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For Sale Mar 31, 2026 at 4:36 AM

Since when did business ads play before movies?

Posted by RealisticLobster8777

I have the Regal Movie pass, so I go to the movies often. While watching the previews, a State Farm ad played between some of the upcoming movies. My friend pointed out the fact that we never used to see corporate ads interrupting the previews (maybe until getting the pass again this year) & now we can’t unsee it Today we saw an HBO ad and agreed that it’s so important to continuously question when we see these small changes !!! Has anyone else noticed this?
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watterpotson Mar 31, 2026 +76
Interesting! Ads have been playing in front of movies in Australia for 100 years. It's a mix of national companies ads, local businesses/schools ads, and movie trailers. Every now and then there will be government public service announcements as well. The pre-show usually goes for about 10-15 minutes before the movie starts.
76
TheMundar Mar 31, 2026 +7
Usually at regal there are ads, trailers, then the movie. what they are talking about is ads, trailers and ads mixed for increased visibility, then the movie.
7
cymonster Mar 31, 2026 +14
Was about to say this business ads before movies is normal in Australia. Sometimes they even play ads for the companies that make the ads for movie cinemas
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JulietteBlisss Mar 31, 2026 +7
It's like a never-ending cycle of advertising within advertising...
7
Bruno_Fernandes8 Mar 31, 2026 +7
I see a Val Morgan ad before every movie lol
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DrugandAlcoholLover Mar 31, 2026 +3
I think the difference is, at least here in the states, ads would play first and then once the trailers start it would just be trailers until the movie starts. Recently they have been putting random ads in-between the trailers as well.
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AlanGrant82 Mar 31, 2026 +92
Ads BEFORE the move are nothing new. However, ads playing IN BETWEEN the trailers are a recent thing. AMC started about 6 or 7 months ago, whereas I think Regal may have been doing it a bit longer. It sucks, but it’s not gonna stop unfortunately.
92
DarKoopa Mar 31, 2026 +27
I can't wait for the movie to abruptly stop 60 minutes in for an Applebees 15 second commercial
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thriftstoremando Mar 31, 2026 +10
['Talladega Nights' did it!](https://youtu.be/pvLBNlaCrIQ?si=mbRNR3dgYMFggh4s)
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de_rats_2004_crzy Apr 1, 2026 +1
That’s the day I’ll stop going to the movies. And I’m a big “go to the movies! Support theaters” guy.
1
GhostofPdawg43 Mar 31, 2026 +1
How about 5min ad break as an intermission? I gotta pee.
1
american-titan Mar 31, 2026 -1
Barbie already had that car commercial in the middle of the movie
-1
atomic-fireballs Mar 31, 2026 +3
Barbie did not invent product placement.
3
weareDOMINUS Mar 31, 2026 +8
They didn’t even think about how shitty their stupid commercial will sound compared to the 5 movie trailers before it.
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Supermite Mar 31, 2026 +5
They have a captive audience.  They don’t need to care.
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ArtlessOne Mar 31, 2026 +30
A dying industry will do just about anything to bring in dollars.
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Wompatuckrule Mar 31, 2026 +8
It's analog enshittification.
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SquizzOC Mar 31, 2026 +5
The ads are one of the biggest reasons I just stopped going. Show me 40 minutes of trailers, I can deal with that, but general ads, I’m out.
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SpoonFullOfSugar1111 Mar 31, 2026 +7
They added them semi recently. Within the last year or so. I remember at the time that it was announced. It wasn't like they snuck commercials in between previews hoping no one would notice or say anything. And along with the announcement they started posting on the showtimes page specifically stating that the actual start time of the movie was 30mins after the ticket time because of previews and ads. You can always just show up then if you don't want to watch ads. I also have the AMC pass and I think 16 movies a month for around 20 is worth putting up with a commercial or two. My opinion.
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kakka_rot Mar 31, 2026 +7
I thought the exact same thing last week when I saw project hail mary. It was like a normal commercial. I go to the movies more than average and it was the first time I recall seeing one
7
Appropriate_Issue719 Mar 31, 2026 +7
yeah it’s getting kind of ridiculous, like who thought we needed ads in the theater? it really takes away from the whole experience, fr
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wafflesforbrains Mar 31, 2026 +3
This has been the norm at Regal, AMC, and Cinemark for the last year or so. Since most of thier locations have reserved seating, I just walk in 20 minutes late to avoid the commercials and most trailers.
