SMG – which runs the retail media networks for Boots, Morrisons, Co-op, Asda and The Very Group – has launched what it claims is the first travel-focused, in-store retail media network in North America, with WH Smith.
The WH Smith North America Media Network – to be known as WHS Media - will provide advertisers with “unmatched opportunities to connect with high-intent consumers” across WH Smith’s 347 locations across the US and Canada, including stores at airports, railway stations and resorts.
The announcement comes after SMG’s work stateside – it launched agency Threefold in New York in 2023 – rebranded to SMG North America earlier this month. The move marked “a major milestone in its global journey” the company said, with the launch of WHS Media a “pivotal moment” for the business.
“The launch represents an exciting new chapter for WH Smith North America on our ongoing journey to create more exciting and engaging retail experiences for consumers in travel,” said Toby Keir, CEO at WH Smith North America.
“We’ve been hard at work for the past year with the team at SMG to build this entirely unique retail media offering tailored to the needs of our supplier brands, and we are thrilled to bring it to market in partnership with them. With significant store growth in the pipeline, opportunities for brands will only expand.”
WH Smith North America covers more than 347 retail locations, including Marshall Retail Group and InMotion stores, and the new media network will be able to “activate campaigns across diverse touchpoints”, including connecting with audiences during peak times, such as holidays, sports events and professional conferences.
It will be backed by numerous second and third-party data sources, to offer advanced targeting options, including behavioural and location-based data.
“We’re creating a powerful connection between brands and travellers across prime locations that hasn’t been possible with existing retail media networks on the market,” said Sam Knights, CEO at SMG.
“This network combines robust targeting capabilities with experiential marketing, creating memorable brand interactions that extend beyond the shopping journey. As the experts behind the largest retail media networks in the UK, we’re thrilled to launch this unique offering in the US with the brilliant team at WH Smith North America, who are as passionate as we are about revolutionising retail.”
SMG is responsible for trading more than £1.9m in retail media daily. It operates five of the largest retail media networks across the UK, including LS Eleven Media Services, Boots Media Group, Morrisons Media Group, Co-op Media Network, and The Very Group.
The company had been comprised of three arms: agency Threefold, which builds and operates retail media networks on behalf of retailers; its commerce marketing tech arm, Plan-Apps; and its brand-facing business, Capture which specialises in delivering campaigns for brands including Procter & Gamble, Diageo, and General Mills. SMG has since retired those sub-brands and “unified its operations under one global identity”.
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