Impax Media, the leading provider of grocery retailer in-store video networks in Canada, announces the launch of its first two retailer networks in the U.S. The Key Food supermarket in Valley Steam, NY, and the Compare Foods supermarket in Freeport, NY, took leadership positions in offering the grocery TV network to their customers. The networks feature content that grocery shoppers find extremely desirable based on recent research conducted by Millward Brown. Video spots highlighting the best sale items in the store topped the list of what consumers want to see, followed by weather, special upcoming events in the store, new store services, and recipe ideas. All content is retailer branded, as is the network name.
The 32 inch high-definition screens are mounted above every checkout lane, forming a head-high video wall with dramatic impact for shoppers in line, or moving throughout the store. The screens add a new level of entertainment and information to the grocery shopping experience. Eighty-five percent of grocery shoppers in Canada find the screens installed there entertaining, and 84% agree the screens help pass the time more quickly when waiting in line. Concept testing by Millward Brown showed similar appeal in the U.S.
Alex Guzman, owner of Key Foods in Valley Stream said “The ‘Key Foods Information Network’ that Impax Media created for us provides a turnkey solution to a digital video network at the front end of the store. The high definition ‘video wall’ that faces shoppers as they move through the store and enter the checkout lanes looks fantastic, and customers love seeing what’s on sale and great recipe ideas.”
The screens are mounted on an enclosure that houses a lane gate, which can be opened or closed with the push of a button by the cashier. The gate includes a sensor that triggers an alarm if a person tries to crawl under it, significantly reducing shoplifting.
Impax Media recently announced a partnership with TNG Retail Solutions, a leader in front end services for grocery retailers, to install and service the networks nationwide, giving the company significant resources to scale up quickly. The focus of the initial footprint will be the New York DMA, building scale that will be appealing to regional advertisers. Impax is targeting a footprint of 700 stores in the top ten DMA’s by the end of 2017 and 5,000 stores by 2022.
Jenny Jorge, GM of Compare Foods in Freeport added “We take pride in tailoring our product offerings and merchandising to the culture of the community where our store is located. Impax gives us the flexibility to customize the content on the network to local tastes.”
The grocery retailer networks’ screens include cutting edge technology called “Tru View.” Each screen contains software that measures how long a customer looks at the screen, and estimates the demographic profile of the viewer. This provides audience measurement based on views, similar to online digital media, and lends itself to adoption by programmatic buying platforms. It also allows views to be tracked for a specific commercial, which can be correlated with product purchases from scanner data to develop ROI. Using this methodology, a confectionary product promoted on the screens in Canada saw a 25% increases in sales versus control stores.
Dominick Porco, Chairman and CEO of Impax Media told us “For the past two decades, retail chains in many different classes of trade have embraced digital signage in their stores primarily as a source of third party advertising revenue,” noted “Rarely have they seized the opportunity to use the network as their own top notch communications platform, capable of enhancing the customer experience and strengthening their brand. In today’s swiftly moving marketplace, any program that keeps your current customers returning deserves to be thoroughly vetted, and we are excited to begin working with grocery retailers in the U.S. to help build their business.”
About Key Foods
Key Food Stores Co-op, Inc. is a cooperative of independently owned supermarkets, founded in Brooklyn, New York, on April 20, 1937. Its stores are found in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The cooperative operates stores under the Key Food Marketplace, Key Fresh & Natural, Food Dynasty, Urban Market, Food World, Food Universe Marketplace, SuperFresh, and The Food Emporium banners. In November 2015 the company completed the purchase of 23 stores from A&P, bringing the total number of stores under its management to 212. The stores included branches of Pathmark, A&P, Food Emporium and Food Basics USA. The acquisition made it the largest grocer in New York City.
About Compare Foods
The first Compare Foods was opened by the Peña family in October 1989 in Freeport, New York, to provide quality products, exceptional service and low prices to the community. The success of the first store encouraged the family to open a sister store in Brentwood, New York. Today, the Peña family operates stores in New York City, Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, South Carolina and North Carolina. Compare Foods works hard to better the communities in which it serves. It sponsors and supports local groups such as churches, youth services and non-profit organizations. It constantly looks to make the neighborhood and its surrounding area a better place to live.
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