Not everything needs a 'buy it now' button

Register now to attend The Power of Three: The In-Store Opportunity, the third and final webinar in Threefold’s webinar series. This episode will dive deep into the world of omnichannel retail media, covering how retailers can best leverage their stores to deliver robust and measurable brand advertising to consumers. Don’t delay: secure your spot and register here .

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Unfold, the retail media newsletter from the experts at Threefold.

ICYMI: In July, we gathered industry experts from Georgia Pacific, the Path to Purchase Institute , Threefold and SMG to chat about the evolving world of retail media technology in our webinar, The Power of Three: Leveraging Technology for Retail Media Success. If you weren’t able to attend, we’ve uploaded it here in its entirety on Threefold’s Resources Hub so you can still get these best-in-the-business insights.?

In each edition of Unfold, we break down a retail media myth we believe is holding industry growth back, and we provide the insights (backed by our 15+ years in the business) to explain why that’s not true. So join us, and let’s unfold.

This week, we’re breaking down the myth that everything, everywhere online needs to be a shoppable moment. It’s easy to see why this myth has become so pervasive in the industry. Technology has evolved and enabled more advertising opportunities than ever across the entire path to purchase, creating more shoppable opportunities. Hey, presto! Now we can turn every communication touchpoint into a click-to-cart experience. Hooray, ad tech!?

As we tend to do as an industry: we over-correct. Not every media touchpoint is a touchpoint that needs a “buy now” or “add to cart” button. Not everything needs to be shoppable and transactable to be effective in moving consumers to the point of purchase. Consumers have limits when it comes to advertising, and it’s up to brands and their media partners to ensure that those limits aren’t reached. If a brand’s digital messaging is oversaturated, consumers will – at best – tune out the messaging entirely. At worst, shoppers may develop a negative association with the brand and feel like they’re being bombarded or followed around the web with irrelevant or improperly timed advertising that worsens their media consumption experience.

The shoppable format advancements in the digital media space are certainly exciting. According to EMARKETER research, more than half (57%) of ad agency professionals believe that shoppable video content is the next frontier of retail media. Which makes sense, right? Most media is consumed in video format – short and long – so shoppable media has naturally followed suit. At Threefold, we’re excited by the potential of shoppable video when combined with robust first-party data from Retail and Commerce Media Networks. But that doesn’t mean the data should be used to only create shoppable units at all points of the consumer journey in a campaign. Advertising, as part of a larger brand comms strategy, must be served in appropriate places and at times to be effective.

At Threefold, we’re steadfast in our belief that the best retail media takes both a data-backed and creative approach that results in the optimal media mix, enabling brands to reach the intended consumers, at the right place and at the right time across the shopping journey.?

The best advertising is personalized, but unobtrusive. It reaches across the path to purchase, but it’s not bothersome. It’s endemic to the channel format, but also messages the relevance for where you are in your consideration process. Getting this media mix right, including in-store, off-site and online, is key to ensuring the intended message lands with consumers and delivers against campaign goals.?

All we’re trying to say is … don’t lose sight of the art just because we have a little more science these days. Effective advertising campaigns need a balance of both and those at the frontier will get this right.

Thank you to Justin Sparks , VP of Business Development, for helping us break down this edition's myth!

All that said, let's get to the news:?

Expanded partnership: Macy’s teams up with Rokt for non-endemic advertising?

Breaking it down: Macy's Media Network, the department chain’s RMN, has expanded an existing partnership with e-commerce company Rokt to provide more personalized shopping experiences for consumers. Macys.com shoppers will now see non-endemic advertising – that’s advertising of products and services not sold directly by the retailer – at checkout. The partnership enables Rokt to use Macy’s first-party data to use AI technology to provide shoppers with offers after they’ve made a purchase.?

So what?: This is exciting but can be a slippery slope. Retailers must master endemic brands before offering non-endemic brand advertising through their RMNs. Consumers can grow weary of constant advertising, especially if it's irrelevant, obtrusive or invasive. Non-endemic advertising can be successful through retail media, but it must be just as relevant to shoppers as advertising from endemic brands. Rokt and Macy’s will have to deliver non-endemic ads that provide Macy’s shoppers with offers that complement the products shoppers have purchased from the retailer and further meet their needs.

