CANNES — Some companies bring panelists and talking points to Cannes Lions. Albertsons brought a fully-fledged grocery store.
For Albertsons Media Collective, the chain’s media arm, the physical store at Cannes, stocked with products ready to be sold, represented the ultimate goal: getting products off the shelves and into customers’ hands.
According to Evan Hovorka, VP, product and innovation, Albertsons Media Collective, their presence in Cannes “really reflects our DNA,” adding, “We exist to provide shoppers with cost-effective food solutions.” Hovorka said that bringing this mission to Cannes completes the circle, encompassing media, merchandising, and product sales.
In-store media network
Also at the festival, Albertsons Media Collective launched an in-store digital display network to provide brands and agencies “a more robust way for them to tell their story directly to our shoppers at the most important point of their decision-making process,” Hovorka said.
The network allows them to present creative media-driven narratives featuring recipes, sustainability programs, or new product launches.
The timing is crucial, said Hovorka. Customers are already in the store and ready to spend, making it an ideal moment to connect brands with shoppers. “There couldn’t be a more beautiful way to connect a brand to the shopper,” Hovorka said.
According to eMarketer, in-store retail media ad spending is projected to exceed $500 million in 2025, which supports the emphasis on connecting with shoppers at the point of sale.
Video ads complete the picture
Hovorka noted that the network features high-resolution video ad units distributed across stores, which he sees as an improvement over static images found in other retailers. While shelf tags and screen prints remain important components of a retail media network, “now we’ve got the most exciting missing piece, which is that inspirational video,” Hovorka said.
Hovorka offered an example of influencers showcasing a new guacamole recipe leading into Cinco de Mayo, displayed above avocados on sale, adding that it “really is the icing on the cake to complete our full omni-channel journey.”
Albertsons Media Collective launched “Collective TV” in June 2024, integrating retail media with television advertising, which aligns with the strategy of using video to create richer storytelling.
The pilot program launches across 80 stores, with plans to scale to 2,300 stores. “This is an opportunity for brands and agencies to invest early, help us shape this narrative and shape this product into something that’s going to work best for everybody involved,” Hovorka said.
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