YouTube, the driven force to boost cinema worldwide

Cinema worldwide is projected to reach $34 billion in revenue, a significant decline from the $42 billion recorded in 2019. This was a key takeaway from data presented by Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media & Entertainment at Omdia, during her presentation at FED España. According to Maria’s research, only 44% of YouTube users in the USA go to the cinema, with the same figure observed in Spain. This raises an important question: How can YouTubers help boost cinema attendance?

During her presentation, Maria highlighted successful cases where YouTubers have directly influenced cinema trends. For example, the documentary "Kaizen" by French YouTuber Inoxtag premiered for free on YouTube, yet managed to sell out 400 cinemas across France the following day. Similarly, Spanish YouTuber Alec has drawn massive crowds to cinemas in Madrid with his content, demonstrating the power of digital creators in driving audiences to the big screen.

Maria also emphasized another striking data point: 57% of YouTube users in the USA subscribe to Netflix, while 54% do so in Spain. This presents a potential opportunity—can leveraging YouTubers in marketing campaigns capture the remaining share of users? Or can cinema chains and streaming platforms integrate content created by YouTubers to drive audience engagement?

A case in point is Netflix’s strategy in France, where the platform collaborated with YouTubers to promote "Squid Game", leading to heightened awareness and engagement.

Maria Rua Aguete stated: "I believe collaboration with YouTube is a must going forward; collaboration and partnerships are key to attracting the audiences of YouTube around the world."

Maria’s insights suggest that embracing YouTube influencers as part of cinema marketing strategies could be key to revitalizing the industry, bridging the gap between digital consumption and theatrical experiences.