Chicago-based Cooler Screens is working with New York firm Place Exchange to connect brands with programmatic in-store advertising.

Advertisers and agencies can now access the Cooler Screens in-store retail digital media platform programmatically. Cooler Screens, which is creating what it says will be the world’s largest in-store digital media, marketing and merchandising platform, is partnering with Place Exchange, a programmatic technology platform, to reach consumers more effectively.

The collaboration aims to draw brands closer to the customer decision-making process in aisles across retailers such as Walgreens, Kroger, Giant Eagle, Chevron and CVS. This lets brands make a larger impact and give shoppers information to make more informed purchases.

Omnicom Media Group is the first to leverage in-store retail ad space for programmatic media, interfacing with shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores across the USA.

“As retailers are launching new and evolving formats in their stores and enabling programmatic access to that inventory, this provides the opportunity for our brands to connect with consumers at the point of purchase with a new level of relevance,” said Megan Pagliuca, chief activation officer at Omnicom Media Group.

Demand-side platforms — including Quotient, Amobee and MediaMath — facilitate the delivery of in-store digital media to consumers through the Place Exchange integration.

Cooler Screens in-store digital surfaces bring the power of digital advertising technology to brick-and-mortar retail, where 90% of sales for food, beverage, and health products take place. As the pandemic fades and customers return to physical retailers, Cooler Screens offers brands a way to meet customers in the aisle while building brand awareness and consideration when they have the intention to buy.

With over 10,000 screens across over 700 retail locations, Cooler Screens allows brands and agencies to reach over 95 million viewers a month. Through programmatic ad spaces, consumers can receive contextually relevant branded content while in a shopping mindset, empowering them to make better decisions, and strengthen their relationship with their product of choice.

“Cooler Screens’ new ad offerings unlock opportunities for interactive media to connect with consumers through full-screen, 4K digital displays,” said Arsen Avakian, CEO of Cooler Screens. “Programmatic ad buys give brands unique, validated advertising at scale to drive increased sales and brand equity simultaneously. Omnicom leverages Cooler Screens’ in-store retail media network to measure attribution and adjust their campaigns to account for unique customer insights.”

Cooler Screens has partnered with ad tech companies to help advertisers and marketing professionals streamline their omnichannel ad campaigns using the same demand-side platforms as other digital media. The integration gives advertisers granular and expansive control over their brand’s presence and presentation in in-store ad spaces.

Programmatic demand partners include Quotient, a pioneer in omnichannel marketing strategies and engagement-driven retail advertising. Its demand-side offering, activated on Cooler Screens’ ad spaces, enable ad buyers to manage campaign goals at scale and raise both brand awareness and consideration through contextually relevant ads.

“Today’s consumer shopping experience bridges the digital and physical worlds, and it’s critical for marketers to engage consumers and unify messaging across the shopping journey,” said Ari Buchalter, CEO of Place Exchange. “Combining advanced targeting and measurement capabilities with the impact of life-sized real-world messaging at the point of sale, in-store media is an incredibly powerful addition to the marketing mix, and we are excited to partner with Cooler Screens to transform the in-store marketing category.”

With 90% of food, beverage and health category purchases still taking place in physical stores, Cooler Screens enable retailers to quantify and improve consumer experiences and allow brands to drive sales and build brand equity by connecting with consumers in store.