Product News | October 11, 2021

Arbitron Portable People Meter(TM) Technology to Audit Broadsign’s Advertising “Proof-of-Play”

Arbitron launches first electronic, content playback verification service for Digital Out-of-Home Industry using the Portable People Meter technology

Columbia, Maryland, September 16, 2009

Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Broadsign International, a leading worldwide provider of software solutions for managing digital out-of-home video networks, to deliver a proof-of-play advertising audit service using the Portable People Meter (PPM(TM)) technology.
Arbitron will use its PPM technology to conduct a series of annual audits capturing when encoded audio and video advertising content is displayed on networked digital screens in 50 random broadsign-run locations across the United States. The data will be compared with the Broadsign commercial schedule logs. This verification system equips digital out-of-home networks with base metrics to substantiate return-on-investment to advertisers.

“For screen audience numbers to be relevant to advertisers, you have to prove first that their ads played as scheduled and the screens were on,” says Brian Dusho, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Broadsign International. “By auditing our proof-of-play reporting system with the help of Arbitron, we are giving our client networks an added level of transparency and assurance for justifying ad rate cards and for their negotiations with advertisers.”

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) is a highly targeted medium. DOOH networks have versatile control over which message will be played where, and whether the screens are on and displaying the right content. The ability to control and target the content creates a logistical challenge for networks’ reporting applications.

The PPM technology-based proof-of-play audit by Arbitron is the first such service in digital out-of-home industry. It replaces manual monitoring of screens with advanced technology, which simplifies the task of verifying advertising compliance and makes the verification more scalable.

“One of the barriers to large-scale media buys in digital out-of-home space has been the lack of standardized metrics,” said Alton Adams, Executive Vice President, Arbitron Inc. “The Portable People Meter technology will help establish the first tier of accountability to digital out-of-home advertisers, laying the foundation for any other measurement in this new medium. The PPM technology is well-suited to capture proof-of-play as the technology captures distinct content and the time of broadcast.”
Arbitron’s PPM technology-based audit methodology was successfully tested in October 2006 during a pilot program at broadsign-run Digital Promo Network, which operates screens in convenience stores across the United States.

About Broadsign

Broadsign International Inc. is a leading worldwide provider of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions for managing digital out-of-home networks. Broadsign SaaS was built for digital signage networks that generate revenue from advertising sales. It resolves the challenges facing modern digital signage networks: the need for acceptance by the mainstream advertising community, time to market and the need for full campaign execution functionality, accountability and true scalability. The software enables operators to target out-of-home audiences, sell network airtime, and reliably play back scheduled content on each screen and account for campaign performance. Broadsign combines extensive expertise in digital signage software, media, advertising, and information technology and is a member of the Out-of-home Video Advertising Bureau (OVAB), OVAB Europe, OAAA, the Digital Signage Association and CODA. 230 digital signage networks in 25 countries run on Broadsign(TM) Suite platform. The company’s corporate office, Operations, Support and Development facilities are in Montreal, Canada.

For more, visit www.broadsign.com

About Arbitron

Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) is a media and marketing research firm serving the media – radio, television, cable, online radio and out-of-home – as well as advertisers and advertising agencies. Arbitron’s core businesses are measuring network and local market radio audiences across the United States; surveying the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers; and providing application software used for analyzing media audience and marketing information data. The company has developed the Portable People Meter(TM), a new technology for media and marketing research.
Portable People Meter(TM) and PPM(TM) are marks of Arbitron Inc.

PPM ratings are based on audience estimates and are the opinion of Arbitron and should not be relied on for precise accuracy or precise representativeness of a demographic or radio market.

Arbitron Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this release that are not strictly historical, including the statements regarding expectations for 2009 and any other statements regarding events or developments that we believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, may be “forward-looking” statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, the current global economic recession and the upheaval in the credit markets and financial services industry, competition, our ability to develop and successfully market new products and technologies, our ability to successfully commercialize our Portable People Meter(TM) service, the growth rates and cyclicality of markets we serve, our ability to expand our business in new markets, our ability to successfully identify, consummate and integrate appropriate acquisitions, the impact of increased costs of data collection including a trend toward increasing incidence of cell phone-only households, litigation and other contingent liabilities including intellectual property matters, our compliance with applicable laws and regulations and changes in applicable laws and regulations, our ability to achieve projected efficiencies, cost reductions, sales growth and earnings, and international economic, political, legal and business factors. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in our SEC filings, including our 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Cinema advertising is back. Here’s why it’s more valuable than ever

Moviegoers seated in a cinema watching a film on a large theatre screen.

