Product News | October 11, 2021

Digital out-of-home for retail: Strategies to reach consumers along the path-to-purchase

As of early 2025, consumers were spending over $555 billion each month on retail, but only 18.9% of that happened online. Despite ongoing digital growth, 45% of shoppers still prefer brick-and-mortar stores as their primary channel, and 72% visit physical locations weekly, according to Capital One Shopping.

These habits reflect a fluid decision-making process. With 82% of purchases made in-store—and 62% driven by impulse—advertisers have a powerful opportunity to influence shoppers at the point of decision.
Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising is key to capturing that moment. It grabs attention, builds awareness, and connects online engagement to in-store action, creating a more seamless and impactful customer journey.

Turning retail challenges into opportunities with DOOH

Retail is evolving fast, with fragmented journeys, higher shopper expectations, and growing pressure to turn online engagement into store traffic. Traditional digital ads often miss the mark—skipped, blocked, or ignored at key moments.

Digital OOH offers a powerful alternative, reaching consumers during daily routines like commuting, shopping, or socializing. These unavoidable brand moments drive both awareness and action. According to OAAA and Morning Consult, 42% of consumers say OOH ads impact their in-person shopping decisions, and once inside a store, 75% still notice those ads. Meanwhile, a global study reveals 56% of shoppers purchased an item featured in a DOOH display, with most of those purchases (65%) being unplanned.

As brands adapt to shifting consumer habits, OOH bridges the gap between online and offline, delivering meaningful, measurable results right where buying decisions happen. Here’s how to make it work.

Drive foot traffic to purchase locations

As digital noise intensifies, brands are turning to OOH to drive real-world results. It’s a high-impact, last-mile tool that reaches consumers at key moments with location-relevant prompts. In fact, research from Talon Outdoor shows 59% of shoppers are likely to buy within 30 minutes of seeing an OOH ad, highlighting its power as a last-mile driver.

Smart OOH strategies leverage proximity, timing, and context to turn awareness into action. For instance, proximity-based targeting helps reduce friction along the path-to-purchase by delivering messages when and where shoppers are ready to act, whether that’s during a commute, while running errands, or browsing in a high-traffic retail zone.

To maximize impact, marketers can:

Appeal to price-sensitive consumers by highlighting promotions, limited-time deals, or exclusive in-store offers. With 41% of shoppers willing to switch stores or brands to save money, these cues can be powerful motivators.
Use high-visibility screens in key pedestrian zones (like digital billboards and urban panels) to build upper-funnel brand awareness and capture attention early in the customer journey.
Incorporate interactive or time-sensitive messaging in long-dwell environments, like transit hubs where people spend between 5-15 minutes on average, offices, and casual dining venues. These venues are ideal for more detailed storytelling or promotional offers.
Drive urgency with last-mile tactics by promoting local store locations, curbside pickup options, or real-time stock availability, prompting immediate visits.
Align messaging with seasonal moments, like back-to-school or the holidays, when audiences are already in a buying mindset.

Success story: Holt Renfrew’s strategic DOOH campaign

Holt Renfrew, Canada’s largest fashion and lifestyle retailer, offers a strong example of strategic digital OOH execution. When Nordstrom exited the Canadian market, Holt Renfrew moved quickly to capture market share among key demographics.

Leveraging geofencing to target areas surrounding closing Nordstrom locations, the campaign activated ads across high-traffic formats like billboards, bus shelters, and urban office buildings within close reach of its core audience. In total, 200 ads ran across seven Holt Renfrew markets, including residential neighbourhoods strategically selected through consumer mapping. Over ten weeks, the campaign drove more than 400,000 store visits, showcasing how smart placement, audience insights, and well-timed messaging can deliver real-world results.

Integrate online and offline journeys

Boosting online sales and engagement starts with smarter, more personalized OOH. By leveraging first-party data, like loyalty program activity or past purchase behaviour, brands can deliver targeted creative that speaks directly to individual shoppers. Interactive elements like QR codes, touchscreens, or social media prompts embedded in DOOH campaigns make those messages instantly actionable.

