The NATO communications team walked through our year-end messaging strategy, talking points, and opportunities for press, as we convey the strength of our industry heading into 2025.
Member News Category: All Members
CinemaCon Poster Contest 2025
CinemaCon and NATO are excited to announce the 4th Annual CinemaCon Official Poster Design Contest for CinemaCon 2025. This is a great opportunity for you and your creatively inclined theater employees to showcase your artistic talents!
Eligibility & Contest Details:
- Eligibility: Open to employees of NATO member companies, 18 years or older.
- Entry Deadline: February 21, 2025, by 11:59 PM PT.
- Theme Options:
- Friends’ Night Out – Capture the fun and joy of a group of friends at the movies.
- Architectural Wonders – Highlight the beauty of unique or historic movie theaters.
- Theatre Snacks – Showcase the array of colorful and tempting concessions.
Prizes:
- 1st Place: Round-trip airfare to Las Vegas, CinemaCon registration, 5-night stay at Caesars Palace, and more!
- 2nd Place: CinemaCon registration, discounted hotel stay, and more.
- 3rd Place: CinemaCon registration and more.
Designs will be featured on posters, t-shirts, and banners at the event.
Judging Criteria:
- Marketability, originality, design attractiveness, adherence to the theme, and overall impact.
Important Guidelines:
- Use creative interpretations of the theme, celebrating the modern cinema experience.
- No AI-generated artwork will be accepted.
- Though not required, we encourage creative interpretations of the CinemaCon logo/wordmark. However, should you choose to use the logo in your design, it can be downloaded here: LOGOS
For more information, please see the official contest rules and artwork submission form below.
We encourage you to forward this notice to your teams and employees, post on your internal company networks, and add to break rooms. For your convenience, we created a printable flyer which you can download by clicking the photo below. Print it and post in your break rooms!
We look forward to seeing your creative designs! Please reach out to Adrian Barron at ab@natoca.com with any additional questions regarding the contest.
Trade Show Referral Program
We are excited to introduce a new initiative that not only benefits you but also plays a crucial role in enhancing the diversity and value of CinemaCon: the Trade Show Referral Program. This program offers a unique opportunity for you to directly influence the quality of our trade show while earning rewards for your efforts.
Program Overview:
- Refer a Vendor: If you know a company that would be a great fit for the CinemaCon trade show, we encourage you to refer them.
- Earn Rewards: When your referral registers for booth space at CinemaCon 2025, you will both receive:
- $500 Discount on each booth rented for the new or returning vendor.
- $500 Discount on CinemaCon 2025 convention registrations for your company. Discounts can be redeemed for each vendor who registers.
In our ongoing efforts to improve our event, we’ve analyzed attendee feedback from the past three shows. Attendees have shown particular interest in seeing the following types of companies and products at future editions of the CinemaCon trade show:
- Amusement Games & Family Entertainment Centers (FEC)
- Beverage Distributors
- Defibrillators & Safety Equipment
- Foodservice Solutions
- HVAC Systems
- Janitorial Equipment & Cleaning Services
- Kitchen & Bar Equipment
- Social Media Management Software, Marketing Tools/Agencies, Data & CRM
- Sustainable Products (including packaging, cups, straws, recycling services, water conservation, and solar energy)
- Uniforms
While these categories are top of mind, we are also open to vendors from any sector, including those not mentioned above. If you have connections with companies that offer innovative products or services, regardless of their industry, we would greatly appreciate your introduction.
To submit your referral, please visit the submission link below and complete the brief form. The form can be completed multiple times, so feel free to submit as many referrals as you’d like. Our team will take it from there, ensuring your referral is contacted and informed about this exciting opportunity.
Should you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to reach out directly to the CinemaCon team. Your participation is vital to the ongoing success and evolution of CinemaCon, and we are grateful for your continued support.
Thank you for your dedication to making our community and event stronger each year.
Best regards,
The CinemaCon Team
Watch the Recording: November 2024 State of the Industry Webinar
NATO’s SOTI webinar was held on Thursday, 21 November.
Highlights from the Q4 2024 SOTI include:
- Comments from CEO Michael O’Leary on recent discussions with agencies and guilds, the potential Skydance/Paramount Merger, and the recent election results
- An overview of the full year of plans for the @TheMovies campaign, including quarterly activations, from The Cinema Foundation
- An overview of how to use the new online Member Directory
- A highlight of the new Member Spotlight feature on our website, including information on how to submit yourself for a spotlight
- A reminder about the new CinemaCon trade show referral program
- An announcement of the 2024 CinemaCon poster contest
- Box office review and release calendar
Watch the Recording – Election 2024 Preview – Oct. 17
NATO and Federal consulting firm Invariant previewed the 2024 election. We went through the scenarios for how the 2024 election could shake out for the White House and Congress. We heard from Invariant on our strategy for Federal advocacy, no matter who wins the election.
