7-Eleven and Casey’s followed by Wawa in launching retail media network

Article Brief:

Wawa has unveiled Goose Media Network, the convenience retailer’s retail media platform, according to a company announcement on Tuesday.

This innovative solution will enable product and brand partners to engage with Wawa customers through personalized advertisements on the company’s website and mobile application, as well as through videos displayed at the fuel pumps.

Wawa now stands alongside Casey’s General Stores and 7-Eleven as one of the limited number of leading convenience store operators that have established their own retail media network, as the sector evaluates the effectiveness of these initiatives.

Retail Media: A Potential Growth Opportunity for C-Store Operators

Retail media, often overlooked by most c-store industry players, has the potential to unlock new growth and opportunities, according to experts in the field.

Launching a retail media network allows Wawa to improve customer targeting and establish new connections with customers and partner brands, according to Melissa Seabright, advertising manager for Wawa. The c-store chain's popularity among consumers and rapid expansion into new markets make it an attractive option for CPG firms looking to allocate their media budgets effectively.

Seabright emphasized that this new initiative will facilitate the introduction of customers to new and pertinent offers from beloved brands, while also enhancing visibility for product partners.

Wawa is collaborating with various digital businesses to launch Goose Media Network, with partners such as Publicis Sapient, the digital business transformation division of Publicis Groupe, along with CitrusAd and Epsilon, retail media-focused tech companies.

Ganesh Rangarajan, group vice president and managing partner at Publicis Sapient, expressed excitement about expanding the partnership with Wawa. He mentioned that brands will have the opportunity to reach shoppers and customers, making it easier for them to discover and try new products and brands.

Outsourcing components of a retail media network is a common practice. During a panel discussion at the NACS Show in October, Ben Tienor, Director of Brand and Customer Insights at 7-Eleven, mentioned that the company's Gulp Media network is currently heavily outsourced. He expressed that if given the chance to start anew, he would opt to outsource more of the tasks from the beginning.

Wawa boasts a vast network of over 1,000 stores spanning across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and Washington D.C.

Editor's P/S:

The launch of Wawa's retail media platform, Goose Media Network, is an exciting step forward for the convenience store industry. This innovative solution will allow Wawa to better engage with its customers and provide them with personalized advertising experiences. It also opens up new opportunities for product and brand partners to reach Wawa's large and loyal customer base.

Retail media is a growing trend in the c-store industry, and Wawa is one of the first major players to launch its own platform. This is a smart move that will give Wawa a competitive edge in the marketplace. I believe that other c-store operators will follow suit and launch their own retail media platforms in the near future.