Viewers can scan a QR code with their phone, triggering an immediate redirect to a microsite, product page, or mobile wallet offer. Saved deals can then prompt timely reminders based on location or expiration, keeping the brand top of mind. Every interaction—from the scan itself to timing and location—is tracked and analyzed, turning passive impressions into valuable insights.

This closed-loop approach bridges physical and digital touchpoints while enabling continuous optimization. And with 76% of consumers taking mobile action after seeing a digital OOH ad, the opportunity for meaningful engagement—and measurable results—has never been greater. From website visits and app downloads to conversions and social shares, interactive DOOH empowers brands to connect, convert, and learn in real time.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s DOOH campaign for Frontpro featured dynamic QR codes that invited passersby to engage with the ad, driving awareness and contributing to a 254% lift in positive brand perception.

Target the right audience with smarter segmentation

Not every shopper engages with the same message or environment. Luxury buyers, for instance, respond to exclusivity and aspirational messaging. Target them in premium urban areas with sleek visuals, minimal copy, and high-end lifestyle cues. Digital billboards and urban panels near luxury retailers or in high-income neighbourhoods help reinforce brand prestige. Value-driven shoppers, on the other hand, are motivated by savings and practicality.

To maximize OOH impact, brands must tailor their creative and placement to their audience and context Some examples include:

Bargain Shoppers (ages 55–64) and Department Store Shoppers (primarily women in the same age group) are often found browsing malls and retail corridors in search of deals. Use OOH screens in malls, transit stations, and shopping areas to promote limited-time offers or loyalty incentives.
Daily Deal Consumers, who span all age groups and skew female, respond well to time-sensitive promotions. Highlight coupon codes, mobile savings, or QR-driven discounts using interactive formats in long-dwell venues like casual dining spots, grocery stores, or point-of-care locations.
Holiday Shoppers, who emerge seasonally and lean slightly female, are driven by urgency and convenience. In the lead-up to peak retail periods, focus OOH messaging on gift guides, holiday exclusives, and extended store hours.
Gen Z and Millennials are drawn to bold visuals, interactivity, and values-driven messaging. Use QR codes or social prompts to drive mobile engagement and connect them to exclusive content or offers. Prioritize placements in transit hubs, urban panels, and social venues, with messaging tied to causes like sustainability or inclusivity.

Measure success and optimize campaigns

With DOOH, retail marketers can go beyond basic awareness metrics to track high-value actions—like in-store visits, footfall traffic, online purchases, and app interactions—offering a clearer view of how OOH drives shopper behaviour from discovery to conversion. Attribution connects these insights to broader media performance, revealing how OOH works alongside digital, social, and in-store efforts to boost engagement and sales.

Modern OOH campaigns come equipped with robust measurement tools, including:

Mobile location data: Understand how shoppers engage with OOH ads and whether they visit a store or interact online afterward.
Footfall analysis: Measure physical store traffic tied directly to campaign exposure.
Sales lift studies: Track the revenue impact of targeted OOH campaigns across specific products or categories.
Brand lift studies: Assess how OOH influences brand recall, purchase intent, and favorability during key shopping moments.

The future of retail isn’t purely digital or physical—it’s a blend of both. Out-of-home advertising connects these worlds, guiding shoppers from screens to storefronts with relevance, impact, and intent. By combining smart targeting, engaging creative, and measurable outcomes, OOH turns moments of attention into moments of action—bridging the gap between awareness and conversion in a way few other channels can.

Ready to maximize your digital out-of-home investment? Explore curated audiences in our Retail package here!

Product News | October 11, 2021

Cinema advertising is back. Here’s why it’s more valuable than ever

Moviegoers seated in a cinema watching a film on a large theatre screen.

