New IAB and Grocery TV research finds that marketers increasingly see in-store media as a full-funnel channel, but scale, measurement, and activation remain obstacles to greater investment.
Research/Analysis: IAB Study Says 43% of Marketers Underuse In-Store Retail Media
Nearly half of U.S. retail media buyers surveyed by IAB and Grocery TV say their organizations are not making full use of their in-store retail media investments, even as marketers increasingly view the channel as serving the entire marketing funnel.
The In-Store Retail Media’s Full-Funnel Opportunity report found that 43% of respondents believe their organizations underutilize in-store media. The research surveyed 100 U.S. retail media buyers and decision-makers with active investments in the channel.
More than 90% rated awareness or reach, consideration, sales lift, and repeat purchase or loyalty as important or essential measures when evaluating media investments. The findings suggest marketers increasingly see in-store media as serving objectives beyond its traditional role in shopper marketing and influencing purchases at the point of sale.
Scale remains a priority
Inventory and scale ranked among the top three considerations for 59% of respondents when evaluating in-store digital media investments, placing it ahead of measurement opportunities and cost or CPM.
At the same time, measurement limitations and the complexity of activating campaigns remain obstacles to additional spending. Each was cited by 27% of respondents as a leading barrier, while 23% pointed to a lack of creative resources.
The study also found differences based on which teams oversee in-store media. Organizations with dedicated retail media and national media or brand teams were more likely to say they fully leverage the channel. Those where shopper or trade marketing teams retain responsibility were more likely to report underutilization.
“For marketers, the question now is how to integrate in-store into their media strategy in a way that makes sense for their objectives, teams and investment priorities,” said Collin Colburn, vice president, commerce and retail media at IAB.
Grocery TV and IAB commissioned the research, which was conducted online in July using IAB’s Insights Engine, powered by Attest. Respondents represented brands, agencies and retail media networks.
The full In-Store Retail Media’s Full-Funnel Opportunity report is available from IAB.