Loblaw’s retail media network expands with in-store digital screens

Loblaw Companies Ltd. is rolling out more than 500 in-store digital screens at select stores as part of its expanding retail media network. The screens will be placed in different banners across the country spanning some of its highest-traffic grocery locations.

Loblaw Media said the company’s media network provides an opportunity for partners to invest in different omnichannel solutions and provide a bigger impact on a brand because they can target shoppers looking for deals in-store or online with promotional campaigns.

As part of the expanding retail media network, Loblaw plans to install screens at the front of stores to help enhance the shopping experience for now while the program is in the early stages in order to eventually scale up.

According to Loblaw Media, the new screen network is a key piece of building out the company’s omnichannel offering.

The screens will run a maximum of 10 six-second spots for Loblaw’s own promotions in addition to those of external brand partners with plans to evolve targeting capabilities over time to improve as the grocer scales up.

Loblaw Media said the majority of purchases still occur in-store today and the in-store screens provide an opportunity for vendors to talk directly to consumers and provide brand messaging or specific product information.

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Loblaw first piloted the in-store screens in May at 10 stores to understand the execution and investment implications. However, the pilot program officially rolled out in June with General Mills and P&G signing on as launch partners.

Initial feedback from customers was positive, with Loblaw media reporting 50% of survey participants agreeing that the screens were eye-catching and informative. They also reported feeling more engaged with products and brands, adding that the screens made the stores feel more modern. The 65-inch video screens run a mix of internal and external video ads, reports local news outlet Media in Canada.

The retail signage network is currently available through Loblaw’s Managed Service Solutions–in the future it will be available through MediaAisle–Loblaw’s DSP, which targets over 200 audience segments based on first-party purchase data and offers measurement that includes actual sales in its reporting. This allows for the out-of-home inventory to be integrated with campaigns on the broader Loblaw Media network, covering on-site and off-site ads on digital, ecommerce, and social platforms.

Loblaw is now working with the Canadian Out-of-Home Measurement Bureau (COMB) and is in the process of being certified in order to provide vendor partners with verified impressions of user traffic.