comScore Validated Campaign Essentials™ (vCE) Receives MRC Accreditation for Online Campaign Validation

RESTON, Va., Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today announced that it has received accreditation from the Media Rating Council (MRC) for the validation suite in comScore validated Campaign Essentials™ (vCE), which includes viewability, brand safety, in-country geographic delivery, engagement, and removal of non-human traffic. comScore's unique solution combines patented and patent-pending technological approaches to measuring viewability, which account for census-level ad delivery. This measurement includes certain ads delivered via cross-domain iframes, which account for a significant percentage of U.S. display ad impressions but have proved particularly challenging from a measurement standpoint. In addition, this MRC accreditation is the first of its kind based in part on the IAB Guidelines for the Conduct of Ad Verification. The validation suite of vCE applies the 3MS working definition of a viewable impression.

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The MRC is a U.S.-based industry association composed of leading television, radio, print and Internet companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations, whose goal is to ensure that measurement services are valid, reliable and effective. This MRC accreditation certifies that comScore's procedures for the validation component of comScore vCE adhere to MRC's Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research and to industry-accepted standards for digital campaign measurement.

"We are very pleased to announce that comScore has received MRC accreditation for viewability, brand safety, in-country geographic delivery, engagement and non-human traffic measurement components of our validated Campaign Essentials product," said Magid Abraham, President & CEO of comScore. "Getting accredited by the MRC offers important validation that comScore is deploying a sound approach to holistic online campaign measurement, consistent with the MRC's standards and in alignment with the principles established by the Making Measurement Make Sense (3MS) initiative."

"We are delighted that the validation component of comScore's validated Campaign Essentials, including its technology to determine the viewability of online display advertising, has been accredited by the MRC, signifying its adherence to industry-accepted standards and best practices for the measurement of display advertising," said George Ivie, CEO and Executive Director of the MRC.  "We congratulate comScore on this significant accomplishment, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in their efforts to also achieve accreditation of the audience component of vCE."

Industry Support for MRC Accreditation
"At the IAB, we believe that transparency, accountability and standards help propel the online advertising industry forward, which is why we have always been a strong proponent of obtaining MRC accreditation. We congratulate comScore on achieving MRC accreditation for the validation component of vCE." 
- Sherrill Mane, Senior Vice President, Research, Analytics & Measurement, IAB

"With MRC accreditation that comScore's vCE Validation approach meets industry established criteria, comScore has taken an important step forward in assuring our customers obtain effective, actionable, and high-quality research."
- Kate Sirkin, EVP Global Research Director, Starcom MediaVest Group

"vCE's accreditation is an important milestone for the digital advertising ecosystem.  We expect that comScore's thought leadership on verification and accountability will help publishers and advertisers build trust, leading to more meaningful relationships." 
- Daniel Stubbs, Director, Analytics, Conde Nast Research & Insights

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

About MRC
The MRC is a non-profit Industry association established in 1964 composed of leading television, radio, print and internet companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective. Measurement services desiring MRC accreditation are required to disclose to their customers all methodological aspects of their service; comply with the MRC Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research; and submit to MRC-designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of research in the marketplace. Currently approximately 75 research products are audited by the MRC. Additional information about MRC can be found at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, but not limited to, expectations regarding the impact and benefits to comScore from receiving MRC accreditation for vCE Validation, financial or otherwise. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to: the features and characteristics of the products, the rate of development of the digital marketing intelligence, Internet advertising and e-Commerce markets; the growth of the Internet as a medium for commerce, content, advertising and communications; and the acceptance of new products and methodologies by the industry, including existing and prospective clients.

For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to comScore's most recent respective Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and from time to time other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's Web site (http://www.sec.gov).

Stockholders of comScore are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE comScore, Inc.