Glossary A–ZLetter P
Play report
A play report summarises which adverts ran when, how often and on which screens.
It is based on the individual reports sent by the players, known as proof of play, and is produced for a campaign or a period. It is the usual basis for invoicing.
A typical report lists, for each site and day, the number of ad plays, the booked quantity and the difference between them. It often adds details of outages, for instance when a screen had no connection or a site was closed. Advertisers and media agencies check it against the booking; network operators also use it to spot gaps in their own network.
A play report shows what ran, not who saw it. Figures on impressions come from separate audience measurement and should be shown separately. Operators should make sure that test and preview runs are not counted and that reports a player delivers late are assigned correctly. Anyone who bases invoices on the report should keep it for as long as tax obligations require.