Retail media is here to help, not to irritate

“There’s a strong temptation to treat retail media simply as a new profit stream” writes Alan Mitchell (MW last week), arguing instead for the communication of “useful, relevant information for shoppers”. As the creators of Spar’s digital media network pilot, we agree that content is paramount, but I would argue that there is still a great deal of research to be done to establish precisely what is the most appropriate mix for an in-store setting.

Our findings at Spar suggest that, far from being irritating or distracting, screen-based promotions help shoppers to understand the nature of the various deals. Interestingly, very short clips that can be understood at a glance work best in this environment; sound is not necessary.

Still, far be it from me to be argumentative. I suspect that optimum content balance will vary significantly both across and within retail networks. And as the full potential of this medium begins to emerge, channel owners and advertisers alike will become increasingly sophisticated in using it to fulfil a wide range of marketing ambitions.

David Williams

Partner

IQ Group

Cheshire