Odeon gains its Edge

Odeon and UCI Cinemas Group has created the position of commercial director and recruited former Tussauds group sales and marketing director Andy Edge for the role.

Odeon

Edge will oversee all online and offline branding for Odeon and UCI Cinemas and is also tasked with developing new revenue streams, overhauling legacy practices and working with brands that want to partner with the cinema chain.

As well as joining the Odeon board, as part of his remit Edge sits on the board of cinema advertising sales house DCM (previously Carlton Screen Advertising). Odeon and rival chain Cineworld are joint owners of DCM.

Odeon’s marketing was previously overseen by sales and marketing director Luke Vetere who left earlier this year and now runs a consultancy.

Edge joined Tussauds Group, later bought by Merlin Entertainments, from beer brand Holsten and left in 2007. He joins Odeon from the role of sales and marketing director at Park Resorts.

Cinema admissions in 2012 are down for the first quarter, year-on-year, but sizeable box office revenue has been generated by blockbusters such The Hunger Games.

The industry is still pinning a great deal on 3D and the format has accounted for two thirds of ticket sales for recently released hit Avengers Assemble.

Odeon is owned by the investment group Terra Firma.

Recommended

HMV Jubilee

HMV confident on return to profit

Rosie Baker

HMV is confident that changes to its business strategy, including a focus on technology, digital and games, will mean a return to profit next year, despite continued losses this year.