If you’ve been following the box office lately, you’ve probably noticed that movie theatres are packed again. Cinema is on track for its strongest year since before the pandemic, fueled by a steady stream of blockbuster releases and renewed demand for premium movie-going experiences.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is the latest example, generating more than $264 million globally during its opening weekend. More than half of its domestic box office revenue came from premium large format theatres, while IMAX alone generated over $51 million worldwide. And The Odyssey is just one of many films driving cinema’s resurgence. This year’s strong lineup of releases, including The Mandalorian and Grogu, Toy Story 5, Project Hail Mary, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, is bringing audiences back to theatres and keeping the momentum going.

The numbers reinforce the trend. Cinema attendance has reached 154 million tickets sold across the U.S. and Canada this year, up nearly 16% over 2025. Domestic box office revenue is also running 23% ahead of last year and is on pace to surpass $10 billion for the first time since 2019.

For advertisers, the resurgence represents more than a box office success story. It signals the return of a premium, high-attention environment where brands can reach large, engaged audiences at scale—and, thanks to programmatic buying, more easily integrate cinema into modern omnichannel campaigns.

Today’s cinema experience extends beyond the big screen

Many cinemas now offer luxury seating, expanded dining options, full-service bars, and upgraded lobby spaces, encouraging visitors to arrive early and stay longer. Reserved seating has also shifted more of the experience outside the auditorium, giving audiences additional time to browse concessions, socialize, and engage with digital screens before the movie begins.

For advertisers, that means more opportunities to connect with moviegoers beyond the big screen. According to the Fortune Business Insights Movie Theater Market Report, multiplexes account for 72.94% of the global cinema market. Because these large-format theatres are typically located in regional shopping malls and lifestyle centres, brands can extend their campaigns beyond the auditorium and engage consumers throughout high-traffic retail environments.

Cinema advertising opportunities

From arrival to concessions to the auditorium, advertisers can engage audiences through multiple formats that work together across the cinema journey.

Lobby and digital displays reach moviegoers as they arrive and move throughout the theatre. Digital posters, 6-sheets, video walls, and foyer screens capture attention while audiences wait, browse concessions, and socialize before the film.

On-screen pre-show advertising remains the flagship format. Played on the main screen before the feature begins, these ads deliver full-screen, distraction-free attention with no skipping or muting. Many cinema networks now make this premium inventory available through programmatic DOOH platforms.

Experiential activations take engagement even further through branded installations, concession takeovers, standees, product sampling, and other interactive experiences that connect brands with audiences in memorable ways.

Megaplex Entertainment movie theatre screen in Utah, USA

Premium audiences with undivided attention

In an era of endless scrolling and shrinking attention spans, cinema offers something increasingly rare: an audience that’s fully engaged. Moviegoers aren’t skipping ads, checking notifications, or flipping between channels—they’ve chosen to be there. Combined with large-format screens, immersive audio, and a distraction-free environment, that level of attention helps brands create stronger ad recall and deeper emotional connections than many traditional TV or mobile formats.

Beyond attention, moviegoers also represent a highly valuable audience. They tend to skew younger, more affluent, and more likely to spend on entertainment and experiences. Gen Z continues to lead attendance, with 87% having attended a movie in the past year and 41% going six or more times. For advertisers looking to reach younger consumers beyond increasingly crowded digital channels, cinema offers a rare combination of premium audiences and premium attention.

Cinema belongs in the modern media mix

Cinema’s resurgence is happening alongside a broader shift in the OOH industry. Advertisers are investing more heavily in digital, screen-based environments that deliver the flexibility, measurability, and automation expected from today’s media channels. According to the OAAA’s Q1 report, digital OOH now accounts for 36% of all OOH revenue, while digital place-based media grew 17% year over year—making premium environments like cinemas an increasingly important part of the media mix.

