Category: Omnichannel

Product News | October 11, 2021

In-advance DOOH transactions for buyers: Your questions answered

Automation is a huge part of the conversation in the out-of-home (OOH) advertising space right now. While automation in OOH is typically associated with programmatic buying, that’s really just one piece of the puzzle. The bigger picture is how automation can streamline the entire process, from the initial planning all the way to campaign delivery.

With the release of Broadsign’s new automated, in-advance digital OOH (DOOH) transaction capability, we sat down with John Dolan, Vice-President, Global Head of Media Sales at Broadsign, to discuss what this means for media buyers and how it can unlock a more seamless and modern buying experience. 

Booking OOH should be as easy as booking a flight. How does Broadsign In-Advance help make that vision a reality?

When you look at how OOH campaigns are bought today, programmatic campaigns can arguably be booked as easily as a flight. You log into a DSP, set your targeting, pick the days, data, venue types, and geographics you wish to execute. But the reality is that programmatic represents only 5% of total OOH ad spend, meaning that 95% of all OOH transactions are still managed manually. 

The real friction remains in direct out-of-home buys, which require a heavier lift due to the back-and-forth with media owners. If you’re managing a diverse campaign that needs to run on the inventory of six different media owners, that’s six different sales conversations, six negotiations, six separate contracts, six creative deliveries, and six reports you have to aggregate to track performance.

“Broadsign In-Advance helps bring this vision closer to reality by taking the speed and automation that everyone loves about programmatic and combining it with the guaranteed aspect of direct-booked DOOH campaigns.”

John Dolan, Vice President, Global Head of Media Sales at Broadsign

How does this save time for media planners and buyers? Can you walk us through a before-and-after scenario?

When you receive a campaign brief, you’re looking for media targeting and setups that best match the client’s objectives. In a direct OOH campaign, that means:

  • Reaching out to a media owner, or multiple depending on the geographic and campaign objectives, to start the brief by looking at flight dates and venue types. 
  • Assuming the media owner has the inventory available for your desired dates, you begin negotiating on pricing, terms of the deal and the parameters for holding the inventory. 
  • Once you’ve reached a consensus, additional paperwork needs to be pushed back and forth before the contract is signed. 
  • Once the deal is secured, the agency then needs to provide the creatives directly to the media owner, and if you’re dealing with multiple media owners, that means meeting their respective aspect ratios. 
  • Finally, proof-of-play procedures are different for each media owner. So, how fast you get the reporting, in what format, and how fast you’re able to audit the reports and consolidate them on your own becomes a heavily nuanced, time-consuming process. 

With Broadsign In-Advance, you’re able to book direct OOH campaigns in a similar way you would a programmatic one:

  • Through Broadsign’s DSP OutMoove, or your DSP of choice, you identify the inventory that best fits your campaign objectives and request its availability. A response comes instantly from our ad server, providing a simple yes or no.
  • If it’s available, you’re presented with a price and a simple terms box to select that inventory. If approved, the inventory is officially booked – no holds, no negotiations needed on pricing or terms. 
  • When it’s time to launch the campaign, you upload your creative directly into the DSP, just as you have done hundreds of times before. 
  • While the campaign is in flight, you’ll have access to real-time proof-of-play reporting that’s standardized across all media owners in one centralized, auditable place. 

“With Broadsign In-Advance, it’s a journey that you can take on your own. Of course, there will be collaboration with media owners on matters that add value to all parties, like what creative works best for what screen, but it does cut away the vast majority of the back-and-forth between media owners and buyers, allowing for a more seamless activation.”

John Dolan, Vice President, Global Head of Media Sales at Broadsign

Why would a media buyer choose to use Broadsign In-Advance if they’re already using programmatic DOOH? 

Broadsign In-Advance wasn’t designed to replace programmatic DOOH, but rather to complement your existing buying strategy and address a critical gap between traditional direct deals and pure programmatic transactions. As more media buyers and owners adopt the solution, we’ll continue to find brilliant new use cases for it, but here are a few ways we see it being used: 

Secure premium inventory during key seasonal periods

During the holiday season or key travel periods, retail-focused venues and other premium screens become limited, driving up competition and programmatic prices. We often hear from buyers that they avoid OOH altogether because it sells out during key trading periods. Broadsign In-Advance solves that problem by allowing you to reserve key inventory months ahead of time.

