Retail media is evolving at lightning speed, and WHSmith North America Media Network (WHS Media) is at the forefront of the transformation. I can’t believe it’s already been a month since we launched WHS Media!
We’re just getting started, and we’re looking toward the future. On that note, I wanted to share a few ways I believe WHS Media is already a standoutin a crowded retail media market, offering a truly unique spate of opportunities for our brand clients.
Unlike traditional Retail Media Networks, WHS Media, powered by SMG North America, leverages a powerful combination of in-store and offsite digital advertising capabilities to engage consumers at key moments in their journey. By offering premium audience access, high-dwell environments, and innovative measurement capabilities, WHS Media provides brands with an unparalleled opportunity to drive meaningful engagement and measurable results.
Unmatched retail footprint
Our diverse store portfolio across travel hubs spans multiple categories, including fashion, consumables, technology, and travel. This breadth allows WHS Media to create tailored advertising opportunities that align with varied consumer needs. In-store, nearly 200 (and growing) digital screens are strategically placed in high-impact areas, from front-of-store displays to fixture locations, ensuring optimal brand visibility. With plans to double this digital screen network, brands will have even more opportunities to engage consumers directly at their point of purchase.
We already have several exciting campaigns underway that utilize these screens, including a recent campaign with PepsiCo ahead of Super Bowl LIX, which invited airport shoppers to sample new product varieties.
The power of the airport
Airport stores offer a uniquely valuable advertising opportunity. Travelers have an average dwell time of 40 minutes—far longer than the average grocery or convenience store visit—giving brands ample time to make an impression. Moreover, business and leisure travelers typically have higher disposable incomes, making them more inclined to purchase premium products.
Travelers are also more receptive to advertising, as they are outside their daily routines and more open to discovery. In a recent episode of Retail Media Therapy, hosts Colin Lewis and Viv Craske discussed this as a “second wallet.” Consumers purchase their lodging, plane tickets and more from their “first wallet,” focused on scoring deals and saving. But once they enter their airport, shoppers turn on vacation mode and tap into their “second wallet,” more willing to splurge and treat themselves.
This creates a prime opportunity for brands to introduce new products or reinforce brand messaging. WHS Media extends beyond in-store screens to include digital displays throughout airport terminals and open spaces for experiential activations, creating immersive brand experiences that resonate with the 900 million+ consumers who pass through North American airports annually.
Andrew Lipsman, Analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce recently weighed in, writing: “Airports may possess the greatest cultural significance since they can reach a more diverse, global audience on any given day.” We agree.
WHS Media is truly omnichannel
WHS Media doesn’t stop at in-store and around-the-airport activations—it extends the brand-consumer connection across multiple digital touchpoints. Through strategic partnerships with Meta and The Trade Desk, WHS Media enables brands to engage travelers before, during, and after their airport visit. These offsite capabilities ensure that brands remain top-of-mind throughout the entire travel journey, amplifying campaign effectiveness and reinforcing key messaging at critical moments.
Experiential retail is another pillar of WHS Media’s innovative approach to retail media. WHS Media actively develops activations that bring fun back to travel, offering brands opportunities to create immersive experiences that captivate and engage travelers in new and exciting ways. These memorable experiences will not only drive sales for our brand clients, but will create lasting moments for travelers that they’ll bring to their destinations and back home with them.
A focus on measurement
Measurement is paramount because, without it, brands can’t gauge effectiveness, making it difficult to optimize future campaigns. We are excited by the robust and data-driven approach we’ve developed to measure our in-store campaigns at WHS Media. By using a test vs. control methodology at the store level, WHS Media can compare sales uplift at stores where we’ve activated media compared to sales at stores without media to get a clear picture of campaign success. Our methodology isolates the impact of media campaigns from external factors, providing brands with a clearer picture of ROI.
While WHS Media is a powerful tool for top-of-funnel brand awareness, its measurement capabilities also demonstrate a direct influence on consumer spending. This means brands can confidently invest in WHS Media, knowing that their campaigns not only drive engagement but also deliver tangible business outcomes.
A game-changing opportunity for brands
WHSmith North America Media Network is redefining retail media by offering brands an omnichannel ecosystem that extends beyond traditional store environments. With its premium audience, high-dwell travel locations, expanding in-store digital network, and industry-leading measurement capabilities, WHS Media is a truly unique and game-changing investment for brands. Brands looking to maximize engagement, optimize their marketing spend, and drive real-world results will find an unmatched opportunity in WHS Media’s innovative retail media offering.
Ready to plan your first campaign with WHS Media? Contact Partnership Director Alison O’Keefe at alison.okeefe@whsmedia.team.
