Village Cinemas

Coburg Drive-In Refresh
Taking the drive-in back to the future

The Challenge

For nearly 70 years the drive-in theatre has entertained Australians. From special nights out with the family, to first dates, the drive-in is a romantic and nostalgic part of our past. The Coburg Drive-In is one of the last functioning drive-in venues in the country and it was starting look a little tired. We needed to find a way to make Victorians fall in love with the experience again.

The Insight

The Coburg Drive-in’s age, is its most valuable asset.

People love a unique destination, and a genuine, vintage venue is something that most cinemas can only dream of. In an era where everyone can watch most movies in their lounge room, a unique venue is vital.

The Solution

We decided to really celebrate Coburg’s senior status and recapture some of the magic from the golden era of drive-ins; the 1950s. We threw out the modern menu boards and replaced them with lively, hand painted designs and illustrations, inspired by 1950’s diners.

We also created cut-out standees as a photo opportunity and ensured that every billboard, directional sign and on-screen announcement remained on theme.

The Results

The re-opening of the Drive-In was welcomed with a sold out re-launch event. The diner was swamped with over 2,100 orders from the new menu and many items sold out. The launch also increased community engagement seen in an uptick in user generated social media posts and coverage in the Herald Sun.

Their new ‘retro’ personality opened a new chapter for the venue in showing nostalgic movies. A trend which has been embraced by the community.