Product News | October 11, 2021

How kanawai MEGA SCREENS is modernizing out-of-home in Switzerland with DOOH

For years, digital out-of-home has been a big draw in many larger European countries like Germany or France. In neighbouring Switzerland, the format only more recently seems to have found its footing, and this DOOH revolution in Switzerland is led by companies such as kanawai MEGA SCREENS, a media owner helping drive the medium’s growth in the country by championing its myriad benefits.

Delivering DOOH to the Swiss market

kanawai MEGA SCREENS was founded in 2007, an era when digital screens were relatively new to the market but were gaining traction among advertisers and media owners alike. As other European markets began to invest more heavily in DOOH, kanawai MEGA SCREENS followed suit and began to introduce roadside screens along some of the country’s major road networks, growing its inventory steadily.

Today, kanawai MEGA SCREENS specializes in offering premium roadside locations, with a network spanning 70 screens and counting. The company oversees a mixed network of both displays they own and ones they operate, selling ad space to interested customers.

Of the signage that does belong to kanawai MEGA SCREENS, roughly 95% of its ads come from paid advertisers, with the remaining slice a mix of real-time traffic updates, weather data, live news, local event information, and, on occasion, internal job openings. Once, kanawai MEGA SCREENS posted a new position to one of its screens, and a curious applicant applied after seeing the posting when driving by—a great example of how the out-of-home medium helps companies stand out.

For kanawai MEGA SCREENS, the future of DOOH is programmatic

While digital out-of-home is relatively new to many in Switzerland, the kanawai MEGA SCREENS team already has its sights set on making programmatic DOOH a much more mainstream means of transacting in the market. So far, only a few of its screens are programmatically enabled, with Kanawai working closely with TWmedia Basel to bring these campaigns to life.

kanawai MEGA SCREENS cites a recent partnership campaign as an example of programmatic’s power. The brand was looking to drive meat product sales during barbecue season, and pitched an idea to run their ads on warm, sunny Friday afternoons — the right time of day to inspire passersby to stop off at the supermarket on the way home and pick up some grill-ready goods for the weekend. It’s just this type of campaign that other brands have already begun to express interest in, and something the kanawai MEGA SCREENS team is more than ready to support.

Broadsign and kanawai MEGA SCREENS

Before 2017, uploading content and visuals to its displays was challenging and labour-intensive as these tasks could only be performed manually using inefficient digital signage software. But this was all streamlined upon integrating the Broadsign platform. Investing in this upgraded solution was a key component of kanawai MEGA SCREENS’ plans for growth in its market.

Operating the Broadsign platform has helped make the teams’ jobs much more manageable while reducing any potential for error. kanawai’s team has found the solutions from Broadsign intuitive and user-friendly, which has made getting new employees on the software a straightforward process. Currently, two employees handle all content scheduling, a process made seamless with a bit of help from Broadsign Control.

Currently, the company operates both Control and Broadsign Reach to offer their premium roadside inventory through programmatic channels. Finally, they are also looking into Broadsign Publish to help clients and teams more efficiently deliver local messaging across their displays.

Up next: Steady, sustainable growth

For now, kanawai MEGA SCREENS remains focused on building up its roadside network across Switzerland. While being in a multilingual country can present its own unique set of challenges for media owners looking to grow — largely because different cities and regions require specialized permits – the team is optimistic about the role digital out-of-home will play in all markets across the country.

kanawai MEGA SCREENS’ outright passion for DOOH is helping drive its success: From the endless opportunities it affords customers—such as same-day booking to creative potential — kanawai is a team excited about where DOOH is headed in its market. The team sees plenty of possibilities for growth and development in the space on the horizon, especially given how accessible the medium can be made through programmatic.

Growing consistently and sustainably is how the business plans to expand, especially in a market that’s still in an overall expansion phase with digital out-of-home. But with a medium like DOOH, it’s safe to say that the future is bright.

Broadsign is the world’s leading solution for digital signage software.

Want to power your screens with the right tools? Get in touch with us today!

Product News | October 11, 2021

Planning your holiday retail media strategy? Here’s why you should include out-of-home advertising

We’ve entered the home stretch of the year, and for brands and advertisers, the busiest season is just beginning. Black Friday will soon kick off a wave of campaigns, deals, and opportunities to connect with shoppers—continuing through Cyber Monday, the Christmas rush, Boxing Day, and into the new year.

