What you’ll learn:
- Visibility needs measurement to prove its value. Understanding the impact of a retail media campaign helps optimize it and maximize returns.
- Direct and indirect sales reveal the true effect of a campaign. By capturing the increase in sales on different channels, we can see how visibility multiplies the initial impact.
- Share of voice shows where you stand in relation to the competition. By measuring your share of attention in relation to other brands, you can adjust your strategy to stay in the race.
- Track sales over time for a sustainable return. Observing the sales lifecycle enables you to plan sustainable actions and capitalize on past campaigns.
- Each campaign is a lesson in how to optimize the next. By analyzing performance, you can turn every visibility investment into a lever for learning and growth.
Why measuring the impact of a retail media campaign is essential
In an environment where every brand seeks to stand out from the crowd, retail media has become an essential tool for maximizing visibility. But investing in visibility isn’t enough: it’s essential to be able to measure its impact. And why is that? Because without precise indicators, it’s impossible to know whether a campaign is achieving its objectives, or to draw lessons for doing even better next time.
Measuring the impact of a retail media campaign means looking beyond immediate sales. It means understanding how this visibility influences consumers, creates a ripple effect on other channels and, ultimately, builds brand awareness. To this end, several key indicators – the KPIs – enable us to capture the direct and indirect effect of campaigns, and to better appreciate their return on investment.
The essential KPIs for assessing the impact of a retail media campaign
Share of voice: winning the battle for attention
Share of voice represents a brand’s visibility in relation to its competitors in the same market. This KPI not only measures the number of views or impressions, but also compares the share of attention captured by a brand with that of its competitors.
Gaining share of voice means capturing more of consumers’ attention, marking their minds and influencing their choices. The more share of voice a brand captures, the more it becomes anchored in customers’ minds as a benchmark in its sector. Measuring this indicator ensures that the brand occupies a privileged space in the market, and that it remains present in the face of the competition.
Direct sales: capturing the immediate impact of the campaign
Direct sales, or so-called direct uplift, measures the increase in sales directly attributable to the campaign. This is the first indicator we look at: did the advertising boost sales? For example, if advertising on an online platform leads to an increase in product sales, this shows a direct uplift.
But it’s not just about sales: it’s also proof that the campaign has captured consumers’ attention and prompted them to act. Measuring this direct effect gives an idea of the campaign’s immediate effectiveness, and is a good starting point for seeing how each action contributes to the overall objectives.
Indirect sales: the ripple effect of visibility
The second key KPI is indirect uplift, i.e. sales generated by the campaign, but on other channels. Let’s imagine that an online advertisement arouses the curiosity of consumers, who then go on to buy the product in-store. These additional sales, not directly attributed to the initial advertisement, show that the campaign has influenced other channels.
This indirect uplift is valuable because it shows the ripple effect of a campaign. It underlines the fact that visibility creates a wider impact and extends the brand’s influence across different touchpoints. A good retail media campaign is not limited to a single channel: it must reach consumers in their various purchasing contexts, creating a consistent and reassuring presence.
Strategies for measuring return on investment in retail media
Analyze the lifecycle of sales generated by the campaign
A campaign doesn’t stop once the ads are up and running. It’s essential to track sales over time to observe their evolution and sustainability. The idea is to see whether the sales generated increase sustainably, stabilize, or drop off rapidly after the end of the campaign.
This analysis enables future strategies to be adjusted. For example, if sales drop off after the campaign, this may indicate that the brand needs to work harder on loyalty or plan reminder actions. This follow-up is fundamental to making the most of visibility investments, and to making each campaign a lesson for the next.
Compare costs and results on different channels
When a campaign uses several channels – social networks, e-commerce sites, in-store displays – it’s important to measure the cost per sale on each channel. This comparison helps to identify which channels are the most profitable, and which need to be adapted.
For example, if sales on social networks generate a good uplift but at a high cost, it may be worth allocating part of the budget to other, more effective channels. This optimization makes the most of every euro invested, adjusting resources according to the performance of each channel.
Tracking voice share growth over time
Monitoring the evolution of share of voice allows us to understand how the campaign influences the brand’s position in relation to its competitors. By increasing its share of voice, a brand not only improves its visibility, it also reinforces its place in the market and becomes a preferred option for consumers.
If a brand sees its share of voice increase, it means it’s capturing more attention. On the other hand, a drop may indicate that it’s time to revise the message or strengthen the presence on specific channels to regain the public’s attention. Share of voice is a valuable indicator for adapting quickly and maintaining a competitive edge.
Use insights to optimize future campaigns
Measuring the impact of a retail media campaign is more than just evaluating sales. The information gathered can be used to optimize future campaigns and adjust strategies to maximize returns.
Use uplift trends to better target future campaigns
By analyzing uplift trends, both direct and indirect, brands can identify which channels work best and allocate their resources in a more targeted way. This means investing more where the impact is greatest, and adapting strategies to maximize the effect of each campaign.
Use share of voice to adjust message and media
Share of voice enables us to adjust messages and media according to observed effectiveness. A gain in share of voice shows that the message is resonating well with the audience. A loss may indicate that it’s time to renew content or explore new channels to reach the target audience.
A lever for learning and sustainable growth
Measuring the impact of a retail media campaign is not just a one-off evaluation, but a continuous optimization process. Each campaign becomes a test to better understand consumer behavior and adjust strategies for future campaigns.
By integrating this logic, visibility becomes a lever for sustainable growth. Each campaign provides insights to better meet consumer expectations, reinforcing the impact of future campaigns and creating a virtuous circle of success and continuous progress.