Member Directory Launch
We are excited to announce the launch of NATO’s new Online Directory, a comprehensive and easy-to-use tool designed to enhance collaboration and connectivity within our community. With this directory, you will now be able to search for fellow members—both individuals and organizations—based on various search fields such as:
- Address
- Number of Screens
- Number of Locations
This resource will allow you to quickly locate and connect with industry peers, fostering greater opportunities for networking, partnerships, and shared growth. It can only be accessed by current NATO members who are logged in.
Important: To allow others to find you in the directory, you must opt-in. Participation is entirely voluntary, but we encourage everyone to opt-in (and tell your colleagues to opt-in) to maximize the benefits of this powerful tool for all members. Without opting in, your details will not be visible in any search results.
Instructions for use of the online directory system are included at the link below. This set of instructions also includes a step-by-step guide on how to opt-in to the member directory, in case you missed that earlier this year. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to Erin at evh@natoca.com.
Watch the Recording – Curating for Connection: Programming that Enriches Your Community – Sept. 19
This webinar featured programming experts from independent cinemas, who shared their insights and strategies for curating film selections that resonate with and enrich their local communities. Audience members discovered how these experts choose films that reflect diverse voices, foster meaningful dialogue, and create memorable experiences. The webinar offered valuable perspectives on bringing compelling, community-focused programming to life.
Featuring:
Beth Barrett
Chuck Foxen
Stephanie Silverman
Daniel Loria, Moderator
Open Committee Seats: Applications Now Closed
You are invited to apply to open committee seats within NATO on our Conventions Committee, Investment Committee, and Membership Committee. Serving on a NATO committee is a fantastic way to get more involved in our association. Through committee participation, you have the opportunity to shape the future of our association and make a meaningful impact.
Application Period: August 26 – September 9
Applications will be reviewed the week of September 9, and applicants will be notified of decisions by September 13. Please read below for more information on openings.
Conventions Committee
Provides direction and oversight of the budgeting and program planning for the annual CinemaCon convention.
Number of Open Seats: 1 open seat
Time Commitments: The Conventions Committee meets in-person once per year, at NATO’s annual governance meetings. This committee is scheduled to meet next during the Summit, on Monday, Sept. 23, from 11:00 – 12:00 pm at The Beverly Hilton. Other calls and virtual meetings are held throughout the year. Committee members should expect to commit at least 10 hours per year to the work of this committee.
Requirements: All Conventions Committee members must have attended at least two CinemaCon conventions.
Investment Committee
Meets quarterly to review NATO’s reserve portfolio and to provide guidance to NATO’s investment advisors. Periodically reviews and submits recommendations to the Executive Board regarding NATO’s investment policy, asset allocation, and investment strategies.
Number of Open Seats: 1 open seat
Time Commitments: The Investment Committee meets quarterly via Zoom when the portfolio summary and allocation reports for the prior quarter are available. Detailed supporting materials are sent to Committee members in advance of each quarterly meeting. Reviewing the materials takes an hour or two and each quarterly meeting runs 90 minutes, for a total time commitment of a half day or so each quarter. Occasionally, the committee takes up a special project (like revising the Investment Policy), which might require a modest amount of additional time.
Requirements: Investment expertise required, including knowledge of investment strategy, investment instruments, portfolio construction, risk tolerance, manager selection and criteria for success.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee develops and recommends to the Executive Board specific criteria and qualifications for the various classes of membership and undertakes recruitment and retention efforts.
Number of Open Seats: 2 open seats
Time Commitments: NATO’s membership committee meets at least twice per year, once via Zoom in advance of CinemaCon, and once in-person at the Annual Board Meetings and Summit. This committee is scheduled to meet next during the Summit, on Monday, Sept. 23, from 9:00 – 10:00 am at The Beverly Hilton.
Requirements: Members of the Membership Committee must be Advisory Board members in good standing.
We encourage all interested members to apply and bring your expertise, enthusiasm, and vision to these important roles. Your participation is crucial in driving NATO’s mission forward and advancing our collective goals. If you have any questions about the process, you are welcome to contact Erin Von Hoetzendorff at evh@natoca.com.
Deck Available: NATO Presentation Technology Committee Meeting – August 21, 2024
The NATO Presentation Technology Committee meeting was held on Wednesday, 21 August @ 12:30 pm Eastern (9:30 am Pacific).
This meeting was an opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the recent interactions between Tech Committee leaders and studio executives, in addition to important updates shaping our technological landscape.
Watch the Recording: August 2024 State of the Industry Webinar
NATO’s Q3 2024 SOTI webinar was held on Thursday, 15 August @ 2:00 pm Eastern (11:00 am Pacific).
Highlights from this recording include:
- Introduction from NATO CEO, Michael O’Leary, including thoughts on studio mergers, release calendar changes, and upcoming NATO staff hires
- Dues payment reminder and online payment instructions
- Executive Board Elections results
- Reminder of upcoming programs
- Update on The Fall Summit plans
- Box office outlook
- Overview of NATO’s Exhibition Outlook document
- A farewell from Alex Rich
- Updates from The Cinema Foundation regarding plans for National Cinema Day