Like last holiday season, consumers are getting an early start. McKinsey & Company reports that 65% of U.S. adults plan to begin shopping before Black Friday. That early momentum may prove essential, as this year’s holiday calendar is tighter than usual, with Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday falling later (November 27–December 1). According to PwC, 39% of total gift spending is expected to occur during that five-day window, and nearly 80% of budgets will be spent by the end of Cyber Monday, putting added pressure on shoppers and retailers alike to move quickly.

Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, from tariff concerns to shipping delays, the 2025 holiday season is still expected to see steady consumer activity. Forrester predicts that total U.S. holiday retail sales will increase 4.4% year-over-year, reaching $1.05 trillion by 2025. For advertisers and retailers, that means now is the time to fine-tune media strategies and get in front of shoppers early.

This holiday season, marketers have more ways than ever to reach shoppers on the move. Digital out-of-home (DOOH) expands the reach and relevance of omnichannel campaigns by building awareness, inspiring purchases, and driving traffic in-store and online. With the latest programmatic DOOH capabilities, launching timely, data-driven campaigns is easier than ever and helps brands stay visible during retail’s busiest time of year.

Consumer caution shapes this year’s holiday shopping

While no one can predict exactly how the 2025 holiday season will unfold, one thing is clear: consumers are approaching their purchases with more caution. According to PwC, 53% say that rising prices will likely influence their holiday spending decisions this year. That’s not to say they’ll be tucking away their wallets, though. Consumers plan to spend an average of $890.49 per person this year on holiday gifts, food, decorations, and other seasonal items, according to the National Retail Federation, only a slight decrease from last year’s amount.

What does this mean for marketers? Consumers aren’t planning to stop shopping, but with lingering worries around tariffs and higher prices, particularly for electronics, apparel, toys, food, and everyday essentials, value-driven decisions will shape how and where they spend.

Reach shoppers at key moments with DOOH

As shoppers weigh every purchase, standing out ahead of peak season is crucial. Digital out-of-home lets marketers reach consumers throughout their daily routines, whether commuting, running errands, or visiting busy retail areas, building awareness long before purchase decisions are made.

Modern DOOH campaigns can be precisely targeted and dynamically optimized, allowing brands to deliver contextually relevant messages based on real-world signals like time of day, weather, or location patterns. For example, brands can promote holiday offers near shopping centers on weekends, trigger creative for winter gear as temperatures drop, or shift campaigns between markets to match inventory and demand.

For audience-specific strategies, placement and timing matter. A brand targeting department store shoppers, primarily women in the 55-64 age range, might activate OOH ads around shopping centers and big-box stores or close to health and point-of-care facilities. Family-focused brands could target high-traffic entertainment or retail areas during weekends.

Beyond awareness, DOOH plays a key role in driving conversions. Today’s shoppers are on the hunt for value, and real-time, location-based messaging makes it easy to put the right offer in front of them at the right moment. Research from the OAAA and Morning Consult found that 42% of U.S. adults say OOH ads featuring special-offer messaging, like “buy one, get one free,” most influence their in-store spending.

With flexible creative and the ability to trigger campaigns based on live signals like weather, inventory, or store hours, DOOH ensures holiday messaging stays relevant and engaging from first impression to final purchase.

Pandora advertises on a LinkNYC screen at a busy intersection

Drive foot traffic and in-store purchases

OOH continues to prove its power as a last-mile driver, bridging the gap between awareness and in-store action. U.S. in-store sales are projected to climb 3.6% year over year, reaching $780 billion, according to Forrester. Growth is being fueled by value-focused shoppers who are gravitating toward discount retailers, supercenters, and warehouse clubs in search of better deals, making physical retail more competitive than ever.

Per the OAAA, 68% of adults notice OOH ads on their way to a store, and nearly half say those ads influence their purchases. Talon Outdoor adds that 59% of shoppers are likely to buy within 30 minutes of seeing an OOH display—a clear sign of the medium’s ability to convert attention into sales.

By activating OOH along the path to purchase, brands can boost visibility and drive store traffic with timely, location-based messaging. High-traffic formats, like billboards, urban panels, and transit or street furniture near retail locations, can effectively spotlight directions or promotions. Meanwhile, longer dwell-time environments, like those in key markets, help reinforce brand messaging.