If you’ve been following the box office lately, you’ve probably noticed that movie theatres are packed again. Cinema is on track for its strongest year since before the pandemic, fueled by a steady stream of blockbuster releases and renewed demand for premium movie-going experiences.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is the latest example, generating more than $264 million globally during its opening weekend. More than half of its domestic box office revenue came from premium large format theatres, while IMAX alone generated over $51 million worldwide. And The Odyssey is just one of many films driving cinema’s resurgence. This year’s strong lineup of releases, including The Mandalorian and Grogu, Toy Story 5, Project Hail Mary, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, is bringing audiences back to theatres and keeping the momentum going.

The numbers reinforce the trend. Cinema attendance has reached 154 million tickets sold across the U.S. and Canada this year, up nearly 16% over 2025. Domestic box office revenue is also running 23% ahead of last year and is on pace to surpass $10 billion for the first time since 2019.

For advertisers, the resurgence represents more than a box office success story. It signals the return of a premium, high-attention environment where brands can reach large, engaged audiences at scale—and, thanks to programmatic buying, more easily integrate cinema into modern omnichannel campaigns.

Today’s cinema experience extends beyond the big screen

Many cinemas now offer luxury seating, expanded dining options, full-service bars, and upgraded lobby spaces, encouraging visitors to arrive early and stay longer. Reserved seating has also shifted more of the experience outside the auditorium, giving audiences additional time to browse concessions, socialize, and engage with digital screens before the movie begins.

For advertisers, that means more opportunities to connect with moviegoers beyond the big screen. According to the Fortune Business Insights Movie Theater Market Report, multiplexes account for 72.94% of the global cinema market. Because these large-format theatres are typically located in regional shopping malls and lifestyle centres, brands can extend their campaigns beyond the auditorium and engage consumers throughout high-traffic retail environments.

Cinema advertising opportunities

From arrival to concessions to the auditorium, advertisers can engage audiences through multiple formats that work together across the cinema journey.

Lobby and digital displays reach moviegoers as they arrive and move throughout the theatre. Digital posters, 6-sheets, video walls, and foyer screens capture attention while audiences wait, browse concessions, and socialize before the film.

On-screen pre-show advertising remains the flagship format. Played on the main screen before the feature begins, these ads deliver full-screen, distraction-free attention with no skipping or muting. Many cinema networks now make this premium inventory available through programmatic DOOH platforms.

Experiential activations take engagement even further through branded installations, concession takeovers, standees, product sampling, and other interactive experiences that connect brands with audiences in memorable ways.

Megaplex Entertainment movie theatre screen in Utah, USA

Premium audiences with undivided attention

In an era of endless scrolling and shrinking attention spans, cinema offers something increasingly rare: an audience that’s fully engaged. Moviegoers aren’t skipping ads, checking notifications, or flipping between channels—they’ve chosen to be there. Combined with large-format screens, immersive audio, and a distraction-free environment, that level of attention helps brands create stronger ad recall and deeper emotional connections than many traditional TV or mobile formats.

Beyond attention, moviegoers also represent a highly valuable audience. They tend to skew younger, more affluent, and more likely to spend on entertainment and experiences. Gen Z continues to lead attendance, with 87% having attended a movie in the past year and 41% going six or more times. For advertisers looking to reach younger consumers beyond increasingly crowded digital channels, cinema offers a rare combination of premium audiences and premium attention.

Cinema belongs in the modern media mix

Cinema’s resurgence is happening alongside a broader shift in the OOH industry. Advertisers are investing more heavily in digital, screen-based environments that deliver the flexibility, measurability, and automation expected from today’s media channels. According to the OAAA’s Q1 report, digital OOH now accounts for 36% of all OOH revenue, while digital place-based media grew 17% year over year—making premium environments like cinemas an increasingly important part of the media mix.

As more theatre inventory becomes available through pDOOH, cinema is no longer a standalone buy. Advertisers can activate campaigns alongside roadside DOOH, retail media, transit, display, CTV, and mobile using the same buying workflows, with unified reporting, attribution, and cross-channel measurement.

That opens up new possibilities for campaign planning. Rather than relying solely on a pre-show ad, advertisers can connect with audiences throughout the theatre experience—from digital screens in parking areas and lobbies to concession spaces and the auditorium—creating a more cohesive brand experience across multiple touchpoints.

Through Broadsign’s Place Exchange SSP, advertisers can access the largest movie theatre network in the U.S., reaching more than 65,900 screens and 1.6 billion four-week impressions. Whether extending an existing DOOH campaign or building a broader omnichannel strategy, cinema is now easier to access, easier to measure, and better connected to the rest of the media plan than ever before.

Month: June 2012