Tag: retail media

The outlook for e-commerce marketing strategies is more dynamic and complex than ever, as digital transformation accelerates and consumer behaviours continue to evolve. As marketing leaders, it’s crucial to recognise the shift from traditional, one-size-fits-all approaches to more personalised, data-driven strategies. 

The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning enables businesses to analyse consumer data at unprecedented depths, offering insights that drive more targeted marketing efforts. Moreover, the increasing importance of mobile shopping and social media integration requires marketers to adopt a multi-channel approach, ensuring a seamless and engaging customer experience across all touchpoints.

Looking ahead, marketing leaders must prepare for a landscape where agility and adaptability are key. The growing demand for sustainable and socially responsible business practices also impacts e-commerce strategies, pushing brands to align their marketing messages with these values. 

As part of our E-Commerce Marketing 2024 series, we invited industry leaders to share their insights and advice on how to traverse the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce marketing. From improving customer experience, hyper-personalisation, social commerce to influencer marketing, these are the insights various industry marketing leaders have shared to push forward the e-commerce marketing scene further into 2024 and beyond.

Check out the line-up of published insights by marketing leaders under the series:

For our first byline under this series, Eleanor O’Dwyer-Duggan, CX solution strategist for Southeast Asia at Qualtrics shares her insights on why delivering a superior CX is one of the most impactful, sustainable, and efficient ways to achieve greater business impact in challenging market environments. Learn more about her insights here.

To succeed in the world of digital commerce, Annie Yao, head of growth and market intelligence at Flywheel offers up advice of having a winning recipe that requires a data-driven approach, operational efficiency and the seamless integration of omni-channel strategies. Check out her piece here.

Brick-and-mortar stores and online versions are continuously growing in APAC–but how can brands create a seamless integration between the two? For Keith Ho, strategy lead at NP Digital Malaysia, the answer lies on finding the right model that fits both the needs and interests of a brand’s target demographic and meets them at their convenience. Check out his byline here.

Speaking of seamless commerce, Anson Bailey, head of consumer & retail at KPMG APAC notes in his piece that a seamless online-offline customer experience has now become a baseline expectation. Only by excelling in this domain can retailers expect to lead the market.

When it comes to retail media spend for brands, Sebastian Diaz, head of media innovation at Bench Media explains that marketers recognise the need to provide a personalised shopping experience and retailers are increasingly monetising access to ad spending across their websites and in-store activity. Check out his piece here.

In this piece by Vikram Kharvi, CEO at Bloomingdale Public Relations, he explains that AI-driven hyper-personalisation in e-commerce marketing offers numerous benefits, but it’s essential to address the concerns it raises and find a middle ground that satisfies both the business and its customers. Learn more about it here.

Speaking of AI-driven solutions, David Ko, managing director at Ruder Finn Interactive Asia (Ruder Finn Asia) notes that by embracing transparent and responsible AI practices, companies can unlock the full potential of personalised marketing while building and maintaining the trust of their customers. More of this here.

Ynes Nar, head of account, marketing strategy & client servicing at Tomato Interactive Singapore (BlueFocus company) focuses her piece on the fact that as this new era of social commerce unfolds, those who understand and harness its potential will not just survive but also lead the way in this new era of social commerce–thanks to KOLs who support their campaigns.

The future of e-commerce marketing–according to Francis Dy, head of innovation at Wavemaker Philippines–is set to be defined by an intricate blend of advanced technology, personalisation, and a commitment to sustainability, all while maintaining a human-centric approach. Learn more about this outlook here.

For Glenn Gore, chief executive officer at Affinidi, as the latest technology trends diving into how consumers’ lives continue to merge with the digital realm, personalised experiences are beginning to see even stronger demand. Check out his piece here.

Should marketers channel more resources into attracting the right audience, or should they optimise their websites to convert visitors into customers? In this piece by Sebastian Klett, general manager at Balance, he explains that brands must evaluate current strategies, make the necessary adjustments, and ensure that every step of the digital experience guides their audience toward becoming loyal customers.

