News Briefs

Western Union is transforming its marketing screen assets into a retail media network with the help of Vistar Media.

Under an agreement, Vistar will manage and monetize Western Union’s growing network of more than 2,200 digital out-of-home screens across the U.S., Canada and Brazil.

Western Union began with a mix of existing and newly installed screens, many of which were previously underutilized. Through Vistar's technology, these screens have been revitalized, according to a news release. This enables Western Union to manage its network with precision while unlocking programmatic and enhancing direct buying revenue streams.

The retail media network is aimed at reaching diverse audiences, according to the news release. The screens are strategically located in the heart of multicultural neighborhoods and reside where people are cashing checks, sending money or shopping at grocery, convenience and other retailers.

The screens provide a unique touchpoint at critical moments of decision-making. Data indicates that Western Union's customers are 70% more likely to make a purchase immediately after engaging with these services, highlighting the network’s potential to drive impactful results for brands, the news release said.

"Western Union’s approach to building a media network aligned perfectly with Vistar’s mission to redefine what’s possible in digital out-of-home advertising,” said Eric Lamb, SVP, enterprise solutions at Vistar Media, in the release. “With our modern stack of technology solutions, we’ve helped Western Union turn screens that were once underutilized into a vibrant, high-performing media network. This partnership showcases how advanced technology can empower a global financial leader to connect authentically with a specific audience, generate meaningful revenue and drive measurable results for advertisers.”

In addition to managing Western Union's network, Vistar's tech has provided key mediation capabilities and integrations, ensuring the efficient execution of campaigns across geographies. It further solidified the partnership’s success as the network expands into new markets.

"Partnering with Vistar Media has been a game-changer for us,” said Josh Bernstein, Director, Media Network Operations at Western Union. “With their advanced technology, we’ve turned screens that were once underperforming into a dynamic media network that truly reflects the communities we serve. Vistar’s tools have not only made managing our network seamless but have also opened the door to new revenue opportunities, all while helping us connect our advertisers with multicultural audiences who are often overlooked by traditional advertising."

Retail media is evolving as retailers such as The Home Depot and CVS Health move away from single, all-in-one platforms in favor of a more flexible approach through modular solutions.

In response to this industry trend, retail media technology company Pentaleap and orchestration platform Vantage have partnered to help retailers, marketplaces and e-commerce platforms develop and expand their retail media networks (RMNs). 

Modern RMNs require seamless integration of on-site, in-store, and off-site ad placements. Vantage serves as a centralized hub for retail media, supporting functions such as campaign planning, management, media buying, reporting and billing, according to a joint media release. 

Pentaleap, on the other hand, focuses on optimizing retailer on-site ad inventory. The Pentaleap ad server connects major search advertising platforms and retail media DSPs with real-time bidding to enhance ad relevance and yield.

By combining their capabilities, the partners aim to offer retailers a scalable and adaptable alternative to traditional retail media solutions. This should enable retailers to implement and grow their RMNs without extensive technical resources while maintaining flexibility in their technology stack.

Key Aspects of the Partnership:

• Pentaleap’s ad-serving technology enhances ad placements and revenue potential.
• Vantage consolidates onsite, offsite and in-store ad placements in a single platform.
• Retailers can customize their RMN technology without being constrained by a one-size-fits-all system.

Vantage and Pentaleap work with various RMNs, including The Home Depot’s Orange Apron, to power its self-service ad platform and enhance its sponsored products strategy, respectively. 

Dunnhumby has partnered with Osmos, a specialist in advanced ad-serving tech, on Dunnhumby’s Retail Media Platform.

The integration comes at a crucial time as retailers seek to maximize the value of their retail media networks. By incorporating Osmos' capabilities, Dunnhumby further strengthens its position as a complete retail media solution provider for retailers to scale and optimize their retail media arms.

Designed for seamless omnichannel campaigns, Osmos integrates shopper behavior, store inventory and predictive AI to optimize targeting and media spend. The platform uses in-store transactions and long loop data for more precise targeting, personalized marketing campaigns and optimized media spend across multiple channels, including in-store.

The partnership with Osmos enhances Dunnhumby's ecosystem by providing clients with:

• Rapid deployment: Retailers can launch a retail media business and generate revenue within 6-8 weeks.
• Simple integration: The retail media platform seamlessly connects with existing marketing and advertising systems.
• Complete picture: Retailers and brands can track revenue, manage inventory and view consolidated performance reports in one place.
• Centralized and streamlined operations: Customizable automated order systems and intuitive workflows.
   

"In today’s highly competitive retail environment, retail media represents a significant opportunity for increasing revenue and driving growth,” said Matt O'Grady, Dunnhumby President of the Americas, in a news release. "Many retailers and brands struggle to know where to start when growing their retail media business. Dunnhumby can help retailers at any point in their retail media journey, providing tools and expertise to accelerate growth."

