The Curious Rise of Novelty Popcorn Buckets (Encore)
The Indicator from Planet Money, NPR
Released on December 31, 2024

Introduction

In the latest encore episode of The Indicator from Planet Money, NPR delves into the innovative strategies movie theaters are adopting to navigate the challenging landscape of declining box office revenues. Hosted by Waylon Wong and Adrienne Matt, the episode titled "The Curious Rise of Novelty Popcorn Buckets" explores how theaters are leveraging collectible popcorn containers as a novel revenue stream amidst industry uncertainties.

Declining Movie Attendance and Industry Challenges

Waylon Wong opens the discussion by highlighting a concerning trend: movie attendance has not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, leading to underwhelming box office performances for several major releases. This downturn is exacerbated by the lingering effects of last year's Hollywood labor strikes, which have reduced the number of new films entering the market.

[00:27] Adrienne Matt: "There's something unsettling happening at the movie theaters lately."

The hosts emphasize that these factors have collectively created a precarious situation for Hollywood, necessitating innovative solutions to sustain profitability.

Emergence of Novelty Popcorn Buckets

Amidst these challenges, movie theater chains like AMC are turning to a unique merchandising strategy: the introduction of novelty popcorn buckets. These are not your typical disposable containers; instead, they are solid, often plastic, collectible items themed around popular movie franchises.

[03:53] Adrienne Matt: "These are souvenir popcorn buckets as tie-ins with major releases."

Nell Storm, AMC's Vice President of Food and Beverage Strategy and a classically trained French chef, explains that these buckets are designed to be more than just functional—they are intended to be coveted movie props that enhance the theater-going experience.

[04:28] Nell Storm: "We're designing popcorn into a really cool prop. In many cases, we want our guests to see this piece in our social feed and just run, not walk to the theater to get it."

Design and Strategy Behind the Buckets

The design philosophy behind these novelty buckets focuses on aligning with the aesthetics and themes of blockbuster films. For instance, AMC released a hot pink Corvette convertible-shaped bucket for the Barbie movie, which garnered significant attention and even inspired a song by Saturday Night Live.

[04:06] Waylon Wong: "In the shape of something related to the movie, like a hot pink Corvette convertible in the case of last year's Barbie movie."

Nell Storm emphasizes the importance of timed releases, aiming to sell out merchandise during a film's opening weekend to capitalize on the heightened excitement and prevent leftover inventory when the next big release arrives.

[04:45] Adrienne Matt: "AMC aims to sell out of the buckets during the film's first weekend. That maximizes the hype around the release, and it ensures theaters aren't stuck with a whole inventory of unsold buckets when the next blockbuster lands."

Market Performance and Collectibility

Since their inception, these novelty buckets have had varying levels of success. AMC's first significant foray was with an Star Wars themed R2D2 bucket in 2019, which sold out on opening night. However, disruptions like the pandemic have delayed subsequent releases.

[05:11] Waylon Wong: "AMC's first big popcorn bucket was for Star the Rise of Skywalker... they sold out opening night."

As theaters release more buckets tied to different movies, they are becoming integral to the competitive landscape, offering an additional appeal to discerning moviegoers.

Secondary Market and Reselling

The introduction of collectible popcorn buckets has spurred a secondary market where resellers flip these items for profit. Marcus Vasso, a reseller with his company Bucket Bandits, shares his experience of purchasing and selling these buckets at significant markups.

[08:03] Marcus Vasso: "My name is Marcus Vasso... I'm a reseller on eBay with the company I created called Bucket Bandits."

He recounts how initial investments quickly turned profitable, with some buckets fetching prices up to $99 on platforms like eBay. This burgeoning resale economy underscores the pent-up demand for unique movie memorabilia.

[08:20] Marcus Vasso: "And like, in three days, he brought me back, like $300. I was like, wait, what? What just happened?"

However, the resale market is volatile; the selling window is narrow, and tanks if a movie underperforms, as exemplified by the lukewarm reception of the latest Garfield movie.

[09:03] Marcus Vasso: "It went viral. So we kind of got that world audience... but the selling window for these buckets is short."

Future Plans for Movie Theater Merchandising

Looking ahead, AMC plans to expand its merchandise offerings beyond popcorn buckets. Nell Storm reveals intentions to install hundreds of souvenir kiosks across AMC locations, offering a variety of collectibles such as keychains and posters. Additionally, there's potential to create popcorn buckets for theatrical re-releases of classic films, provided studio collaborations are secured.

[09:31] Nell Storm: "We believe it was going to be something huge. And then, of course, the world stopped turning and we had to take a pause."

Addressing potential collaborations, Nell expresses enthusiasm for creating themed merchandise aligned with beloved classics.

[10:02] Nell Storm: "If we re-release Caddyshack, you can bet we'd have gophers and golf bags and all the fun things happening. 100%."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a reflection on the evolving strategies of movie theaters to adapt to a changing entertainment landscape. By transforming simple concession items into coveted collectibles, theaters like AMC are not only diversifying their revenue streams but also deepening their engagement with movie enthusiasts. As the industry continues to navigate recovery from unprecedented challenges, such innovations may prove pivotal in redefining the cinema experience.

Notable Quotes:

• Adrienne Matt [00:27]: "There's something unsettling happening at the movie theaters lately."
• Nell Storm [04:28]: "We're designing popcorn into a really cool prop."
• Marcus Vasso [08:03]: "I'm a reseller on eBay with the company I created called Bucket Bandits."
• Nell Storm [10:02]: "If we re-release Caddyshack, you can bet we'd have gophers and golf bags and all the fun things happening. 100%."

Produced by Cooper Katz McKim and Julia Ritchie with engineering by Robert Rodriguez. Fact-checked by Cierra Juarez and Cake. Edited by Cannon. The Indicator is a production of NPR.