APAC is witnessing a significant shift in consumer behaviour, with the rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands becoming a major disruptor in the retail landscape. To ride this growing trend, Kevin Daniel Kuntoro, regional commerce head at Summer International explains that to ride this success, this depends on their ability to adapt to changing consumer behaviours; prioritise key trends and insights; utilise social media and influencer marketing to build trust. Check out his piece here.

In this last–but not least–piece of this series, Sorrel Kesby, head of global commercial operations at GumGum explains that capitalising on the e-commerce boom of recent years calls for a strategy that meets customers in the right place and in the right mindset.

As we move into 2024 and beyond, the outlook for e-commerce marketing strategies is both exciting and dynamic. Businesses will need to adapt to rapid technological advancements, such as AI-driven personalisation, voice search optimisation, and augmented reality, to create more immersive and tailored shopping experiences. The emphasis on data privacy and ethical marketing practices will also grow, as consumers demand greater brand transparency and trust.

Additionally, leveraging social commerce and influencer partnerships will continue to play a crucial role in driving engagement and sales. Overall, successful e-commerce strategies will be those that blend innovation with a deep understanding of consumer behaviour, ensuring brands remain agile and relevant in a constantly evolving digital landscape.

Singapore – Global commerce media company Criteo has announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft Advertising to bring Microsoft Advertising’s extensive demand to Criteo’s global network of 225 retailers. 

Microsoft Advertising also intends to work with Criteo as its preferred onsite media partner, extending Criteo’s monetisation technology to Microsoft Advertising’s retailer clients, creating an even more unified retail media ecosystem.

This collaboration would expand the companies’ longstanding relationship and is expected to bring new revenue to Criteo’s retail media network partners. In turn, it would empower over Microsoft Advertising’s 500,000 active advertiser clients that operate across 187 global markets to achieve stronger, measurable performance for their campaigns within a singular, unified platform.

Criteo is also exploring the potential to tap into Microsoft Advertising’s leadership in generative AI and innovations, such as its AI-powered Retail Media Creative Studio, which makes it easier for advertisers to create and optimise their ad creatives at scale with the power of generative AI.

Lynne Kjolso, vice president of global partnerships and retail media at Microsoft Advertising, said, “Together, Microsoft Advertising and Criteo can chart a new path forward for retail media, empowering the entire ecosystem with scale, simplicity, and innovation. We’re pleased to further our integration with Criteo, a leader in retail media and performance advertising, and look forward to exploring future opportunities.”

Meanwhile, Brian Gleason, chief revenue officer at Criteo, commented, “We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with Microsoft Advertising to make it easier for brands to buy retail media and for retailers to expand demand into their media solutions. We look forward to continuing to evolve our collaboration and help drive growth across retail media.”

Data from a recent IAB research recently indicates that around 99% of APAC marketers intend to increase their retail media spend this year and retailers have finally realised they are sitting on an untapped goldmine. 

As customers adopt online shopping as the norm, marketers recognise the need to provide a personalised shopping experience and retailers are increasingly monetising access to ad spending across their websites and in-store activity.

Chemist Warehouse, an Australian pharmacy chain, recently aimed to become one of the largest advertising businesses in the country through sponsored ads on their site and in-store out-of-home screens. For a company whose traditional modus operandi was cost-effective access to pharmaceutical goods, advertising across their network now accounts for 20% of their sales. 

However, accessing retail media networks (RMNs) fluidly and at scale, remains a sticking point for marketers. Unlike advertising across the open internet – which allows a brand to access ad space across news websites, blogs, broadcast video-on-demand and music streaming apps with ease – RMNs often close their ecosystem. This is known as a ‘walled garden’. 

And while the market may become saturated with an infinite number of RMNs, their timing and power have never been more evident. Google’s impending (be it at a snail’s pace) third-party cookie deprecation is providing an added boost for retail media networks – especially as most of their USPs lie not just in their ad space, but also their valuable customer data is available for advertising use. 

