Maoyan: 84% of China Movie Lovers Agree That Returning to Cinemas in July is Appropriate

BEIJING,Aug. 14,2020 -- Maoyan Entertainment ("Maoyan" or "the Company") (Hong Kong: 1896),a leading platform providing innovative Internet-empowered entertainment services in China,released their latest market survey revealing that 84% of China's movie lovers believe that it is appropriate to return to cinemas in July,as cinemas across the country have been reopening in an orderly manner.

With the gradual opening of cinemas in China since July 20,Maoyan Research Institute conducted its latest survey at the end of July to learn about the recovery of Chinese movie lovers' offline leisure and entertainment consumption,their willingness to return to cinemas after cinemas reopened,as well as moviegoing experiences in the first week of cinema reopening.

Key Findings:

More than half of respondents have already resumed 70% or more of their shopping,dining,travel,moviegoing and performance/exhibition watching activities.

With the gradual opening of cinemas in China,about 74% of respondents expressed greater eagerness to go to cinemas than they had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the survey,at the end of July about 84% of respondents agree that it is suitable to return to cinemas.

About 83% of respondents said they were paying attention to news on the cinemas reopening,up from 73% in May and 62% in March.

Among respondents who went to watch movies in the first week of cinemas reopening,87% of respondents were satisfied with their very first experience at movie theaters after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Good reputation and a high rating score was the most important factor for moviegoers to choose a movie to watch in the cinema.

Offline leisure and entertainment consumption has been on the recovery

According to the survey,70% of respondents have already resumed regular work routines at their offices,and 12% were working on rotating shifts or working from home. The remaining 18% have not returned to work,or have lost their jobs.

Resumption of normal work

Percentage of total respondents

Fully resumed regular work routines

70%

Working on rotating shifts or working from home

12%

Haven't returned to work/lost jobs

18%

In terms of offline leisure and entertainment activities,the percentage of respondents who have already resumed 70% or more of their shopping,moviegoing and performance/exhibition watching activities were 84%,83%,56%,54%,and 53%,respectively.

The resumption rate of

offline leisure and

entertainment activities

Percentage of total respondents

Shopping

Dining

Travel

Moviegoing

Watching

performance/exhibition

70% or above

84%

83%

56%

54%

53%

Between 40% and 60%

11%

13%

30%

33%

29%

30% or under

4%

4%

9%

12%

13%

Not sure/NA

0%

0%

6%

1%

5%

More than 70% of moviegoers expressed eagerness to return to cinemas

With the gradual opening of cinemas in China,about 74% of respondents expressed greater eagerness to go to cinemas than they had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Willingness to go to cinemas compared to your

willingness prior to the COVID-19 pandemic

Percentage of total respondents

Much more eager to go to cinemas

44%

More eager to go to cinemas

30%

About the same

19%

Decreased willingness to go to cinemas

7%

Don't want to go to cinemas at all

0%

According to the survey,about 84% of respondents believed that it is suitable to return to cinemas at the end of July,up from June's 70% and April's 47%.

Suitability of returning to cinemas at

the end of July

Percentage of total respondents

April

June

End of July

Very suitable to return to cinemas

22%

32%

33%

Suitable to return to cinemas

25%

38%

51%

Neutral

27%

23%

12%

Not that suitable to return to cinemas

20%

6%

4%

Not suitable at all

7%

1%

1%

About 83% of respondents said they were paying attention to news on the cinemas reopening,up from 73% in May and 62% in March. When asked about if there are any cinemas nearby opening,about 88% of respondents said that they were aware of reopened cinemas nearby.

News on cinemas reopening

Percentage of total respondents

March

May

End of July

Pay close attention

25%

38%

55%

Pay attention

37%

35%

28%

Neutral

26%

20%

8%

Do not pay attention

9%

5%

4%

Not interested

3%

1%

4%

Is there any nearby cinema reopening?

Percentage of total respondents

Yes

88%

No

6%

Not sure/Don't know

6%

As to the news on upcoming movie releases,the portion of respondents who were paying attention to upcoming movie releases rose to 82% at the end of July,from 77% in May and 55% in March.

News on upcoming movie releases

Percentage of total respondents

March

May

End of July

Pay close attention

24%

41%

58%

Pay attention

31%

36%

24%

Neutral

30%

16%

10%

Do not pay attention

12%

5%

3%

Not interested

3%

1%

5%

Online ticketing channels including Maoyan,Meituan,WeChat,and Taopiaopiao were the main sources for cinema reopening news and information,followed by news and information platforms,cinema apps or WeChat official accounts,and advertisements in shopping malls or cinemas,according to the survey.

