Gen Z Goes To The Lobby

PRESENTED BY 1440

TGIF, Future Party. A new White House executive order has declared Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas federal holidays. While it’s probably too late to change your work schedule this year, you can now plan a longer trip to see your family next season — which, considering how chaotic your Christmases tend to be, may feel more like a curse than a blessing. You officially have a year to reconcile with your odd uncle. Good luck.

A study by Cinema United — the largest exhibition trade organization in the world — found that Gen Z is going to the movies more than any other generation.

The Big Picture: While the popular belief is that young people are staying home to stream movies rather than heading out to see them on the big screen, the reality is more complicated. Young people are actually going to the movies more — they’re just more selective about which films are worth the big-screen experience and which can be enjoyed from the comfort of the couch.

Behind The Scenes: Despite the streaming revolution of the past decade, Gen Z is discovering going to the movies is pretty great, too.

Roll Credits: Despite overall movie-theater attendance still sitting 23% below 2019 levels (COVID really did change habits), there are encouraging signs of an upswing. The number of people who saw more than six films this year — what Cinema United defines as “habitual moviegoing” — is up 8%. And with the number of wide-release films set to increase to 115 next year (up from 111 this year and 94 in 2024), those numbers could climb even higher.

When it comes to cinema: the more, the merrier.

Coming Soon: Knowing that Gen Z is plugged into the theatergoing experience, more companies may build divisions focused on marketing to this generation of digital natives… just as Warner Bros. announced yesterday.

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Companies across industries are increasingly looking to hire “storytellers” — people who can tell a brand’s narrative across a variety of mediums.

Why It Hits: In an age of AI, companies are realizing that they need to tap into one of the oldest skills in history to connect to their customers — spinning a good yarn. In decades past, corporate America could rely on a healthy media ecosystem for publicity… but as the journalism industry shrinks (website visits to the largest 100 news publishers have shrunk by 40% over the past five years), that’s no longer the case.

Behind The Role: Corporate America has found its hot new buzzword, according to The WSJ.

Final Pitch: Corporate America really wants shareholders to know that they’re all in on storytelling, mentioning “storytelling” or “storyteller” on earnings calls and investor days 469 times this year. The terms were only mentioned 147 times a decade ago.

And the number of job postings on LinkedIn that included “storyteller” doubled this year to about 70,000 open roles (or roles that the company plans never to fill). Those roles typically combine skill sets across copywriting, editorial, and publicity — all-in-one roles meant to attract journalists, content pros, and maybe even some out-of-work TV writers.

The Future: With companies like Sugar23 reorganizing to meet the storytelling needs of corporations and startups alike, the next decade may usher in the era of branded narrative entertainment. After all, we’re already getting a big-budget Labubu movie.

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30.3% of you voted I check the winners afterward in yesterday’s poll: What best reflects your relationship with the Oscars?

“As someone who loves the arts, I used to look forward to watching the Oscars. But Hollywood started taking itself too seriously and telling people how to live their lives. It’s gone so downhill — along with the films themselves — that I now avoid the ceremony and only check out the winners afterward.”

“I used to be a rabid follower of the Oscars and saw as many nominated films as possible. Watching the show with equally interested friends was a party event. Then, the show began offering dull hosts, nominated movies I found uninteresting to disturbing, and running increasingly long. Now, I’ve seldom seen any of the films and read who won the day after.”

“After the winning movies are announced, I make a list and watch the ones I haven’t seen. I enjoy understanding why they were chosen — and they’re often films I wouldn’t have watched otherwise.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

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