“Think about major, fixed events like the 2026 World Cup. Those tentpole opportunities are going to sell out fast. Broadsign In-Advance allows a buyer to secure those specific screens and guarantees playout, providing a frictionless activation that traditional programmatic can’t promise.”

John Dolan, Vice President, Global Head of Media Sales at Broadsign

Mix and match your OOH buys to maximize reach

Broadsign In-Advance can also be used to strategically support your usual OOH buys. For instance, you might have a traditional static or programmatic digital OOH buy, but need a digital portion that needs to run at a specific time on specific screens. You can book a direct digital placement through In-Advance, guaranteeing your ad will be visible when you need it to, while complementing your other placements. 

Leveraging consistent planning data 

With the ability to plan your direct OOH campaigns and access the inventory of multiple media owners through one platform, Broadsign In-Advance would allow you to leverage a consistent data set when building your campaign. Rather than relying on audience data provided individually by each media owner, you can use a widespread data application for your planning, making your multi-network buys more coherent and easier to audit.

“Ultimately, it’s about giving buyers a guaranteed, automated pathway to securing high-value inventory. For media owners, it also means maximizing revenue from both direct and programmatic sales by allowing buyers to lock in demand early. It’s a win for certainty and speed on both sides.”

John Dolan, Vice President, Global Head of Media Sales at Broadsign

When should a media buyer choose this capability over a traditional or programmatic open exchange buy or a programmatic guaranteed buy?

It’s important to look at this against all the different types of buys because we are not asking buyers to simply swap one method for another. Broadsign In-Advance is the tool you choose when you need the speed of digital buying paired with the certainty of a direct OOH deal. 

Today, Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) is largely set up on a priority basis. That priority is based on a programmatic slot that a media owner has made available. Broadsign In-Advance takes this concept a step further by allowing buyers to reserve inventory that is being booked into a direct slot of the media owner’s inventory. It also gives buyers access to additional buy types for their DOOH campaigns, including Share of Voice (SOV), Budget or Play Goal, and Takeovers.

“With Broadsign In-Advance, your DOOH campaign isn’t privy to any sort of priority. It won’t be bumped. It gives buyers the confidence that the delivery of their goals for their customers won’t be interrupted, and I think that is what differentiates it from Programmatic Guaranteed buys.”

John Dolan, Vice President, Global Head of Media Sales at Broadsign

Can a buyer still leverage data and targeting with an in-advance transaction, similar to how they do with programmatic buys?

The short answer is absolutely. The advantage of Broadsign In-Advance is that it combines the data-rich planning experience of programmatic with the guaranteed delivery of a direct buy. As soon as media owners have selected the inventory they want to make available for in-advance transactions, that inventory is surfaced in the platform the same way that programmatic inventory is.

The data that exists there is still indexed against those screens. This means that all the various data partners available in your DSP can still be selected, utilized, and executed for planning. This gives you a consistent planning framework time and time again, ensuring you’re reaching the same audience with the same methodology across a myriad of place-based and outdoor media types. 

Does this integrate with the DSPs I already use?

Yes. It is currently available through Broadsign’s DSP OutMoove, and we are actively working with a host of demand partners today to make this technology available through their platforms. It’s not our goal to guard this capability from the market. We hope it’s a framework that’s adopted across the ecosystem, and we’re happy to explore and have those conversations with our global partners – many of which we’re already integrated with from a supply perspective today. 

What level of flexibility do in-advance transactions offer? Can a campaign be adjusted or optimized after it has been booked? 

In the vast majority of cases, when we think about flexibility, it typically involves cancellation periods or shifting budgets for optimization purposes. Any cancellation would have to fall under the existing contractual terms of the media owner with whom the transaction was agreed upon. 

In an in-advance transaction, there shouldn’t be a need to adjust the campaign in-flight. If you’ve selected the correct allocation and the creatives have been uploaded properly, you can be assured that it will be delivered. Buyers do, however, have the ability to manage creatives dynamically. As long as the media owner approves the content, different creatives can be used for each play. 