As more theatre inventory becomes available through pDOOH, cinema is no longer a standalone buy. Advertisers can activate campaigns alongside roadside DOOH, retail media, transit, display, CTV, and mobile using the same buying workflows, with unified reporting, attribution, and cross-channel measurement.

That opens up new possibilities for campaign planning. Rather than relying solely on a pre-show ad, advertisers can connect with audiences throughout the theatre experience—from digital screens in parking areas and lobbies to concession spaces and the auditorium—creating a more cohesive brand experience across multiple touchpoints.

Through Broadsign’s Place Exchange SSP, advertisers can access the largest movie theatre network in the U.S., reaching more than 65,900 screens and 1.6 billion four-week impressions. Whether extending an existing DOOH campaign or building a broader omnichannel strategy, cinema is now easier to access, easier to measure, and better connected to the rest of the media plan than ever before.

Ready to plan your next campaign? Access the largest programmatic DOOH network today.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) in DOOH: What marketers need to know before launching their first campaign

A busy New York City sidewalk with pedestrians walking past a LinkNYC digital kiosk displaying a Corona beer advertisement. The kiosk stands prominently in the foreground against a backdrop of bright city lights, storefronts, and traffic, illustrating digital out-of-home advertising in a high-footfall urban environment.

Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) is changing what’s possible with digital out-of-home (DOOH), giving advertisers the ability to automatically adapt creative elements — including copy, imagery, and featured products or offers — based on real-world context.

As brands look for new ways to engage audiences with contextually relevant messaging, advertisers are increasingly turning to programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) and dynamic creative to bypass digital ad fatigue and reach target audiences in the physical world. However, while they’re often discussed together, DCO in DOOH introduces its own set of considerations: Which DOOH campaigns are best suited for dynamic creative? How does DCO change the way you approach campaign planning and creative production? And what do you need to launch a dynamic campaign successfully?

Whether you’re experimenting with dynamic DOOH for the first time or exploring how DOOH fits into your broader omnichannel strategy, here’s what to consider before getting started.

When should you use dynamic creative optimization (DCO) in a DOOH campaign?

Use dynamic creative optimization in DOOH when real-time context — like location, weather, time of day, traffic conditions, or product availability — can influence which creative message will be most effective for your campaign goal.

Instead of telling the same story everywhere, all the time, DCO can dynamically tailor your messaging—an approach that has been shown to increase overall campaign effectiveness by 17% and drive returns up to 2.5x higher.

For example:

A QSR brand could promote iced drinks when temperatures rise, then automatically switch to warm beverages when colder weather hits.
A retailer could feature products based on what’s currently in stock at nearby locations.
A car brand could showcase different financing offers or messaging based on current interest rates.
A sports brand could update creative with live scores, game results, or messages celebrating key moments in real time.
A travel brand could adjust featured destinations based on current deals, availability, or local weather.

While contextual and audience targeting decide which ad to serve and where, DCO changes the ad itself in real time—delivering more relevant creative without building and trafficking hundreds of manual variations.

What creative considerations go into planning a dynamic DOOH campaign?

Planning a dynamic DOOH campaign involves identifying the creative elements that will adapt, defining the triggers and logic that determine when they change, and designing a modular HTML5 template that brings those elements together to create variations based on real-world context.

This changes the way buy-side teams approach DOOH creative planning and production. With DCO, instead of producing separate creative assets for every possible scenario, you design a flexible creative system that adapts messaging based on changing conditions and delivers more relevant variations at scale.

Which creative elements should change?

In DOOH, the best candidates for dynamic creative are the elements whose relevance changes in response to real-world conditions. Depending on your campaign objectives, dynamic elements might include:

Text (headlines, messaging, calls to action, etc.)
Imagery or video
Featured products, services, or offers
Location-specific information
Live updates (scores, countdowns, availability, wait times, etc.)

Not every creative element needs to be dynamic. Starting with a focused set of dynamic elements keeps your setup simple, while adding more variables creates more possible creative combinations to account for.

