Crackle Plus Extends Relationship with iSpot.tv to Measure Programmatic and CTV Reach Efficiency


NEW YORK, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crackle Plus, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) company and one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) streaming services, announced today that it has renewed its relationship with iSpot.tv through 2023. This is the third consecutive year the real-time cross-platform TV measurement company and premier ad-supported streaming service have been in business together.

Helping advertisers better measure the unique reach of Crackle Plus’ footprint across the CTV landscape, iSpot.tv will continue to provide its Unified Measurement solution to the premium brands working with Crackle Plus to quantify the incremental reach delivered over linear investments. This year, the streaming service will use iSpot’s ability to measure segments to quantify the targeted reach and frequency for Crackle Plus campaigns. The measurement company will also provide support for select programmatic direct campaigns.

“Crackle Plus is thrilled to extend its relationship with iSpot.tv, by offering our growing roster of brand marketers direct viewership data to reinforce the value of premium content. In-market campaigns resulted in driving not only incremental but efficient reach across the increasingly fragmented video landscape,” said Darren Olive, executive vice president national advertising sales and strategy for Crackle Plus. “We look forward to our continued collaboration with iSpot.tv to identify new strategies for optimizing campaigns targeted towards specific audiences.”

“Crackle was among the first streaming publishers in the market to integrate cross-platform ad verification as a tool for demonstrating the unique value and audience it can deliver, something that also helps brands feel confident in their investments,” said Stu Schwartzapfel, senior vice president of Media Partnerships at iSpot. The measurement company currently has integrations with over 300 streaming publishers, 500 brands, ad delivery platforms and 95% of TV networks in North America. The company’s unified measurement platform was recently chosen to power measurement on the TradeDesk, is providing alternative currency initiatives for NBCUniversal, and is conducting currency pilots with major media companies.

Crackle Plus’ recent releases include the exclusive scripted series Les Norton, which stars Alexander Bertram and Rebel Wilson, Inside the Black Box, hosted by Joe Morton, the hit thriller series In the Vault, popular sketch comedy series Funny Girls and the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. They also recently announced season three of the award-winning series Going From Broke.

The Crackle Plus streaming services are currently distributed through 85 touch points in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com, with previously announced plans to expand to over 110 touch points. Crackle is also available in approximately 500,000 hotel rooms in the Marriott Bonvoy chain.

ABOUT iSpot.tv
iSpot.tv is the market leader in real-time cross-platform TV ad measurement and attribution. The company’s always-on platform measures the business impact and brand impact of TV advertising and offers fast, accurate and actionable information that empowers brands to justify and optimize TV and video investments. iSpot persistently measures TV-device impressions and second-by-second attention for all TV ads in a unified manner across linear, time-shifted, VOD and streaming environments. iSpot’s Ace Metrix product measures brand perceptions for TV and video creatives using rapid qualitative panels, and its market-leading attribution solution enables advertisers and TV networks to plan, optimize and transact on business outcomes. The company delivers its solution in real time via intuitive and modern dashboards as well as APIs and customized analytics. iSpot.tv has hundreds of brands and all major TV networks licensing its enterprise solution and has become a trusted currency for networks, brands and agencies. Founded in Bellevue, Washington in 2012, iSpot has offices in major cities across America.

ABOUT CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) (the “Company”) operates video-on-demand (VOD) streaming services. The Company owns Crackle Plus, which owns and operates a variety of ad- supported VOD streaming services including Crackle, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Popcornflix, Popcornflix Kids, Truli, Pivotshare, Españolflix and FrightPix. The Company also acquires and distributes video content through its Screen Media and 1091 Pictures subsidiaries and produces original video content through the Chicken Soup for the Soul Television Group. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, which publishes the famous book series and produces super-premium pet food under the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand name.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of management and are not predictions of actual performance. Such assumptions involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to our core strategy, operating income and margin, seasonality, liquidity, including cash flows from operations, available funds, and access to financing sources, free cash flows, revenues, net income, profitability, stock price volatility, future regulatory changes, price changes, the ability of the Company’s content offerings to achieve market acceptance, the Company’s success in retaining or recruiting officers, key employees, or directors, the ability to protect intellectual property, the ability to complete strategic acquisitions, the ability to manage growth and integrate acquired operations, the ability to pay dividends, regulatory or operational risks, and general market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s services. For a more complete description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please refer the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022, and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 11, 2022. On May 10, 2022, the Company entered into a merger agreement to acquire Redbox Entertainment, Inc. We refer you to the presentation filed as Exhibit 99.2 under cover of a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC on May 22, 2022 for information regarding the proposed business acquisition transaction. If the proposed business acquisition is consummated, in addition to the risks noted above, we also face the risks detailed in Redbox’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

INVESTOR RELATIONS
Taylor Krafchik
Ellipsis
csse@ellipsisir.com
(646) 776-0886

MEDIA CONTACT
Kate Barrette
RooneyPartners LLC
kbarrette@rooneypartners.com
(212) 223-0561