Tesco woos brands with major ad platform expansion

Tesco is ratcheting up its retail media operation by expanding the range of onsite and in-store channels, offering new advertising slots on Scan as You Shop handsets and boosting in-store digital screens, while also giving brands product placement opportunities in its own ads.

The initiative, being led by Tesco Media & Insight Platform, powered by DunnHumby, was unveiled at an Upfront event in London, at which the retailer also revealed it has been working with ad industry client body ISBA to drive standardisation of measurement across retail media.

With Scan As You Shop media placements, Tesco claims to be the first retailer in the UK to introduce dynamic ad served display media onto in-store handsets.

Meanwhile, new tesco.com and app ads include ‘Sponsored Browse’, ‘Special Offers’ and ‘Favourites’ placements, while there are also product placement opportunities on Tesco’s own advertising across TV, social, radio, print, OOH and in-store.

Tesco also claims it has double the digital screens of any other grocery network, with 1,000+ in-store digital screens, and 500+ SmartScreens outside stores; last week Sainsbury’s said it was expanding its connected digital screen network to over 800 screens, including the launch of a new in-store network.

With closed loop measurement, it is claimed brands can also prove and improve the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Tesco Media & Insight Platform managing director Nick Ashley said: “We are leading the way in retail media, giving brands and agencies the power to truly shape what Britain buys, with Tesco Media now standing shoulder to shoulder with the established media houses.

“This scale, combined with our advanced closed-loop measurement and cutting-edge data science, allows brands partnering with Tesco Media to connect with shoppers like never before.”

Ashley insists that retail media offers a huge opportunity for brands to inspire and convert shoppers at scale.

He added: “Tesco Media is uniquely placed with its unrivalled data and insight to help brands and agencies realise this opportunity to sharpen their media plans and connect with shoppers. Whether display, search, out of home, in-store, offsite, digital, radio – the list is endless – brands and agencies working with Tesco Media to power their retail media are seeing phenomenal results.”

When it comes to the standardisation of measurement across retail media, ISBA head of media Bobi Carley said: “Our unified goal led by brands is to drive responsible retail media investment. We have been working collaboratively with Tesco Media over the last year in our pursuit of retail media measurement standardisation.

“Our ambition with Tesco Media is to drive consistency and transparency in the retail advertising ecosystem, benefiting both brands and consumers alike.”

Tesco group loyalty, membership and CRM director Tash Whitmey concluded: “Retail media is an increasingly important part of the media mix. In the last year we’ve significantly expanded our offering across online, in store and offsite and had the pleasure of seeing a record number of campaigns through our Tesco Media & Insight Platform, powered by DunnHumby.

“With over 21 million active households and over 12 mission regular app users, we’re using our unrivalled digital platform to help brands connect with their customers in a meaningful way, at scale.”