There are millions of worthy causes that corporations can champion, but it’s a special sort of magic when a good works initiative aligns perfectly with the brand. The lockdowns of 2020 were hard on many small businesses, including local family-run movie theaters. Having already established itself as the place for free streaming entertainment, Pluto TV launched a campaign in 2021 to support independent theaters across the country as they re-opened. Working directly with a total of 16 theaters, Pluto TV played its free element and provided movie weekends to local theaters across America at no cost. Theaters were able to give away hundreds of free movie tickets, popcorn and Pluto TV swag to remind those slowly emerging from isolation of the joy of going to the movies. In a heartfelt thank-you on Facebook, Plaza Atlanta owner Christopher Escobar wrote about how Pluto’s generosity helped the theater beat the same month in 2019 after 14 months of being as low as 15% and at most 65% of 2019 revenue. “For the first time since March 2020, I feel relief. Can you imagine if more media brands with streaming platforms or other companies that weren’t hit hard during the pandemic did this?” he wrote. Along with goodwill, the initiative secured more than 100 total unique press hits in those local communities. The free “Back to the Movies” weekend screenings spanned July to October and were featured in a wide variety of communities, including Berkeley Springs, West Virginia; Providence, Rhode Island; and El Segundo, California.
