How Retailers Are Transforming Stores
into Scalable, Measurable Ad Platforms
Retail media has revolutionized how brands reach high-intent shoppers in digital channels. But as growth in eCommerce media begins to mature, attention is shifting to a new frontier: the physical store.
Across categories—from grocery to beauty to big box—retailers are increasingly investing in in-store media as a critical extension of their media networks. Whether through digital signage, audio ads, or smart displays, the goal is clear: turn physical spaces into monetizable, measurable media channels.
But while the opportunity is real, so are the challenges. In-store retail media is not just about installing screens. It requires a deep commitment to customer experience, sophisticated integration across systems, and a clear operational model.
In this post, we explore what in-store media means today, the technologies enabling it, and why experience—not inventory—is the real driver of success.
The Shape of In-Store Media Today
In-store media can take many forms:
- Digital endcap screens that deliver targeted promotions
- Shelf-edge displays showing contextual ads or product comparisons
- Audio networks playing branded messages or offers
- Smart carts or kiosks offering interactive content
- QR code-based call-to-actions that tie offline to online
Retailers from Walmart to Walgreens to Sephora are testing and scaling these formats, often integrating them with broader campaigns running on their digital channels. The goal? Deliver a seamless, omnichannel media experience that reaches shoppers wherever they are.
The Customer Experience Comes First
As in-store media evolves, one truth remains central: the customer journey is sacred.
Retail media leaders consistently emphasize that in-store ads must add value—or they shouldn’t happen at all.
This isn’t just sentimentality—it’s strategic. Shoppers walking into a store are there to fulfill a need, not to be bombarded by intrusive ads. If media disrupts that journey—or worse, makes it feel transactional—it risks undermining both the retailer’s brand and the advertiser’s intent.
Done right, in-store media should:
- Enhance product discovery
- Surface useful promotions at the right time
- Provide engaging, brand-aligned content
- Respect the pace and purpose of the shopping trip
When designed with care, these moments can improve the shopping experience, not interrupt it—and in doing so, benefit everyone, from the end customer to the retailer to the advertiser.
Technology Is Only Part of the Equation
Executing an effective in-store media strategy isn’t just about hardware—it’s about systems. Specifically:
- Inventory and content management systems that govern what appears where and when
- POS integration to allow real-time performance tracking
- Loyalty and CRM systems to enable targeting and personalization
- Ad sales platforms to manage demand, pricing, and campaigns
Retailers are experimenting with vendors ranging from STRATACACHE, Cooler Screens, and Vibenomics (to name a few), to broader integrations with platforms like Kevel, CitrusAd, and The Trade Desk.
But the most successful in-store networks are those that don’t just adopt tools—they orchestrate them. And that orchestration demands a flexible yet rigorous approach to data and system architecture.
How Salesforce Can Support In-Store Activation
While Salesforce may not be the screen provider or the content player, it can serve as a backbone for in-store retail media operations:
- Sales Cloud can help manage advertiser relationships and inventory packaging.
- Data Cloud supports identity resolution, tying in-store behavior to online activity.
- Marketing Cloud can help coordinate messaging across store and digital channels.
- Tableau enables real-time visibility into performance metrics, broken down by location, time, or product.
For example, a retailer using Salesforce can track an in-store promotion’s exposure, tie it to POS data via integration, and then visualize which placements drove the most incremental lift. Paired with other tech stacks—like Snowflake for warehousing, or Vistar Media for DOOH delivery—Salesforce becomes part of a larger, technology-agnostic system that prioritizes customer experience and operational clarity.
What It Takes to Get It Right
Launching or scaling an in-store media strategy isn’t just a technology project—it’s a transformation. And like any transformation, success depends on:
- Having a clear strategy that aligns media goals with customer journeys
- Choosing flexible systems that can integrate easily with existing retail operations
- Building operational models for content governance, campaign execution, and reporting
- Training store-level teams to understand and support the media layer
And most critically, treating in-store media not as an add-on, but as a fully integrated part of the retail media network.
Why V2 Is Uniquely Positioned to Help
V2 Strategic Advisors has spent nearly 20 years helping media and retail organizations align business models with enabling technology. We understand that no two in-store media strategies look the same—and that the smallest details often determine whether your solution scales, or stalls.
Our approach blends:
- Consultative rigor to map customer journeys and define success
- Deep system knowledge across Salesforce, Snowflake, OMS, and ad tech
- Operational insight to ensure processes work from HQ to the sales floor
In short, we don’t just advise—we build alongside you, making sure your in-store media strategy is future-ready, scalable, and above all, customer-first.
Building Trust Starts With A Conversation.
Let’s Bring Your Store Into the Media Era
In-store media is more than a trend—it’s a strategic advantage. But only if it’s done right. If you’re exploring how to expand your retail media network into the physical world—or you’ve started, but need help connecting the dots—we’re here to help.
Let’s talk about building a strategy that enhances the experience, empowers your teams, and drives real value for your business.
