News Briefs

Harps Food Stores, a regional grocery chain across the South and Midwest, has expanded its physical advertising touchpoints through a new partnership with in-store retail media network Grocery TV (GTV). 

GTV’s digital screens/displays will roll out to 145 Harps stores in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Oklahoma. The displays will be placed near checkout and high-traffic areas. 

Harps will use GTV’s Content Management System (CMS) to launch and track in-store digital campaigns, increase visibility and enhance the shopper experience with timely, in-store messaging, per a media release.

This partnership increases GTV’s network to more than 4,800 stores.  

"Grocery TV has allowed us to modernize our in-store marketing and simplify campaign management through their intuitive CMS," said David Ganoung, senior vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer at Harps. "Best of all, they've handled the heavy lifting in terms of setting up and managing the network, so that we can focus on digitizing our in-store campaigns and providing a cohesive experience for our customers."

Hear from Grocery TV's CEO at Retail Media Summit in Chicago

CEO Marlow Nickell will present at P2PI's June 25-27 event alongside Media, Ads + Commerce's Andrew Lipsman and Kinesso's Amie Owen to discuss “How Brands (and Retailers) Grow with In-Store Retail Media." In this session, they'll cover:

• How brands and retailers should be evaluating in-store retail media as part of their broader marketing strategies.
• What's working (or not working) in terms of the execution of in-store retail media.
• Micro and macro changes that need to occur in order for brands and retailers to fully realize the potential of in-store media.

Learn more and register now.

Home improvement retailer Lowe's promoted Jennifer Wilson to senior vice president, chief marketing officer, effective June 10.

As CMO, Wilson will oversee strategic brand and product marketing, loyalty and personalization, promotional planning, creative, media and Lowe's retailer media network (One Roof Media Network), according to a company statement. 

In her expanded role, she will also build out a new customer experience integration organization designed to deliver end-to-end customer journeys. Wilson will continue to report to Bill Boltz, executive vice president of merchandising, and remain focused on delivering integrated marketing and merchandising strategies.

Wilson, who has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and merchandising, joined Lowe's in 2006 and most recently served as SVP, enterprise brand and marketing. She has held multiple leadership roles with the retailer, including VP of integrated marketing, and merchandising VP of paint. Before joining Lowe's, she held various leadership roles at advertising and marketing agencies. She also serves on the board of directors for the Ad Council. 

"[Wilson’s] extensive marketing, merchandising and home improvement experience positions her well for this expanded role," Marvin Ellison, Lowe's chairman and CEO, said in the statement. "She's consistently moving Lowe's forward, as recently demonstrated by the successful launch of our MyLowe's Rewards loyalty program and [One Roof Media Network]. [Wilson] brings a data-driven approach and is helping us develop a deeper understanding of the customer."

"I am humbled and excited for the opportunity to continue elevating this great brand by leading a talented team of people who are customer and data obsessed," Wilson added. "Working together with the exceptional talent across the business, our goal is to continue to unlock value for our customers while delivering business results for Lowe's." 

Momentum Worldwide has appointed Adriano Lombardi as senior vice president, executive creative director, of its burgeoning commerce practice across North America.

Lombardi is an award-winning leader with a wealth of experience in the sector. He has led commerce initiatives for Coca-Cola across Mexico and Latin America. He also has held prominent roles at VML and Geometry, with a focus on building global brand platforms.

"I'm thrilled to join Momentum Worldwide," Lombardi said in a news release. "Commerce is present in all aspects of our lives — we shop 24/7 anywhere, and for me, that is the best brief of all. I look forward to working with the team to create impactful and innovative work for our clients."

The addition of Lombardi underscores Momentum’s commitment to enhancing its commerce capabilities and delivering best-in-class experiences in its work.

"Adriano's innovative approach and deep understanding of the commerce landscape make him the perfect fit for Momentum," said James Robinson, Momentum chief creative officer, North America. "His ability to blend creativity with strategic insight will be key in driving further success with our clients."

Momentum is excited to have Lombardi on board, said Jennifer Olliges, svp, commerce lead at Momentum Worldwide.

