Retail media becomes an omnichannel powerhouse

For years, retail media has been the rising star of digital marketing and a source of increasing excitement among advertisers - the opportunity for brands to speak directly to consumers at scale is, of course, highly attractive. And now, advancements in technology are unlocking customer experiences and brand outcomes across retailers’ channels like never before.

But it hasn’t always been this way. Retail media’s strength and potential has been acknowledged for years, but until recently a truly omnichannel experience was more aspiration than reality - the technology simply hasn’t been there to join up the analogue with the digital. 

That is now changing, and brands, advertisers and consumers are all feeling the benefit of this shift, with 65% of global marketers stating that retail media networks will play an increasing role in their media mix going forward.

AI facilitating omnichannel opportunities

Technology and innovation have facilitated an omnichannel era. Platforms such as the forthcoming Nectar360 Pollen will bring audience insights, planning, activation, optimisation and measurement - for in-store, online and offsite campaigns - under one roof for the first time. It’s a real game-changer.

Retail media networks are pushing AI harder than ever to provide new ways of working, and better outcomes. An example of this is the progress AI has made in facilitating omnichannel advertising opportunities, helping to allow greater analysis, attribution and more powerful optimisation tools. We can now provide brands with detailed first-party consumer insights courtesy of retail loyalty schemes, just as we can offer generative modelling to help brands understand audience segments.

These developments are helping retail media progress in numerous ways, driving the sector to a place where it’s possible to seamlessly link the physical and online world for the first time - putting customers first and getting the right messages to the right audiences at the right time.

Omnichannel for advertisers

The impact of this evolution is an increasingly material one. For advertisers, the ability to have a single, overarching view of a retail media campaign has clear benefits. It helps them speak to the right audience, at the right place, on and offline, and in the right moment; and then leverage real-time, in-depth insights to plan, strategise and continuously optimise current and future campaigns.

Advertisers also embrace the opportunity to engage in truly seamless omnichannel marketing activities. Retail media has now evolved to offer a coherent, connected, customer-first ecosystem, and this allows brands more opportunity to engage an audience and drive conversions but also to build brand loyalty. Retail media today is much more than a conversion tool.

Putting customers first

Finally, and most importantly, the consumer is the main beneficiary of retail media's rapid evolution. By creating these omnichannel experiences, shoppers are served more engaging, relevant, personalised ads. This makes shopping a more integrated, innovative and enjoyable experience across the customer journey, and demonstrates retail media’s power as a brand-building tool and a key strategic pillar in any marketing mix. 

By combining media activation and customer experience, retail media offers new opportunities to create additive, connected advertising experiences that simultaneously drive loyalty and growth. Putting the customer first has always been the best way to engage an audience, and retail media is now capable of doing that in exciting, innovative ways.

Looking forward, retail media is in a great position to expand on this customer-centric approach. In the near future, fully connected stores will be able to identify customers, enabling enhanced shopping and advertising experiences through increasingly personalised offers. Sainsbury’s capability with “Your Nectar Prices” shows how close at hand this opportunity is. We are finally on the cusp of a truly integrated, connected, omnichannel advertising experience - for brands, retailers and consumers alike. 

Also published: Performance Marketing World