That being said, Broadsign In-Advance DOOH campaigns enjoy the same automated ad delivery optimizations as traditional direct DOOH campaigns. Since the inventory is booked as a direct slot in the media owner’s inventory, In-Advance campaigns benefit from our rebalancing tool, which automatically adjusts pacing to ensure that ad delivery stays on track throughout the campaign’s duration.

What’s next for Broadsign In-Advance? 

The future for In-Advance is about two things: broadening its reach and deepening its utility. We’ve laid the foundation, and now we’re aggressively driving demand and developing new features that our partners need. The earliest enhancement will be to make static OOH available for in-advance transactions in 2026. Looking a bit further ahead, we’ll be focused on: 

Driving global demand and adoption

We’re in constant discussions with agencies, media owners, and demand partners across the world to increase adoption. We see Broadsign In-Advance as a foundational buying framework for the entire ecosystem, and these discussions are critical to understanding how it fits into everyone’s workflows. 

Evolving buying metrics

We’re focused on making sure the way you book In-Advance campaigns aligns with the way OOH is traditionally measured and planned. This means actively having discussions around different buying frameworks:

  • Does it need to work on an impression framework?
  • Can we look at Share of Voice or Share of Time?
  • How do we ensure we’re providing the critical metrics that standard OOH buyers are looking for, whether that’s reliable reach and frequency or other established measurements?

Expanding availability to the full ecosystem

It would be naive to think we can drive this fundamental change all on our own. So, we are currently building technology that allows media owners – regardless of their backend software or whether they are a full-stack Broadsign client – to be able to connect, activate, and execute in this manner. It’s about broadening our scope from a technology perspective and making this standard practice industry-wide.

“We are committed to being humble, listening to feedback, and taking direction to ensure media owners feel comfortable about this change and for buyers to truly understand where Broadsign In-Advance fits best into their overall media mix.”

John Dolan, Vice President, Global Head of Media Sales at Broadsign

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.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Context Networks Selects Broadsign to Scale Contextual Advertising Across Display Networks

A person plays a slot machine in a casino, with a digital ad displayed on the machine’s lower screen.

Broadsign Platform to unlock programmatic demand and scalable OOH operations across Context Networks inventory, with gaming environments a launch focus ahead of G2E

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – September 24, 2026 – Context Networks, a contextual advertising and monetization platform for gaming and network digital display environments, today announced a collaboration with Broadsign, the leading global platform for managing and monetizing out-of-home (OOH) media, to support the next phase of growth of Context Networks’ Contextual Promotions Media Network™ (CPMN™). As a result, Context Networks now has a unified foundation for managing, delivering and monetizing screen-based media as the company expands across gaming and other controlled display environments.

Through the collaboration, Context Networks is connecting eligible CPMN™ inventory to the Broadsign Platform, the company’s complete, reliable Ad Server and Content Management System (CMS).  This will enable Context Networks to manage business-critical content and advertising across its network of displays as well as the Place Exchange supply-side platform (SSP), Broadsign’s programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) SSP. 

Context Networks brings contextual intelligence, a monetization model designed for controlled screen environments, specialized integrations, and operator and reseller relationships that can help extend Broadsign technology into non-traditional screen environments as the network grows. It introduces a differentiated source of digital inventory and vertical expertise for Broadsign in environments where customer attention, dwell time and operator-controlled screens create a distinctive media opportunity. Broadsign delivers enterprise network management, campaign automation, reporting and established programmatic demand connectivity.

While gaming is Context Networks’ immediate launch focus ahead of Global Gaming Expo (G2E), taking place September 28 through October 1 at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, the collaboration is designed to support its broader display network strategy. Context Networks’ business model extends beyond casino floors to operator-controlled environments that include distributed gaming, ATMs, kiosks, gift-card kiosk networks, digital faucets, hotel concierge apps and other connected screens. 

The company’s current footprint spans 14 states and 23 designated market areas, with advertising and operator-owned content already running in distributed gaming environments. Broadsign provides Context Networks with a more scalable way to onboard additional screen networks and reseller partners while maintaining consistent campaign logic, delivery and reporting.

