Orange steps up movie campaign

Two-for-one ticket deal offered to online customers

By ARCHIE THOMAS

LONDON — Cellphone giant Orange has extended its successful Orange Wednesdays two-for-one cinema tickets promotion to its two million online customers.

Over the past two and a half years the warmly-received Orange Wednesdays offer has been credited with boosting Wednesday admissions considerably in Blighty.

"Orange Wednesdays has the advantage of appealing to all aspects of our membership, in that it not only promotes cinemagoing but also raises the profile of film in this country, and emphasizes the benefit of seeing films in the cinema," commented Grace Carley, managing director of All Industry Marketing, which promotes cinemagoing in the U.K.

Orange phone users who text message 241 to Orange receive an unique code by return text entitling them to two tickets for the price of one on Wednesdays. This offer will continue through 2008 and broadband and dialup Orange customers are now also able to participate.

Audience awareness for the offer was built by cinema ads featuring Patrick Swayze and Steven Seagal. More than 90% of U.K. theaters participate in the Orange Wednesdays offer.