Calling it a “Canada first,” Cineplex Media on Tuesday launched programmatic cinema advertising, giving advertisers automated access to its cinema inventory in movie theatres across Canada.

Brands and agencies can now plan and buy pre-show cinema ads through major DSPs via private marketplace (PMP) and programmatic guaranteed (PG) deals, making it possible to integrate placements into their broader video strategies within their existing programmatic workflows. Campaigns can be scaled nationally or regionally and customized by film title, genre or showtime and targeted using geography, date and audience type.

Along with movie screens, programmatic access includes Cineplex’s network of digital lobby posters, bringing the inventory to more than 1,500 total screens in 154 theatres.

Movie-going remains among the top leisure activities for Canadians, according to Vividata. In its SCC Winter 2025 report, 62% of respondents aged 14-60 said they had attended at least one movie in the preceding 12 months.

Ahead of the launch, Cineplex Media worked with brand and agency partners to verify and refine the new offering. Dove (Unilever) tested its “#ChangeTheCompliment” campaign, with the media buy handled by Initiative, and PetSmart ran its holiday campaign (pictured).

Cineplex reported theatre attendance of more than 12 million in its third-quarter results ending Sept. 30, and more than 32 million total for the year to that point. The launch comes just ahead of the holiday season and amid major releases including Wicked For Good, Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash. 

Last month, Cineplex sold its place-based digital media division to U.S.-based Creative Realities Inc. (CRI) in a deal that retained Cineplex as the exclusive ad sales rep for CDM’s retail DOOH network across Canada, which comprises some 750 screens in 95 shopping centres. And earlier this year Cineplex sold its namesake online store to CosmoBlue Media.