This report provides an examination of the promotional approach adopted by the leisure industry. For each sector, the report considers who the key consumers are and their promotional preferences, how this might affect the marketing mix, data for promotional spending and case studies to explore promotional approaches. Crucially, the report focuses on whether or not the leisure industry is using improved customer knowledge to target and promote its product more effectively. This means that Mintel’s exclusive findings offer leisure and entertainment operators a unique insight to help create effective, customer-winning marketing strategies.

This report provides an examination of the promotional approach adopted by the leisure industry. For each sector, the report considers who the key consumers are and their promotional preferences, how this might affect the marketing mix, data for promotional spending and case studies to explore promotional approaches. Crucially, the report focuses on whether or not the leisure industry is using improved customer knowledge to target and promote its product more effectively. This means that Mintel’s exclusive findings offer leisure and entertainment operators a unique insight to help create effective, customer-winning marketing strategies.

Consumers were asked about their reaction to certain promotional channels and techniques, with examples quoted for the following options:

Multiple purchase promotion, eg get three for the price of two

Family tickets, eg special price for two adults, two children

Extras included in entrance price, eg drinks in nightclub, free swim with gym membership

Listings magazines, eg Time Out

Noticeboards at public places, eg supermarkets, libraries, schools

Handouts, eg in the street.

Unlike the previous Mintel report on leisure promotion, this report focuses on out-of-home entertainment and excludes leisure categories such as holidays and fast food dining. The seven sectors in this report are:

Cinemas.

Sport and fitness – looking at both spectator sports’ teams/venues and fitness clubs.

Historic buildings and gardens – this category includes palaces, stately homes, castles, monuments as well as public gardens. (Gardens were not included in the NOP consumer research questions.)

Live performance – this category includes theatre and music concerts/performing arts events (whether rock, pop, classical, opera or ballet).

Theme parks and zoos.

Museums/art galleries.

Other leisure activities – this category combines nightclubs, tenpin bowling and bingo.