Going to a Movie was the First Date of Choice for a Third of Canadians (35%), Most Popular Date Type Chosen from List

Toronto, ON - The most popular first date for Canadians was to take the apple of their eye to the movies, according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid. A third of Canadians (35%) say this was the most common type of first date, followed by going out for dinner (23%), going to a party (17%), going for a walk or outdoor adventure (13%), or even mini-golf (1%). Even now, more than half (57%) agree (14% strongly, 43% somewhat) that they like to incorporate going to a movie into a date night.

When it comes to convincing Canadians of which film to see at the movies, it seems that most will make their decision based on either the storyline (29%) or from seeing trailers (24%). Others make their choices based on what their significant other wants to see (11%), based on reviews and film critics (10%), or if the movie has certain actors or actresses (6%) in it. Interestingly, younger people are far more likely to be encouraged by trailers (38% of 18-34 year olds compared to 12% of those aged 55+). Older Canadians by contrast are more likely to make their decisions based on the storyline (32% of 55+ compared to 23% of those aged 18-34), and are also the most likely to be influenced by film critics and reviews (16%).

Canadians are most likely to typically visit the movie theatre on Saturdays (18%) and Tuesdays (14%). For younger Canadians, Tuesdays are the most popular day of the week (21%).

Younger Canadians are going to the Cinema earlier than previous generations. Amongst 18-34 year olds, the mean age for the first time they went to a movie theatre was 7.3, compared to 9 years for those aged 35-54, and 9.5 years for those aged 55+.

Canadians biggest pet peeve at the movie theatres is people who talk during the movie (33%), followed by people who kick the back of your seat (18%). For 14% of Canadians, having someone sit directly beside or in-front of them when there is a nearly empty theatre is their biggest pet peeve in the cinema, while 11% mention cell phone usage as a common annoyance.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2012, the most hotly anticipated movie of the year is James Bond: Skyfall (23%), selected from a list that also included The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (18%), and Men in Black 3 (15%). The Dark Knight Rises (11%), The Avengers (8%), The Hunger Games (8%), The Amazing Spider Man (4%) and World War Z (4%) completed the list.

These findings are the first of a series by Cineplex and Ipsos Reid which will be released throughout the year on Canadian Movie Watching habits.

These are some of the findings from an Ipsos Reid survey. A sample of 4,009 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Individuals were disqualified if they didn't watch any movies in the course of a month. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-1.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Sean Simpson
Associate Vice President
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
416.572.4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. In October 2011 Ipsos completed the acquisition of Synovate. The combination forms the world's third largest market research company.

With offices in 84 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across six research specializations: advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, public affairs research, and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of e1,363 billion (1.897 billion USD) in 2011.

Visit www.ipsos-na.com to learn more about Ipsos' offerings and capabilities.