In-Store Media

Personalization, localization, interaction, “limited edition” retail and store experience. These are the top priorities — to varying degrees — for retailers as they look to bridge the divide between online and offline retail in the physical space. Here’s a look at how it plays out in three new stores:

Sporting goods and apparel retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors has renewed multi-year contracts with Auburn University and the University of Alabama. The renewal means that it will continue to sell the universities’ licensed products in its 13 Alabama stores.
 
The retailer is currently an official sponsor of University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide and official sporting goods retailer for Auburn University’s Tigers, and has been working with the two universities for several years.
 

Short Hills, N.J. — Visit Machu Picchu in Peru at The Mall at Short Hills this summer. In partnership with PromPeru: The Commission on the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism, The Mall at Short Hills will feature Peru-themed promotions from June 13 through July 10.

Highlights include:

An interactive exhibit of Machu Picchu: The centerpiece of the effort is a 20 X 30 ft. exhibit of the fabled Machu Picchu, the Incan citadel named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a 2007 international Internet poll.

BJ's Wholesale Club has renewed and expanded its in-Club advertising contract with IZ-ON Media, a digital media company specializing in in-store shopper marketing services.

For the past three years, IZ-ON Media has provided content programming and delivery, network operations and advertising sales for the BJ's HDTV Network. According to the renewed and expanded deal’s terms, IZ-ON Media will also represent the BJ's In-Club Radio Network.

Austin, Texas – Three-quarters (75%) of retail marketers believe that digital advertising delivers a higher ROI than offline advertising, including circulars and direct mail. A survey of 200 retail marketing decision-makers and influencers commissioned by RetailMeNot Inc. and conducted by Kelton, shows that despite this belief, 51% of respondents said digital marketing spend in retail compared to offline marketing spend is still about 50/50.

Atlanta — Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. announced plans to launch a major remodeling program across its nationwide network of nearly 3,400 Arby's quick-service sandwich restaurants.

The turnkey revitalization initiative includes a new building image, team member re-training program and franchisee remodel financing solution.  

As the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry, Ace Hardware knows plenty about paint. But it turns out it may also know a thing or two about nail color. In the first-ever collaboration of its kind, Ace Hardware has partnered with nail lacquer brand OPI to create an exclusive color palette by Clark+Kensington, Ace’s premium paint line.

The new color palette will launch this month in more than 3,200 Ace Hardware stores nationwide and offer consumers the opportunity to adopt their favorite nail lacquer colors as part of their home décor.

Philadelphia — Urban Outfitters has opened a “lifestyle center” store,  in Manhattan’s Herald Square neighborhood. The 57,000-sq.ft. store is the brand’s largest location to date, and its13th store in New York City. It includes such extras as a hair salon, bookshop, coffee bar and photography shop that lets shoppers print their photos from Instagram.