'Consumers are dying to get out of their houses': How Cinemark's CMO is getting people back to the movies

"Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Cinemark's chief marketing and content officer, has a unique lens through which to view the film industry - as a longtime retail executive. Fearing, who previously wore the hat of CMO at Neiman Marcus and Limited Brands, joined Cinemark in 2018 and navigated the company's marketing through several years of difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought filmmaking to a standstill and challenged theater chains."

"Things are now looking up for the Texas-based company and the film industry as a whole. For the first half of the year, the company reported about $1.5 billion in total revenue, a 13% year-over-year increase, according to financial filings. The company has 304 theaters in the U.S. and 193 in Latin America. It reported about 95 million guests in 14 countries in the first half of the year, up 5%."

"Cinemark's paid membership program, the Cinemark Movie Club, hit 1.45 million members in the second quarter, up 12% from the same quarter last year and more than 50% from 2019. Those members represented 30% of its North American box office in the quarter. Loyalty program members as a whole - including free members as well as paid - represented more than 55% of its second-quarter box office."

Wanda Gierhart Fearing serves as Cinemark's chief marketing and content officer and brings retail executive experience from Neiman Marcus and Limited Brands. She joined Cinemark in 2018 and managed marketing through Covid-19 disruptions that halted filmmaking and strained theaters. Cinemark reported about $1.5 billion in revenue in the first half of the year, a 13% increase, and served roughly 95 million guests across 14 countries. The company operates 304 U.S. theaters and 193 in Latin America. The Cinemark Movie Club reached 1.45 million paid members, representing 30% of North American box office, while loyalty members drove over 55% of Q2 box office. Content volume remains below pre-pandemic levels, with a return to prior film quantity projected by 2026.

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