Retail Media Networks have been set up all over the world. There are many innovations in Retail Media Networks around the world, and we are profiling some of them here on Internet Retailing.
Retail Media Networks have been set-up all over the world. There are lots of innovation in Retail Media Networks and we are going to profile some of them here on Internet Retailing.
This week’s profile is DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions. In addition to being a premium beauty retailer, DOUGLAS is also a powerful media company. With its own Retail Media Unit, it is at the forefront of the current digital advertising revolution.
The DOUGLAS Group is the leading omni-channel provider of premium beauty in Europe. Since its foundation more than 200 years ago, the company has evolved into an international retail group with several brands across Europe — operating both physical stores and a comprehensive digital offering, including apps and online shops.
The Importance of Retail Media for the DOUGLAS Group
Retail Media has become an important new source of sales and a significant driver of profitability for the DOUGLAS Group. It is also a high-margin offering that is reshaping the traditional relationship between the retailer and their suppliers.
In 2019, the Group established its own Retail Media Unit, DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions. This unit operates like an in-house agency, providing its brand partners with consumer insights and tailor-made 360-degree omnichannel media strategies. This positions DMS as a key player in the future of digital advertising.
The formula for success behind the growth of DOUGLAS’ Retail Media Unit
Jessica Wegner, Managing Director of DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions, summarises the brand’s success in building its Retail Media Unit based on five key pillars:
Start-up mentality: Retail Media is still an emerging market – fast, dynamic, and full of untapped potential. To successfully establish this business within a large organisation, we had to think and act like a start-up. First, we educated our team, then the market, until Retail Media became an essential part of the advertising mix.
Management support: Retail Media was successful in Douglas because management was not only supportive but fully committed. Douglas made Retail Media a cornerstone of their Group-wide growth strategy, ensuring that managers support and drive this change.
Managing the present and the future: Building a new business is a balancing act. It requires a team that can manage today’s needs while also being bold about tomorrow’s opportunities.
Vision as a North Star: To keep the team focused and motivated, DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions have aligned everything around a strong, compelling vision. This vision is their North Star, guiding every decision and helping navigate challenges.
Fail fast, learn faster: In a start-up environment, setbacks are inevitable. The key is to embrace them and learn quickly. We have established a ‘fail fast, learn faster’ mentality within the team, which fosters a culture of experimentation.
Retail Media campaigns at DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions
There is no such thing as a “typical” Retail Media Campaign at DMS. Each campaign is tailored to the specific needs and objectives of the partner. Based on e-com data, CRM insights, and in-store performance, DMS identifies key challenges and translates them into a customized campaign strategy. The data-driven approach not only forms the basis of the strategy but also ensures that campaigns have maximum impact and deliver the results that matter most to the brand’s partners.
Staying innovative
Wegner emphasises that agility is key in retail media. This means constantly seeking out new insights and ideas by attending industry-leading events such as OMR, D3Con, DMEXCO, and Cannes Lions Exchange.
Wegner believes that these events are think tanks where emerging trends are identified. As one of the founding members of the Retail Media Circle in the Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW) and an active member of the IAB Retail Media Working Group, DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions is at the forefront of industry developments. In 2021 and 2022, the brand even organised its own virtual retail media conference with over 1,500 participants.
What’s next for DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions?
DMS is in a strong growth phase with an ambitious three-year plan to further consolidate its leading position in the Retail Media sector. The focus will be on rapid scaling across its nine existing markets, with particular emphasis on Benelux, Italy, France, Poland and Spain.
The company also plans to significantly expand its product portfolio. It is currently working on launching an in-store video solution, which will allow brands to tell their stories more compellingly at the point of sale. Additionally, there are plans to leverage its off-site expertise to integrate Retail Media into its physical stores, creating a fully comprehensive omnichannel approach.
The goal of Douglas Marketing Solutions very specific: building a robust, full-funnel offering that is optimised to meet the evolving needs of its brand partners. The company also plans to focus more on strategic partnerships, actively seeking collaborations within the ad-tech and advertising ecosystem to drive innovation.