Read more at Retail Dive from Tatiana Walk-Morris .

Network upgrades: Lowe’s rebrands RMN and offers new advertising channels for brands

What’s changed: Lowe's Companies, Inc. has rebranded its RMN offering to Lowe’s Media Network, which the retailer calls “simplified” from its previous name, One Roof Media Network. Jennifer Wilson , Lowe’s Chief Marketing Officer, said in a press release the rebrand likewise brings the media network closer in line with Lowe’s overall branding and follows better internal integration between its media network and its merchandising and marketing strategies. Additionally, Lowe’s is adding more channels for brand advertisers to leverage, including expanded placements within the Lowe’s mobile app and email, in-store audio, paid search and direct mail.

Our take: The best RMNs view themselves not just as a cash injection on the side of its merchandising business but as a dedicated brand within a retailer’s organization that exists to provide robust marketing solutions for brand advertisers. By simplifying its brand identity and highlighting better integration within internal teams, Lowe’s is playing to win in a crowded retail media market. Additionally, onboarding new touchpoints makes its network more appealing to advertisers and will continue to help it compete with competitors like 家得宝 's Orange Apron Media by The Home Depot .

Read the story here , from ADWEEK Kathryn Lundstrom .

More in-store: ShopRite adds more in-store retail media capabilities via Grocery TV

What’s being added: ShopRite Pharmacy, which operates pharmacies inside ShopRite stores, will add in-store screens from Grocery TV that promote prescription savings, health-related offers and other information from the pharmacy. Grocery TV’s strategy for pharmacy stores includes health and wellness videos as well as retailer and brand messaging.?

More context: In addition to providing advertisers the opportunities to reach consumers in-store, in-store digital screens also offer retailers the opportunity to communicate important messages to consumers. In a pharmacy, for instance, a retailer can communicate information about ongoing store promotions or information about health and wellness programs, like in-store clinics or vaccine initiatives. In-store digital signage improves the customer experience while also providing more touchpoints for brands to reach and influence consumers. Digital signage is a win-win-win for retailers, brands and shoppers.

Get the story at Supermarket News from Bill Watson.

Our Experts' Takes

Client Director Tara Hekmat shares five reasons retailers’ RMNs are lagging behind , and six ways they can get ahead to ensure they’re competitive in an increasingly crowded media network landscape. Tara says: “The transition to a sophisticated retail media business is not just a technological upgrade; it is a paradigm shift in how retailers engage with their customers. By embracing industry advancements and placing marketing experts at the forefront of retail media evolution, retailers can unlock its full potential. This transformation is crucial for staying competitive in an increasingly complex marketplace, offering a more personalized, efficient, and impactful advertising experience for retailers, brands, and customers alike.”

Kate Hopkinson , Media Director (Strategy & Planning) tells Retail Week ’s Megan Robinson why she believes shoppable TV advertising is the future of retail media. Kate says: “Shoppable TV ads within retail media have proven effective in driving strong results across the entire marketing funnel when strategy, planning, and audience segmentation are executed well. When planned correctly, they have the potential to influence consideration and even conversion metrics.”

EMARKETER in August published its 2024 Commerce Media Explainer , which covers the growing trend of non-retailer media networks and features insights from Managing Director Sean Crawford . Get the full report from Sarah Marzano , here .?

Congratulations are in order for Katie Streeter Hurle , Chief Strategy Officer at Threefold and the SMG agency network, who has been awarded the Women of Excellence Award from the Path to Purchase Institute. CEO Samuel Knights says: “Quite simply, SMG would not be anything like the company it is today without you. You are not only an ‘excellent’ businesswoman but, most importantly an ‘excellent’ person. You are the conscience of the business, the ‘brains’ behind a lot of what we do and the most well-respected individual I have ever had the pleasure to work with. You are a total role model for so many in our team. We are so, so lucky to have you at SMG and some of us are even more lucky to call you a friend too.”

Have you registered for Retail Media Summit UK? Our collaborative event with the Path to Purchase Institute in London, is back for a second year and bigger and better than ever. Register to attend here.

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