READ ALSO: Great dynamic DOOH starts with great creative. Explore our best practices for high-impact OOH creative.

What real-time data triggers should drive creative changes?

The best real-time data triggers for dynamic DOOH campaigns are those that meaningfully influence when a different message is likely to resonate more strongly with the viewer — and, in turn, be more effective in achieving your campaign objective.

For example, food delivery service foodora used multiple dynamic triggers, including weather, time of day, and proximity to restaurants, to tailor its DOOH creative to what was most relevant to consumers in each moment.

What does building a modular HTML5 template involve?

Dynamic DOOH relies on a modular template, typically in HTML5, composed of interchangeable components that can be assembled into different variations based on predefined triggers and rules.

Instead of producing dozens or even hundreds of separate finished ads, the template serves as a master creative asset, combining your chosen dynamic elements and predefined logic to generate multiple creative variations without requiring separate files for every possible scenario. This allows scaling creative variation without increasing production at the same rate.

The more creative variations your campaign requires, the greater the value of a modular production approach.

READ ALSO: Preparing creative for your campaign? Check out our DOOH creative specifications guide for media buyers and planners.

What else should you confirm before committing to a dynamic DOOH campaign?

Creative planning is only one part of a successful dynamic DOOH campaign. Before investing in dynamic creative production, it’s equally important to think through both the capabilities required from your media partners and technology and how you’ll measure the performance of different creative variations.

Do your media partners and technology support dynamic DOOH creative?

Not every media partner and technology solution supports the same dynamic DOOH capabilities.

Do media partners and technology solutions support the data sources, triggers, creative formats, and activation approach your dynamic DOOH campaign requires?
What creative approval workflows are available?
Are there any technical or implementation limitations that could affect your campaign design?
Does your SSP platform support dynamic creative campaign reporting, including detailed data on creative variations, impressions, spend, and more?

Support for DCO in digital OOH can also vary depending on how a campaign is bought: some setups only enable dynamic creative through programmatic activation, while others can also support it on direct-bought inventory. Understanding these capabilities early can help you identify potential limitations before launch and choose partners and technology that align with your campaign goals.

Can your measurement setup prove which creative variations worked?

One of DCO’s biggest advantages is the ability to test the effectiveness of different creative variations under different conditions — meaning success should be measured at the variation level, not just overall campaign performance.

Do certain messages perform better in specific contexts?
Do some creative variations drive stronger outcomes than others?
Which triggers produce the greatest lift?

The DOOH metrics you prioritize should reflect your campaign goals, and they should also influence the partners and technology you choose. Confirm that your planned setup can provide the reporting and insights needed to answer those questions once your campaign is live.

Does running dynamic creative cost more than a standard DOOH campaign?

Not necessarily. While more advanced dynamic campaigns can involve additional production considerations — including template development, data integrations, or support from a dynamic creative technology partner — DCO can also reduce the need to manually create and manage large numbers of individual creative variations.

The key is using dynamic creative when the added relevance and flexibility support your campaign goals — not adding complexity where a single strong message already does the job.

Ready to explore more? Browse our inventory catalog to discover premium digital screens worldwide.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Broadsign x ALOOH 2026: Insights from Leading LATAM OOH Media Owners

ALOOH 2026 x Broadsign Webinar insights from leading LATAM media owners

Ahead of the 2026 ALOOH annual forum happening in Lima in September, Broadsign held a webinar in partnership with ALOOH Latam, inviting out-of-home (OOH) media owners of the region to learn how they can turn their static and digital OOH assets into a unified revenue engine. Broadsign’s Sales Director, Jose Delgado, and Head of Sales for Latin America, Manuel Ameneiros, provided a comprehensive overview of the Broadsign Platform and how it can help media owners grow their network and scale their revenue across static, digital and programmatic OOH.