Chanel promotes its beauty line with DOOH displays in malls

Extend the reach of omnichannel campaigns

As consumers spend more time researching before they buy, developing a strong omnichannel strategy will be key this holiday season. The hunt for value is increasingly powered by technology: Gen Z now uses social media and search engines equally (43%) to discover gift ideas, and about 15% of Gen Z and millennials expect to use AI to find inspiration. This behaviour underscores how discovery now happens everywhere, making it crucial for brands to deliver a consistent and connected experience across channels.

OOH can play a key role in that journey by bridging digital and physical touchpoints. When integrated thoughtfully, it reinforces messaging across screens and devices, keeping brands top of mind from online discovery to in-store purchase. Interactive formats, like QR codes, hashtags, or short URLs, can drive consumers to learn more, shop online, or engage with a brand’s social presence in a simple, frictionless way. For example, a brand offering an online discount might use QR-enabled OOH creative in transit hubs during commuting hours to capture attention from on-the-go professionals.

Through device ID passback, audiences exposed to DOOH ads in geofenced areas can be retargeted later through mobile or digital channels, multiplying brand touchpoints throughout the shopping journey. As purchasing periods stretch and economic pressures shape consumer behaviour, integrating DOOH into your omnichannel strategy helps brands stay visible, relevant, and connected—driving measurable lift across every channel this holiday season.

As the holiday season approaches, now’s the time to harness DOOH advertising to reach and engage shoppers. Amid economic pressures and shorter buying windows, consumers are actively seeking deals and value-driven offers. Integrating the medium into your omnichannel strategy can help drive awareness, boost in-store traffic, and keep your brand top of mind this holiday season.

Ready to get started with programmatic DOOH this holiday season? Talk to a media specialist today.

Product News | October 11, 2021

3 common friction points in OOH media planning (and how automation helps solve them)

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is on a roll. Global spending hit $46.2 billion last year and is expected to climb to $68.2 billion by 2030, thanks in large part to digital formats. The audience is there, the impact is clear — but the way most OOH campaigns are planned and bought hasn’t caught up. Manual RFPs, PDFs, and long email chains are still the norm, and programmatic trading makes up only about 4% of overall OOH spend.

Automation is reshaping that process. Broadsign’s new eBook, Automation in OOH Media Planning: Streamlining Transactions at Scale, breaks down how advancements in automation are transforming the OOH buying process — giving advertisers faster access to premium inventory, greater transparency, and the confidence to plan at digital speed, while helping media owners cut down on repetitive tasks and focus more on growth.

To give you a preview of the insights included in the full eBook, we spotlight three common friction points slowing OOH down today and how automation is helping to overcome them.

Key takeaways:

Manual workflows and disconnected systems make OOH harder to activate compared to other digital channels
Too many buyers equate automation with real-time bidding, overlooking newer transaction paths that provide more control and certainty
With inconsistent reporting across owners and formats, proving ROI requires too much manual effort — but automation is starting to change that

Friction in out-of-home media buying: Why OOH planning still feels stuck in the past

Even as OOH builds momentum, with digital formats fueling new growth, the workflows behind it haven’t kept pace. Campaign planning and booking still involve layers of back-and-forth that slow execution and make it harder to align OOH with the speed of other digital channels.

For agency teams, the issue isn’t just efficiency. Demand for OOH is rising, but campaign timelines are shrinking. As Daniel Mak, SVP of Client Services at Talon Canada, a leading independent OOH agency, explains: “It’s a matter of efficiency and speed. The time frames are getting shorter and shorter. We just need to be as nimble and flexible as possible to take dollars and get them into market within a day or a week — whatever the timeline is.”

Media owners feel the same strain from the other side. Too much time goes into repetitive coordination and proposals — effort that could be better spent on growth. Gavin Lee, Sr. Director of Product at Broadsign, points out that the industry is “spending about 80% of our time managing about 15–20% of revenue,” while CRO Maarten Dollevoet adds that a single transaction can involve “30 or more back-and-forth emails between a single buyer and seller.”

The result? Lost time, missed opportunities, and campaigns that struggle to fully integrate with the rest of today’s fast-moving media mix. It’s a gap the industry is already working to close, with automation paving the way for the next era of OOH growth.

