Jan 12, 2010, New York – In spite of the hard-hitting recession of the last 18 months, Adspace Networks closed the 2009 books with sales figures up 40 percent, turning a profit for the first time.

“There is no doubt that this was a tough economic environment for everyone, and the media industry was certainly no exception,” said Dominick Porco, Chairman and CEO, Adspace Networks. “2009 was not without its trials for the company, but we were able to end the year with a strong sales growth of 40 percent, nearly doubling the number of advertisers on the network. This is not only a true testament to our sales team, but also to our business model.”

Adspace has continued to dominate the mall-based Digital Out-of-Home space and credits an increase in viewership among the many reasons for success in 2009. This past November, Adspace released results from follow up research to a 2007 Nielsen Media Research study. The 2009 study found that 65 percent of mall traffic views the Smart Screens in the Adspace Digital Mall Network, up from 47 percent as seen in the same study done in 2007. In addition, overall impressions of the screens increased 30 percent versus 2007.

Adspace’s portfolio of advertisers also grew with categories such as consumer packaged goods and telecommunications joining the ranks of entertainment and retailers as top advertisers. There were 86 advertisers running on the network in the month of December alone.

“Adspace is a true mass medium, and is now attracting television advertisers.” said William Ketcham, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Adspace Networks. “We reach 100 million upscale shoppers every month that are light TV viewers, and we can increase the reach and frequency of a traditional television buy at a fraction of TV’s cost.”

In 2009, Adspace also added more editorial content to the network. “Trend Alert,” the newest program showcasing the must-have trends of the season, is created by Adspace’s personal shoppers in the editorial department. Along with the development of this program, “Essentials” and “Today’s Top Ten” have been redesigned to inform and engage the consumer more effectively.

“Our editorial content is the key driver of mall shoppers’ engagement with the Smart Screens,” continued Mr. Ketcham. “The evolution and expansion of this content also drove the dramatic increase in impressions measured by Nielsen’s most recent study.”