The session was followed by a customer panel, moderated by Jacobo Gomez, Sr. Account Manager at Broadsign, with guest speakers Paulo Cesar Queiroz, Chief Executive Officer at RZK Digital, and Andrea Mereghetti, Chief Technology Officer at Proxymo. They answered questions about how they grew their revenue across direct and programmatic OOH channels, simplified network and inventory management, and seamlessly scaled their network with Broadsign. Read the summary of the customer panel below.

How RZK Digital is driving digital innovation in Brazil’s OOH landscape with Broadsign

Founded in 2021, RZK Digital has achieved a 54% annual growth rate by focusing exclusively on urban bus terminals in Brazil. With the Broadsign Platform, the company efficiently manages 850 synchronized digital screens across 54 terminals, reaching nearly 3.2 million people daily. This streamlined operational model enables a team of just two people to maintain high-impact advertising campaigns across their entire network.

What strategic value does your network hold for your advertisers? What would be your elevator pitch to advertisers?

In Brazil, the OOH market has long been dominated by established giants with massive networks. In a highly regulated city like São Paulo, outdoor advertising in public spaces is subject to strict regulations. Access to advertising spaces at transportation terminals is granted through public concessions, which are long-term contracts. We focused our growth on bus terminals, which was the first time such a large-scale initiative had been undertaken here in Brazil.

However, we quickly realized that the true value wasn’t in the screens themselves, but in the audience. Our challenge was to shift the market mindset from ‘buying screens’ to ‘buying audiences.’ To achieve this, Broadsign’s partnership with Quividi was essential, as the use of Broadsign’s proof-of-play and Quividi’s computer-vision cameras’ real-time measurement capabilities enabled us to offer advertisers real-time outdoor advertising audiences across countless bus terminals. Audience data is also audited by a national agency, the IVC (Instituto Verificador de Comunicación), which is directly connected to RZK Digital’s systems, enabling it to monitor the collected data in real time.

The first-party data we’ve structured became our key differentiator. By offering free public Wi-Fi at our terminals, we have built a massive data taxonomy. When people connect to the Wi-Fi, they answer three or four questions that help us determine how often they return to bus terminals, allowing us to build a comprehensive understanding of their habits. By automating the collection of this information, we were able to gather data from 1.5 million respondents.

This data advantage, paired with Broadsign’s technology, gives our clients unmatched operational agility. They don’t face restricted launch dates; they can pivot instantly, run dynamic creative tests, or adapt campaigns based on real-time factors like weather. We’ve effectively brought best practices from technologically advanced markets like London, Singapore, and Hong Kong to Brazil, making data-driven advertising our core differentiator.

Could you tell us about the complex Casas Bahía use case and how Broadsign helped facilitate the deployment?

Casa Bahía is a major brick-and-mortar retailer with stores across Brazil. To build greater loyalty with them, we pushed the boundaries of our network capabilities, and the Broadsign Platform proved to be the ideal partner to help us do so. On the day of a new Casa Bahía store’s opening, we broadcast the live event in which company executives presented details about the new store via the terminals in our network. Following this success, another large retailer, Magalu, requested a similar live commerce activation via YouTube, which we executed with equal ease. These innovations and the simplicity with which Broadsign enables them have become powerful tools for captivating new and existing clients.

How Proxymo is scaling and monetizing digital OOH with Broadsign

Founded in 2008, Proxymo is one of the largest digital media companies in Mexico, with over 1,200 digital screens nationwide, distinguishing itself through a unique blend of media reach and technological innovation. With the Broadsign Platform, they deliver cutting-edge solutions and engaging experiences for their diverse audience.

What are your biggest technical challenges in integrating and, above all, monetizing a network as large and diverse as Proxymo?

The biggest challenge is having the right tool to integrate the different formats. We are constantly expanding our digital presence, from our well-established kiosks in shopping malls to our new Smart City kiosks with 4K resolution and LCD screens on public streets. To scale efficiently, we focused on finding a solution, such as Broadsign, that made managing varying graphic resolutions seamless and eliminated the friction of manual creative adaptation. Another key factor was access to a supply-side platform (SSP) that offers a holistic view of our inventory and the flexibility to integrate either third-party metrics or our own data.

