Month: February 2023

Product News | October 11, 2021

In-store vs. online retail media: How each one impacts the consumer shopping experience

There’s been a lot of chatter about Amazon’s ad-heavy digital storefront in the past few months, some of it somewhat negative. While the e-commerce giant has historically been praised for being customer-centric, thanks in large part to its relevance and review-based product search rankings, things seem to be changing. If you try searching for a product on Amazon these days, the first page of search results will typically comprise nine sponsored listings, according to a study conducted by data firm Profitero – double the number of ads used by Walmart or Target. 

It appears that the company’s fanatical focus on advertising has come at the expense of the consumer’s online shopping experience; now, if you want to make a worthwhile purchase, you’ll have to invest extra time and energy to evaluate brands and avoid potential traps. But as online retail media is facing mounting backlash, many advertisers are realizing that in-store retail media offers similar data-backed benefits—in addition to unique advantages all its own—without negatively impacting the consumer shopping experience. 

The rise of retail media: How Amazon is reshaping the advertising industry

Following in the footsteps of search and social as digital advertising’s third big wave, retail media has already established itself as a force to be reckoned with. A recent report by GroupM found that retail media already represents 10.7% of global ad spend and forecasts that this figure will grow 60% by 2027. Built on a foundation of valuable first-party purchase data, contextually relevant ad experiences, and closed-loop reporting, retail media gives consumer brands powerful new ways to reach shoppers in the environments where their customers are buying. Amazon is at the forefront of this trend; since launching its retail media network in 2012, it’s become the US’s third-largest digital ad platform, trailing only Google and Facebook. Today, retailers like Walmart, Target, and Sephora are following Amazon’s lead by trying to build a marketing business on the back of their existing sales platform.

READ ALSO: Retail media networks 101: Definition, best practices, and tips for building out a rock-solid RMN

The rise of retail media has been particularly prominent  in the US, where eMarketer estimates advertisers are on track to spend more than $37 billion on retail media networks this year, an increase of about a fifth from 2021. The same report found that while social media currently attracts more ad dollars (forecasting an annual haul of $65 billion), retail media is set to grow more than five times faster in 2022. Part of this growth can be attributed to the fact that many brands are shifting ad dollars they’d previously been spending with Facebook and other online media platforms to retailers—likely due to the fact retail media advertising stands invulnerable against the demise of third-party cookies, as well as increased scepticism regarding the efficacy of digital ads. According to the Financial Times, advertisers added $9.5 billion to Amazon’s global revenue in the third quarter of 2022, while ad revenues at Meta fell 3.7% during the same period. 

The impact of putting advertisers ahead of users

While Amazon’s focus on ad tech has certainly been making its shareholders happy—in 2021, the company collected $31 billion from ad sales alone—some industry analysts contend that it has come at the expense of customer-focused recommendations, personalization, and discovery. Many of the sponsored posts showing up in search results are so subtle they look like organic search results. And even when the sponsored posts showing up in search results contain a tiny disclaimer label, these kinds of ads can be misleading because they fill up spaces people assume to contain trustworthy, independent information. Many other online marketplaces and retailer apps are following suit. The result is that retail media advertising is now, in many cases, more akin to dramatically altering shelf placement for specific people than a way to inform and delight consumers or prioritize their shopping experience.

It’s not just consumers who are starting to question online retail media’s resulting impact. Marketers are increasingly asking retailers to prove how much value is actually added by such advertising—especially since it’s not unusual for them to pay at least ten times more for slots on retail media networks than they would for programmatically-sold online ads. Although the returns can ultimately be higher, one limitation of online retail media compared to online ads on the open web is that it’s easy for consumers to shop around to different retailers; there’s little friction standing in the way of a person seeing an ad in one online store and immediately hopping elsewhere to make a purchase. This means that even though online retail media has the potential to generate in-depth performance metrics for advertisers, the ability to track which ads lead to purchases can, in practice, prove to be more difficult than initially thought. 

