In-store retail media is moving beyond pilot programs and becoming a strategic priority for major brands, with leading consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies now operationalizing campaigns across budgets, teams, and measurement frameworks to reach shoppers where most purchase decisions are made.

"Why would you not want to advertise at point of purchase when decisions are being made?" said Natalie Cammerino, national consumer promotions lead at Mars Snacking, speaking at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's (IAB) Connected Commerce Summit. "Everyone who walks through that door is a potential buyer."

The discussion, featuring Cammerino and Marlow Nickell, co-founder and CEO of Grocery TV, explored how Mars leverages in-store media to drive conversion and what it takes to build a scalable strategy in this emerging channel.

Four factors driving in-store media adoption

The in-store media landscape has evolved significantly, with several key developments enabling brands to move from experimentation to scale, according to Nickell. He said Grocery TV's network alone reaches 100 million shoppers weekly with $1 billion in transaction value.

"The scale is really starting to get there," he said. "There are 120 retailers we partner with, as well as other retailers that are building their own networks. You can reach over a third, if not half of America."

Retailers are moving beyond "slap dash" installations to strategic placements that respect the customer experience while delivering value for brands. Additionally, standard matched-market regression analysis and third-party measurement solutions now provide reliable ROI data at the campaign level.

While brands are still determining where in-store media fits within their organizational structure, companies like Mars have established clear ownership and funding mechanisms, according to Cammerino.

Where in-store media fits

For Mars Snacking, in-store media sits squarely within below-the-line budgets alongside shopper marketing and consumer promotions, not traditional media budgets.

"For me, in-store is critical," said Cammerino. "If you look at our category, we're an impulse buy. Most people are not putting us on their shopping list, and most people don't even want to go down the aisle to buy it."

The distinction matters because in-store media serves a different purpose than brand-building campaigns. While traditional media focuses on building brand love and awareness, in-store media drives immediate conversion.

"Media is all about, here are all the reasons why you should love me," said Cammerino. "But for us, you need to buy us now. And that's what happens in the store."

Brands considering in-store media need to determine whether their primary objective is brand awareness or conversion. For impulse categories and products not typically on shopping lists, in-store media delivers both awareness and conversion at the critical moment of purchase decision.

Measuring in-store media impact

The industry has overcomplicated measurement for in-store media by trying to replicate digital attribution models in physical retail environments, according to Nickell.

"There's been this knee-jerk reaction because of on-site and off-site to try to port that over to the store," he said. "The reality is for screens that are in stores, that's a one-to-many kind of human experience."

Mars' holiday campaign demonstrated strong results across multiple metrics, showing lift in both featured brands and total brand portfolio, a critical distinction that prevents cannibalization.

"You can look at just a featured brand and say, 'Oh, it did its job,'" Cammerino noted. "But did you do that at the expense of cannibalizing your total brand? You have to make sure that in totality, the brand is moving in the right direction."

Brands should establish consistent measurement frameworks from the start rather than changing methodologies between campaigns. Clear KPIs, adequate product distribution, and contextual analysis of external factors like weather or economic conditions are essential for accurate performance assessment.

Despite the acceleration of digital shopping during COVID-19, in-store traffic remains robust.

Gen Z shoppers are particularly important for in-store strategies, though their shopping behavior differs from older generations. Cammerino said research shows 64% of Gen Z consumers shop in physical stores, but their motivations vary.

"A boomer's going in to buy something, and Gen Z is going in to experience something," she said. "And anyone who walks out through that door, whether they are Gen Z or not, can be a potential purchaser for you."

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