Friction point #1: Planning OOH usually requires separate workflows

Part of the reason OOH transacting feels slow is that it typically isn’t tied to the same platforms planners already use to launch social, display, or CTV in just a few clicks. Instead, activating OOH usually means switching to a separate, mostly manual workflow with extra steps and delays.

That disconnect is the real friction:

For buyers, OOH becomes harder to align with omnichannel campaigns and the growing pressure to prove ROI.
For media owners, it translates into missed opportunities and wasted time that could be spent on growth.

While OOH content management systems (CMS) have helped automate certain parts of creative scheduling and delivery, the real breakthrough comes from automation powered by open APIs and DSP/SSP integrations. These platforms connect OOH inventory directly into the tools planners already use for other channels, syncing availability, booking, and reporting data in real time — helping OOH fit more seamlessly into omnichannel plans.

“If we take away the manual side and automate a lot of this, this frees up more time for the people working in this industry… and ultimately we’re going to sell more out-of-home and grow the industry.”

— Adam Garrity, Global Head of OOH at dentsu, Automation in OOH Media Planning: Streamlining Transactions at Scale

By streamlining the end-to-end transaction process, automation provides buyers with faster, more flexible access to inventory; makes planning and booking more intuitive; and ensures that both parties spend less time on repetitive administration and more time driving results.

Friction point #2: Automation doesn’t just mean programmatic

When many buyers hear “automation in OOH,” they think programmatic ad buying — real-time bidding via open exchange (oRTB) or private marketplace (PMP). And for good reason: programmatically traded digital out-of-home (pDOOH) has gotten a lot of attention in recent years thanks to improved data integration, better targeting, and easier access. But it isn’t suited to every buying scenario.

Agency teams planning during peak seasons, when competition for inventory is intense, or running time-sensitive campaigns with fixed launch dates, often need options that give them more control over where and when their ads appear.

“The biggest challenge for us in doing more non-direct buying,” says Adam Garrity of dentsu, one of the world’s largest marketing and advertising networks, “is whether we can guarantee we’ll be able to deliver a campaign in busy trading periods. If automation can solve that, it changes our mindset completely.”

That’s why automation has expanded beyond bidding models to include newer transaction paths that complement pDOOH. Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) and Automated Direct — Broadsign’s term for a fully automated version of the direct-sold process — give buyers additional ways to balance speed, flexibility, and delivery certainty.

These options give buyers more flexibility in how they plan campaigns, allowing them to lock in high-priority placements in advance, while layering in programmatic agility where it fits. As Daniel Mak of Talon Canada explains: “Having the opportunity to buy in advance, direct, alongside the sort of real-time bidding or open exchange stuff, programmatic stuff, it just gives us another sort of arrow in our quiver, if you will. Another way of answering those briefs, getting them live, doing them quicker than ever.”

That choice matters. Some campaigns benefit from programmatic’s agility, but others — like seasonal pushes — need guaranteed delivery with flexibility in when and where impressions run. Still others, like synchronized brand takeovers, demand confirmed placements and precise timing. The friction isn’t that OOH transacting lacks automation; it’s that buyers who equate automation with programmatic alone risk overlooking the alternative models built to solve these challenges.

Friction point #3: OOH measurement still feels fragmented

Getting a clear view of OOH performance often means stitching together spreadsheets and PDFs from multiple sources — a noticeable contrast to the unified dashboards buyers are used to working with in digital media. Reports frequently come in different formats, with different metrics, leaving planners to reconcile them all manually. The result is a slower, more complicated picture that makes it harder to compare OOH with other media and prove ROI.

Automation can ease that strain by standardizing workflows and consolidating reporting across formats and networks. Instead of juggling mismatched reports, buyers can rely on automated delivery logs that confirm campaigns ran as planned, with dashboards that provide a unified view. Media owners, meanwhile, gain more insight into how their inventory is valued and used.

The bigger impact? Consistency. With integrated data systems and standardized, IAB-aligned metrics, OOH can plug into identity solutions, retail media networks, and omnichannel DSPs. Automation turns measurement from a drag into a bridge — connecting OOH more seamlessly to the rest of the digital ecosystem.

READ ALSO: Explore our dedicated guides for a deeper dive into DOOH metrics, ROI measurement, and attribution.

Ready to cut through the friction?

Streamlining OOH planning and buying doesn’t mean starting from scratch. It means tackling the pain points that slow it down — siloed workflows, misconceptions about transaction paths, and fragmented reporting. The result: a channel that can move with the same speed and clarity buyers expect from digital.