Singapore-owned Carousell Group, who have premium online e-commerce space including Carousell, OneShift and Revo Financial, seized the opportunity and launched its own Shopping Ads back in 2022; collaborating with brands to acquire new customers and increase sales. Now with 58 million registered users across Greater Southeast Asia, their value to brands is insurmountable. 

For any marketer navigating this minefield, they need a ‘Swiss army knife’ of solutions.

While there’s value in utilising an RMN’s rich data – nothing is stopping a brand from creating its own goldmine. Even before engaging with an RMN, brands should be collecting and collating their own customer data. This can be as simple as starting a loyalty program, creating a newsletter or email/SMS promotions, or tracking a user’s purchase journey through a site pixel. These strategies arm a brand with information known only to them about their core customer base – allowing the brand to build audience profiles and understand who their core customer is – without solely relying on an RMN to tell them. 

Better yet, the better breeds of RMN will combine their richly sourced and proprietary customer data with a marketer’s brand in a process known as “data clean-rooming”. These data cleanrooms are safe spaces where a RMN and a brand can share anonymized and aggregated shopper data with the brand within a secure environment. Here, both parties can collaborate and supercharge their data and build better customer insights. For example, by understanding patterns and preferences in this combined data will help brands understand their ‘repeat-shoppers’, ‘vertical-based shoppers’, and ‘lapsed shoppers’ between both data sets. 

Combining data in a cleanroom also helps brands understand the missing links in the customer journey. By securely sharing anonymised transaction data, the marketer can attribute specific marketing touchpoints (such as a purchase of their product through a RMN) to build out more accurate return on ad spend, customer loyalty and lifetime value. Combining data with a RMN removes a layer of fogginess that RMN’s walled gardens can, on their own, provide.

Given the walled garden state of RMNs, marketers should also look directly outside the RMN for retail solutions. Marketers should engage with providers that can provide a multi-retail solution that doesn’t require dozens of direct deals with retailers. Off-site media platforms like Criteo’s Retail Media solution have allowed brands – such as online shopping site Welcia.com in Japan – to gain access to valuable audience segments for effective targeting, as well as transparent reporting and closed-loop measurement through their own partnerships with leading retailers. 

In Australia, Circana’s recent partnership with omnichannel media-buying platform The Trade Desk allows brands to measure the incremental impact of their cross-funnel and cross-channel campaigns across multiple retailers at once. 

In a highly fragmented and ever-growing retail market, marketers should not lose sight of traditional media buying to drive brand equity. Focusing on closed-loop solutions and sales helps to understand the return on ad spend, customer journeys, and lifetime value. But as reporting remains unhomogenized across RMNs, and the ability to advertise on an RMN remains tedious, the art of building brand equity through the open internet and traditional media buying channels – as brands have always done – should not be lost.

As marketers learn to strike a healthy balance between traditional brand building and sales-driven activity backed by retail media – retail media networks are opening fascinating and accountable ways to prove the value of a brand’s media investment. It is still, however, developed in a walled garden environment. 

Brands should be selective of which RMN aligns best with their brand, and explore less-tedious multi-retail solutions, all while not losing focus of the traditional media spends that got brands to where they are.

This thought leadership is written by Sebastian Diaz, Head of Media Innovation at Bench Media

MARKETECH APAC is leading the conversation on the future of e-commerce marketing strategies this 2024 and beyond with the E-Commerce Marketing in Malaysia 2024 conference on July 25, 2024 at Sheraton Petaling Jaya and the E-Commerce Marketing in the Philippines 2024 conference on August 14, 2024 at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. Join us and become an integral part of a dynamic community committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and fostering unparalleled growth in the e-commerce domain.

In the industry’s continued quest to find new channels to deliver effective campaigns to consumers, retail media networks (RMNs) have proven to be able to cut through the noise and able to stand out to consumers and deliver results. This is especially evident with the continued popularity of RMNs for marketers in Southeast Asia, with the latest report from GrabAds and Kantar noting that advertising spend on RMNs in the region is forecast to grow US$4.b by 2030.

