Starcom MediaVest and ZenithOptimedia Sign Multi-Year Renewal for Arbitron Ratings and Software Services

COLUMBIA, Md., July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) today announced a multi-year ratings and software contract renewal with Starcom MediaVest and ZenithOptimedia, part of Publicis Groupe, one of the largest brand communications organizations in the world. The contract provides access to the monthly reports in all Portable People Meter^™ markets, the data reports for all diary markets, as well as RADAR, Nationwide and TAPSCAN Web services.  

Eight Publicis-owned companies are also included in the agreement and will receive some or all services noted above.  All companies are part of Publicis Groupe, based in Paris, France.  

"Radio continues to be an effective medium for marketing and advertising and our agreement with Arbitron gives us the data we need to help our clients advance their campaigns," said Helen Katz, Senior Vice President, Starcom MediaVest Group. "Arbitron is committed to the quality of its data and we support its efforts to obtain accreditation from the Media Rating Council® for its various services."

"Our goal is to help clients maximize their advertising budget to reach their desired consumer base and radio is an important part of any campaign," said Sam Sotiriou, Senior Vice President of Media Research, Zenith Media.

"We appreciate the continued support from Publicis for our efforts to advance electronic ratings of radio audiences and for our quality initiatives across all of our audience ratings services," said Carol Hanley, Executive Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Arbitron Inc.  "These agencies have long been valued clients and we're happy to continue our relationship with them all."  

About Arbitron

Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) is a media and marketing research firm serving the media – radio, television, cable 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™(PPM^™) and PPM 360™, new technologies for media and marketing research. www.arbitron.com

Portable People Meter™, PPM™ and PPM 360™ 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.

About Starcom MediaVest Group

Starcom MediaVest Group is the Human Experience Company. Our dream is to grow our clients' business by transforming human behavior through uplifting, meaningful human experiences. These brand 'experiences' are brought to life by distinct, strategic point-of-views—Truth and Design and Space for Ideas-- created and owned by SMG's two global agency brands: MediaVest and Starcom, respectively. Ranked one of the largest brand communications groups in the world, Starcom MediaVest Group (www.smvgroup.com) encompasses an integrated network of human experience strategists, investment specialists, content creators and digital experts.

With nearly 6,000 employees in 110 offices worldwide, SMG partners with the world's leading companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods, P&G, Samsung, Walmart, among others. In 2010, SMG was the #1 ranked Global Media Agency (AdAge) and "Media Agency of the Decade" by Adweek.

ABOUT ZENITHOPTIMEDIA, THE ROI AGENCY

ZenithOptimedia, The ROI Agency, is a leading media services group, ensuring every client receives a better return per media dollar invested than any of their competitors. The agency provides the world's largest marketers with top level service in communications strategies, executional planning, negotiation and implementation. ZenithOptimedia delivers results by connecting brands and consumers through its specialized and proprietary tools, research, and technology. A member of Publicis Groupe, S.A., ZenithOptimedia operates 218 offices in 72 countries worldwide.

Statements in this release that are not strictly historical, including the statements regarding expectations for 2011 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™ 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 2010 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.

SOURCE Arbitron Inc.