The Fresh Market combines live shopping, ad targeting
The Fresh Market is enabling CPG companies to run ads during its shoppable live videos.
The specialty grocer is expanding an existing partnership with video commerce platform Firework to launch what it calls a shoppable video-live commerce (SVLC) retail media network. The Fresh Market is enabling its partner CPG brands to run targeted video ads as sponsors across its ongoing series of shoppable livestream videos, which feature offerings such as holiday meal prep tutorials and chef-developed recipes.
Retail media networks provide retailers’ brand partners with direct promotional access to shopper. Typically, the networks deliver targeted ads to segmented consumers via channels such as in-store digital displays, as well as online advertisements and connected TV. They emerged from the grocery sector, which remains the primary vertical where retail media networks are found.
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The Fresh Market is putting its own spin on the retail media network model by integrating it with livestream shopping. Although livestream commerce remains far more popular in Asia than in the U.S., leading retailers such as Walmart and Amazon are actively involved in shoppable videos.
However, Instagram is ceasing its live shopping operation in March, following the October 2022 decision by its parent company Facebook to exit the shoppable video space.
In one potential good sign for livestream commerce, 57% of Gen Z consumers recently surveyed by Tata Consultancy Services were interested in livestream shopping capabilities.
“Overall, the combined viewership of our first four Firework-powered livestreams exceeded 2 million views and we saw conversion rates of the special occasion meals featured in the livestream shoppable videos to be over 300% greater than our traditional digital advertising results," said Kevin Miller, chief marketing officer at The Fresh Market. “Having proven the power of Firework’s video commerce content in 2022, we’re excited to offer our partners an innovative and differentiated means of storytelling in an entertaining new way. We call it ‘shoppertainment’.”
“This newly expanded partnership is a game-changer, not only for The Fresh Market, but also for the entire retail media network landscape,” said Renee Caceres, VP of U.S. retail media at Firework. “With Firework’s video commerce platform, The Fresh Market is able to truly differentiate itself in the market by offering brands the opportunity to engage, inspire and convert shoppers in a way that is far more compelling than the traditional search and static display retail media network offerings. Together, we’re enabling a fully integrated customer experience — bringing the immersive in-store experience online.”
Based in Greensboro, N.C., The Fresh Market currently operates 159 stores in 22 states across the U.S.