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The next time you’re in a Walmart store, don’t be surprised if you see an insurance ad looping on TV screens.
Walmart Connect, Walmart’s advertising arm, will begin selling in-store ads to brands that don’t sell products on Walmart’s shelves—known as non-endemic advertisers—like financial companies, auto brands and quick-service restaurants.
The new offering was shared with agencies today in a virtual presentation detailing how those in-store ads will show up on the retailer’s TV wall and self-checkout digital screens. The new formats will begin rolling out on August 1, Walmart confirmed to ADWEEK.
“National non-endemic brands, known for their large-scale, brand-building campaigns, are now recognizing the untapped potential of in-store platforms to increase brand exposure,” a Walmart Connect spokesperson told ADWEEK via email.
Non-endemic advertisers are a big priority for Walmart in chasing Amazon’s lead in retail media. Walmart opened up its ad business to brands that don’t sell on its shelves in April, and this rollout marks the first time that non-endemic advertisers can buy in-store ads.
Non-endemic brands represent big-spending advertisers that can help Walmart grow its retail media ambitions. Amazon has also made a heavy push for ad dollars from non-endemic advertisers through selling streaming TV ads like Prime Video Ads. Walmart Connect made $3.4 billion in 2023 while Amazon made nearly $47 billion from advertising in 2023.
An ad buyer who attended Walmart’s virtual presentation said they have a financial services client interested in buying ads with Walmart’s audience, but they haven’t yet pulled the trigger. In-store ads could sweeten the deal, the person said.
Key slides from Walmart’s presentation are included below.
Walmart is pitching two placements for in-store ads: TV walls where TVs are sold and on the screens at self-checkout kiosks.
In-store is “going to be the next major ad market,” independent retail media analyst Andrew Lipsman told ADWEEK. “I see Walmart as the linchpin for this market to materialize.”