"His extensive experience and proven track record in commerce will further strengthen our capabilities and help us continue to deliver exceptional value to our clients."

The Desire Company, an expert product reviews and education solutions provider, is putting its weight behind retail media following its latest Series B funding round and new solution launch. 

The company said in a statement that this funding infusion brings its valuation to $97 million and will allow it to capitalize on the increasing demand for “authentic, expert-driven content,” particularly from retail media networks (RMNs) and the Federal Trade Commission’s “heightened focus on transparent marketing practices.”

The funding also coincides with the launch of Desire’s Retail RMEDI 360 (Retail Media Expert Distribution Ignitor), a platform offering brands and retailers a suite of tools to integrate expert product education throughout the shopper experience and streamline the management and distribution of expert-driven video content. 

“With the close of our Series B raise, and the launch of The Desire Company’s Retail RMEDI 360 platform, we’re not just introducing a new product, we’re setting a new standard for retail media technology,” Eric Sheinkop, co-founder and CEO, said in the statement. “Brands and retailers are seeking to expand beyond their traditional commerce media models and integrate trusted product information directly into their shopper’s purchasing journey. Our platform promises to transform how shoppers access product education at the crucial point of decision.” 

Key features include:

• Content Integration Across Consumer Journey: Embeddable video content, from social media to product detail pages, email and SMS for post-purchase engagement.
• Shoppable QR Codes for In-Store Use: Unique shoppable QR codes that give consumers access to expert product education content.
• Analytics Dashboard: Video performance insights.

The Desire Company’s network of experts spans 114 verticals — from Olympic athletes to chefs, nutritionists, veterinarians and celebrity makeup artists — sharing real-world experiences in authentic video reviews.

This latest funding round will expand the company’s expert community and elevate content production capabilities to cater to the growing needs of RMNs, per the statement.

Dollar General Media Network (DGMN) head of operations Charlene Charles will take the stage alongside Angela Myers, Goodway Group senior vice president of retail media, at the Path to Purchase Institute’s Retail Media Summit (RMS), June 25-27 in Chicago. 

In the June 27 session titled “The Retail Media Evolution: Perceptions and Insights from Brands, Agencies and Retailers,” the pair will discuss:

• How budget allocations are shifting. 
• What components shape today's retail media strategies.
• The factors influencing investments and partnerships within retail media networks. 
• Diverse perspectives on program management, challenges faced and key performance indicators driving campaign success today.

They'll also unveil findings from a research report by Goodway Group and P2PI on the "Retail Media Evolution,” capturing perceptions and insights from brands, agencies and retailers. 

[In related news, DGMN recently announced a partnership and significant move to more effectively reach its largely rural shopper base through expanded omnichannel ads and attribution insights.]

Charles, who joined Dollar General in 2021 and has more than 16 years of industry experience, will also share her first-hand experience as leading DGMN and its position in the retail media ecosystem. Myers brings a wealth of experience of her own, including a nine-year tenure at Oracle and her strong background in data/analytics and retail media.

Learn more about RMS Chicago and the packed agenda, and register now. 

Videotel Digital, a digital signage solutions manufacturer, has joined forces with audio technology company Audfly to help enhance how businesses engage their audiences through digital signage.

The collaboration integrates Audfly's directional audio speakers and technology (including patents from Turtle Beach Corp. audio tech company HyperSound) with Videotel Digital's digital signage players and interactive solutions to create immersive audio experiences with visuals that capture consumers’ attention.

As an authorized service center for Audfly, Videotel Digital will provide support and maintenance services for a subset of its product line, according to a media release. This partnership allows Videotel Digital to offer Audfly's range of products, including wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted and glass-mounted directional audio solutions.

The partnership was solidified at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, where both companies showcased their latest innovations, including Audfly's "glass technology,” its range of see-through glass directional speakers.

"We are thrilled to partner with Audfly to bring cutting-edge directional audio technology to our customers," Lisa Schneider, executive vice president of marketing at Videotel Digital, said in the release. "With Audfly's exceptional products and our seamless integration capabilities, we are setting a new standard for immersive digital experiences."