Context is King: The power of in-store retail media in convenience

From the Retail MediaX Podcast with Internet Retailing

In-store media is evolving fast—and in many ways, it’s still underrated. In this episode of Retail MediaX, Colin Lewis is joined by Dean Harris, Head of Co-op Media Network, and Sam Knights, CEO of Next15 (formerly CEO of SMG), to explore the strategic power of context and how convenience retailers like Co-op are using in-store touchpoints to deliver real-world brand impact.

Here are five takeaways from the conversation, grounded in real data and direct experience.

1. Convenience Shopping Behaviors Are Fundamentally Different

Context matters. The way people shop in a Co-op convenience store is not the same as in a large-format grocery store.

“It’s unplanned, it’s impromptu, you’re in a rush… your frustration’s short, your time’s short, so you really need to go and find the thing you’re looking for and get out there as quickly as possible.” — Dean Harris

“The missions are totally different… I want something for lunch, I want the sun’s out and I want a barbecue.” — Dean Harris

Understanding these missions is essential for brands that want to influence decisions in the moment.

2. Co-op’s Studies Prove In-Store Drives Both Sales and Attention

Co-op conducted two major research studies: one with Circana on halo sales impact, and another with Lumen to measure attention.

“There was four times as many sales outside of the Co-op store than there was in it. So that shows that that in-store advertising built mental availability… in a broader market context.” — Dean Harris

“In a convenience store, [we] have twice the ad visibility… three times the attention… and then that translated into quadruple the brand recall benefits.” — Dean Harris

These findings show that in-store media can do more than convert—it can build brands and unlock wider market gains.

3. Retail Media Is a Powerful Driver of Brand Efficiency

In-store media doesn’t just capture attention—it amplifies every other media investment by improving conversion at the most critical point in the journey.

“Having a great presence in the store is actually the most important thing you can do as a brand marketer to drive efficiency in your spend.” — Sam Knights

“You can create awareness faster in store than you can through TV, through billboard advertising, because of the frequency of the trip and the engagement of the shopper.” — Sam Knights

In-store visibility impacts both brand building and return on media investment.

4. Clutter Kills: Balance Content, Context, and Store Experience

With limited attention spans and high message volume, overloading stores with too much messaging is a real risk.

“The Lumen study showed that for convenience, advertising is looked at for one second. In large format, it was 0.4 seconds.” — Dean Harris

“We try and say too much in the store, and we don’t consider layering the messaging at different points in the journey.” — Dean Harris

Co-op addresses this with a clear operational structure:

“There’s channel owners that protect the shopper experience, and there’s a retail media team. We’re asking permission to advertise in that shop.” — Dean Harris

This “healthy tension” helps balance shopper experience and commercial goals.

5. Retail Media Strategy Starts with Human Insight, Not Just Shopper Data

Retailers and brands that want to succeed with in-store media need to start with the human layer—the cognitive and behavioral truths of how people interact with physical environments.

“You need to start with human insight. Is it a screen at the start of the shopper journey is more effective because that’s the moment you look up from your phone?” — Dean Harris

“Treat it like a brand marketing campaign. Brand building framework—who are you targeting, what are you saying, what are the messages you need to deliver at specific times?” — Sam Knights

“Think about it as an always-on campaign… then create these moments through engagements, through events, through big launches.” — Sam Knights

Convenience retail offers unmatched contextual relevance, but to unlock its full power, retailers and brands must treat in-store as a strategic channel—not an afterthought. With the right insight, structure, and creativity, in-store media can drive both immediate conversion and long-term brand value.

Want to hear the full conversation?
Listen to the episode on Retail MediaX from Internet Retailing.