Albertsons Runs Retail Media BOGO Deal
Brian Monahan is hitting the ground running at Albertsons Media Collective by launching what he's calling an industry first: a "buy one, get one" offer on off-site media.
Advertisers who purchase an off-site ad impression through the Albertsons Media Collective will be matched with an additional impression from the retailer's media budget, targeted to similar audiences. As for what specific solutions qualify for the BOGO deal, an Albertsons spokesperson said off-site media will be matched with off-site media and is dependent on the advertiser's media plan.
Monahan told the Path to Purchase Institute that the BOGO promotion is embodiment of why he took the helm of Albertsons Media Collective as senior vice president of retail media in July, emphasizing the offer is directly related to the retailer’s recent leadership shifts.
"I leapt at this opportunity to do retail media right," said Monahan, who joined the RMN from Dentsu. "I have seen and have experienced directly too many retailers that have this media business off to the side that at best is underloved and at worst is working at odds with the overall goals of the retailer itself."
Among some notable changes, Susan Morris assumed the role of CEO in the spring following the planned retirement of Vivek Sankaran, Michelle Larson took over the role of EVP, chief merchandising officer, and Jennifer Saenz stepped up to take on a broader role as EVP, chief commercial officer.
The type of alignment currently in place at Albertsons makes it a lot easier to move with the pace, Monahan said, and experiment with new ways to work with advertiser partners to drive collective growth.
The idea of the BOGO offer boils down to classic, effective frequency marketing, Monahan said.
He explained that Albertsons, for example, could deliver a category-building message tying into fall baking or tailgate season, or a similar seasonal enterprise ad, and follow it up with message from an advertiser about their own product.
"Our hope is that we can collectively create some more awareness and purchase intent and true growth," Monahan said. "Get some more folks in the store down the aisle and some more items in the baskets."
The network first previewed the BOGO with a few close advertising partners. Initial partners were not disclosed.
In the true spirit of retail, the BOGO promotion is a limited-time deal. "I don't see why we wouldn't continue it, but we're gonna try it this fall and then ... see how it worked for everybody," Monahan said.
There's a tension in the industry between CPG brand advertisers and their retailer media network partners when it comes to measurement and reported campaign results that is not lost on Monahan. An RMN might share, for example, that a CPG brand advertiser's campaign had great return on ad spend, but the advertiser might not see an overall sales lift from their end at their stores, he said.
"What's exciting about this BOGO opportunity is that it's meant to do more than just show the attributed business outcome, the sales and the new customers, and all that, that are attributed to exposure to the advertiser's ad, it's also trying to make overall sales increase at Albertsons," Monahan said. "Because that's the name of the game, right? It's not just us trying to grade our own homework, it's really trying to grow meaningful growth together."