Multi-channel advertising platform StackAdapt has partnered with global retail media platform Zitcha. 

The collaboration allows brands of all sizes — particularly mid-market companies — to leverage retail media opportunities traditionally limited to top-tier enterprises, according to a joint media release. 

By integrating Zitcha’s platform with StackAdapt’s programmatic capabilities, brands can access, scale and optimize their retail media campaigns across key regions, including North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

The Zitcha platform was built to help retailers unify their onsite, offsite and in-store advertising into a single, streamlined system. 

Through StackAdapt’s API integration, brands can leverage insights, inventory and measurement tools to run personalized campaigns across multiple channels, including display, video and connected TV (CTV). 

“Programmatic is going to play a big part in the retail media ecosystem, helping RMNs maximize the value of their inventory beyond core sales capabilities,” Troy Townsend, CEO and co-founder at Zitcha, said in the release. “By joining forces with StackAdapt, we’re removing the friction that has kept brands from fully embracing it.”

“We are excited to partner with Zitcha to unlock greater retail media opportunities for brands and retailers worldwide,” Renee Caceres, head of retail media, StackAdapt, said in the release. “This partnership allows brands to tap into the full potential of retail media networks, eliminating typical barriers and making it easier for SMBs to access the data, measurement and inventory needed for success.”

Zitcha is the first retail media platform to integrate StackAdapt’s programmatic advertising capabilities. By leveraging StackAdapt’s global presence, Zitcha is bolstering its expansion into the U.S., in addition to its presence in key markets including the U.K., EMEA, and APAC.

Koddi, a retail and commerce media technology company, has partnered with Checkatrade, a platform that connects U.K. homeowners with tradespeople, to enhance its advertising program. 

Leveraging Koddi’s commerce media technologies, the Checkatrade platform will offer tradespeople data-driven advertising solutions to help them attract potential clients with greater precision and optimize their spend, according to a media release. 

New enhancements also include personalized pricing strategies, enabling trade category-specific floor and ceiling prices designed to adapt to industry dynamics.

Additionally, Koddi’s score-based ad placements will help tradespeople reach relevant homeowners to maximize their visibility and ad effectiveness.

Checkatrade’s tradespeople will also gain access to performance insights, including metrics such as share of voice, time to live and performance by job category and location. These tools enable tradespeople to monitor and optimize their campaigns in real time.

Checkatrade has a network of more than 50,000 vetted trade businesses. 

“Our decision to partner with Koddi came down to a few key factors: product strength and team expertise,” Gabriella Overeem-Yee, managing director of innovation at Checkatrade, said in the release. “Koddi’s program management approach and high-calibre team provided confidence in ongoing support, particularly during the early stages of adoption.”

“The sheer volume of traffic on Checkatrade makes ad relevance essential to cut through the noise and stand out,” added Paul Dahill, managing director of EMEA sales at Koddi. “We focused on enhancing targeting, optimization and relevance to help tradespeople connect with more potential customers, gain deeper insights into their advertising performance and ultimately win more projects.”

Ahold Delhaize USA’s (ADUSA) retail media arm is enhancing the way shoppers engage with products at the point of purchase. 

AD Retail Media has partnered with Inmar Intelligence, a technology and media solution provider, to add digital incentives to in-store advertising for CPG partners at Food Lion, The Giant Company, Giant Food, Hannaford and Stop & Shop stores, according to a media release. 

The ad solutions build on ADUSA’s recent partnership with Inmar to improve personalization and the omnichannel experience by enhancing its digital coupons. Inmar replaced Neptune Retail Solutions (formerly Quotient) as the retail group’s exclusive digital coupon provider.

Leveraging Inmar’s technology, this new collaboration will combine category-relevant creative strategies and the ability to reach shoppers during influential moments in their shopping journey. The partners believe that providing shoppers an immediate and compelling reason to act will help brands capture shoppers’ attention and drive engagement at the shelf.

Additionally, Inmar’s measurement tools will provide CPG companies with insights to measure the impact of their in-store advertising investment on shopper outcomes.

“In-store advertising continues to be a vital component of our retail media strategy, enabling our CPG partners to effectively engage customers with relevant product information,” Bobby Watts, senior vice president of AD Retail Media, said in the release.

“By integrating in-store advertising with incentives, we are creating a seamless path to purchase that not only enhances visibility but also drives shopper action,” added Rob Weisberg, president & EVP, martech solutions, Inmar. “This collaboration with AD Retail Media empowers CPG brands to engage customers with relevant promotions at key decision-making moments, ultimately strengthening brand connections and delivering measurable results.”