The report also highlighted the importance of superapps in boosting RMN ad spend amongst SEA marketers, stating that superapp RMNs are well-positioned to serve the consumer needs with their O2O full-funnel ecosystem powered by first-party data.

To better understand how RMNs became a popular advertising platform for marketers in the region–and how brands and advertisers should approach them–MARKETECH APAC recently spoke exclusively to Ken Mandel, regional managing director and head of GrabAds and brand insights at Grab to learn more about the benefits of RMNs for advertisers and what case studies should the industry note in terms of RMN application.

Understanding regional factors that amplified RMNs

For Mandel, while retail media networks (RMNs) development differ from one region to another, he noted that Southeast Asia’s fast-growing digital economy and increasingly tech-savvy population primed for speed and convenience have made the region a fertile ground for the rapid growth of retail media networks (RMNs).

This is then highlighted by their recent study alongside Kantar that noted the total advertising (ad) spend on RMNs in Southeast Asia is projected to grow by 8% year-on-year in 2024, with year-on-year growth forecasted to be higher or consistent with global growth figures till 2030. 

“Such market nuances are shaped by consumer preferences and behaviour. For instance, our study shows that 2 out of 3 Southeast Asians surveyed prioritise having products and services on-demand. This suggests that consumers in the region demand seamless, convenient experiences that get desired products into their hands quickly,” he stated.

He also noted how superapps much like Grab have also emerged as an integral aspect of consumers’ daily lives, and are able to seamlessly bridge the entire retail experience from discovery to purchase and delivery.

“One in two Southeast Asians utilises superapps for their everyday online and offline activities, according to our study with Kantar. The integrated RMN ecosystem with its multiple services allows RMNs to collect first-party transaction data across the platform beyond simply purchasing habits, providing holistic user understanding for brands to build more effective targeting parameters,” Mandel added.

How RMNs are delivering effective advertising campaigns

To begin with, Mandel notes that RMNs allow brands and advertisers to benefit from a full-funnel sales flywheel that achieves both top and bottom-funnel objectives. For him, they are powered by first-party transaction data and solution-oriented ads, allowing advertisers to serve highly relevant ads to customers that meet their needs and behaviour across their buying journey.

“Essentially, RMN ads reach consumers who are already in a buying or discovery mindset and provide a suitable product solution for the right occasion. As a result, consumers are more receptive towards RMN ads, as they are perceived as less intrusive and more trustworthy,” he explained.

It is also worth noting that in the same study they conducted alongside Kantar, it noted that RMNs ranked first in online media channel equity, which measures consumers’ receptivity to advertising messages across different online media channels. 

“RMNs are able to deliver strong performance marketing results, thanks to three key ingredients – first-party data, a sizable audience and the ability to close the loop between consumer intent and purchase. This means that advertisers can attribute sales to their media dollars,” he also stated.

Mandel also highlighted how superapp RMNs in particular can reach and measure both offline and online behaviours and transactions, thanks to their unique online-to-offline ecosystems. 

For instance, on Grab’s case, they were able to work with juice brand Sunquick to serve ad banners offering a free sample of Sunquick’s new Mango cordial. Through this campaign, clicking into the ads would take shoppers to GrabMart where everyone who bought an item would have a bottle of Sunquick Mango cordial added to their basket. Moreover, they have also worked with DBS when they curated an omnichannel campaign with offline fleet ads and in-transit online ads on the Grab app.

“Superapp RMNs are not just pure performance marketing channels. According to the latest Grab Food and Delivery Trends 2023 report, 66% of our consumers come to Grab without a specific store in mind, and 91% of them have used the Grab app to discover new restaurants or stores. This means that consumers also leverage RMNs for discovery, which opens up opportunities for upper-funnel brand building,” he said.

Understanding how superapp RMNs are supporting contextual advertising

Speaking of superapps, Mandel notes that the integrated RMN ecosystem with its multiple services on superapps allows RMNs to collect first-party transaction data across the platform beyond simply purchasing habits, providing holistic user understanding for brands to build more effective targeting parameters.

