Walmart Canada adds new channel to in-store advertising mix
Advertisers seeking to target shoppers in Walmart Canada stores now have an additional option.
The Canadian subsidiary of Walmart is partnering with music, media and technology company Stingray to offer digital audio advertising in its stores. Walmart Canada has joined the Stingray Retail Media Network. Under the agreement, Stingray will be responsible for exclusive sales representation, in partnership with the Walmart Connect ad platform, of all in-store digital audio advertising within the national Walmart Canada retail footprint.
As a result of this new partnership, Walmart Canada is enabling brands to reach its in-store customers through contextually relevant audio messages that are digitally ad-served via Stingray’s proprietary streaming media technology.
Walmart has big plans for Walmart Connect ad platform
In both its U.S. and Canadian operations, Walmart intends to create multiple new channels for its advertisers to directly engage with its customers. In January 2021, Walmart Media Group changed its name to Walmart Connect, with the name meant to reflect the different ways in which brands can reach the retailer’s customers. In August of that year, the discount giant followed up by officially launching its planned demand-side platform (DSP) for suppliers and their media and ad agencies in time for the 2021 holiday season.
In March 2022, the retailer outlined several important steps it plans to take with the platform this year: Notably, these included offering expanded touchpoints to reach customers wherever they are with new ad formats, like connected TV (CTV) and video, as well as omnichannel experiences – such as optimizing how brands can run promotions via self-checkout screens, TV walls, in-store events, and sampling.
“Any advertiser looking to access high-intent shoppers within a brick-and-mortar retail environment, and generate truly meaningful impressions, is a great fit for retail-based digital audio advertising,” said Ryan Fuss, senior VP, Stingray Advertising. “As a household name in the retail space, Walmart Canada is an ideal partner to be joining our growing retail media network. We’re proud and excited about this partnership and look forward to helping brands reach and connect with physical Walmart Canada shoppers nationwide.”
“We are incredibly excited to offer our advertisers the ability to extend their reach in Canada by adding Stingray’s digital audio advertising as a new offering within our omnichannel suite of solutions. The Stingray team have built a powerful new model in the programmatic audio space and their solution, combined with a focus on closed-loop measurement, aligns well with our goal of providing advertisers with innovative solutions that connect brands with customers in moments that matter,” said Dana Toering, VP, Walmart Connect Canada. “These highly customizable audio ads are the perfect complement to our existing in-store and online offerings, providing something new to brands that are looking to boost their influence with the 1.5 million shoppers who visit Walmart stores daily across Canada.”
The Stingray Retail Media Network will launch in 200 Walmart stores nationwide during April 2022. The remaining stores will launch by the end of the second quarter of 2022.
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores across Canada.