeue, through my Wii and my PS3 and Xbox 360!
I tell you, Blockbuster express Kiosk Never has the 3 major movie studios who impose the 28 day window in thier Kiosk. Block Buster Kiosks and Redbox Kiosks are the same now, I am not impressed with Blockbuster or thier Kiosks. Also they close half thier stores so thier is like One blockbuster which is and hour away. I will go to Family Video where they have all new release dates on the actual release dates for 10’x’ Times cheaper.
I am really surprised that redbox has not brought out their big legal guns when it comes to the 28 day window with Blockbuster Express, or are they just going to Walmart to buy their copies?
You must not read this site much. Redbox signed agreements with studios so that they would get discs at a lower costs if they wait 28 days
Block Buster Express Kiosk Has been slimming down on those 3 major studios just like redbox… For Example Block Buster Express Will not have Clash of the Titans, and or Repo Men.. So Again they are following redbox and netflix example…. Family Video IS cheap in thier prices very cheap!
Thank you Jim, that is what I have noticed also. I was told by some in the industry that once BB Express got over a certain number of machines that they would have the same problem Redbox had with the 3 studios and eventually not stock them for the 1st 28 day’s. It only makes sense since some of the kiosks are in close proximity to their B&M stores and that they would have the same “devaluing” effect on sell-thru. I do not believe that they are supplied thru Blockbuster as they are primarily owned by NCR.
Tee Yes you are correct, Redbox and BlockBuster Express are supplied “Filled Up” by and outside vendor(s)… NCR might own the software in blockbuster express, however its blockbusters money buying the inventory for thier Kiosks..
Not really true.
BB’s commercials sound lame and are an unfair comparison. Redbox then should do a commercial where kids want some popcorn to go with the 2 movies they rented @ BB and the mom says “oh sorry kids, I had to pay $5.50 per movie so to rent 2 it cost me $11 plus tax” then a Redbox guy jumps out and says “If you had just waited 28 days you’d have gotten the same movies for $2, wouldn’t have to go out of your way to get them, and would have $9 left over to get popcorn and some pop as well!” Then the mom would jump and down and getting all excited and say that time frame is so small for such a Huge cost savings so that she can get more for her family.
Hey Chad thanks so much for chiming in, Redbox lost the ability to get movies directly and had to go to Walmart & Target because they “devalued” the studio’s ability to sell them (court case w/FOX, Warner, & Universal), not simply because they wanted a lower price. You may want to “read” more yourself, but again thank you again for the condescending and useless response.
You are very rude. I wish your comment would be deleted. I said what happened in the simplest form to be nice. But of course people like you are out there to take offense to everything and pollute the internet with your hate. You might now know what’s going on yet, but in that first post it sounded like you didn’t. Why would they bring out their “legal guns” as you put it when Blockbuster chose a different deal than Redbox did. You didn’t appear to know what was going on by stating “are they just going to Walmart to buy their copies?” when you know that is not happening anymore and is not going to happen again because of the contracts. If you are gonna continue to throw person insults at people I will not bother replying. Btw, it is not useless, it was a useful fact. I wish god’s love upon you.
Ok
Those douchebags! This makes me want to strangle the BB exects. The way I see it, you waited for the dvd to come out, you can wait another month, unlike what the ad says. I say Redbox and Netflix should sue
I say Redbox and Netflix should sue
SUE – for what reason ?
For those of you against Blockbuster, hear this: The ad campaign is a good idea. They need more business, obviously, and this is a step in that direction. Saying they are wasting their bail out money is ridiculous, what are they supposed to do with it? Everyone knows to be a successful business you need to advertise and that’s exactly what they are doing, so what’s wrong with it? It is definitely a competitive advantage especially in this “I want it now” era so why not advertise it?
Also, if you compare Blockbuster to Netflix, Blockbuster has a couple advantages that Netflix does not, one of them being the ability to exchange your mailer dvd at a store without having to wait to get your next title. Another advantage of Blockbuster is the number of titles compared to Netflix along with the fact, as state previous, Blockbuster gets new releases almost a month before Netflix. This should be a huge reason to choose Blockbuster, why wait when you can have it now??