How does Broadsign help Proxymo optimize operations and ensure transparency in the delivery of its campaigns to its clients?

The primary advantage is the platform’s exceptional flexibility and stability. With a CMS that integrates seamlessly across Linux, Windows, and IoT environments, we can scale confidently without worrying about system failures. Additionally, Broadsign’s Proof-of-Performance (PoP) data, which we cross-reference with our internal audience measurement, allows us to deliver highly reliable reports. On top of that, there are incredible API integrations. I believe Broadsign is one of the few platforms that offer all these capabilities in addition to an incredible Support team that is very attentive to its customers.

Proxymo has a clear vision of how programmatic advertising is a sales channel that complements direct sales. What advice would you give other media owners in the region looking to balance their strategy across both revenue streams?

The primary challenge for many media owners is internal education. Sales teams must understand that not only are the budgets for programmatic and direct sales different, but so is the approach to selling them. Direct sales requires a high-touch, consultative approach to deliver maximum value, while programmatic enables you to capture omnichannel budgets, such as those originating from TV and radio. Educating your sales team on how to leverage both channels strategically ensures that you don’t miss out on these revenue opportunities. Another aspect is investing in a robust SSP that simplifies technical connections and provides access to a large demand ecosystem.

Discover the platform that powers out-of-home here.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Insights from CSP’s At Your Convenience Podcast: Building a retail media network that actually performs

Retail media networks are expanding rapidly, with retailers investing in in-store digital infrastructure to create new revenue opportunities and influence shopper decisions closer to the point of purchase. However, deploying screens is only the first step. As the industry matures, retailers face a larger challenge: building networks designed for monetization, measurement, and long-term scalability.

In the latest episode of CSP’s “At Your Convenience” podcast, Drew Walls, Sales Director of Retail Media at Broadsign, joins CSP Vice President of Content Strategy Abby Lewis to discuss what it takes to move beyond infrastructure and build retail media networks that deliver measurable value for retailers, advertisers, and shoppers.

From monetization strategy and ecosystem flexibility to the importance of in-store relevance, Drew shares the operational realities behind building retail media networks that can scale successfully.

Let’s dive in.

Moving beyond screens: Selling the shopper moment

One of the biggest opportunities for in-store retail media is changing how inventory is valued and packaged. Many networks continue to treat screens as standardized placements, applying consistent pricing regardless of shopper context.

However, in-store environments are dynamic. Drew highlighted that the industry needs to move beyond pricing the screen itself and focus on understanding the value of the shopper moment behind it.

“We are still pricing the screen and not necessarily the moment. My 7 a.m. coffee run looks very different from a cold vault visit after I get off work at 5:30. Those media units are very different because my mission is different.”- Drew Walls, Sales Director of Retail Media at Broadsign

These moments reflect different shopper behaviours, purchase intent, and advertiser opportunities. To capture their value, retailers need the right technology foundation to package and activate inventory based on real-time signals such as location, time of day, and shopper context. By turning these moments into measurable media opportunities, retailers can move beyond generic screen placements and deliver more relevant value to advertisers.

Building the right foundation: Control, flexibility, and monetization

As retailers build their media networks, one of the biggest strategic decisions is determining what they should own versus where they should leverage specialized partners.

The conversation is often framed as a choice between closed ecosystems and fully open models. However, Drew explained that the right approach depends on the retailer’s goals, maturity, and ability to scale over time. Fully closed systems can limit flexibility by tying retailers to a single vendor roadmap, while fully in-house approaches require significant resources, expertise, and operational investment. A hybrid approach allows retailers to maintain control over critical assets while leveraging specialized partners across areas such as technology, infrastructure, and demand access.