Moreover, it is also worth mentioning that the superapp’s integrated payment systems also make it possible to track offline transactions if users pay using the platform, allowing brands to better attribute sales to advertising dollars.

“Superapp RMNs like Grab bridge the online to offline with their comprehensive ecosystem. GrabAds offers advertisers offline assets such as product sampling, in-car branding or car wraps to deliver an integrated campaign across multiple channels. This is key to designing more effective ad campaigns as our report with Kantar reveals that using both online and offline channels improves positive ad receptivity by 5%,” he explained.

He also added how superapps are able to provide first-party transaction data, which reflects the true commercial intention of a consumer. For them, this helps brands and advertisers identify consumer personas and audience segments based on actual behaviour and transactions. 

In their own case, they have identified so-called ‘Chief Family Officers; (CFOs) as a specific, high-value segment of their users on the Grab platform based on indicative purchasing behaviour. According to Mandel, their behaviour within their app offers many opportunities for advertisers to do so, since they spend 2.1 times more monthly and use delivery services 1.9 times more frequently than the average Grab user.

“Advertisers looking to reach CFOs can consider promoting family-related products catering to their needs. Ultimately, high-resolution user profiling with superapp RMNs allows brands to create more targeted campaigns that resonate with specific user segments,” he said.

Advice for advertisers tapping RMNs for the first time

“if you’re not in the game, you can’t play”: this was the number one advice Mandel offered to brands if they want to explore RMNs for the first time. For him, whilst RMNs provide a lucrative opportunity for advertisers to expand their reach, one should also know their perfect RMN match.

“It is also important to partner with the right RMN players. While there are diverse retail media platforms in Southeast Asia, advertisers should look out for three key ingredients when deciding which platform to work with: first-party data, a sizable audience and the ability to ‘close the loop’,” he said.

Mandel also added, “Most importantly, brands should not focus only on bottom-funnel opportunities. RMNs are full-funnel solutions, and advertisers should consider how they can utilise the capabilities of RMNs across the funnel with the consumer in the middle.”

With RMNs continuing to be a promising advertising platform for marketers in Southeast Asia, it’s also important to understand that tapping into this new type of platform requires both an understanding of how your brand would be relevant to users, especially those who are using superapps on a regular basis. With consumer behaviour being more manifested on online platforms, RMNs–whether on social media or on e-commerce platforms–is a great opportunity for advertisers to ride on whilst understanding better consumers on a contextual basis.

Singapore – Global travel technology company Expedia Group has announced the launch of its own leading travel media network. Building on two decades of advertising experience from Expedia Group Media Solutions, the travel media network leverages its first-party traveller intent and purchase data, so advertising partners reach even more travellers across the purchase journey. 

Through the travel media network, advertisers can leverage Expedia’s first-party travel intent data to meet travellers wherever they are online, such as YouTube and connected TV. In addition, advertisers can also target high-intent travellers with industry-leading onsite advertising tools such as TravelAds, connecting our travel audience to 200 booking sites in over countries.

Moreover, advertisers can also develop curated media campaigns with their expert media teams, using partnerships such as Netflix and Disney+, and tap into Expedia Group’s vast B2B network of over 60,000 partners to extend global footprints to new markets and audiences.

Rob Torres, SVP at Expedia Group Media Solutions, said, “We’ve pioneered the travel retail media network model. Our robust, first-party data and network of industry-wide partnerships gives us the exclusive ability to translate traveller shopping behaviour to actionable insights for our advertising partners.”

He added, “Our travel media network targets travellers at various touchpoints on the journey with highly relevant travel content, driving conversion. We’ve only just scratched the surface with building bespoke media campaigns for partners, I’m excited for what’s to come.”

This new feature was launched during their annual conference EXPLORE™. Some of their other products launched include Romie™, an AI travel assistant, as well as other travel booking and advertiser-funded loyalty.

Ariane Gorin, CEO at Expedia Group, said, “At Expedia Group, we embrace the transformative power of AI to create personalised travel experiences. Our long-standing investments in this space enable us to capitalise on the breathtaking pace of AI innovation, and today’s Spring Release demonstrates our commitment to delivering innovative products and features that enhance the way people explore the world.”

