Walgreens To Play Encoded In-store Audio.

Arbitron Inc. announced that 189 Walgreens stores in the Houston area will participate in the market trial of the Arbitron Portable People Meter (PPMSM) system.

Beginning in September, Walgreens stores will use encoded audio programming from In-Store Broadcasting Network, which provides an in-store music service and broadcast advertising network for Walgreens in Houston. The audio programming will be embedded with unique PPM identification codes supplied by Arbitron. These codes are inaudible and can only be detected by a PPM. When an Arbitron PPM survey participant enters one of these retail outlets, the Portable People Meter will detect the codes and report that the individual has been exposed to its in-store audio programming.

According to Scarborough Research, Walgreens stores are visited by at least 47 percent of the adult population in Houston over the course of a typical month.

Walgreens joins Kroger, Best Buy, Gap, Gallery Furniture, National CineMedia and Old Navy as retail participants in the Houston PPM demonstration. In total, nearly 300 retail locations and sports venues in the Houston market. In-Store Broadcasting Network also provides a PPM-encoded in-store music service and broadcast advertising network for 109 Kroger stores in Houston.