Market Basket Food Stores Rolls Out Digital Ad Screens
Market Basket Food Stores, a regional grocery and convenience chain based in North Carolina, has completed a chainwide rollout of smart digital advertising displays, modernizing its in-store marketing strategy across all 17 locations.
The independent retailer partnered with SurgePays Inc. to deploy the ClearLine software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform of mounted flat screens. The system enables stores to run and rotate video ads, dynamic promotions, coupons and QR codes in real time — better engaging shoppers while unlocking new subscription-based ad revenue streams.
“We started on this journey nearly two years ago when we decided to do marketing in our stores by installing digital signage screens,” Steve Hunt, vice president of Market Basket Food Stores and chairman of the board of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association, said in a media release.
According to Hunt, the initial attempt at digital signage frequently failed, with screens going dark within hours and content difficult to update. ClearLine solved those challenges, giving store teams the ability to adjust messaging throughout the day — for example, promoting morning coffee specials and spotlighting afternoon beverage deals alongside brand-sponsored messages.
“We greenlighted the expansion to all our stores,” Hunt added. “ClearLine manages all our content and promotions.”
Market Basket Food Stores said it selected the ClearLine platform to replace legacy digital signage, which typically relied on USB drives displaying static photo rotations. The rollout represents a step into in-store retail media, giving both the chain and its brand partners more targeted ways to connect with shoppers at the point of purchase.
“We have a future goal of AI-powered marketing that considers day, time of day and factors such as inventory, other distributor input and marketing dollars for maximum consumer engagement," added Brian Cox, CEO of SurgePays.
SurgePays is a fintech point-of-sale company headquartered in Bartlett, Tennessee. Market Basket is headquartered in Statesville, North Carolina, with all stores operating across the state.
