DOOH & In-Store Retail Media Guide by the IAB

The Measurement, Addressability, and Data Center of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) launched in 2024 a Digital Out Of Home Guide for physical retail stores, providing insights into how brands and retailers can partner to deliver a comprehensive, shopper-centric approach. The guide explains how digital screens can improve in-store interaction and customer experience, influencing their behavior. Through static, video, or dynamic content, it is possible to connect with users through activations or product demonstrations that transform stores into discovery spaces.

Technology integration and challenges

Play areas and virtual trials, sampling events, loyalty program integration. When modern consumers expect engaging, personalized, and seamless experiences (not just simple transactions), smart screens offer one of the greatest opportunities to influence their decisions, minimally disrupting traffic flow and enabling contextually relevant messaging.

According to the IAB, for large retail chains, having robust content distribution and network management tools is even more crucial since each store’s context may vary and require point-of-sale signals to trigger the content. Additionally, screens can be active and collect data from customer interactions, helping to tailor advertising and inventory decisions in the future.

However, while retail media continues to evolve, optimization remains a priority, ensuring that strategies not only connect with consumers and provide them with experiences but also deliver measurable, specific, achievable results within defined timelines. The IAB believes the future will be defined by relevant, engaging, and environmentally conscious advertising campaigns that leverage the latest technologies to create meaningful consumer connections, where the ability to anticipate and adapt to changes will be key to success.