Case Study: Cinema Rebrand

Client: Royal Cinemas, PDJ Cinemas Ltd
Location: Holland Road, Maney, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1QL
Industry: Heritage, Hospitality
Services Provided: SuperFlex™ Logo Design

Background:

First opened as an ODEON Cinema in 1936, this cinema was later taken over by Empire Cinemas UK in 2006. It shut its doors in 2020 due to the Covid lockdown. Fast forward to 2023, and PDJ Management Ltd steps in, purchasing and refurbishing the cinema, set to reopen this year.

There are 3,177 cinema screens in the UK. The top three cinema chains monopolise 70% of those screens (source: Cinemas Association, 2024). Royal Cinemas will have four screens in an area with 10 other cinemas, including Vue, Cineworld, The Light Cinema, Odeon, and Showcase.

Using The Brand Surgery’s powerful Connect > Converse > Convert methodology, here’s how we tackled this rebrand.

Challenges:

Rebranding a Grade II listed building is no walk in the park. The signage environment is ‘busy’, meaning the logo had to be striking yet simple. Here’s how we achieved that.

Connect:

We used online tools and a Discovery Session with PDJ Management Ltd. Online reviews reealed that customers loved the Art Deco decor but hated the uncomfortable seats, often travelling further afield for comfort. Despite this, the customer care was top-notch. To re-engage customers, we needed more than a logo – we needed a complete brand revitalisation. Our Brand Revitaliser™ package, which includes a staff workshop to sharpen vision, mission, and values, was the key. Having successfully rebranded The Dome Cinema in Worthing for PDJ Management, we had the perfect template for Royal Cinemas. This led them to choose our SuperFlex™ logo design package.

Converse:

The new branding had to scream, “Hello, We Are Open for Business – Better and Bigger than Before!” The logo needed to shine on social media, signage, uniforms, and promotional materials. Sutton Coldfield’s heritage as a Royal Borough, granted by Henry VIII in 1528, was a goldmine of inspiration. Some of our designs featured the Royal Tudor Rose theme, while others echoed the cinema’s Art Deco architecture.

Convert:

Our final logo is all about celebrating the screen experience. It features horizontal lines inspired by Art Deco, with the middle negative space symbolising the screen and the bottom lines representing the audience experience. The cinema hasn’t opened yet, but we’re excited to unveil its new look soon.

Ready to rebrand your business?

Contact Vicky Vaughan FCIM FIoL on 07909 693172 or use our contact form below.

For more information, visit our Brand and Rebrand package Comparisons and Branding by Sector page for more transformative branding journeys and experiences.