Month: February 2025

Product News | October 11, 2021

Retail media networks 101: What they are & why they matter

Imagine you’re a brand looking to engage shoppers at the exact moment they’re considering a purchase — or a retailer eager to turn first-party shopper data into new revenue streams. Retail media networks (RMNs) make both possible.

So, what is an RMN exactly? A retail media network is an advertising platform that allows retailers to sell ad space across their owned media channels — both onsite, offsite, and in-store — to brands looking to reach high-intent shoppers. This includes everything from sponsored search ads on retailer websites and apps to in-store digital displays and point-of-sale promotions. By leveraging first-party data, retailers can provide precise targeting while unlocking new monetization opportunities. And brands gain a highly effective way to reach shoppers at the point of purchase with relevant, data-driven ads.

In this article, we’ll break down what retail media is, how retail media networks work, and why they matter for both retailers and advertisers.

Jump to:

What is retail media? Understanding the bigger picture

While retail media and retail media networks (RMNs) are closely related, they aren’t the same thing. 

Retail media = any advertising within a retailer’s ecosystem.

This includes in-store advertising methods like digital signage, in-store radio, and point-of-sale promotions, as well as online strategies such as sponsored product listings and display ads on retailer websites and apps.

Retail media networks (RMNs) = the monetization platform behind retail media.

A retail media network is the formal system that allows retailers to sell ad space to brands. RMNs provide the infrastructure, data, and ad inventory that make retail media possible.

Retail media vs. commerce media

Retail media is also part of a larger digital advertising movement known as commerce media. While retail media focuses on advertising within a retailer’s ecosystem, commerce media extends that approach across the entire digital commerce landscape.

📌 Why this matters:

Commerce media connects the full shopper journey — allowing brands to reach consumers before, during, and after their purchases. As the retail media space evolves, many retailers are expanding their offerings to become full commerce media platforms, helping brands engage with shoppers across multiple digital environments.

Retailers are expanding across digital environments

Why retail media networks matter (Key benefits for retailers & advertisers)

Retail media networks are changing how brands and retailers connect with shoppers, creating highly targeted, data-driven advertising opportunities at the point of purchase. As brands shift more of their ad spend to retail media — with global retail media ad spend projected to surpass US$177 billion in 2025 — RMNs are emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments in digital advertising.

This rapid growth is reshaping the relationship between retailers and advertisers, offering new ways to leverage privacy-compliant data, optimize ad reach, and influence purchasing decisions in real-time. Here’s why RMNs are becoming a must-have strategy for both in 2025:

For retailers: A win-win opportunity

Retail media isn’t just about ads — it’s about smarter, more profitable retail. Here’s how retailers benefit:

  • Enhanced customer experience: Retail media doesn’t just benefit retailers and advertisers — it also improves the shopping journey for customers. Personalized promotions and targeted messaging shown on in-store displays help enhance the in-store retail experience, while well-placed online ads make it easier for shoppers to discover relevant products, access timely deals, and enjoy a more seamless path to purchase across both digital and physical retail environments.
  • Increased basket sizes: Well-timed messaging can influence last-minute purchasing decisions, prompting shoppers to add more to their carts. Strategically placed product promotions near checkout highlight relevant add-ons, limited-time offers, and value packs that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. By seamlessly integrating these prompts into the shopping journey, retailers can increase average order value and maximize sales opportunities.
  • New revenue streams: By selling ad space across their websites, apps, and in-store digital displays, retailers can generate high-margin advertising revenue — between 70% and 90%, according to BCG — alongside traditional product sales. Insights gleaned from their first-party shopper data make these (and any off-site) ad placements even more valuable, enabling brands to reach highly targeted audiences in a privacy-compliant way. As brands shift more ad spend to retail media, retailers that capitalize on this demand can drive significant new revenue while strengthening partnerships with advertisers.

READ ALSO: Learn how to influence add-to-cart moments with an in-store digital media channel, featuring strategies and key takeaways from our live webinar.

For brands: Reaching shoppers at the right moment

For advertisers, RMNs offer something digital ads often struggle with: direct access to ready-to-buy consumers. This allows brands to benefit from:

  • Higher purchase intent: Ads appear when shoppers are actively looking for products, making them more effective and increasing the likelihood of conversion.
  • Precision targeting with first-party data: RMNs provide privacy-compliant insights, helping brands serve more relevant ads and refine their audience strategies. 
  • Measurable ad performance: Unlike traditional ads, RMNs offer closed-loop measurement, so brands can track sales directly linked to their campaigns. 