But the online space is only one of the arenas worthy of attention for retail media advertising; retailers are also finding ever more creative ways to turn their physical properties into space they can sell to marketers. Examples of digitized retail media placements inside brick-and-mortar stores include smart screens near the entrance, video displays on shopping carts, and digital retail end cap displays. By incorporating in-store digital media, retailers are able to give their partner brands access to customers close to the point of purchase, whether a customer is shopping on their website or inside one of their physical locations. 

The advantages of in-store retail media vs. online retail media

To clarify, advertising, particularly retail media, isn’t necessarily bad. Done the right way, retail media can inform customers about new products and help new businesses get a foot in the door. In particular, in-store retail media has managed to avoid many of the drawbacks outlined above while offering the data- and placement-based benefits that attracted advertisers to retail media in the first place—including access to first-party shopper data, improved campaign targeting, and real-time reporting. 

READ ALSO: Why in-store signage advertising belongs in every brand’s retail media strategy

Aside from avoiding the negatives, in-store digital retail media offers some distinct advantages over online retail media for advertisers looking for new and effective ways to connect with their customers. Unlike online, the consumer is seeing the ad in a specific physical environment, and often the advertised product is already right in front of them. This enables brands to reach people who are ready to buy now and are in an environment that inherently introduces more friction to the price comparison process. Online, a different site is just a click away. In the real world, at best, consumers face a long walk to get to another store that may offer a slightly better price on whatever they want to buy.

In-store retail media also allows advertisers to connect with a larger audience since there are simply more people who shop in physical stores than online. While consumers relied more on e-commerce since the start of the pandemic, The NPD Group reported that 2022 was the first year since COVID that consumers expected to make more of their holiday purchases in-store (46%) than online (45%). And the return to brick-and-mortar stores is a trend that extends beyond holiday shopping; according to McKinsey, 20% of consumers say they are now doing all of their shopping in-store, while only 5% shop exclusively online.

And while online retail media ultimately winds up making the consumer experience worse—with online ad placements going to the highest bidder instead of delivering search results based on relevance—in-store retail media is still based on improving the in-person shopping experience. Retail media advertising in physical stores is ultimately only as disruptive as a consumer wants; the inventory displayed on the shelf is the same regardless of whether someone saw an ad or interacted with its corresponding QR code. At the same time, digital in-store signage opens up new storytelling possibilities through the use of dynamic content, offering brands unique opportunities to engage with customers and leave a lasting impression. 

READ ALSO: How to enhance the in-store retail experience with digital signage

In short, in-store retail media offers the best of both worlds: it’s a way for retailers to generate additional revenue from brands and a method of delivering a more information-rich and relevant in-store experience. 

Are you missing the most valuable piece of your retail media network marketing strategy?

Check out our eBook to learn key aspects every retailer should look for when adding in-store digital marketing to their retail media network.

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.

READ ALSO: Why in-store media is essential for forward-thinking retail media strategies

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.

READ ALSO: How to use digital signage to enhance the in-person shopping experience: Best practices & revenue-driving tips

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

READ ALSO: How to integrate in-store digital signage into your retail media network

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.

READ ALSO: Turn your in-store screens into revenue machines: How to monetize data through retail digital signage

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.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Why the programmatic DOOH buying process feels complex – and how to simplify it

In today’s complex media world, getting started with programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) can feel overwhelming. Media buyers are often left asking, ‘How do I reach the right audience, measure effectiveness, and do it all efficiently?’ With so many moving parts, from requests for proposals (RFPs) and inventory selection to data and measurement, the pDOOH buying process can feel more complicated than it should.

Rethinking how the medium is planned and executed helps enable campaigns that launch faster, run more efficiently, and drive greater impact. 

