Walmart has announced a partnership with media group Tribeca Enterprises to launch a total of 160 drive-in movie theaters in supercenter parking lots across the US. The program will be titled Walmart Drive-In, running from August to October this year.
The move comes as drive-ins, previously considered a relic of the past, have seen a resurgence since the coronavirus outbreak amid consumer safety concerns. As retailers continue to expand their ecosystems to include more non-retail experiential and social elements, the retailer’s most recent initiative will serve as a brand building exercise in local communities, as well as a consumer data collection and advertising opportunity. Walmart has tested the media space before, owning streaming platform Vudu for some time before selling to Fandango. In early May this year, rumors emerged of Amazon considering a buyout of AMC.
Brands should view this initiative as a new customer touchpoint, with the potential of physical spaces, entertainment platforms and in-house content being rolled out by further retail customers beyond Walmart and Amazon. Brands should partner on such initiatives early on, picking up scarce space to create brand recognition and visibility, as well as new engagement and impulse opportunities.
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