Retail Media isn’t new, it is an evolution – the challenges facing retail media networks today are not the same as yesterday, and they certainly won’t be the same as mediaNXT.
Circa 2008, at Gumtree.com we set out to monetise our first party data by launching an onsite “retail media” proposition aka a static link with a bright yellow background that stood out to the consumer at the top of the listings and search results pages.
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Pretty, huh? At the time, the link was “hardcoded” on the site and sold on a fixed tenancy agreement, no CPC, CPM, CPV, AdServers… it was simple to sell, you can own the car category for a month and X people might see it, a little more time consuming to update the link each month when the tenancy finished as it required a product change and a release cycle – in most cases leading to an extended free of charge stay.
The evolution started with search or pay-per-click advertising via Google, quickly progressed to social through the likes of Meta and YouTube, onsite featured or sponsored product placement listings followed, and then in-store advertising with digital audio, digital displays and point of sale revamping the store as we know it.
There are now more channels, interactive, and immersive formats than ever before – gone are the days of the yellow text link.
If it’s not new, why do we face challenges today? It’s complex, it involves several layers of people, process and a fast moving technology landscape.
Let’s take a look at Cartology, Woolworths Group’s retail media business, who offer a comprehensive range of advertising solutions across multiple brands and channels across Woolworths, Metro, BigW and Everyday Rewards with offerings encompassing;
Source: Woolworths Supers Media Kit FY25
In-Store Digital Screens: Cartology has installed over 1,900 digital screens across Woolworths Supermarkets, Woolworths Metro, and BIG W stores, providing dynamic advertising opportunities at the point of purchase.
Retail Out-of-Home (OOH) Network: Through a partnership with Vicinity Centres, Cartology is expanding its retail OOH network to include more than 3,300 digital screens in shopping centers nationwide, enhancing brand visibility in high-traffic areas.
Onsite Video Advertising: Cartology has introduced onsite video formats that combine brand videos with shoppable advertising on the Woolworths website, allowing for engaging online customer interactions.
Print Media: They offer advertising opportunities in publications like the “Fresh” magazine, which reaches a broad audience of shoppers.
Source: Woolworths Supers Media Kit FY25
These diverse formats enable brands to connect with customers through targeted, data-driven campaigns across various touchpoints in the shopping journey – but it’s a lot to manage every day.
A lot of data, a lot of people, a lot of process, and a lot of technology to make the wheel turn on time, every time. In my experience, the reality for many retail media networks is;
So, how do you deliver a connected, and consistent advertiser, retailer, and brand experience?
It requires a clearly defined strategy, expertise and a suite of new capabilities.
It’s vital you focus on how you;
Sell Media & Manage Relationships
Maximise advertiser, retailer, and brand engagement with a connected CRM and AI strategy that streamlines media sales, strengthens relationships, and drives data-led growth.
Segment, Target, Forecast & Manage Inventory
Optimise ad sales and operations with a CRM and OMS driven approach that enables precise audience segmentation, targeted campaigns, accurate inventory and revenue forecasting, and seamless ad management.
Orchestrate & Optimise Omni-Channel Campaigns
Leverage AI-powered insights to unify ad sales, streamline workflows, and deliver targeted, data-driven campaigns across every channel for maximum impact and efficiency.
Track, Measure & Deliver Valuable Insights
Harness advanced analytics to monitor performance, optimise ad spend, and deliver real-time, data-driven insights that drive smarter decision-making and higher ROI.
Reconcile Delivery Actuals, Invoicing & Accounting
Streamline finance and ad revenue operations with CRM-driven automation, ensuring accurate delivery tracking, seamless invoicing, and efficient financial reconciliation.
Enter IgniteNXT – a Data, CRM and AI-powered approach that helps retail media networks go further, faster!
Looking for help embracing the latest in Data, CRM and AI to to boost your business? Get in touch today.
