Popcorn Bucket Promos

What’s the purpose of a popcorn bucket?

If you said the purpose is to hold buttery popcorn at the movies, you’re missing out on the latest trend.

Per a Wall Street Journal article from last summer:

“Collectors rush to see movies as soon as they open to get their hands on the hottest new popcorn containers.”

Themed popcorn buckets have become a big part of promotional strategies for theaters and studios looking to promote big movie releases.

Recent popcorn buckets making headlines include a totally “transparent” bucket promoting You Can See Everything and the much-anticipated preview of the bucket for Dune: Part 3.

Popcorn buckets are big business. Some cost as much as $80, and theaters will release competing designs to attract viewers to their screenings.

A Drop in the Bucket

The draw, of course, has little do with reusable ways to serve popcorn. They’re more likely to end up on a decorative shelf than in a kitchen drawer.

Popcorn buckets are a way for some buyers to signify their super-fandom. Limited releases can create urgency around promotion. They’re a way to commemorate the peak of their moviegoing experience.

These takeaways apply to brands selling much more than movie tickets – even B2B brands.

What parts of your brand or offering are audiences eager to seek out? It could be a specific product offer, a compelling piece of content or even conference swag. What would make them hang on to it?

Popcorn buckets show that with a little creativity, these assets can come from just about anywhere in your customer journey – even something people are used to throwing away.