Background:

It first opened as an ODEON Cinema in 1936 and was later taken over by Empire Cinemas UK in 2006. Due to the COVID lockdown, it shut its doors in 2020. Fast-forward to 2023, and PDJ Management Ltd. steps in, purchasing and refurbishing the cinema, which opened in mid-2024.

There are 3,177 cinema screens in the UK, and the top three chains monopolise 70% of them (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.

We tackled this rebrand Using The Brand Surgery’s three pillars of brand health: Connect > Converse > Convert.

Challenges:

Rebranding a Grade II-listed building is no walk in the park. The signage environment is ‘busy’, so 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 revealed 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 – a complete brand revitalisation. Our Brand Revitaliser™ package was the key, which includes a staff workshop to sharpen vision, mission, and values. 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 celebrates 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, which offers more transformative branding journeys and experiences.