“Broadsign gives us a proven infrastructure to scale our model without losing what makes it valuable: contextual relevance, operator control and measurable monetization,” said Matthew Olden, Founder, COO & Executive Chair of Context Networks. “Gaming is an important launch market for this work, but the underlying opportunity is broader. Across network digital display environments, operators already control valuable screens and audience relationships. Our job is to help turn those assets into new commercial value while giving advertisers a better way to reach qualified audiences in the moments and environments that matter.”

For operators and media owners, the combined model creates a path to turn existing digital displays into measurable new revenue without requiring them to build a separate advertising technology business. Operators retain governance over eligible inventory, campaign rules, house content and the customer experience, while CPMN™ creates a new commercial layer around screens and systems they already own or manage.

Brands and agencies can now access differentiated inventory in high-attention environments that traditional media plans might miss. Contextual signals can help align advertising with place, activity, timing and audience value, while the Broadsign Platform makes eligible inventory easier to access through familiar OOH and programmatic workflows. As a result, advertisers get a stronger contextual fit, more relevant delivery and clearer performance feedback.

“Context Networks is opening a compelling category of inventory that fits naturally with the continued evolution of out-of-home,” said Robert Loftus, VP of Platform Sales at Broadsign. “By connecting Context Networks’ operator relationships and specialized integrations with the Broadsign Platform and Place Exchange SSP, we can help make these screens easier for buyers to access while giving operators the control, transparency and flexibility they need to participate with confidence.”

Operator control is particularly important in gaming environments, where security, regulatory oversight, and operational continuity are central considerations. Rather than asking operators to introduce an isolated advertising stack, the Context Networks model uses established digital signage and programmatic infrastructure while preserving operator control over what appears on each participating screen. Existing promotions and operational content can continue to run alongside paid advertising based on rules set by the operator.

During G2E, Context Networks will demonstrate how the combined technology stack can connect gaming and other operator-controlled digital screens to the broader advertising ecosystem, while meeting with operators, integrators, resellers, advertisers and agencies about opportunities to activate new screen inventory.

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 3 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. For more information, visit https://broadsign.com.

About Context Networks

Context Networks is a contextual advertising and monetization platform for gaming and network digital display environments, helping brands deliver more relevant, personalized messages in high-attention moments enabling operators to turn existing screens into measurable new revenue. By combining contextual intelligence, secure marketplace infrastructure, real-time buying, and operator-controlled delivery, Context makes emerging screen inventory easier to access, buy, measure, monetize, and scale. The result is a marketplace that helps advertisers improve campaign relevance and performance while helping operators create new commercial value without compromising the player or customer experience. For more information, visit https://www.contextnetworks.net.


Product News | October 11, 2021

Retail media ad servers explained: How retailers can turn in-store inventory into revenue

Smartify Media digital screen outside a retail store in Sussex, New York, displaying a Pret advertisement.

For many retailers, physical media assets are already in place, from screens in aisles and at checkout to displays above end caps and in other high-traffic areas of the store. Together with other in-store media placements, these existing assets can become a scalable, sellable media channel that generates meaningful revenue.

But monetizing an in-store network is more complicated than making ad space available. Retailers need to understand exactly what advertising opportunities they have to sell, manage campaigns across different screens and placements, and balance merchandising, operational, and advertiser priorities.

That raises some practical questions. What advertising space is available to sell? How do you make sure campaigns run where and when they’re supposed to? And how do you prove that delivery back to advertisers?

That’s where a retail media ad server comes in. It provides the infrastructure that connects a retailer’s advertising inventory — the media placements available for advertisers to buy — to advertiser demand, helping teams sell, schedule, deliver, optimize, and measure campaigns across their networks.

What is a retail media ad server? 

A retail media ad server is a platform that helps retailers manage and monetize advertising inventory across their retail media network. That network can include everything from websites and apps to email, loyalty programs, and physical in-store placements. For retailers monetizing their in-store screens, an ad server provides the infrastructure to manage advertising opportunities across their in-store media network.

While ad servers originated in online advertising, in-store retail media comes with a different set of considerations. Retailers aren’t just managing ad space; they’re balancing media campaigns with merchandising priorities, supplier relationships, store operations, and the overall shopper experience.