Common challenges to buying programmatic DOOH

Buying programmatic DOOH can unlock scale and flexibility, but the process isn’t always straightforward. Traditional workflows still involve buyers or advertisers sending RFPs to multiple media owners and consolidating the responses into a plan. While effective, this manual process is time-consuming and leaves little room for flexibility, much of which could be streamlined with the right tools.

Measurement and attribution have historically been challenging in pDOOH. Without strong attribution, the channel’s impact within the broader media mix is often undervalued, and reporting that stays at a high level without impression or screen-level detail makes it difficult to fully connect campaigns to outcomes.

While pDOOH is designed for agility, creative approvals, varying file specs, or limitations with dynamic creatives can slow things down. Coordinating creative updates across multiple networks can add extra friction. Finally, because pDOOH is still relatively new compared to traditional OOH or other digital channels, many buyers lack the knowledge or confidence to fully embrace it, often underutilizing the channel.

How to simplify pDOOH transacting

Programmatic DOOH doesn’t have to be complicated. With streamlined setup, greater transparency, and real-time optimization, transactions become easier to manage, campaigns activate faster, and teams can focus less on logistics and more on results.

Find a DSP with access to global inventory

Strong inventory access is the foundation of any successful pDOOH campaign. Instead of relying on multiple DSPs, focus on partners that are connected to supply-side platforms (SSPs) with broad, premium coverage. SSPs aggregate inventory from publishers and make it available to DSPs, ensuring campaigns can scale seamlessly across markets and geographies. The wider and higher-quality the access, the greater the opportunities for reach, engagement, and precise targeting.

Understand where budget is going

Clarity on costs and fees is essential when running a pDOOH campaign via any DSP. Full disclosure of fees and margins upfront helps avoid hidden markups, inflated costs, or spend being funneled toward preferred media owners instead of being optimized for performance. Equally important is the ability to control spend at a granular level, whether by environment, point of interest (POI), or screen type, so campaigns align with strategy rather than platform preferences.

Streamline setup, data integration, and optimization

Simplifying pDOOH starts with making campaign setup intuitive and efficient. Inventory selection should be seamless, with the ability to upload targeting criteria like geographic shapes or audience segments and automatically match them to available screens, reducing manual work and minimizing errors. 

Data integration is another important consideration. A strong DSP will enable you to leverage first-party data, whether from loyalty programs, CRM systems, or other sources, and combine it with third-party demographic, behavioural, or location-based segments. 

Optimization is one of the biggest advantages of programmatic DOOH, and the right tools make it possible to fine-tune campaigns throughout their lifecycle. Instead of relying on static, “set-it-and-forget-it” structures, advertisers can take a more agile approach that improves real-time performance.

With the right platform, optimization strategies can include:

  • Making in-flight adjustments to targeting, flight schedules, and budget allocation as results come in, so spend is always directed toward the most effective placements.
  • Refining bidding strategies by monitoring impression-level data, bid outcomes, and cost breakdowns to reallocate budget where it drives the most value.
  • Optimizing creative dynamically (DCO) to adapt messaging based different audiences, environments, or real-time data triggers like weather, ensuring ads remain relevant in different contexts. 

Prove ROI with detailed measurement and reporting

Robust measurement turns DOOH from a reach-driven channel into a performance-driven one. Effective reporting should deliver impression-level data, screen-level analytics, and spend breakdowns that show exactly how budgets are used and how ads perform.

Many DOOH data providers can enable attribution studies, from brand lift to foot traffic and web activity studies. Cross-channel insights, like device ID passback, extend this further by linking DOOH ads to online engagement, enabling retargeting and measuring impact across physical and digital touchpoints.

With the right approach to inventory access, transparency, streamlined setup, optimization, and measurement, advertisers can simplify the buying process and unlock stronger results. By focusing less on logistics and more on strategy, pDOOH becomes not just easier to manage, but one of the most impactful channels in the media mix.

Ready to simplify your programmatic DOOH buying? Learn more about OutMoove here.