Sources for cinema reopening news

Percentage of total respondents

Online ticketing channels,e.g.,Maoyan,

Taopiaopiao

82%

News and information platforms

57%

Cinema apps or WeChat official accounts

54%

Advertisements in shopping malls or cinemas

23%

Friends/family members discussion

17%

Others

4%

(Respondents were instructed to select all options that apply)

87% of moviegoers were satisfied with the resumed moviegoing experience after the COVID-19 pandemic

Among respondents who went to watch movies in the first week of cinemas reopening,87% of respondents were satisfied with their very first experience at movie theaters after the COVID-19 pandemic. To be specific,over 80% of moviegoers were satisfied with movie quality,cinemas' safety precautions,cinema services and movie schedules.

Level of satisfaction of overall moviegoing

experience

Percentage of moviegoers going to cinemas in the first

week of cinema reopening

Very satisfied

41%

Satisfied

46%

Neutral

10%

dissatisfied

2%

Very dissatisfied

1%

Level of

satisfaction

Percentage of moviegoers going to cinemas in the first week of cinema reopening

Movie quality

Safety precautions

Cinema services

Movie schedules

Very satisfied

67%

63%

56%

57%

Satisfied

24%

27%

32%

28%

Neutral

7%

7%

9%

9%

dissatisfied

2%

2%

3%

5%

Very dissatisfied

0%

1%

1%

2%

According to the survey,good reputation and a high rating score (44%),classic movies (38%) and suitable movie schedules (36%) were the most important factors for moviegoers to choose a movie.

Factors considered when choosing a movie

Percentage of respondents who went to

cinemas in the first week of cinema reopening

Good reputation and a high rating score

44%

Classic movies

38%

Suitable movie schedules

36%

Favorite actors/director

34%

New releases

30%

To accompany others

18%

Catchy title

10%

Friends/family members recommendations

9%

Attracted by promotion materials (poster,trailer,

etc.)

9%

Others

7%

(Respondents were instructed to select all options that apply)

Among respondents who went to cinemas within the first week of cinema reopening,about 40% said they went to cinemas alone,about 30% said that they went together with friends/colleagues/classmates and 12% said they went with their dates.

With whom going to the cinemas

Percentage of respondents who went to cinemas in

the first week of cinema reopening

Going alone

40%

Friends/colleagues/classmates

30%

Dates

12%

Spouses/partners

11%

Children

6%

Parents

5%

Other family members

4%

Since movie tickets can only be reserved online for safety reasons,93% of moviegoers purchased tickets through ticketing channels including Maoyan,WeChat and Taopiaopiao. Over 70% of respondents who went to cinemas said they spent less than RMB30 on a movie ticket.

Movie tickets purchasing platforms

Percentage of respondents who went to

cinemas in the first week of cinema reopening

Online ticketing channels,

WeChat and Taopiaopiao

93%

Theaters' apps

5%

Others

3%

Movie ticket price (RMB)

Percentage of respondents who went to cinemas in the first week

of cinema reopening

Less than 10

9%

From 11 to 20

26%

From 21 to 30

42%

From 31 to 40

16%

More than 40

8%

For those who have not returned to cinemas,the biggest reason was lack of interest in the movies on for screening (45%). Some respondents were also concerned about the hygiene conditions of cinemas and strict prevention measures.

Reason of not go to cinemas

Percentage of respondents who have not returned to cinemas

Not interested in the screened movies

45%

concern about the hygiene conditions

of cinemas

15%

Still in the plans

12%

Strict prevention measures such as

wearing masks

9%

Others

8%

Too busy to go to cinemas

5%

Will wait till more people go

3%

Movie tickets are too expensive

3%

The survey was conducted by Maoyan Research Institute among Maoyan users at the end of July. 1,764 responses were collected for the survey.

About Maoyan Entertainment

Maoyan Entertainment (Hong Kong: 1896) is a leading platform providing innovative Internet-empowered entertainment services in China. Since its inception,Maoyan has grown from an online movie ticketing service provider to an innovative one-stop platform for entertainment services. Maoyan has a comprehensive strategy to become a leading platform servicing the entire entertainment industry in China. The upgraded strategy is supported by five key platform pillars: comprehensive entertainment ticketing platform,products platform,data platform,marketing platform,and financing platform.

For media inquiries,please contact:

Edmond Lococo

ICR Inc.

Email: edmond.lococo@icrinc.com

Tel: +86 138-1079-1408