For retailers looking to build a true media business, the technology foundation matters. Hardware and content management systems may enable screen deployment, but they are not designed to manage the complexities of monetizing media inventory. An ad server provides the capabilities needed to manage campaign delivery, pacing, advertiser commitments, and multiple demand sources, helping retailers turn available inventory into measurable revenue opportunities.

When evaluating partners, Drew noted that retailers should consider whether their technology ecosystem can grow alongside the business. “The real question for a retailer is: will my partner grow with me, or am I eventually going to outgrow my partner?”

A regional retailer launching its first network will have different needs than a national retailer managing thousands of locations. The right architecture should provide flexibility as the business evolves without creating unnecessary constraints.

Defining control: What retailers must own

As retail media networks scale, maintaining control over critical components becomes essential to long-term success.

Three areas, in particular, should remain firmly within the retailer’s control:

Audience data forms the foundation of targeting, personalization, and performance insights. Retaining ownership ensures that retailers can fully leverage their unique customer relationships.
Direct advertiser relationships are central to revenue growth and margin expansion. These relationships enable retailers to build demand strategically and sustain long-term investment from brand partners.
Measurement methodology plays a decisive role in establishing credibility. Whether through closed-loop attribution, lift studies, or control-store testing, the ability to define and validate performance metrics is critical. Retailers must ensure that measurement frameworks are transparent, trusted, and not solely controlled by platform vendors.

Other components, including hardware, content management systems, and ad tech infrastructure, can be effectively managed through external partners, provided they are integrated in a way that preserves flexibility and interoperability.

Designing for monetization from the start

One of the biggest misconceptions in retail media is that monetization can be addressed after a network is deployed. In reality, the foundations for revenue generation are established much earlier.

Many retailers begin with infrastructure because screens are the most visible first step. However, building a successful retail media business requires investment beyond hardware, including sales capabilities, advertiser relationships, measurement frameworks, and operating models.

Drew highlighted that monetization should be considered before deployment, not added later as a layer on top of an existing network. Retailers that design their networks around demand generation and measurable outcomes from the beginning will be better positioned to build sustainable revenue streams.

Unlocking demand through relevance and access

Inventory alone does not create a successful retail media network. Retailers must also build accessible pathways for advertisers and ensure their inventory is valuable, measurable, and easy to buy.

Direct sales remain an important foundation, allowing retailers to build relationships with endemic advertisers and demonstrate value. At the same time, programmatic access should be considered early to support future scalability. Drew encouraged retailers to build direct relationships today while ensuring their networks are positioned for future demand opportunities.

Beyond demand access, retailers must also consider how they create relevance inside the store. Unlike onsite or offsite media, in-store media reaches shoppers at a unique point in the journey: when decisions are actively being made.

The unique value of in-store relevance

In-store media offers a different type of value than onsite or offsite channels because it operates at the intersection of shopper mission, physical context, and purchase intent.

Drew explained that in-store relevance is not simply about better measurement. It is about reaching shoppers closer to the decision point. “Someone is three feet from a shelf, not three clicks and a day away from making that decision.” This proximity creates a powerful opportunity for retailers and advertisers, but unlocking that value requires stronger measurement, more thoughtful inventory packaging, and a better understanding of shopper behaviour.

What does this mean for retailers?

Building a retail media network that performs requires more than deploying infrastructure. It demands a deliberate approach to monetization, control, and relevance, supported by an architecture that can evolve over time.

As the industry continues to mature, the distinction between networks that scale and those that plateau will become increasingly clear. The most successful retailers will be those that design for performance from the outset, align their operating models with demand, and fully leverage the unique advantages of the in-store environment.

Screens create the opportunity. Strategy, data, and technology turn that opportunity into revenue. Retailers building in-store media networks need more than digital displays. They need the right tech foundation to manage inventory, unlock demand, and deliver measurable value for advertisers.

Ready to move beyond screens? Connect with our team to see how Broadsign helps retailers transform in-store media into scalable revenue-generating networks.