Dallas-based Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas wants to do more than just screen romantic movies in its theaters. Now it aims to help real-life singles find true love in some of its 26 theater locations in seven states, including Texas.
Known for its enhanced moviegoing concepts—and innovating marketing that leads to stories like this—Cinépolis has partnered with CitySwoon, a dating platform that combines cloud-based, algorithm-powered matching with real-world speed dating events to “reimagine the traditional dating experience.”
Helping cinephiles find their ‘forever movie date’
Annelise Holyoak
At select Cinépolis locations nationwide beginning this month—including one in Dallas’ Victory Park district—the exhibitor’s “sophisticated and stylish” lobby bars will be transformed into a series of pop-up speed-dating venues hosted by CitySwoon. To help singles find their “forever movie date,” event attendees will mix and mingle while enjoying chef-driven love bites and a full-service bar serving film-themed cocktails and more.
Additional events will follow throughout the year for those looking for love after Valentine’s Day has faded into the soft-focus past.
Annelise Holyoak, national director of marketing for Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, calls the speed-dating partnership “a fun twist on the traditional dinner-and-a-movie date night experience.”
“We can’t imagine a more magical moviegoing experience than finding one’s true love in the heart of cinema, and we hope to bring a little of that magic to this exciting matchmaking series,” Holyoak added in a statement.
How the ‘cinematic matchmaking’ will work
Tickets for Cinépolis’ speed-dating events start at $19 per person for CitySwoon members and $39 per person for non-members. The company says singles will create a CitySwoon profile with their mobile device and sign up for their preferred speed dating event at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas. Upon arrival, guests will be guided by a CitySwoon host to the lobby bar, where a series of “relaxed, algorithm-informed mini-dates” will take place throughout the evening.
In this case, speed is relative, with each event stretched out over “approximately two hours,” the company said.
Mobile push notifications will alert guests to the next date in their evening’s match queue, with each date lasting about 10 minutes. After each connection, guests will be prompted to provide confidential feedback about their date, and will also have the opportunity to “safely and securely message their matches” through the CitySwoon platform the next day.
Bringing ‘a dash of Hollywood romance’ to the real world
“We’re excited to bring a dash of Hollywood romance to the real world with our unique speed dating events at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas,” CitySwoon CEO Brett Couston said in a statement. “Our goal is to blend the magic of cinema with the thrill of meeting someone special, creating an unforgettable experience that goes beyond the screen.”
“In a world where love is often blocked by digital interfaces, we’re offering a chance to connect in a more meaningful way, surrounded by the timeless charm of the movies,” Couston added.
Cinépolis isn’t stopping at speed dating to fill its theater seats in the coming weeks. The company says it’s also offering “a bevy of Valentine’s Day-inspired offerings across locations nationwide.” From February 5 to March 4, a month-long series of romantic films will be paired with a limited-time menu of “love bites.”
On Valentine’s Day, the classic romantic dramas “The Notebook” and “Cruel Intentions” will be screened along with a three-course dinner paired with two themed cocktails, giveaways, photo ops, and more, the company said. Pricing and showtimes vary by location.
Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas’ theater auditoriums offer fully reclining leather seats and in-theater waiter service delivered by “stealthy, ninja-like servers” to ensure minimal movie disruption, the company says.
You can learn more Cinépolis’ speed-dating offering by going here.
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