Sam’s Club Expands MAP With In-Club Media, Experiential Activations
Walmart’s Sam's Club is expanding its retail media capabilities through its Member Access Platform (MAP), rolling out new in-club ad formats and experiential activations while continuing to build out measurement tools tied to its broader “Retail Experience Network” strategy.
The latest updates center on extending MAP deeper into physical environments, including in-club audio ads, fuel pump screen ads and an expanded slate of “Omni Experiences” designed to engage shoppers both inside and outside the club.
The company is also continuing large-scale experiential programs, including its “Race to the Club” activation with motorsports organization Andretti Global, which debuted in 2025 and will expand to additional markets this year.
Other initiatives include seasonal and sports-themed experiences aimed at connecting with members through cultural moments. “Sam’s Football Club,” for example, taps into the global soccer fandom and delivers immersive fan experiences as a way to leverage culturally relevant moments.
In-Store Audio Experience
In-store, Sam’s Club is introducing audio advertising through its in-house radio network, with messaging designed to reach shoppers during the path to purchase. Sam’s Club Radio is a curated, live broadcast across clubs nationwide that blends top hits, retail updates and conversation from hosts.
Fuel Station Ads
At the same time, fuel stations — now at more than 500 locations — are being added as another media touchpoint, with digital screens delivering brand messaging during dwell time at the pump. The screens can now deliver MAP-sold ads as part of the rotating on-screen messages.
The moves build on a broader repositioning of MAP as a full-funnel media network that connects in-club, online and off-site engagement with transaction data.
Measurement, Omnichannel Expansions
First outlined earlier this month, the Retail Experience Network framework focuses on tying media exposure to verified purchases using membership data. According to Sam’s Club, this allows brands to measure performance across channels while also testing new formats aimed at influencing shoppers earlier in the decision journey.
Sam’s Club also introduced “Expert Review Videos” and the “MAP Influencer Program,” to amplify both real shopper and paid influencer perspectives and experiences with product purchases.
The influencer program connects brands with a network of creators to produce social-first content tied back to sales, while Expert Review Videos place third-party product insights directly on e-commerce pages.
Additionally, tablets are being added to Sam’s Club’s demo carts to further elevate the shopping experience by letting members rate and review items they sample in-club. By scanning their membership ID, they can submit a rating and review on the spot. These reviews are automatically published to the product detail page (PDP).
GhostBed Case Study
Mattress and bedding company GhostBed used Expert Review Videos to build trust and help members evaluate their purchase by featuring a licensed physical therapist. The video ad provided informative content directly to the PDP. Combined with MAP media, this approach drove stronger consideration and delivered approximately 4x sales lift, according to a media release.
New MAP Partnerships
The retailer is also expanding its measurement capabilities beyond its own ecosystem. Through a partnership with Circana, MAP now offers “Rest of Market” analysis, designed to show how campaigns perform across other retailers in addition to Sam’s Club.
Off-site media is another focus area. MAP’s integration with Meta allows advertisers to reach Sam’s Club shoppers on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, with attribution tied back to transactions via a clean room environment powered by LiveRamp.
Across both announcements, the emphasis is on linking newer in-store and experiential formats with closed-loop measurement, an area of increasing focus as retailer media networks push to demonstrate incremental impact beyond impressions.
