Blog.
Digital screens: why in-store inspiration is so important
What kind of grocery shopper are you? Are you the sort to meticulously plan out your meals and leave the store with nothing more than the items on your list? Do you throw caution to the wind, wander in without anything in mind and hope that inspiration strikes as you browse the aisles? Or are you somewhere in between, equipped with a good idea of what you need but also willing to be swayed?
If you’re in the latter camp, then you’re also in the majority. Around three-quarters of grocery shoppers say that, while they enter the store with a list, they don’t always stick to it1. That’s hardly surprising, either. From new product launches through to deals and offers, even a quick stroll around a supermarket is enough to prompt most shoppers to add a few extra items to their basket.
At Tesco, the average trip is much longer than a "quick stroll". Most customers spend a significant amount of time in a Tesco store, presenting brand advertisers with an extended timespan in which to engage with shoppers through retail media.
"Inspire" is the key word there. In line with the large number of people who fail to stick to a list, around half (48%) of shoppers say that they’re on the lookout for ideas and suggestions on what to buy when shopping in a physical store2. Inspiration – and, by proxy, inspirational media – is an important part of the modern in-store experience, and something that many customers are proactively seeking out.
Clearly, that presents brands with a compelling opportunity to influence shopper behaviours in their favour. And while there are a wide range of ways to engage with customers across Tesco stores, digital screens are ones that warrants specific discussion when it comes to the subject of inspiration.
Bringing Above the Line creative to the store environment
Available at more than 100 Tesco stores across Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary digital screens are an in-store media channel to bring campaign creative to life. These screens are located in high-footfall areas, feature dynamic content delivered via animated graphics, and are an extremely effective way to grab the attention of customers on their journey through the store.
Digital signage like Connected Display tends to have a powerful effect on shopper behaviours, particularly in grocery stores – campaigns including screens show a 33% sales uplift and a 34% increase in the number of customers buying the product3. Not only is this testament to the outstated impact that digital screens can have on decision making, it also speaks to its ability to fulfil that need for inspiration.
One of the main reasons for that is the fact that digital screens offers a great deal of flexibility around creative execution. While advertisers are still bound to certain guidelines, they also have an opportunity to recreate or echo the same kind of creative approaches that they may be using in other branded media. This allows for a visual approach to storytelling that can help a brand stand out in what is a traditionally busy environment.
The obvious example here is that of Above the Line (ATL) campaigns, something that many brands invest heavily in as part of their overall marketing strategy. With digital screens, they have the ability to replicate the same tone or visual style that a customer may already have seen on TV, online, or in print, creating an instant connection with – and reinforcing the key campaign messages to – in-store customers.
A targeted and measurable approach to inspiration
Enhancing that model is a “test and control” measurement methodology, again underpinned by Clubcard data. Here, that data is used to evaluate the difference in sales uplift between those stores that ran the digital screens campaign and those that didn’t, providing an accurate picture of performance. Combined with other metrics such as reach, frequency, and impressions, this allows brands to establish a complete view of a campaign’s effectiveness.
All of these metrics speaks to the true power of digital screens. Not only does it meet a key customer need, providing the ideas and inspiration that shoppers want, it gives brands concrete proof about the impact of doing so. No guesswork, no inferred results; just a measurable, highly targeted way to reach more of the “right” customers with eye-catching branded content.
For more information about digital screens visit our landing page.
1 Research reveals 75% shoppers do not stick to a shopping list – Shopping Centre News, 17th July 2019
2 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement "When I am in store I look for inspiration and suggestions on what to buy"? – Statista / dunnhumby, July 2020
3 Tesco Media digital screens pilot in Central Europe, 2024