Is there really a problem with cinema adverts?

There's a lot going on over in America right now. You'd be forgiven for thinking that their politicians would have a lot on their plate. But in February, Connecticut senator Martin Looney took aim at the most important issue of our modern age: cinema adverts.

Looney proposed a law requiring cinemas to list the start times of actual films, as well as the start time for the adverts. He described the current system as "an abuse of people's time". Certainly, we've all been frustrated by a lengthy advertising package at the cinema, subjecting us to a seemingly endless onslaught of ads for cars we can't afford and AI-assisted smartphone features we'd never use even if we had them.

But is this a problem that legislators here in the UK genuinely need to confront? There's no suggestion that Looney's proposal will go forward in the USA and it feels unlikely that any British cinemagoer could repeat the success of an Indian man who recently won a case against a cinema in February for wasting his time with adverts.

In my own experience of British multiplexes, most films come with a pre-roll of about 25 minutes — split in half between adverts and trailers. If you settle into your seat 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, it's very rare that you'll ever miss the start of the movie. This situation has been true for a very long time, as Digital Cinema Media CEO Karen Stacey told The Guardian. DCM is responsible for 80% of cinema advertising in the UK, as well as that surprisingly badass music you're currently humming.

“Across our estate, brand advertising in reel averages 11 minutes, a standard that’s remained unchanged for a decade, honouring long-term exhibitor agreements," said Stacey. "Trailer times are set by individual cinemas alongside film studios, with no significant shifts in time-lengths."

In the same article, a spokesman for Pearl and Dean — another cinema advertising company with an unforgettable musical cue — noted that, while advertising packages have stayed the same length, individual adverts are getting longer. That could account for why it feels like adverts are running for longer in cinemas, not to mention the fact that the rise of recording and streaming means we're watching far fewer adverts on the small screen these days. Our tolerance has dipped.

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There's also the fact that cinemas themselves now have a lot more to sell than just the upcoming films. Almost all of the UK's multiplexes offer subscription passes, which are advertised before each movie, and it's common to see ads for the latest movie tie-in popcorn bucket or piece of merchandise available in the foyer as well. Add to that the usual idents about the "magic of cinema" and it can feel like multiplexes are labouring the point a little too much and selling you a service you've already paid for.

But actually, none of this is as big a deal as it's made out to be. There are much bigger issues facing UK cinemas than adverts — most notably, the falling standards of projection. While I'm seldom bothered by a few extra minutes of ads, I do often find myself squinting to see the screen through a projector bulb that seems as if it hasn't been replaced since the last Spice Girls reunion, or wondering why I'm looking at scenes in the wrong aspect ratio.

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It's also the case that some cinemas are refreshingly honest about their advertising reels. For example, booking a ticket on the Odeon app shows you an approximate end time for your screening, allowing you to work backwards. When I went to see Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy last week, the screening was listed as 15:15 - 17:45. The movie is 125 minutes long, so that clearly suggests a 25-minute trailer package.

In short, though, audiences shouldn't complain too much. Cinemas are strapped for cash and advertising is an important part of keeping the doors open. It also gives customers a window to buy the snacks and drinks which represent the lion's share of multiplex projects. If people have to rush to their seats, they're less likely to buy a bucket of popcorn the size of the family car they've just seen advertised.

Read more: Why re-releases are a lucrative business for UK cinemas (Yahoo Entertainment, 6 min read)

Cinemas face a tricky balance to get the length of advertising packages just right, particularly in a world where audiences are accustomed to skipping straight past adverts on TV and streaming services. They're a financial necessity and an audience irritant in roughly equal measure.

As a result, they won't be going anywhere in a hurry, whatever US senators and Indian courts have to say about it.