Retail Media Networks (RMNs)

Retail Media Networks (RMNs) are retailer-owned advertising platforms that allow brands to purchase highly targeted, data-driven ad inventory directly at the point of purchase, both in physical stores and across digital e-commerce ecosystems.

Strategic Shift in Power

RMNs represent a fundamental shift in power from FMCG/alcohol brands to retailers. Because retailers own the closed-loop transaction and the loyalty program data, they possess a monopoly on first-party behavioral insights. Brands, facing a discovery-gap online, are increasingly forced to pay the retailer to access this data and secure visibility on the digital shelf.

Examples in Alcohol Retail

• coles-group (Coles 360): Integrates commercial screens and intelligent, predictive in-store audio. By aligning audio ads with real-time sales demand profiles, they interrupt the shopper journey at the exact moment of highest conversion probability.
• endeavour-group: Leverages its massive loyalty database to offer hyper-personalized digital promotions, forcing brands to participate in their ecosystem to maintain market share.

RMNs provide the closed-loop incrementality measurement that brands crave, making them a mandatory toll for shelf visibility rather than an optional marketing expense.