Retail Media
Retail media and digital signage: how to create in-store advertising campaigns
Learn how to turn your store screens into a controllable advertising channel for brand and product campaigns, close to the point of purchase.
What is retail media in a physical store
Retail media is the advertising that a retailer sells or grants to brands to reach their customers within its own channels. Traditionally associated with e-commerce, the concept also has a physical version: the spaces and surfaces in the store that can display third-party messages.
Within the physical store, retail media leverages the touchpoints that the retailer controls: digital screens, signage, display areas or the shelf itself. The key difference compared to outdoor advertising is that the message appears at the exact moment and place where the purchase decision is made.
This is not simply putting an ad on a screen. It involves advertising planning: defining which brands or products appear, in which stores, in which locations and for how long. The retailer becomes a publisher of advertising space, and the physical store is integrated into the retail media ecosystem.
Where digital signage fits into retail media
Digital signage is the technical infrastructure that enables digital content to be shown on screens located in the store. For retail media, those screens cease to be just a channel for the retailer's own communication and become advertising touchpoints.
Each screen has a different value depending on its location. A screen in the shop window or near the entrance reaches more customers but with less specific purchase intent. A screen in the snacks aisle or by the drinks fridge reaches a customer who is already choosing in that category. The point of sale captures attention while waiting and can reinforce the decision or drive impulse purchases.
That variety of contexts allows the retailer to offer brands segmented spaces: appearing on the main screen is not the same as appearing in the fresh produce area. Well-organised digital signage transforms each screen into a measurable and controllable advertising medium.
From a single screen to a controllable advertising channel
Having screens is not enough. The critical step is being able to manage what is published on each screen in an organised way. Without a control system, each screen is an isolated element; with one, they become an advertising network.
The organisation should allow screens to be grouped by store, by area (entrance, aisles, checkouts), by specific location or even by orientation. Campaigns are defined on top of that structure: which content is assigned to which screens and during which time slots.
Time-based control is especially relevant. The same physical space can have different audiences at different times: workers at midday, families in the afternoon, last-minute shoppers in the evening. An effective retail media campaign does not have to look the same all day; it can adapt to the commercial context without changing the infrastructure.
That ability to segment and schedule is what differentiates a simple video player from an advertising channel with value for brands.
What retail media campaigns you can run in-store
In-store retail media campaigns can serve very different objectives. Not all are aggressive promotions; the range is wide.
A product launch can be supported by screens near the shelf to explain new features or ingredients. A brand campaign may simply seek presence and reinforcement of awareness, appearing on high-traffic screens. Featured products can rotate weekly to give visibility to references with margin or commercial priority. And sponsored promotions, financed wholly or partially by a brand, turn the space into direct revenue.
Each type of campaign requires different planning: launches need frequency and proximity to the product, promotions need clarity in the message and urgency, brand campaigns seek visual impact and association.
The retailer can combine these formats and offer brands a portfolio of possibilities, from basic presence on secondary screens to premium packages with prime locations and peak traffic times.
Timing is also part of the campaign
A retail media campaign does not have to be static. Time scheduling allows the message to be adapted to the time of day and the type of customer in the store.
In the morning, the message can focus on breakfast or convenience products. At midday, on fast food options or set menus. In the afternoon, on snacks or grab-and-go products. Each time slot can have a different creative for the same product or for different products, according to the commercial plan.
Scheduling also allows agreements between brands to be respected: a brand can buy presence only at certain times, or a retailer can reserve certain moments for its own communication without conflicts.
This time-based approach makes digital signage a much more flexible medium than printed signage. Content can be updated without production costs and without physical intervention in store, provided the platform allows simple scheduling.
Practical example of an in-store retail media campaign
Imagine a burger chain that wants to promote its new creation: La Clásica Ahumada, a beef burger with cheddar cheese, caramelised onion and smoky sauce. The goal is to raise awareness of the product and increase trial during the first month.
The marketing manager defines the campaign in three phases. First, select the screens: store entrances, counter area and screens above the ordering area. The entrance will capture initial attention, the counter will reinforce the decision and the pick-up area will remind them of the brand.
Then, prepare the content: a main piece with product image and launch message, a short version for the counter that highlights the ingredients and a final piece with a call to action to try it.
Finally, schedule the campaign: higher intensity during meal times (12:00–14:00 and 19:00–21:00), reduced frequency in the afternoon and specific messages for weekends. Everything is organised on a platform that allows publishing, pausing or modifying without visiting each store.
This example shows how the same product can be communicated differently depending on location and timing, maximising impact without increasing costs.
How to get started using the screens you already have
You don't need to install new screens to start doing retail media. The first step is to audit what already exists: how many screens there are, where they are located, what size they are and what content they currently show.
Then, classify each screen by its function and context: entrance, aisles, product areas, checkouts. Assign labels that allow them to be grouped later, such as "main entrance", "cold zone", "point of sale".
Next, define a pilot campaign with a clear objective. It can be promoting your own product or selling the space to a brand. Prepare content adapted to each location and establish basic scheduling by time slots.
Publish the campaign and monitor results: observe changes in sales, customer questions or in-store interaction. Adjust frequency, message or locations according to what works.
With that learning, you already have a repeatable model. Gradually you can expand to more screens, more simultaneous campaigns and agreements with brands, turning your store into a real advertising channel.
Templates for retail media campaigns
Manage retail media campaigns with iMediaGO
Start using your store screens as an advertising channel. With iMediaGO you can organise, schedule and publish retail media campaigns simply and with full control.