Singapore – Jaren Loy, currently the head of digital growth (grocery) at FairPrice Group, has announced that he will be undertaking new duties in his current role at the company, more specifically focusing on the company’s retail media strategies.

In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, Loy noted that he will take charge of spearheading strategic initiatives for FairPrice Group aimed at enhancing the efficacy and reach of their retail media endeavours.

“This will encompass orchestrating the implementation of data-driven advertising strategies, cultivating synergistic partnerships with key stakeholders, overseeing the optimization of advertising channels, and fostering innovation to stay ahead of industry trends,” he explained.

When asked about the specific strategies he will focus on, Loy said he is particularly eager to prioritize the development of innovative advertising solutions that capitalize on FairPrice Group’s extensive first-party data assets. 

“By leveraging this data, advertisers can create highly personalized and relevant campaigns that resonate with our customers,” he added.

Prior to leading FairPrice Group’s digital growth for its grocery division, he also lead the company’s omnichannel and O2O marketing strategies. It is worth noting that during his time as lead of omnichannel marketing at the company when FairPrice Group announced a partnership with The Trade Desk to provide brands on The Trade Desk’s platform with insights on the impact of their digital advertising campaigns across offline and online sales channels.

“Drawing from my experience in growth and omnichannel roles at FairPrice Group, I intend to bring a strategic focus on maximizing the value of our first-party data in the new advertising landscape. This includes identifying key customer segments, refining targeting algorithms, and optimizing ad placements to deliver maximum impact for advertisers,” Loy said when asked on his reflections from his previous positions at FairPrice Group.

When asked about current challenges on the retail media landscape, he said, “I think one of the main challenges and opportunities for marketers lies in adapting to a cookie-less environment. By leveraging FairPrice Group’s robust first-party data ecosystem, advertisers can overcome this challenge by directly targeting relevant audiences based on real-time insights and behavioral patterns.”

He also added that with the industry’s current movement towards first-party data, he adds that as an industry leader, FairPrice Group is committed to staying ahead of the curve in the evolving retail media landscape. 

“In 2024 and beyond, we anticipate a shift towards more privacy-centric advertising solutions, which aligns with our focus on safeguarding customer data and delivering a seamless, personalized shopping experience. Through strategic investments in data analytics, technology infrastructure, and partnership development, FairPrice Group aims to empower advertisers to thrive in this new era of digital marketing,” he concluded.

Singapore – Advertising spend on retail media networks (RMNs) in Southeast Asia is projected to hit US$4.b by 2030, underscoring the increasing significance of RMNs as a pivotal channel for advertising by marketers in the region. This is based on the latest study by GrabAds and Kantar.

Globally, RMN ad spend is expected to surge by 73% in the next seven years, surpassing growth rates in search (47%) and social (45%).

The study also reveals that year-on-year growth of RMN ad spend in Southeast Asia is forecast to be higher or consistent with the growth being seen globally. The study also notes that Southeast Asian marketers will prioritise investments towards RMN channels this year, with year-on-year ad spend growth projected to increase from 8% in 2024 to 11 % in 2030.

Ad spend growth on RMNs in each of the Southeast Asian countries is also projected to grow higher than the global growth index, with Indonesia leading the pack with a forecasted growth of 219% from 2023 to 2030. Indonesia is also projected to have a CAGR of 13.41%, which is around 1.9x higher than the projected global rate.

Moreover, said study reveals the four main types of RMNs in Southeast Asia- social media RMNs, which are digital marketplaces within social media platforms; e-commerce RMNs, digital retail marketplaces that offer advertising spaces; large retailer RMNs, which differ from e-commerce RMNs by nature of their physical retail spaces; and superapp RMNs, which consist of an ecosystem of services. 

The increasing share of RMNs in marketers’ media mix over the next 7 years is also propelled by the unique market dynamics in Southeast Asia. The study also highlighted that 2 out of 3 Southeast Asians find it important to have products and services on demand. 61% also shared that it is very important to have products or services to anticipate their needs, compared to the global figure of 52%. 

