Insighters: Great cinema for the first Imax cinema in Zurich
The newly renovated Blue Cinema Abaton marks the opening of Zurich’s first IMAX theater. For the opening campaign, Insighters are going all out.
After several months of renovations, the Blue Cinema Abaton will reopen at the end of May 2025, looking better than ever and featuring Zurich’s first IMAX theater (Markt-kom.com reported).
«Not all movie theaters are the same. The new IMAX screen is so huge, the colors so intense, and the sound so captivating that you feel like you’re right in the middle of the movie and experience the story with your whole body.» says Rahel Künzle, Head of Marketing & E-Commerce at blue Cinema, adding: «Our dream was to make this immersive experience tangible even in our advertising.»
Great Cinema for Great Cinema
The creative team at Insighters, led by Creative Directors Susen Gehle and Andy Lusti, took on the challenge and developed the opening campaign for the new Blue Cinema Abaton, which they brought to life in collaboration with the film production company Polarwind.
«When asked how to best portray great cinema, there was only one answer for us: with great cinema,» explains Susen Gehle with a smile. Her creative partner, Andy Lusti, adds: «Something great is born from many small details, into which everyone involved has poured their heart and soul and expertise to bring the story to life.» The story presents a visit to the new IMAX theater in true Hollywood style as an epic blockbuster, peppered with loving nods to numerous cinema classics.
Hollywood in the Heart of Zurich
«We also drew heavily on Hollywood’s bag of tricks for the special effects so we could shoot all the scenes authentically and »in camera,«» reveals Fabian Weber, director and producer of *Polarwind*. The “advertising blockbuster” was filmed right across from the Abaton at the Schiffbau.
The thrilling launch of the space shuttle Atlantis from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida was also filmed «in camera.» The spectacular footage comes from the IMAX film «Space Station 3D» and is being used exclusively for the opening campaign of the new Blue Cinema Abaton. The action-packed story culminates in a monumental aerial view of Zurich, created by Wombat Studios from over 100 photos and edited using AI. The cross-media key visual depicts the Blue Cinema Abaton as the city’s new center, with its landmarks and buildings arranged in concentric circles around the renovated entertainment complex.
At the product level and at the point of sale, the conceptual idea is brought to life visually, with each offer placed at the center of concentric circles of light, much like those radiating from a movie screen. The cinematic campaign is now live and will be rolled out in several phases.
Responsible at Blue Cinema: Rahel Künzle (Head of Marketing & E-Commerce), Linda Turan (Senior Marketing Manager), Stefan Schumacher (Head of Creation & Production), Nadja Dietiker, Florian Schilling (Marketing Production Professional), Jan Bosshard (Technical Specialist), Livio Federspiel (POS Photography). Responsible at Insighters: Andy Lusti, Susen Gehle (Creative Direction, Strategy, Concept, Copy), Lukas Wietlisbach, Fabian Rietmann (Art Direction), Wombat Studios, Lily Metzker (Image Editing). Contact at Polarwind: Fabian Weber (Director/DP), Dominik Gspan (1st AD), Thomas Hrabovsky (1st AC), Roman Brändli (Gaffer), Jakob Wessely (Best Boy), Till Schlatter (Grip), Emilie Fischer (Set Design & Props), Vivane Saner (Hair & Makeup), Manuel Freivogel (Set PA), Oliver Don (Editor), Unsere Farben (Color Grading), Very Noise Music (Music), Denis Elmaci (Sound Design and Mix), Das alte Lager (VFX).