3
TheMundar Mar 31, 2026 +3
mixing them is new, and scummy
3
keegorg Mar 31, 2026 +10
Man... i havent been to a movie theater in maybe 5 years... there were commercial ads then.. they've been around a while.
10
RealisticLobster8777 Mar 31, 2026 +16
I remember seeing them before the upcoming movie trailers started playing but not between them. I assume it also differs between chains
16
Merickson- Mar 31, 2026 +7
Sticking them between trailers is a fairly new thing. Yes, I've noticed it too. At Marcus Theatres they always squeeze in a car commercial or something right before the movie starts.
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LooseSeal88 Mar 31, 2026 +2
The ones between the trailers are probably new post-Covid but I couldn't tell you when I started specifically
2
AbiesIndependent3365 Mar 31, 2026 +2
In the UK we always get ads before movies. Trick is to arrive after they're finished just as the movie is about to start.
2
robot_ankles Mar 31, 2026 -2
It's been that way in the US for 50+ years. Not sure where the other commenters live that they haven't experienced ads before watching a movie in a movie theater.
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KnifeyJames Mar 31, 2026 +3
The recent change is that the ads are mixed in with the trailers, rather than ads playing before ‘showtime’, then the trailers begin
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robot_ankles Mar 31, 2026 -3
Trailers ***are*** ads. So if I understand correctly, it used to be something like; Restaurant ad, Used car lot ad, new TV show ad... movie trailer ad, movie trailer ad, movie trailer ad... The Actual Movie starts. This is the model I've been accustomed to seeing. But now its; Restaurant ad, Used car lot ad, new TV show ad... movie trailer ad, Fast food ad, movie trailer ad, Local Car Wash ad, movie trailer ad... The Actual Movie starts. This would be something slightly different. IMO, it's all ads though. Are people upset about the sequencing of the ads? Or do they not consider trailers advertisements for an upcoming movie?
-3
KnifeyJames Mar 31, 2026 +3
Sure, trailers are ads, but they’re ads for the thing I’m already there to see (and usually tailored to the movie playing; horror trailers before a horror movie) vs something totally unrelated and potentially irrelevant to me. I might go see another movie based on the trailer; I’m not going on a cruise no matter how many commercials they run before a movie.
3
JulietteBlisss Mar 31, 2026 +2
Looks like even the movie theaters have to advertise now. Is there anywhere sacred from corporate greed?
2
Haydzo Mar 31, 2026 +1
I remember seeing real estate company ads at the cinema over twenty years ago. So at least that long.
1
TheMundar Mar 31, 2026 +3
Not between trailers
3
LordCountDuckula Mar 31, 2026 +1
Trailer times were usually 15-20 minutes with 4-5 trailers and the inevitable “turn off your cellphone!” Short ad. Now it’s running a solid 25-30 minutes with 3-4 trailers and 3-5 ads about banks, world tourism, maybe you should buy gold and car ads. If you were late to the theatre, you missed the trailers. Now you can afford 15 minutes being late.
1
ainyboasa Mar 31, 2026 +1
I also have this feeling that it has suddenly increase in frequency over the past two years. Previously, the trailers were still related to the movie, but now the advertisement have simply blended in.
1
SdSmith80 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Yeah. It used to be one ad from the current largest advertiser at our local theater chain (at one point it was a business owned by the Kingston Clan. If you don't know who they are, be ready for a ride down the rabbit hole if you look it up). Now it's literally 1:1 ad: trailer. I don't like it, but don't know how to stop it without giving up all movies in the theater, since all theaters have it now.
1
zowietremendously Mar 31, 2026 +1
What's next? Ads during the f****** movie? I'm already paying for a movie ticket. I shouldn't have to see ads ever on a movie screen. This is why it's so important to support small local theaters. They don't pull this shit. Regal takes your subscription for granted. So they're gonna continue to f*** with you, because you're gonna keep giving them your money. Cancel the regal subscription. Actually take a stand about it.