Across an in-store screen network, advertising opportunities can vary by store, screen, location, and time. An ad server brings those opportunities and the campaigns running across them together in one place, giving retailers a central way to manage booking, scheduling, delivery, optimization, and reporting.

Ad server vs. digital signage CMS: What’s the difference?

A digital signage content management system (CMS) and a retail media ad server play different but complementary roles. Put simply, a CMS helps you operate your network, while an ad server directly monetizes it.

A CMS handles the day-to-day management of screens and content, including playlists, scheduling, devices, and network operations. An ad server focuses on the advertising business across those screens, helping retailers understand what inventory is available to sell, book and manage campaigns, support different buying methods, optimize delivery, and report back to advertisers. It can also bring direct and programmatic demand together within the same network.

Retailers don’t have to choose between the two. An ad server can work alongside an existing CMS and broader technology stack, adding the capabilities needed to monetize in-store media without replacing the systems already in place. Broadsign’s retail media ad server, for example, can integrate with existing systems via APIs, enabling retailers to build on their current infrastructure.

When does a retailer need a retail media ad server?

There is no magic number of screens that means a retailer needs an ad server. The tipping point is complexity. Selling ten campaigns across a handful of screens is one thing. Managing hundreds or thousands of screens, stores, formats, advertisers, campaign goals, and buying models is another. 

As an in-store media network grows, spreadsheets and manual processes can quickly become a bottleneck. Teams need a reliable way to understand inventory availability, manage competing demand, deliver on campaign commitments, and identify opportunities to monetize capabilities that might otherwise go unsold. 

So, how do you know when you’ve reached that point?

Checklist: You may be ready for an ad server if…

  • You’re spending too much time figuring out what ad inventory is available
  • You can’t confidently tell a brand what inventory you can sell them
  • You’re manually reshuffling campaigns to meet commitments
  • You’re managing digital and static inventory separately
  • Your advertisers want to buy based on impressions or audience
  • You want to introduce non-endemic programmatic ads
  • You oversell your ad space and can’t meet advertiser commitments
  • You have ad inventory going unsold, but no easy way to identify or package it
  • Your retail, trade, and media teams are managing the same inventory separately, creating a risk of double-booking

What should a retail media ad server actually do?

At its core, a retail media ad server should make it easier for retailers to manage and monetize their media inventory as their networks grow, with better visibility, greater flexibility, and less manual work.

Create a clear view of sellable inventory: Bring inventory across stores, screens, formats, and dates into one place so teams can see what’s available, what’s already committed, and where there’s additional capacity to sell.

Support more ways to buy: Accommodate campaign requests based on budgets, impressions, share of voice, takeovers, locations, dates, and other objectives, giving brands and agencies more flexibility in how they buy.

Connect sales with campaign execution: Turn campaign bookings into schedules that determine where and when ads will run, while keeping media sales, merchandising, trade marketing, and store operations aligned around the same campaign plan.

Optimize campaign delivery and inventory: Manage pacing and competing brands to help campaigns deliver as promised while making better use of available capacity and minimizing unsold inventory.

Connect with existing retail technology and data: Integrate with your existing CMS, POS, CRM, inventory, and audience platforms, while incorporating real-world data signals like product availability, time of day, weather, location, audience, or foot traffic to help plan and execute more impactful campaigns.

Provide reliable proof of delivery: Capture when and where a campaign ran, giving retailers the data they need to report on delivery and demonstrate that advertiser commitments were met.

Support direct and programmatic ad sources: Manage direct ad sales while creating the infrastructure to introduce programmatic demand, giving retailers more ways to monetize available inventory.

Building the infrastructure for scalable in-store retail media

The opportunity in in-store retail media goes beyond putting more advertising on screens. It’s about building a media channel that brands can buy reliably, and retailers can monetize effectively. Getting there requires more than putting advertising on screens. Retailers need the right infrastructure to connect inventory, sales, campaign delivery, optimization, and reporting, while working alongside the technology and data they already have.

Broadsign’s Retail Ad Server brings those capabilities together, helping retailers turn their in-store media assets into a scalable, measurable media business and drive more media revenue.

Turn your in-store media into a revenue opportunity with Broadsign’s Retail Ad Server. Learn more.