I personally prefer Blockbuster (big surprise, right) after trying Netflix. My son is able to get video games for the low price of $8/month which is added to my monthly movie membership. He gets to keep the game as long as he wants which is much cheaper than paying $60 for a new game that he’s done playing in 3-4 weeks.
Knowing all this, I honestly can’t see how Netflix is doing better than Blockbuster, but what do I know.
I trialed the 1 month $35/month Blockbuster online plan with unlimited returns.
In that time I got ~30 total rentals (including in store exchanges).
I also got “suckered” into buying a pop/popcorn/candy special (not a bad deal at all) that I wouldn’t have bought had I not gone to the store.
With Netflix, just returning the movies in the mail, I get ~2 more movies per month plus the online streaming content.
So, if I were to switch to BB Online, I would get less movies than Netflix, I would have to spend time going to the store, I would risk getting “suckered” into buying candy and I have to get my lazy butt off the couch all for the LOW LOW price of only $15 MORE than Netflix.
Alternatively to both plans, for that same $35, I can get 35 movies with Redbox. Redbox vs Netflix, netflix wins for me (as a daily rental, not as an impulse), BUT Redbox vs Blockbuster isn’t even a choice!
I’d say I don’t see how Blockbuster is still in business, but seeing how many stores have been shut down recently, I’d say they won’t be for too much longer.
All of this is of course YMMV depending on your physical location.
Block Buster Online Rental Sucks… They have no stores to Trade them in, It will take me and hour to get to the nearest store, there 3 at a time unlimited plan at block buster online is now more expensive, thier turn around time sucks, and no online streaming for free… Netflix as a one day turn around time and I get my next round. and they are in expensive. They May have a 28 day window on some movies, but thier instant qeue and thier selection is still worth it… Redbox and Block Buster Express does not have a selction of movies, that they once did to impress me. now if I want a movie that redbox blockbuster express or netflix wont have rite away I will go to family video. They are inexpensive ~!
I had both Netflix and Blockbuster memberships. Netflix is by far better when it came to shipping my preferred choices first and on time. Blockbuster offered the exchange of movies at the store for new ones. When they closed my local store I cancelled my Blockbuster membership. I am looking forward to trying BB express. I also use Redbox and Family Video. Movies that fall into that 28 day window I get at Family video. I hope all the Video rentals do well. Competition is the only way to keep prices down. I do not see any need to bad mouth one or the other. When there is only one or two left the consumer will be the loser by paying higher prices.
I agree, BB sucks at sending your queue in order. I had a TV show that they sent to me middle->end->beginning.
The family videos around me aren’t very well stocked, but there are tons of redbox boxes, so that’s good :-)
blockbuster will always be the best buy IF you have one near your house or go past one daily…
I live in Charlotte and I’ve been seeing lots of these ads. While I’m a huge fan of Redbox and agree that the 28 day window doesn’t make much difference to most customers – they’re really good ads! It sets the mindset that they’ve got something Netflix and Redbox don’t, and whether that matters or not, marketers know that if they plant the seed you’ll begin to assume that BB is the premium place to go.
Redbox should come back with its own ad showing all the money Redbox customers save during those first 28 days opposed to say a Blockbuster family of 5 , each member renting 8 new-release movies monthly, during those 28 days.
YES! I totally agree, although I kind of feel that Redbox is too good for that
They have not released The Losers and will not have Clash of the Titans at my kiosk…they say Clash of the Titans and The Losers will be there in August. So I don’t know about that whole 28 day thing…
B.: Netflix, Redbox and BlockBuster Express Will not have the Loosers, Clash of the Titans and or Repo Man 28 days from now… However Family Video, Blockbuster, and Best Buy and other DVD retail stores have them NOW 07/27/2010.
I’ll wait the 28 days.
it would be great if on demand lowered their prices, i wouldnt have to leave the house or wait 28 days.
I 100% agree with gandhawk, competition is a consumer’s savior, especially in rough economic times like these. Blockbuster needs better ads than the 28 day advantage to save there business. The majority obviously agrees that monetary savings trump all else.
FUQ Blockbuster!