Download the full Automation in OOH Media Planning: Automating Transactions at Scale eBook to see how automation is reshaping OOH for buyers and media owners alike, and what it means for the future of omnichannel planning

Product News | October 11, 2021

Groceryshop 2025: Why in-store screens are retail media’s last-mile goldmine

The message from Groceryshop 2025 was unmistakable: The initial era of retail media is closing, moving past what some called the “Gold Rush” phase. That phase, focused on high-margin, performance-driven e-commerce search, is no longer sufficient. The industry is entering what many are calling the “Age of Reckoning,” where true success requires a full-funnel approach and, critically, flawless execution at the point of purchase.

As brands allocate more budget to retail media, the emphasis is moving from digital shelf limitations to the hidden opportunities of the physical screen. Broadsign is key here: in-store screens serve as the final touchpoint where retailers can influence purchase decisions, create engaging shopping experiences, and unlock new revenue streams.

The sense of urgency is confirmed by recent data from eMarketer, projecting that retail media ad spending will reach nearly $100 billion by 2029. That includes U.S. investment in in-store retail media, which is expected to surpass $1 billion by 2028, outpacing growth in online retail media.

Why in-store media unlocks real value

In-store media uniquely combines mass reach, similar to connected TV audiences, with precision targeting at the moment of maximum intent.

Don’t mistake this for traditional out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Retail media requires a deeper integration of first-party data and sophisticated campaign management, extending to the point of purchase. Broadsign offers this core expertise, backed by twenty years of developing reliable, large-scale digital networks. This is where brand messaging turns into actionable insights, directly affecting shopper behaviour.

Strategically positioned digital screens, utilizing first-party data, are crucial for encouraging impulse buys at the last moment. They can showcase personalized offers and specific messages that enhance the in-store experience, influence last-minute decisions, and encourage shoppers to increase their cart sizes. This approach demonstrates how digital screens enhance the shopping experience and improve the average order value.

In a session, industry leaders such as Cristina Marinucci (Mondelez), Ali Miller (Instacart), and Sarah Marzano (eMarketer) highlighted that brand awareness isn’t solely built online. E-commerce has limitations; it lacks a digital counterpart to the disruptive, high-impact engagement offered by in-store screens. This presents an opportunity for brands and retailers to create meaningful and memorable moments that combine personalized experiences with a sense of community.

The hard work behind the magic: Collaboration and data harmony

Scaling in-store media is not simple. Execution is everything, and success requires solving multi-layered challenges.

Organizational alignment: Every team, from brand, trade, shopper marketing, and e-commerce, needs clarity on how to leverage the network. Without alignment, experimentation and innovation stall.
Data harmony: Flexible, real-time budget allocation depends on shared, integrated data systems. Clean-room partnerships are becoming increasingly essential for combining first-party data while respecting privacy, enabling both brands and retailers to maximize value.
Execution is everything: Retailers can no longer afford to simply track screen impressions. The next benchmark is true closed-loop attribution in-store, linking physical exposure directly to lift in sales and basket size. This is the critical question retailers must answer to justify long-term investment and prove performance to brand advertisers.

The retailers and networks that solve operational, measurement, and organizational challenges now will dominate the retail media landscape. The focus must be on getting in-store media right, because that’s where the last mile is won.

A question for retailers and brands

Are your current blockers operational, organizational, or data-related in nature? Understanding this will determine how effectively you can leverage in-store media to drive growth, engagement, and revenue.

Regardless of your stage in the process, Broadsign can help you develop your in-store retail media network. Contact us today to discover how we can assist you.

READ ALSO: Check out our latest playbook, How To Scale In-Store Activation, to learn how to create and grow in-store networks that enhance the shopper experience, open new monetization avenues, and promote long-term success.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Retail Media In-Store Report: 4 key insights shaping RMN strategies in 2025

For retailers seeking fresh revenue streams, the next big play isn’t online: it’s in-store. As digital inventory becomes saturated and competition intensifies, forward-thinking players are expanding their retail media networks (RMNs) into the physical environment — where most purchases still happen — connecting digital and in-store touchpoints to influence shoppers at the exact moment of decision.