This suggests that Southeast Asian consumers prefer seamless, convenient transactions that fulfil their needs quickly. Superapp RMNs are well-positioned to serve these consumer needs with their O2O full-funnel ecosystem powered by first-party data.

Ken Mandel, regional managing director at GrabAds and brand insights at Grab, said, “Tomorrow’s hybrid shopper will look very different from today’s shopper. Marketers are tasked with the arduous task of identifying the right ads to serve at the right time to the right consumers to value-add to the buying or discovery experience.”

He added, “RMNs provide a full-funnel sales flywheel to help marketers do just that – first-party transaction data from RMNs inform marketers of users’ real needs and interests, thereby delivering ads that provide a suitable solution for the right occasion, while their full-funnel ecosystem allows marketers to close the loop and track return on investments accurately. As marketers increasingly invest in this emerging channel, it is crucial to design ad campaigns that leverage RMNs’ unique features, creating immersive experiences that extend beyond the conventional buying journey to also include loyalty and advocacy.”

Meanwhile, Katie McClintock, regional managing director at Kantar, commented, “RMNs allow marketers to serve highly relevant ads to consumers by showcasing products and brands that cater to their immediate needs and behaviour across the buying journey. This approach to advertising adds value to consumers rather than disrupting the browsing experience.”

She added, “Keeping up with consumer habits and behaviour is the only way for brands to be meaningfully different, and we at Kantar believe that RMNs, with first-party data informed by real consumer transactions, can give brands the tools they need to provide greater value for consumers and build strong brand differentiation.”

Singapore – foodpanda has announced today a strategic partnership with The Trade Desk that will enable brands to better reach their target audience and measure the success of digital advertising campaigns on the open internet. 

The collaboration will span seven markets, namely Hong Kong, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

The partnership features multiple retail media solutions powered by The Trade Desk’s programmatic advertising platform and foodpanda’s first-party retail data. This enables brands to engage with foodpanda customers on the open internet via The Trade Desk’s platform across channels such as OTT, music streaming, mobile apps, gaming, and websites, expanding their reach beyond foodpanda’s integrated advertising solution, panda ads. All data is pseudonymised, ensuring that customer identities remain anonymous.

Additionally, it allows brands to measure the impact of their ad campaigns on conversions. With these insights, brands can aim to optimise their ads in real-time, through ways that were previously not possible, helping them make informed decisions that could help boost their performance objectives.

Wen Zhe Lim, director of solutions, advertising and partnerships at foodpanda, said, “We are on a mission to grow foodpanda into the retail media network of choice. Our partnership with The Trade Desk is perfect for the era of consent-based advertising, where first-party data is key for targeted, personalised marketing. Leveraging the rapid growth of quick commerce, we help brands reach millions of tech-savvy customers, connecting them in ways that were not possible before.”

Meanwhile, Chris Mooney, general manager of data partnerships for APAC at The Trade Desk, commented, “Retail data is reshaping the landscape of marketing, and our partnership with foodpanda represents the incredible opportunity brands have to improve the effectiveness of their advertising spend through the adoption of data-driven strategies on the open internet. Retail data provides brands better targeting and performance measurement, enabling them to understand how their advertising dollars impact actual sales. We are thrilled to join forces with a company that is pioneering new approaches to digital advertising.”

During its beta phase in 2023, the solutions helped Unilever’s Knorr reach new customers and drive conversions for their new product line on foodpanda in Taiwan. To achieve this, Knorr leveraged TTD’s platform and used foodpanda’s retail data to target foodpanda subscribers.

Sharon Liu, marketing manager of nutrition at Unilever Taiwan, said, “Partnering with The Trade Desk and foodpanda played a crucial role in the success of our recent campaign for Knorr, enabling us to reach new audience segments on the open internet. We were extremely pleased with the significant increases in add-to-cart rates, conversions, and new buyers the campaign delivered.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Grab has unveiled its latest collaboration with Jaya Grocer, Malaysia’s leading mass-premium supermarket chain. Now, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands retailing under Jaya Grocer can leverage GrabAds, Grab’s advertising arm, for a unified omnichannel advertising solution. 

