IBN Signs Arbitron for Place-based Measurement

InStore Broadcasting Network (IBN) has signed a contract to measure the audience of IBN’s in-store audio network in 200 Walgreens drug stores in the Houston-Galveston DMA. This marks the first time that Arbitron will provide audience estimates to place-based media using the existing panel of consumers who are carrying the company’s PPM device as part of Arbitron’s syndicated radio ratings service.

The Arbitron measurement services for place-based media provides monthly PPM audience estimates in Houston that can be used to establish the value of the commercial inventory for the Walgreens Radio Network in that market. Because the service uses the same measurement infrastructure used for radio ratings, the in-store audience estimates will be directly comparable to conventional average quarter hours ratings used for radio and television audience measurement.
“Because we meter the person and not the appliance, we’ve always maintained that the PPM can be readily adapted to measure media beyond traditional radio and television,” said Pierre Bouvard, president, sales and marketing, Arbitron.

Initial data from the Walgreen’s Radio Network indicates that, over the course of 3 months (April through June) in the Houston/Galveston DMA:

• An average of 1.25 million people 18+ were exposed to the Walgreens Network.
• The Walgreens Network reaches 30% of the overall population and about 34% of women 18+ on a monthly basis.
• Women represent just under 60 percent of the Walgreens Network audience.
• During the weekday (Monday through Friday), shoppers 18+ are most likely to visit a Walgreens store in Houston during the 3 PM and 7 PM daypart. The most highly visited daypart during the weekend is 10 AM to 3 PM.
• On average, people in the Houston/Galveston DMA are exposed to the Walgreens Network 1.5 times per month

Arbitron’s Place Based Media Measurement Service was developed in concert with IBN through a two-year research methods and technology trial in Houston.