To better understand this shift, the Retail Media: In-Store Report 2025, authored by leading retail media expert Colin Lewis and produced in collaboration with Broadsign, examines how in-store channels are evolving, the commercial models shaping their growth, and the measurement advances helping to prove ROI.

The four takeaways below highlight some of the biggest insights from the report — from market momentum and technology adoption to omnichannel integration and the maturation of measurement. Together, they illustrate why in-store is poised to become the next frontier of retail media.

Key takeaways for retailers:

Takeaway #1: In-store is the next growth frontier

While onsite and offsite channels still dominate retail media spend, in-store is fast emerging as the next growth driver. Globally, retail media is projected to reach $169.6 billion this year, surpassing TV ad revenue for the first time. Yet despite its relatively small share today, in-store retail media is on track to hit $1 billion by 2028 as retailers scale their digital capabilities and advertisers embrace the channel’s unique advantages.

Grocery chains may have pioneered the space, but they’re no longer alone. Today, other industries are developing their own retail media networks and using their physical presence to capitalize on this shift. With the right media capabilities and commercial strategy, the in-store opportunity stretches far beyond grocery to include sectors like petrol and convenience, shopping centres, hotels, and hospitality.

The appeal is clear: in-store combines mass reach in a high-attention environment with the ability to influence purchase decisions and drive real-time conversions at the shelf.

“In-store will begin to emerge as the new TV — a mass-reach advertising vehicle ideal for brands. Digital surfaces deliver what brands want and what linear TV has lost: fast reach, high attentiveness, younger audiences, and cultural relevance.”
— Andrew Lipsman, Media Ads and Commerce, Retail Media: In-Store Report 2025

For retailers, that makes in-store an invaluable extension of their RMN. By monetizing previously untapped foot traffic, they can unlock new revenue streams while strengthening omnichannel shopper engagement.

Takeaway #2: Screens and tech are redefining the store

At the heart of in-store retail media are digital screens — from large-format video walls to shelf-edge screens and point-of-purchase (POP) displays — delivering dynamic, data-driven campaigns right at the point of decision. These screens can adapt content based on time of day, weather, or even local shopping behaviours, helping brands capture attention and influence basket size in real time.

But screens are just the start. Retailers are experimenting with other technologies that add depth and interactivity to the shopper journey, including:

Smart carts equipped with built-in displays
QR codes that connect signage, demos, or packaging to digital content, loyalty apps, or online campaigns
Interactive kiosks for product lookups, recipe ideas, or coupon printing
AI-powered shelves that trigger promotions when stock runs low
AR-enabled mirrors for virtual try-ons
Bluetooth beacons that send personalized offers to shoppers’ phones

Traditional formats will also continue to play a role. Print signage, product sampling, and in-store audio remain effective ways to reach shoppers, but they’re being reimagined with digital elements layered in. For example, dynamic QR codes on posters, demo carts, or packaging can link to apps, loyalty perks, or campaign landing pages — turning otherwise static interactions into measurable, omnichannel experiences.

Leading retailers are already proving what’s possible. Tesco’s “Scan as You Shop” handheld devices double as ad platforms powered by loyalty data. Meanwhile, Walmart is ramping up in-store advertising through its 170,000 digital screens, store-wide radio network, and new weekend sampling stations. Advertisers can pair demo tables with QR codes that drive shoppers to online options, recipes, or seasonal content, while bundling campaigns across screens, audio, and physical activations to maximize the impact at the point of sale.

Walmart is expanding digital in-store advertising, offering brands placements on self-checkout screens to reach shoppers at the point of purchase. Photo: Walmart/CNBC

Together, these innovations are transforming physical stores into full-fledged digital media environments — and giving retailers a scalable foundation to grow their retail media networks beyond the confines of ecommerce.

Takeaway #3: Omnichannel integration is key

In-store media doesn’t exist in a vacuum — its real power comes when it’s connected with onsite and offsite channels as part of a seamlessly integrated RMN. When campaigns carry through from a retailer’s website or app into the physical store, brands can maintain consistent messaging and attribution across the full shopper journey, from brand awareness to purchase conversion.

In-store plays a role at every stage of the funnel:

Awareness: Strategically placed signage, displays, and demos act as discovery tools, especially for impulse or unplanned purchases.
Consideration: Interactive kiosks and QR codes surface reviews, ratings, and tutorials to help customers evaluate products.
Conversion: Digital displays, shelf talkers, and personalized mobile app push notifications can close the deal by offering time-sensitive promotions, bundling offers, or reminders of loyalty benefits.

