Crackle Connex Signs Deals With Coinstar’s adPlanet™ Retail Media Group and Velocity MSC Bringing Its Reach of Digital Out-Of-Home Video Screens to Over 10,000

Brands can target specific high-traffic locations including movie theaters, grocery stores, and hospitality locations

Crackle Connex, part of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, continues to scale operations rapidly, giving brands a powerful way to engage with over 60 million monthly active users (MAU) across its streaming platforms and 20 million additional MAUs through third-party audience extension partners

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (NASDAQ: CSSE) today announced Crackle Connex, a new advertising sales platform that simplifies the advertising buying process, has signed deals with two of the fastest growing Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) networks in the US – rapidly scaling its reach to over 10,000 video screens. The company is adding screens through agreements with Coinstar’s adPlanet^™ Retail Media Group – the largest grocery and retail DOOH network in the US, and Velocity, a Managed Solutions Company – an industry-leading technology solutions provider of digital signage and DOOH media solutions across a nationwide high traffic retail-focused network that includes movie theaters and grocery stores, among others.

With the addition of over 6,500 video screens from adPlanet, 950 from Velocity in hospitality and cinema lobbies, and 3,000 current Redbox video screens, these two deals will expand Crackle Connex’s DOOH reach to over 10,000 video screens, giving brands a powerful new way to engage millions of consumers.

“Retail media is fast becoming the hottest place to promote a brand message,” said Philippe Guelton, chief revenue officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The 10,000 plus video screens resulting from the adPlanet, Velocity, and Redbox alliance will allow advertisers to reach millions of consumers at the point of purchase.”

“CTV and DOOH are at a critical intersection right now, we are thrilled to be aligned with Crackle Connex, a leader in the CTV space, on all of adPlanet’s CTV initiatives,” said Cliff Wohl, general manager for adPlanet Retail Media Group.

“The convergence of digital media audience buying with digital screens along the path to purchase creates a robust platform for advertisers to connect with consumers throughout the funnel. We are excited to be aligned with Crackle Connex and very optimistic for the impact this will create for advertisers,” said John McCauley, senior vice president of Media for Velocity.

Crackle Connex has signed the following deals:

• adPlanet Retail Media Group provides exclusive access to the 1.4 billion monthly impressions accessible by Coinstar, the global leader in self-service coin counting kiosks. Crackle Connex will work with adPlanet to sell advertising inventory on the company’s 6,500+ video screens located on top of Coinstar kiosks in high-traffic locations within premier grocery stores nationwide.
• Velocity delivers industry-leading, customized, customer-focused technology solutions for multi-location enterprises across multiple industries. Velocity also manages digital signage and DOOH media solutions across 26,000 locations and 38,000 digital screens, including grocery, movie theater, and hotel lobbies. Through an advertising representation agreement, Crackle Connex will have the right to market and sell video advertising on approximately 950 screens in the lobbies of Velocity’s hotel and cinema lobby networks.

About Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) provides premium content to value-conscious consumers. The company is one of the largest advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) companies in the US, with three flagship AVOD streaming services: Redbox, Crackle, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. In addition, the company operates Redbox Free Live TV, a free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST), with over 160 channels as well as a transaction video on demand (TVOD) service, and a network of approximately 32,000 kiosks across the US for DVD rentals. To provide original and exclusive content to its viewers, the company creates, acquires, and distributes films and TV series through its Screen Media and Chicken Soup for the Soul TV Group subsidiaries. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, which publishes the famous book series and produces super-premium pet food under the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand name.

About adPlanet Retail Media Group by Coinstar

adPlanet Retail Media Group by Coinstar is the largest grocery & retail DOOH network with measurable, verified impressions. Positioned in premier grocery retail locations across the US with the potential to reach 1.4 billion impressions a month, adPlanet provides brands with visibility and frequency among highly lucrative shoppers including those who are transacting at the 17,000+ kiosks in the Coinstar retail network. For more information visit https://www.adplanetads.com.

About Velocity MSC

Velocity is a technology solution and service provider of voice and data networking and connectivity for multi-location enterprises across multiple industries. With its nationwide network of field technicians, project managers, and software developers, Velocity is a single-source partner dedicated to providing comprehensive support for voice, data, and network, as well as digital signage and DOOH media solutions. With its 24/7/365 U.S.-based technical support, warehouse, inventory, repair depot, and supply chain and logistics services, Velocity continuously monitors telecom and technology environments – enabling faster responsiveness and reducing downtime.

Founded in 2005, Velocity offers CLEC services in all 50 states, has over 500 employees, 13 redundant data centers, 450 carrier agreements, and 5,500 certified technicians throughout the U.S. For more information, please visit www.velocitymsc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements and Available Information

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of management and are not predictions of actual performance. Such assumptions involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to risks relating to our core strategy, operating income and margin, seasonality, liquidity, including cash flows from operations, available funds, and access to financing sources, free cash flows, revenues, net income, profitability, stock price volatility, future regulatory changes, price changes, ability to achieve and sustain market acceptance of our content streaming services and other content offerings, ability to recruit and retain officers, key employees, or directors, ability to protect our intellectual property, ability to complete and integrate into our existing operations future strategic acquisitions, ability to manage growth, ability to pay dividends and our debt obligations, as well as evolving regulatory or other operational risks, and risks presented by changing general market conditions impacting demand for our services. For a more complete description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please refer to Item 1A (Risk Factors) in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Information regarding the acquisition of Redbox and related transactions is qualified by reference to the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 11, 2022 as amended May 12, 2022, June 6, 2022, August 12, 2022, November 14, 2022 and thereafter from time to time, and all exhibits filed with respect to such reports. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

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