IMAX Creative Los Angeles

ABOUT

Concept
IMAX Marketing partnered with TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles to develop a brand design system that clearly differentiates the IMAX Brand from its competitors within the marketplace across all types of mediums – print, digital, online, and OOH.

IMAX has 50 years of heritage partnering with world renowned filmmakers including Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, and Ryan Coogler to bring their films to life the way they have always envisioned. IMAX has been a pioneer in the entertainment technology space with its proprietary in-theatre technology and post-production tools including its Digital Media Remastering process and suite of extremely high-resolution cameras.

However, the customer landscape was confused due to competitors entering into the marketplace as of late. Some compare IMAX to these offerings, while others view IMAX as purely presenting documentaries in museums and science centres. In surveying a handful of individuals, when asked ‘What is IMAX?”, there wasn’t a clear consistent response – it differed each time.

IMAX needed a brand design system that quickly and effectively communicated IMAX’s suite of differentiated offerings and communicated IMAX as the ultimate immersive movie experience.

Execution
In the course of only 2 months, a visual solution was developed. The solution was a brand design system built around a core design vehicle referred to as ‘The IMAX Frame’. Everything within ‘The IMAX Frame’ symbolizes the standard moviegoing experience whereas everything outside of the frame or ‘beyond’ the frame symbolizes how much more you can experience with IMAX.

‘The IMAX Frame’ is always accompanied by a few additional elements as follows:

• Key Visual/Artwork
• IMAX logomark
• Tagline
• Key Differentiating Messaging

The Brand Design System is used across 2 types of campaigns:

• Brand Campaigns - Using key visuals/artwork that take consumers into a new world only in IMAX

• Film Brand Burst Campaigns - Using key film artwork on films with IMAX DNA (meaning the films feature an expanded aspect ratio where instead of the standard 2.4:0 view, viewers experience 26% more of the picture with a 1.9:0 aspect ratio only in IMAX for a more immersive movie experience) and in some instances filmed with IMAX cameras.

In 2018, we launched the brand design system on a global scale with a Brand Campaign “Films to the Fullest” and 3 Film Brand Burst Campaigns:

• EXPERIENCE Marvel’s Ant-man and the Wasp TO THE FULLEST
• EXPERIENCE First Man TO THE FULLEST
• EXPERIENCE Aquaman TO THE FULLEST

In 2019, we've already launched 2 more Brand Film Burst Campaigns (with more to come):

• EXPERIENCE Alita: Battle Angel TO THE FULLEST
• EXPERIENCE Marvel's Captain Marvel TO THE FULLEST

‘The IMAX Frame’ was the first time there has been a consistent brand vehicle for the IMAX Brand. The brand design system was implemented across all materials for the Brand Campaign “Films to the Fullest” and Film Brand Burst Campaigns including in-theatre digital displays, online web banners, in-theatre printed displays, out of home, and most important AV Content. We rolled out globally in 39 languages and 79 countries.

Results
The results of the new brand design system were impressive and continue to be so. Over the course of only 7 months, ‘The IMAX Frame’ has become synonymous with the IMAX brand. The IMAX Social channels now have an established look and feel and most importantly consistency that is built upon the IMAX brand’s voice rather than the film’s voice.

On Instagram followers have increased by 45% (and growing) since the launch of the design system. We’ve received 80MM+ total impressions across our AV Content, over 1MM visits per month to the official IMAX website, and a 42% increase in Post-Campaign Share of our social content on DNA titles. We’ve also successfully leveraged the campaign to launch 149 new theatres globally in 2018.

We partnered with key studios including Disney, Fox, Universal and Warner Brothers to bring the Brand Film Bursts to life across our global network of 1400+ theatres and owned channels.

We leveraged our strong exhibitor network relationships to penetrate through the market within their online, in-theatre, OOH, and on-air media inventory.

While there is still much work to do within the marketplace, Over the span of just 7 months, IMAX’s brand design system has made big strides in clearly differentiating IMAX from its competitors.