READ ALSO: Get a better understanding of why in-store signage advertising belongs in every brand’s retail media strategy

As RMNs continue to grow, they’re proving to be a must-have for both retailers and brands looking to maximize revenue, improve customer engagement, and drive measurable results.

In-store advertising turns shopping into memorable experiences

How RMNs work: Key players & their roles (RMN ecosystem)

Retail media networks don’t operate in a vacuum. They rely on a collaborative ecosystem of key stakeholders — all working together to deliver relevant, data-driven advertising that benefits everyone involved. Here’s a quick overview of who’s involved and how RMN advertising works:

  • Retailers create and manage the RMN, selling ad space across their digital and physical stores.
  • Brands and advertisers purchase these placements to promote their products to high-intent shoppers at key moments in their purchase journey.
  • Technology providers enable automation, measurement, and optimization to ensure seamless ad delivery and performance tracking via retail media platforms, ensuring ads reach the right audience at the right time.

Retail media ad formats & real-world examples

As RMNs grow, brands have more opportunities to connect with high-intent shoppers at key moments. Whether through in-store digital displays, sponsored search ads, or off-site campaigns, retail media offers targeted, data-driven advertising that enhances the shopping experience while driving measurable results.

Types of retail media advertising

Retail media comes in a variety of ad formats, depending on where shoppers interact with the brand:

1. Digital retail media (on-site advertising)

Retailers monetize their websites and apps much like traditional publishers, offering brands premium ad placements where shoppers actively search and browse.

Key digital retail media formats include:

  • Sponsored search ads: Paid placements that appear when shoppers search for products.
  • Display ads: Banner ads on a retailer’s website or app, either promoting their own products or paid for by external brands.
  • Video ads: Short ads featured on product pages, retailer apps, or even live-streamed shopping events.
2. Off-site retail media (beyond retailer ecosystems)

Retailers extend ad reach beyond their owned properties, placing brand ads across third-party websites, social media, and programmatic networks — all powered by first-party shopper data.

Off-site retail media formats typically include:

  • Social media & programmatic advertising: Retailers use shopper data to target ads on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
  • Retailer-driven display/video ads: Placed on external websites and apps but still leveraging retailer data.

For example, Target’s retail media network, Roundel, leverages the big-box retailer’s first-party shopper data to deliver highly targeted ads beyond Target’s owned properties. Brands can reach Target shoppers across third-party websites, social media, and programmatic networks, keeping engagement strong and driving traffic back to Target’s stores and digital channels.

📌 Key distinction from commerce media:

Off-site retail media is controlled and sold by a retailer — even though the ad appears elsewhere. Commerce media, on the other hand, is broader, allowing brands to use retailer data but not necessarily purchasing the ad space from the retailer itself.

3. In-store retail media

Forward-thinking retailers are transforming their physical stores into dynamic ad environments, giving brands the chance to engage shoppers and influence purchasing decisions at key moments in the buying journey. 

Common in-store retail media formats include:

Walmart’s in-store advertising solutions help brands stay top-of-mind by engaging shoppers at key moments in their journey. With a nationwide network of in-store TV screens, targeted self-checkout ads, and in-store audio placements, advertisers can seamlessly capture attention and drive influence where purchase decisions happen.

By integrating a strategic mix of retail media formats into their RMN, retailers can maximize advertising revenue while enhancing the customer shopping experience — whether online, in-store, or beyond. At the same time, brands gain valuable opportunities to stay top of mind and influence shoppers at key moments, from discovery to checkout.

READ ALSO: Learn how in-store and online retail media shape consumer shopping behavior and why multi-brand retailers can’t afford to overlook in-store digital marketing networks.

In-store retail media advertising can promote special offers to boost sales

As RMNs evolve, proven out-of-home (OOH) strategies like audience targeting, engagement, and measurement are driving the future of retail media — particularly through retail digital signage solutions that enhance in-store engagement and ad impact.

By integrating these solutions into a broader RMN strategy, retailers can unlock new revenue streams, enhance the shopping journey, and maximize the value of their first-party data. At the same time, brands gain a powerful way to connect with high-intent shoppers at the point of purchase. From sponsored search and display ads to in-store digital activations, retail media offers a highly targeted and measurable advertising channel that’s only continuing to grow.

Want to make the most of your retail media strategy?

Explore our latest RMN insights and best practices for building, scaling, and maximizing the impact of a retail media network — whether you’re a retailer monetizing your media assets or a brand investing in RMNs. 

Product News | October 11, 2021

Cotswold Outdoor Group Expands Retail Media Strategy to In-Store with Broadsign and IUF

Exterior view of a Cotswold Outdoor store in a shopping centre, featuring a large digital display in the storefront showing an outdoor campaign.

