Walmart pilots two new in-store ad formats
Advertisers participating in the Walmart Connect retail media network will have two new options to target customers in stores.
Walmart Connect offers advertisers the ability to serve personalized, time- and context-specific ads across customer touchpoints including media placements on in-store TV walls and self-checkout screens, Walmart digital properties, mobile devices, and corporate events.
The discount giant is beta testing two new formats for omnichannel advertising – in-store demos and in-store audio. Following are brief overviews of each option.
In-store demos
Walmart Connect is bringing in-store demonstrations that offer product samples to customers as they walk through the store in-house and scaling them across the U.S. Suppliers will soon be able to seamlessly integrate demos into their campaigns across digital and in-store experiences.
Walmart Connect launched its in-store demo pilot in April 2023 with 25 stores, and is currently offering demos each weekend (Friday through Sunday) at more than 120 stores, with the aim of expanding to 1,000 by the end of the year. Part of the goal of this test is to determine how to enhance the omnichannel experience, such as by pairing a demo cart with QR codes that link back to a curated Walmart.com landing page.
In-store audio
Walmart Connect is introducing ad spots to its in-store Walmart Radio audio out-of-home (OOH) platform, giving suppliers the ability to purchase ads by region or by store to target key markets with campaigns aligned with their strategies to help meet awareness goals.
This is the first time brands will be able to directly target Walmart customers through the Walmart Radio medium.
“We’re in the early stages of our omnichannel capabilities,” said Whitney Cooper, head of omnichannel transformation, Walmart. “But we’re already helping suppliers seamlessly combine their physical and digital marketing activations across the entire shopping journey. Most importantly, we can’t wait to introduce more ways to inspire our omni customers by helping them discover new products and connect with brands they’ll love.
Walmart expands Walmart Connect functionality
Starting this month, Walmart is making creative partners available to self-serve advertisers participating in Walmart Connect. As part of this expansion, Walmart is renaming its Walmart Connect partnership ecosystem as the Walmart Connect Partner Network.
Other enhancements Walmart has made to Walmart Connect in the past year include introducing its new Innovation Partners program, which provides what the discount giant calls “test and learn” opportunities with social, entertainment, digital TV commerce and livestreaming, in time for the 2022 holiday season.
In addition, Walmart partnered with e-commerce management platform CommerceIQ to offers automated management of sponsored product and sponsored brand amplifier advertising for CPG brands that target its customers via Walmart Connect.