For a CPG brand deciding where to put its retail media budget, the choice between Kroger, Sam's Club, and CVS is not a question of scale but of fit. A location intelligence analysis of the three retailers' foot traffic, published by Placer.ai, finds that each network serves a distinctly different shopper: Kroger's banners reach diverse audiences in search of discovery and inspiration, Sam's Club attracts visitors motivated in part by fuel discounts and value, and CVS engages mission-driven consumers on frequent weekday trips. The right partner depends on which of those behaviors your campaign needs.
Introduction: Navigating Retail Media for CPG Brands
Retail media has grown quickly enough to overwhelm both retailers and the brands advertising on them. Bain, advising consumer goods companies on the channel, describes an environment where the proliferation of networks and the investment required to build them has left many offerings underdeveloped and CPG sales and marketing teams in "considerable tension regarding how to invest." The upside, in Bain's framing, is precise and personalized marketing with high conversion rates, a deeper understanding of the shopper journey, and a cost-efficient test-and-learn mechanism.
NIQ, in its guide for CPGs, adds the practical appeal: ads placed near the point of purchase shorten the consumer's journey and can drive immediate conversions, while the underlying data lets brands refine strategy and predict trends. But proximity only pays if the shoppers passing the screen are the ones your brand wants. That is where the three networks diverge sharply.
