• Proof-of-Play (PoP) reporting is a foundational requirement for any retailer seeking to monetize in-store digital advertising.

Whether you partner with a Retail Media Network (RMN) or sell advertising inventory directly, advertisers expect clear proof that their content ran when and where it was intended, along with accurate data on how long it was displayed. Without this level of transparency, getting paid, and commanding premium ad rates, becomes difficult.

The challenge is that many existing Content Management System (CMS) platforms can only estimate exposure time. These systems rely on scheduled playback assumptions rather than actual performance data. In other words, they know what was supposed to play, but not what truly happened on the sales floor. Were the displays powered on? Did the content actually render? Most CMS platforms simply don’t know.

The only reliable way to measure in-store ad exposure is to collect playback data directly from the digital displays themselves. When this verified playback data is combined with consumer traffic data, it becomes the kind of trusted, actionable insight that CPGs and advertisers are willing to pay for.

Abierto’s OPEN.CMS software is purpose-built for this level of accuracy. Running natively on smart System-on-Chip (SoC) displays, OPEN.CMS enables advanced remote command-and-control capabilities that are not possible with traditional media-player-based solutions. More importantly, the software embedded in each display continuously monitors and records every advertisement played. This verified playback data is securely transmitted to the OPEN.CMS host and made available for reporting and analysis.

All OPEN.CMS clients (regardless of licensing tier) have access to Abierto’s proof-of-play online reporting engine. This intuitive interface allows users to quickly generate the two most common data views required for monetization:

• When, where, and for how long a specific digital ad played.
• Which ads played at a given store, including duration.

Reports can be generated and downloaded on demand for billing, auditing, or analytics purposes.

For retailers looking to go beyond standard reporting, Abierto also offers the OPEN.Analytics Dashboard. This advanced tool enables deeper analysis through the use of metadata tags, allowing clients to group and evaluate exposure data across brands, campaigns, or categories. For example, ads can be tagged by advertiser (such as Altria or Mondelez) to view aggregated exposure performance across locations.

The Dashboard also provides a powerful way to audit in-store execution and ensure alignment with strategic objectives. Retailers can tag content related to limited-time offers, loyalty programs, employment messaging, foodservice promotions, or any other category of importance. By combining multiple metadata tags, OPEN.Analytics delivers a true, data-driven view of in-store advertising performance, based on actual playback data, not anecdotal assumptions.

Retail Media Networks continue to emphasize the importance of high-quality digital displays and modern CMS platforms that can reliably manage, control, and collect data from these assets. We are proud to continue investing in the OPEN.CMS platform and ecosystem, delivering meaningful innovations that truly enable your vision for a more engaging, and more profitable in-store experience.