Strategic integration makes these moments even more powerful. As consumers move fluidly between online browsing, mobile researching, and physical shopping, in-store media becomes a central node for narrative and experiential cohesion:

On-site integration: Link in-store media to shopper data from ecommerce sites, apps, and loyalty programs to bridge physical and digital experiences. Integration can also flow the other way, extending in-store inventory visibility into online ads — surfacing an “Available now in your local store!” message when browsing online — or using digital receipts to deliver post-purchase content, cross-sells, and offers.
Offsite integration: Connect in-store campaigns with offsite media like social, search, and CTV to drive store visits and purchases. Geotargeted programmatic ads can be timed with in-store launches, while influencer content and localized social ads guide shoppers into physical stores.

Real-world examples show how this works in practice. Tesco has piloted dynamic shelf-edge screens that adjust pricing and promotions in real time based on stock levels, time of day, or shopper profile. And Sephora has reimagined the beauty aisle with digital touchpoints that bring product reviews and tutorials into the store, most notably through its “Store of the Future” pilots in Asia, which blend interactive displays with personalized consultations to create a seamless digital-physical shopping experience.

Sephora’s in-store kiosks extend its “Virtual Artist” app, letting shoppers try on products digitally for a personalized, interactive experience. Photo: Karsten Moran/The New York Times

Takeaway #4: Campaign measurement and commercial models are maturing

As retail media matures, advertisers expect the same accountability they’re used to from digital channels. It’s no longer enough to simply sell screen space — brands want evidence that in-store activations drive measurable results. For retailers, delivering credible, transparent measurement is essential to building trust and attracting repeat ad spend.

Industry-wide standards are starting to take shape. To bring more consistency and instill brands with greater confidence in directing marketing spend toward in-store campaigns, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has introduced a set of standards that aim to provide unified definitions, measurement guidelines, and best practices for in-store retail media. While full standardization is still a work in progress, retailers don’t have to wait to start building credibility with advertisers.

While in-store retail media measurement is still developing, many best practices build on established digital out-of-home (DOOH) approaches. For a deeper dive into methodologies, see our guides on DOOH metrics, ROI measurement, and attribution.

At the same time, commercial models are evolving to meet different advertiser and campaign needs. In-store retail media is borrowing from digital and out-of-home playbooks but adapting them for the physical retail environment, where placements span digital screens, audio systems, shelf displays, and experiential zones.

The choice of model shapes not only ROI for brands but also how retailers monetize their networks and structure long-term growth, with several common approaches taking shape:

CPM (cost per thousand impressions): Mirrors digital buying habits and works well for digital screens and audio, but relies on accurate impression tracking.
Tenancy or fixed placement: Predictable pricing for high-traffic placements or seasonal pushes, though less performance-driven.
Hybrid approaches: Blend fixed fees with added value like co-marketing, shopper insights, or data access.
Performance-based models: Tie costs directly to outcomes such as sales lift, with risk and reward shared between retailer and brand.
Sponsorships and experiential packages: High-impact brand-building plays, often tied to events or seasonal themes.

Each model suits different situations: new entrants may lean on performance-based or fixed-fee options to minimize risk, established CPGs often prefer tenancy or CPM for reliable visibility at scale, and premium or lifestyle brands may invest in sponsorships to build emotional resonance. However, the broader trend across the industry is toward hybrid models that pair fixed costs with measurable outcomes, supported by richer data and more sophisticated retail media networks.

Start building your in-store retail media strategy

In-store retail media may have trailed online in the past, but it’s catching up fast. With shoppers’ attention at its peak inside stores and new technologies making campaigns more measurable and scalable, the channel has quickly shifted from underutilized to essential. Put simply, if you haven’t invested in in-store solutions yet, you’re already falling behind.

For retailers, it’s a chance to unlock stronger RMN revenue growth while deepening omnichannel engagement. For brands, it’s an opportunity to reach consumers at the exact moment of purchase. And for the industry at large, it’s a sign that the future of retail media won’t just be online — it will be in-store.

Want to dive deeper? Explore the full Retail Media In-Store Report 2025 or check out Broadsign’s resources on building a scalable in-store retail media network that can support long-term growth.