Kroger extends retail media network to in-store screens
The Kroger Co. is launching a new in-store digital advertising capability.
Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM), the retail media business of Kroger, is leveraging technology from Barrows Connected Stores to let participating brands deliver animated content in the store.
A new digital in-store platform built by Barrows Connected Store is designed for Kroger with technology to support campaign execution which can be combined with Kroger Precision Marketing’s sales measurement capability. The system, featuring digital screens built into sleek, integrated fixtures, will begin appearing across select Kroger stores.
“At Kroger Precision Marketing, we see the physical store as one of the most underutilized platforms for brand storytelling,” said Christine Foster, senior VP of Kroger Precision Marketing. “This is not about retrofitting TVs to walls. It’s about bringing inspiration into the in-store shopping experience — seamlessly and meaningfully. The result is a deeper level of omnichannel connectivity within the customer journey.”
Kroger Co. created Kroger Precision Marketing in 2017, in an effort to apply data science to better connect CPG brands with relevant households. The retail media network sells self-service advertising on Kroger digital properties, managed-service advertising through publisher collaborations, and programmatic advertising through its private marketplace.
[Read more: Kroger expands retail media network to connected TV, video]
Kroger Precision Marketing features nearly 2,000 participating brands and has delivered an average 25%-30% household penetration lift and 35%-40% sales lift on campaigns, according to Kroger analysis.
To participate, advertisers can leverage an in-house-developed advertising platform as well as integrations with third-party demand side platforms such as Yahoo and The Trade Desk. In an initiative that has since been concluded, Kroger previously offered CPG advertisers the chance to reach customers in select stores with Cooler Screens proprietary, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled, in-store digital “smart screens” displaying ads on cooler doors.
"We believe the future of in-store media is immersive, dynamic, and seamlessly woven into the shopper experience," said Brent Taylor, global CEO at Barrows. "With Kroger Precision Marketing, we’re not just installing screens — we’re building a flexible, measurable platform that empowers brands to connect with customers in entirely new ways."
Based in Cincinnati, The Kroger Co. operates approximately 2,800 stores under a variety of banners across the U.S., including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick 'n Save, Metro Market and Mariano's.