1
_Jahar_ Mar 31, 2026 +1
The ads between trailers at my local movies have added almost 10 minutes to the trailer time before it actually starts. Used to be 20, now it’s almost 30.
1
jdstew218 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Just wait until they start inserting brief intermissions into the film so you can go to the restroom, or refill your popcorn. They will of course so some ads during these brief commercial breaks.
1
Different-Produce870 Mar 31, 2026 +1
It's been increasing the past ten years.
1
hrethnar Mar 31, 2026 +1
My local theatre (US-AL) shows all the business ads first, then trailers before the movie. Has been doing that for years.
1
sumodie Mar 31, 2026 +1
The pre show business ads & movie previews are now 27 minutes long at our local multi screen cinema here in western Massachusetts.
1
AsteroidShuffle Mar 31, 2026 +1
This is one of the many things I think theatres are doing that bites them in the ass.
1
LaisyFaire Mar 31, 2026 +1
This kind of comes and goes. I remember as far back as 10-15 years ago when a Chevy commercial snuck out of the ads portion of the pre-show and into the trailers portion and I was livid about it. Then it stopped for a while, but every once in a while someone sneaks one in there. It probably depends on the chain, but personally the start of the trailers is when all other ads should stop.
1
aubrill Apr 1, 2026 +1
Went to a move last weekend and walked in 30 minutes after scheduled start and it was about perfect. Commercials before movies drive me crazy. I used to enjoy the trailers but it’s all trash now since they put ads between them
1
RIP_Greedo Apr 1, 2026 +1
It's been decades.
1
Routine_Ad_139 Mar 31, 2026 +1
early to mid 80s? remember seeing a SUPER local ad and thinking, wtf...that dudes in our town? Back then you really only had like a handful of channels and most the commercials were the national brands. The movie theaters had local spots running before and between the previews
1
HankSteakfist Mar 31, 2026 +1
Been this way forever in Australia. Usually 15 minutes of movie trailers and 5 minutes of corporate ads for banks and cars and shit like that. Maybe a crappily made static ad for a local restaurant or attraction.
1
seabterry Mar 31, 2026 +1
I remember seeing them start coming before movies in theaters when I was in high school. Probably 2003? One of the earliest ones I remember was an Aquafina ad. I was going to the movies frequently in those years and I remember thinking and having a conversation that “this is new…” Then it just became commonplace.
1
MaskedBandit77 Mar 31, 2026
It's been a decade or two since they started. 
0
BaltIndyNash Mar 31, 2026 -1
Genuinely jealous if this is the first you're seeing of this kind of thing. Been going on here for, like... years and years.
-1
Top_Caterpillar_8122 Mar 31, 2026
30 or 40 years. I remember the first one I saw was a political ad about a controversial damn construction project. Local referendum.
0
Competitive-Bike-277 Mar 31, 2026
The way you're describing it has been going on for about a decade. 
0
Dallywack3r Mar 31, 2026
Since the early 2000’s. I had a creative director who was the first person in his DMA to buy theater ads in, like, 2003. So at least that old. Probably older. He wasn’t in a big market.
0
CantAffordzUsername Mar 31, 2026 -1
Manager at Regal broke it down Minimum of 40 minutes…that’s right minimum of 40 min of ads and trailers before the film beings
-1
robot_ankles Mar 31, 2026 -1
OP's wording suggests some kind of concern, but what difference does the sequencing of ads make? Ads are ads. What difference does it make what order they're in?
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[deleted] Mar 31, 2026 -4
[removed]
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[deleted] Mar 31, 2026 +1
[deleted]
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Economy-Egg-8432 Mar 31, 2026 -1
Is he IRL a dude in a dress playing a fugly dog pig character on purpose though?  And yeah I'm trillmatic hoe 
-1
Plane-Tie6392 Mar 31, 2026 +1
They should have banned you.
1
Economy-Egg-8432 Mar 31, 2026 -1
Im unbannable, go back to your roblox account to tell k8ds youre a trustworthy adult that can keep secrets 🙊 
-1
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