Co-op is bolstering its digital media assets with an addition of 300 new front-of-store screens.
- These screens increase Co-op’s total to 9,300 screens across 2,400 stores, enhanced via a partnership with SMG.
- Focused on high footfall regions, Co-op targets Greater London, Greater Manchester, and North Yorkshire.
- The installation aims to enhance brand engagement and visibility through the Co-op Media Network.
- This expansion builds upon Co-op’s strategy to leverage its retail media capabilities.
In a strategic move to strengthen its digital media presence, Co-op plans to install 300 new front-of-store digital screens. This initiative is set to boost Co-op’s retail media offerings significantly.
Partnering with SMG, an independent retail media operator, Co-op will augment its digital screens to a total of 9,300, distributed across 2,400 stores. The focus is on areas with the highest foot traffic, including Greater London, Greater Manchester, and North Yorkshire, with the installation of 24 screens per week until January 2025.
These strategically placed screens at store entrances, foyers, or windows aim to optimize brand visibility and consumer engagement. The rollout aligns with Co-op Media Network’s broader goal to expand its digital reach, offering FMCG brands enhanced opportunities for in-store campaigns.
Co-op currently utilizes various kiosk and customer-facing screens within stores, and this expansion aims to complement those existing digital assets. Brands will now have increased opportunities to collaborate with Co-op Media Network on targeted campaigns focusing on food-to-go, food-for-later, and treat occasions.
As articulated by Co-op Food managing director Matt Hood, the screen rollout leverages Co-op’s ‘superpower’ as a media owner, with its extensive store network promising consistent ROI and heightened brand visibility. Hood emphasizes Co-op’s unrivaled shopper footfall and asserts that this investment further consolidates CMN’s position as the largest media owner in the convenience sector.
This initiative follows an earlier move by Co-op to establish itself as the UK’s first convenience retail media network, underlining its commitment to improving advertising relevance and broadening brand reach.
The digital expansion marks a strategic enhancement of Co-op’s retail media capabilities, solidifying its leadership position in the convenience sector.
