Year-on-year, they have grown by nearly 22%, already account for nearly one-fifth of global media spending, and are projected by McKinsey to surpass television in 2026. What are they talking about?

About Retail Media Network, which has deservedly become one of the hottest topics in the advertising and marketing industry. Now, thanks to, among other things, Żabka Ads, they are also developing more and more dynamically on the Polish market. By increasing the sales performance of advertisers, they allow you to reach the customer at very preferential terms… and the best is still to come!

Why do consumers like RMNs?

The industry wouldn’t love RMN if it weren’t for the positive attitude of consumers. As many as 80% believe that point-of-sale advertising positively influences their shopping experience. Here are the main reasons:

– They help … not annoy.

RMNs make it easy to navigate and help consumers get to their favorite products exactly when they need them. They aren’t intrusive, they don’t interrupt the series at your favorite moment, and they don’t pop up uninvited on social media – they appear in the right place at the right time.

A person who stops by Żabka for a quick snack and sees an ad for a new beverage will be more easily tempted by it… and will avoid a situation in which, after leaving the store, she realizes that she forgot something to drink.

– Increase fit.

By using first-party data, RMNs allow you to reach consumers with the precise messages they want. No more mismatched ads (which are also seen as annoying).

Żabka Ads carefully analyzes the purchasing decisions of 14 million customers each month. That’s nearly 450TB of data that lets you know what’s selling well and when… and what’s not.

– Advice and additional benefits.

When a customer can’t decide which of the myriad types of chips to choose for a movie night, advertising at the point of purchase can make the choice easier. Especially if it offers an additional promotion or discount.

This is why RMNs are often seen as part of the store’s offerings and an advisory voice, rather than a pushy persuasion, and why buying under their influence is seen as an opportunity seized. And who among us doesn’t like a bargain?

– An innovation we all like.

News always attracts attention. A new flavor version of your product on an innovative advertising medium will make a much better impression than on a faded billboard. Especially when the product turns out to be on hand.

A short history and a great future

Although RMNs originate from e-commerce, and interest in them has been growing since the pandemic, the biggest peak can be seen since 2022.

Every second employee in the advertising and marketing industry considers it a very important and developmental topic. It should come as no surprise, then, that for the past two years Retail Media Networks have been present at the Cannes Lions festival, while the prestigious Adweek magazine has devoted nearly 129 publications to them over the past 3 years.

Wearables, which just a few years ago were considered a “niche curiosity,” are today becoming increasingly important items in media plans, and their share of promotion budgets is gradually increasing.

While in the offline sector the global RMN pioneers are Walmart and the Kroger chain, in Poland Żabka Ads is growing rapidly. Thanks to the use of screens in Żabka stores – both at the cash registers, shelves, at the entrance and outside the store, they effectively catch the attention of the audience, directing it to products that are usually within reach. Given that Żabka stores are visited by 3 million people every day, RMN and Żabka Ads may soon become an increasingly important part of marketing strategies for more and more brands.

From the next article, you will learn how RMNs help increase brand awareness and build an entire marketing funnel.