In a UK media first, the Royal Air Force (RAF) has become the first advertiser to partner with Cineworld as the sole sponsor of the cinema chain’s 4DX format.

The six-month-long deal was brokered by Omnigov, Manning Gottlieb OMD’s specialist media-buying unit for the UK Government, and Digital Cinema Media (DCM).

The campaign, live in cinemas now and running until June 2024, will promote the RAF’s Hero 60” recruitment ad, ‘The Force Protecting Space’. 

The recruitment drive is focused on making people aware of the wide range of professions that can be pursued as a career within the RAF. The creative is cinema friendly, featuring stunning visuals including a high-tech control room where a team monitors a potential collision of a satellite and debris in space. The spot is packed with dynamic shots of fighter aircraft that are cinematic in nature.

The spot has been specially adapted into the 4DX format, which is available exclusively across 34 Cineworld cinema sites, and the enhanced version of the ad will run in the Gold Spot premium position across all 4DX enabled screens. The non-4DX ad will run simultaneously across the rest of DCM’s cinema advertising real estate.

4DX is an innovative technology that truly envelops audiences, giving them an immersive multi-sensory cinematic experience. 4DX incorporates on-screen visuals and surround sound audio with synchronised motion seats and environmental effects such as water, wind, fog, scent and more to enhance the action on screen. An added layer of experience which is increasingly important as streaming services continue to encroach on box office revenues.

It is regularly used by filmmakers, such as Top Gun: Maverick, to create a different and new cinematic experience for audiences and has been used selectively by brands in recent years on sole campaigns, but never on such a big scale.

Wing Commander Tracey Broome, RAF Recruitment, explained: “The dynamic, immersive experience of 4DX allows our audiences to consider and be aware of the many exciting career opportunities that are afforded within the Royal Air Force. The advert showcases numerous professions and the advantage of the 4DX experience is that we hope it is a memorable experience."

Davina Barker, Sales Director, DCM, added: “Cinema is the most engaging and immersive medium, it is home to the biggest screens, innovative technology and the highest quality sound systems, making it the ultimate place for advertisers to showcase their creative. This partnership demonstrates the versatility of cinema, with the RAF using 4DX to elevate brand interaction and targeted audience engagement through a unique and striking cinema campaign.”

The partnership is supported by co-branding across all 4DX promotional touchpoints, including a bespoke sponsorship ident that will run ahead of relevant 16-34 audience-focused titles across the entirety of the partnership. These will include Napoleon and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom.

An immersive activation will also take place in February which will see Royal Air Force personnel invited to a 4DX screening to experience the ad and a film of their choice, with DCM’s creative arm, DCM Studios, capturing content of the uniformed RAF staff watching and reacting to the ad, interspersed with interviews and comments about the partnership and their experience. This content will run across Cineworld’s social channels to raise awareness of and drive engagement for the sponsorship.