The news: Brands can now programmatically buy GSTV’s network of gas pump screen ads through VIOOH, a supply-side platform (SSP) that serves digital-out-of-home (DOOH) inventory.

GSTV placements are offered at more than 29,000 fueling stations and convenience stores across the US and include full-sound, unskippable content. Their four-minute video loops are meant to span the average amount of time it takes to fill up a gas tank. GSTV also offers measurable reach data, available within VIOOH’s platform.

Why this matters: The GSTV-VIOOH partnership gives brands a direct means of driving purchases at convenience stores, where consumers are more willing to buy instantly without first consulting reviews or price comparisons. The spontaneity of this shopping behavior makes the in-the-moment reach of gas pump screens—many of which are feet away from C-stores—especially powerful.

Activating gas pumps as a standalone channel could drive sales, but doing so through a programmatic network could yield better business outcomes. Brands can plan spend as part of larger in-store commerce media strategies, using gas pumps to generate lower-funnel KPIs while driving upper-funnel awareness, such as product and brand consideration, through other DOOH placements.

Recommendations for brands: View screens at gas pumps as an opportunity to drive incremental sales, but don’t assume a four-minute ad loop will have consumers’ undivided attention.

• Deploy ads that are audio-forward in their message delivery to combat the likelihood that consumers will be on their phones as they pump gas.
• Prioritize conversion-based performance—if gas pump screen takeovers aren’t directly contributing to sales, move ad dollars elsewhere.

Combine GSTV’s reach data and VIOOH’s targeting tools to engage the same audiences with different in-store commerce touchpoints. Audience duplication shouldn’t be a big concern if ads are addressing different points of the funnel and working together to guide a consumer through their purchasing journey.

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