iSpot Acquires Tunity To Modernize Out-of-Home TV Measurement

iSpot, a real-time TV measurement company, today announced it is expanding its cross-platform viewing verification capabilities through the acquisition of Tunity, a TV-viewing solutions and analytics company that measures consumer viewing habits in public locations nationwide.

In Tunity, iSpot picks up a company with network and brand adoption in the OOH measurement marketplace and a national consumer panel that serves up data on out-of-home TV viewing in any type of location — bars, restaurants, gyms, universities, waiting rooms, doctors’ offices, airports and more. Through its iOS/Android app, Tunity lets users hear live audio from muted televisions directly on their mobile devices.

Modeling viewing behavior from hundreds of thousands of individuals in the U.S., Tunity estimates out-of-home viewing can account for upwards of 100 million hours per day, representing a highly attractive audience of viewers that are more likely to have disposable income and be actively spending on recreation.

“The existing ratings models have proven to woefully misrepresent viewership in public spaces, which has an impact on the business models for the buy and sell side,” said Sean Muller, iSpot CEO and founder. “iSpot’s acquisition of Tunity will enable us to meet a massive demand in the marketplace with a more unified, independent measurement system that tracks audience consumption of ads and programming on a second-by-second basis, across platforms and viewing experiences.”

In addition to integrating the Tunity Analytics capabilities into its full-funnel measurement stack, iSpot is picking up a series of patents and expanding its technical operations with engineering resources from Tel Aviv, Israel, with expertise in next-generation deep/machine learning, cloud computing and computer-vision capabilities.

The group will continue to be led by Tunity founder Yaniv Davidson. “iSpot and Tunity share a similar DNA in that both organizations were purpose-built to solve massive structural problems in measurement using patented technologies and real-time solutions,” Davidson said. “We’re excited to combine the strength of our technologies, the passion of our engineers to bring smarter solutions to the marketplace. Our success is a benefit for advertisers and networks, but it also delivers palpable benefits to consumers.” Along with a core group of engineers, Tunity Head of Research and Analytics Paul Lindstrom, a 40-year out of home measurement veteran will retain his role within iSpot.

The acquisition marks the third company in 14 months to become an iSpot subsidiary with real-time data flowing into its cross-platform TV measurement platform. And similar to iSpot’s integration of Ace Metrix, the real-time system for measuring brand impact, and DRMetrix, which can track variable messaging and advanced advertising in cover-up inventory, Tunity “is trusted to deliver granular, second-by-second insights for a roster of leading brands and networks,” according to iSpot.

The announcement comes as iSpot’s cross-platform TV measurement is gaining adoption as a currency from both the buyers and sellers of TV advertising inventory. In January, WarnerMedia announced iSpot as one of three solutions it will use to test as a currency. Also in January, iSpot was the first measurement company to emerge as an alternative currency provider for NBCUniversal with real-world currency use in the Olympics, the Super Bowl and first-quarter advertising.