While 90% of retail media spend is going online, over 85% of all transactions are still in physical stores. Of that retail media spend, a whopping 70% is going to Amazon typifying the current imbalance. Retail media spend in the physical retail environment is still a small element of overall spend but there is an opportunity to combine this with proximity OOH media to influence and drive in-store transactions. Retail OOH will become the new retail media frontier for brands to win in commerce based OOH in 2025.
In retail OOH we’re starting to see the rise of Always Ready DOOH where non-guaranteed buying can be maximised to activate campaigns around key moments and locations rather than bought like a traditional guaranteed plan. Brands are seeing the benefits of this approach to be front of mind across the whole calendar year rather than the traditional bursts relevant to their business. Marks & Spencer, Marketing Week's 2024 Brand of The Year adopted this approach in their recent turnaround plan with MW commenting;
"Traditionally, M&S has proven promotionally strong for the all-important pre-Christmas months and then all the way through to spring. But usually the company would cut back its media spending for summer. Not any more. Embracing an always-on philosophy, M&S now advertises right through the summer months and joins the circle back to the festive run-up."
With that said, for an Always Ready strategy to work in retail it’s essential to use real time data and automation to be effective. Retail media purists will only be swayed by data and convincing ROI studies that show the importance of a full funnel approach joining OOH and shopper together bringing more than the sum of the parts.
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