Collaboration delivers scalable display network infrastructure, creating new omnichannel opportunities for advertisers and driving measurable results

MONTREAL – (October 6, 2026) – Retail media technology provider Broadsign and in-store media integrator IUF announced a collaboration with UK retailer, Cotswold Outdoor Group, to expand its retail media network (RMN) with a new scalable in-store advertising infrastructure. The upgrade provides a unified workflow that streamlines media planning, management, and measurement in-store and across onsite and offsite channels. It enables Cotswold’s brand partners to seamlessly execute omnichannel ad campaigns that engage shoppers at the point of purchase and beyond.

Broadsign, Cotswold Outdoor Group, and IUF designed the network with long-term growth in mind. It presently includes 149 till, shelf, totem, large format, and front-of-store displays across 23 stores, which are powered by the Broadsign Platform (specifically the Broadsign CMS and Ad Server) and support a range of media. 

The Broadsign Platform is helping to streamline operations and centralize content management and network health monitoring. The technology is also advancing screen monetization opportunities by scheduling ads, automating yield, and balancing complex campaign rules to help Cotswold Outdoor Group capture optimal revenue. With IUF’s ongoing deployment and support, the infrastructure allows the retailer to manage and scale in-store media operations efficiently while maintaining a reliable shopper and advertiser experience.

Through Broadsign’s omnichannel integration with Zitcha, Cotswold Outdoor Group’s retail media platform, brand partners, and agencies can easily extend omnichannel strategies into the physical store environment. The network is already delivering measurable results for participating brands, like HOKA, ASICS, and Nike. Most recently, a targeted HOKA campaign combining onsite and in-store media placements delivered a 13 percent lift in units sold per store, demonstrating the value of reaching shoppers at multiple touchpoints on the path to purchase. 

In-store shoe display featuring running footwear from HOKA, ASICS, New Balance and other brands, with a digital screen showing a HOKA advertising campaign.

“At Cotswold Outdoor Group, we’re passionate about helping people get closer to the outdoors — and that starts with creating inspiring moments. Our brand partners are a big part of that journey, and this collaboration with Broadsign and IUF offers a powerful new way to connect with our customers in-store, alongside our onsite and offsite media channels,” explained Mary Antieul, Head of Commercial, Cotswold Outdoor Group. “It means we can bring the right messages to shoppers at the right moment, with less friction for brands and a more connected experience for customers. The early results have been really encouraging, and we’re excited to build on that momentum as we expand the network and explore future programmatic opportunities.”

“Retail media is evolving fast, and partnering with IUF, we’ve delivered an in-store media infrastructure for Cotswold that can scale rapidly. Together, we’ve designed a network that makes it easy for its team to add, manage, control, and monetize new screens and integrate programmatic trading capabilities down the line,” explained Frank Vallenga, Vice President, Platform Sales, EMEA and SEA, Broadsign. “By leveraging our integration with Zitcha, Cotswold has been able to connect audiences across their various retail media channels, which is a challenge many retailers have yet to solve.” 

“This project went from tender to a live network generating revenue within twelve weeks which demonstrates the expertise of all of the technical partners involved,” said Josh Bunce, CEO, IUF.  “Together we were able to deliver a cohesive customer journey so that Cotswold Outdoor Group can maximize its in-store retail proposition today but also ensure that it can scale easily into the future. The in-store channel is proving to be a competitive differentiator when advertisers start mapping out budgets with brands already seeing impressive results from the in-store activations.”

About Broadsign

Broadsign develops the leading global platform for managing and monetizing out-of-home (OOH) media. The company, which also operates Place Exchange by Broadsign, the largest independent SSP for Digital OOH, empowers media owners, media buyers, and retailers to harness the power and reach of out-of-home to connect with audiences in ways unlike any other advertising channel. More than 2.8 million static and digital signs along roadways and in airports, shopping malls, grocery and convenience stores, health clinics, transit systems, and more run on Broadsign.

About IUF 

Making spaces perform, IUF is a leading technology solutions partner that delivers seamless, future-ready digital solutions across retail, stadiums, transport, DOOH, live events, attractions, workplaces and more. IUF designs, delivers and manages end-to-end digital signage, experiential and large-scale LED, transforming physical environments into intelligent, revenue-driving destinations. Founded in 2008 in Bristol UK, IUF is now active in over 30 countries. 

Product News | October 11, 2021

A conversation with JB Hi-Fi: Why the future of in-store retail media is hyperphysical

Panel discussion at Mumbrella REmade 2026, with five speakers seated on stage in front of a blue REmade backdrop.

