Cinema Advertising Glossary

Plain-English definitions of cinema-advertising terms. For Australian brands considering cinema for the first time.

Advert / commercial / on-screen ad

Pre-feature

The video advertisement that plays before a movie’s feature presentation. Lengths range from 15-second top-and-tails to standard 30-second spots up to 60- and 90-second narrative ads.

Aspect ratio (1.85:1, 2.39:1)

Frame proportions

Cinema-spec frame proportions. 1.85:1 (Flat) is the standard for most ads and many films; 2.39:1 (Scope) is the wider “cinema” look used for blockbusters. OzCoWilliams handles all aspect-ratio and crop adjustments in-house so your ad appears in the correct format for every screening, on every screen.

Captive audience

No-skip viewing

The defining attribute of cinema advertising: viewers are seated, in a dimmed room, with no second screen and no ability to skip ads. The Kantar 2023 study found 85% attentiveness vs 1.4% for skippable digital pre-roll.

Cinema-format conversion

Adapt existing ad to DCP

Reformatting an existing TV or online commercial to cinema-grade DCP — fixing aspect ratio and crop, upscaling to 2K, remixing audio for 5.1 surround, and colour-grading for projection. OzCoWilliams handles the full conversion in-house (typically around seven days) for a small conversion fee, so your existing video is ready for the big screen in the correct format for every screening.

Cinema network / circuit

Group of cinemas

A group of cinema locations under one operator. OzCoWilliams partners with most major Australian cinema networks — including Birch Carroll and Coyle (BCC) and Event Cinemas — alongside leading independents Cinebar, Cineplex, and Limelight Cinemas, across Queensland and interstate.

CPM (Cost Per Mille)

Cost per 1,000 impressions

The advertising-industry metric for media-buying efficiency. Australian cinema CPMs typically run $40–$80 depending on location, season, and exclusivity. Higher than digital but with substantially better attention.

DCP (Digital Cinema Package)

Cinema-grade file format

The file format cinemas use to project digital adverts and films. DCP delivers higher resolution, colour depth, and audio fidelity than broadcast TV or online video. OzCoWilliams provides DCP conversion as part of every campaign.

Exhibitor

The cinema operator

The business that owns and operates the cinema venue (e.g. Birch Carroll and Coyle, Cinebar, Cineplex Cinemas Australia, Event Cinemas, Limelight Cinemas). Distinct from the distributor, which licenses films to exhibitors.

G / PG / M / MA15+ / R18+

Content rating

Australian Classification Board ratings. Your ad must be classified G (General viewing) so it can run before every feature. OzCoWilliams places your commercial in front of all movies across all screens in the cinema — so you never miss your target audience, whatever film they came to see.

Industry exclusivity

No competing ads

A premium booking option that excludes competing-category within the OzCoWilliams pre-show advertising space. The OzCoWilliams Pre-Show Local Advertising space is sold exclusively by OzCoWilliams so industry exclusivity is enforced end-to-end within the OzCoWilliams Advertising slot. Example: one local real-estate business takes the slot, and no other competing real-estate businesses appear before that week’s feature.

MPDA

Motion Picture Distributors Association

The peak body for film distributors in Australia. Publishes industry attendance data, attention research, and audience demographics that inform cinema-advertising buying decisions.

Pre-show / pre-feature

Ad block before the trailers

The 5-15 minute block of advertising that runs immediately before movie trailers. This is the high-attention window where OzCoWilliams clients place their commercials.

Voiceover (VO)

Recorded narration

Professional spoken narration laid over the visuals of a commercial. OzCoWilliams can arrange a cinema-grade voiceover as part of your production.

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