This marks the seamless integration of GrabMart’s online retail presence with Jaya Grocer’s offline presence comprising 50 physical stores across Malaysia. Whether it is about helping brands increase visibility, boost sales or simply build brand, Grab and Jaya Grocer are elevating their commitment through this online-to-offline (O2O) integration to deliver unparalleled value to FMCG players retailing under the supermarket chain.

Amongst the notable brands under Jaya Grocer who have leveraged this omnichannel advertising solution via a GrabAds campaign is leading healthy cheese brand, The Laughing Cow. The brand successfully attributed majority of its offline sales at Jaya Grocer to its online awareness campaign on GrabAds during the campaign period.

Grab and Jaya Grocer in 2021, have been working together to bring the convenience of on-demand grocery delivery to more consumers in Malaysia. In 2022, Grab and Jaya Grocer announced the rollout of GrabPay and GrabRewards across all Jaya Grocer physical retail stores, and the subsequent folding of Jaya Grocer’s loyalty programme with any Grab user in 2023. This integration, which now includes GrabAds, will allow FMCG brands to reap even more benefits from the Grab ecosystem.

Dave Yang, regional head of sales and GTM at GrabAds, said, “As consumers make purchases in stores while maintaining online shopping habits, it is imperative for brands to consider the entire omnichannel consumer journey when closing the loop from awareness to purchase.”

He added, “Retail media networks like GrabAds enable brands to build such O2O advertising campaigns seamlessly, thanks to our comprehensive ad ecosystem – from online search ads to offline fleet wraps. We are only strengthening our O2O capabilities with the integration of Jaya Grocer. GrabAds looks forward to working with more FMCG brands on innovative O2O campaigns.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Teng, deputy chief executive officer at Jaya Grocer, commented, “We are thrilled to see the continued impact of our integration with Grab, particularly for the FMCG brands retailing under Jaya Grocer. The promising landscape of on-demand grocery services in Malaysia, where many consumers prefer a seamless blend of online and offline shopping, makes this partnership more significant than ever. Our collaboration with Grab will allow Jaya Grocer to tap into an active consumer base shopping online and offline, contributing to the growth trajectory of our (Jaya Grocer’s) business in Malaysia.”

New Zealand – MarketMedia, The Warehouse Group’s retail media network, is teaming up with The Trade Desk to provide a retail media advertising approach suited to New Zealand brands.

More than 70 new partners and channels for programmatic display, programmatic digital out-of-home, connected TV (CTV), audio channels, and more can be added to MarketMedia’s client and brand campaigns. This allows for improved targeting of audiences with the intention of making a purchase on the open internet.

With the help of The Warehouse Group’s first-party data audiences, which number over 4.5 million, and MarketMedia’s self-service platform Zitcha, the alliance provides local companies with a wide range of advertising inventory alternatives through The Trade Desk.

Speaking about the partnership, Blaine Hudson, head of product, platforms, and data at MarketMedia, said, “MarketMedia will now be the only retail media network in New Zealand that lets advertisers buy across 80+ on and off-site channels easily within a single self-service platform. By integrating The Trade Desk to the MarketMedia platform we can offer never-before seen solutions that aims to expand our client’s capabilities.”

He added, “With access to The Trade Desk’s inventory and our first-party data, plus closed-loop reporting through Zitcha, we’re helping transform advertising possibilities in New Zealand.”

Meanwhile, James Bayes, VP Australia and New Zealand, The Trade Desk, said, “Retail media is making brands rethink the way they activate their media investments. Our partnership with The Warehouse Group and MarketMedia can help advertisers reach The Warehouse Group’s customers across the open internet and close the loop between advertising activity and real-world sales.”

“With leaders like The Warehouse Group, we’re driving the industry forward and helping advertisers across New Zealand work towards tangible performance improvements that translate to real business results,” Bayes added.