In-store retail media is moving beyond screens.

At Mumbrella’s REmade event in Australia this month, Broadsign joined JB Hi-Fi, a leading Australian consumer electronics retailer, Retail Media Works, a retail media consultancy, and Criteo, a global commerce media company, on stage to unpack what it takes to build a retail media network that connects the physical store with the wider shopper journey.

With more than 200 stores forming its retail media network, JB Hi-Fi is taking a distinctly “hyperphysical” approach, exploring how its stores can create value for shoppers, suppliers and advertisers while staying true to the experience that makes the retailer unique.

The conversation offered a look at where in-store retail media is heading, and more importantly, what retailers need to consider as they build and grow their networks.

Start with the shopper

For JB Hi-Fi, retail media starts with the store itself. Scott Browning, General Manager, Strategy & Insights at JB Hi-Fi, spoke about the role the physical store has always played in the brand and the importance of keeping the customer experience at the centre of its retail media strategy.

“The store has always been the face of the brand. The website is actually the hidden face of the brand because you actually don’t see it in the real world until you arrive.”

That perspective is central to how JB Hi-Fi approaches retail media. The opportunity isn’t simply to add advertising to an existing retail environment. It is to understand how media can work within that environment in a way that feels natural to the shopper and stays true to the brand. 

As Scott put it: “The way in which we position our brand, the way in which JB Hi-Fi is famous for what it does, we have to make sure that authenticity still comes through.”

That means thinking about the store as more than a collection of screens. It is a physical environment with its own customer journey, context and moments where media can add value. For JB Hi-Fi, retail media needs to build on that experience, not compete with it.

The screen is only the starting point

One of the key themes from the discussion was that creating an in-store media network requires more than installing digital screens. As Ben Allman, VP Platform Sales at Broadsign, explained, the physical screen itself doesn’t necessarily need to change. What changes is what happens behind it.

For a retailer operating hundreds of stores, that means having the infrastructure to manage inventory, campaigns, priorities and reporting across the network, while also being able to tailor content and campaigns to different locations and audiences. All while supporting the day-to-day needs of the retail business.

For JB Hi-Fi, the Broadsign Platform provides the technology to manage its in-store media environment across more than 200 stores. This allows the retailer to build on its existing digital footprint and bring those screens into a broader retail media network, rather than treating retail media as a completely separate business.

Measurement is key to making in-store a media channel

Another major theme of the conversation was measurement. As in-store media continues to grow, retailers need to give advertisers greater visibility into what they’re buying and how their campaigns deliver. That means bringing more accountability and measurability that advertisers expect from other media channels into the physical store.

The panel discussed the opportunity to make the store increasingly behave like a digital environment from a measurement perspective, while recognizing that measuring physical environments comes with its own considerations.

For JB Hi-Fi, this is part of building a network that can offer meaningful value to suppliers and advertisers while creating a better understanding of how media performs within the shopping environment.

Retail media goes beyond digital screens

The conversation also expanded beyond digital signage. Static placements, physical store assets, sponsored search, online channels and off-site media can all play a role in the broader retail media ecosystem.

That creates an important opportunity for retailers: rather than defining their media network around a particular format, they can think about how different touchpoints work together across the shopper journey.

For JB Hi-Fi, its physical footprint is a significant part of that opportunity. The store can work alongside digital channels to create a more connected experience for shoppers and more opportunities for brands to engage them.

Build, test and learn

Perhaps one of the most practical takeaways from the discussion was that retail media networks don’t need to be built perfectly from day one.

The panel spoke about the importance of testing, learning what works in the physical environment and evolving the offering based on shopper and advertiser needs. That mindset is particularly important as retailers continue to establish what in-store retail media looks like within their own businesses. Every store environment is different, and the most effective approach needs to reflect the retailer, its shoppers and its commercial model.

JB Hi-Fi’s approach is a strong example of this in action: taking an established physical network and building the media capabilities around it, while continuing to learn and evolve.

Looking ahead to the next phase of in-store retail media

The conversation at REmade made one thing clear: the future of retail media isn’t about choosing between physical and digital. It’s about connecting the two.

JB Hi-Fi is showing what that can look like in practice by bringing its physical stores into a broader retail media strategy, while keeping the shopper experience at the centre.

For Broadsign, we’re proud to support that journey by providing the technology infrastructure behind JB Hi-Fi’s in-store network and helping bring its vision for retail media to life across its stores.

Interested in turning your in-store environment into a measurable media channel? Connect with our team to see how Broadsign helps retailers grow their in-store media networks while keeping the shopper experience front and centre.