Liqour retail group debuts MixIn retail media arm
Endeavour Group is planning to work with brands directly as well as media agencies used by suppliers in order to provide opportunities across its new retail media network offering.
The liquor retail chain group debuted its new retail arm, MixIn by Endeavour, this week, giving partners the ability to promote products through its store and hotels network along with digital assets. It’s powered by a digital arm known as endeavourx and is being run by head of retail media, Lachlan Brahe, who was recruited in May and boasts of extensive experience across the advertising industry. He’s joined by sales manager, Steve Jones, operations manager, Rhiannon Hart, and a dedicated sales and media strategy team.
The in-house capability sits within the merchandising team and has reportedly been 12 months in the making. Advertising opportunities include tasting programs, in-store digital screens and radio, as well as sponsored product listings and display advertising placements across the different brands’ websites and apps.
Suppliers can do this by accessing a self-service platform to set up digital campaigns that will run on a variety of advertising placements.
“We offer Australia’s largest connected drinks ecosystem, which means we can leverage customer insights to deliver great campaigns for our suppliers and help them reach customers in meaningful ways in their most sociable of moments,” said Endeavour Group general manager of merchandise transformation, Bree Coleman.
“Over 97 per cent of our store visitors walk out of a BWS or Dan Murphy’s with a purchase, so it’s an incredible opportunity for our partners to reach drinks lovers all over Australia, and for customers to access more relevant offers and taste and sample new products.”
Brahe told CMO Endeavour is working with a “small group of best-in-class technology platforms” but wouldn’t be drawn on naming names. The ambition was to have a retail media offering that was powerful, efficient and simple for suppliers, including some self-service functionality, he explained.
“We work with thousands of suppliers, and the most common question we get asked by them is ‘how can we grow our business with you?’” he said. “MixIn will offer solutions to all of our suppliers – no matter their size – and we have worked hard to make it as easy as possible for them to partner with us.
“Good advertising complements a purchase – it doesn’t complicate it. Our model is built around respect for the customer, value for the advertiser and utility for our retail brands, and we will continue to innovate and assess our retail media offering to ensure we meet the needs of our customers and supply partners.”
Endeavour Group has 1675 stores and 344 hotels nationally as well as digital platforms with more than 10 million average monthly website and app visits. Brands in its portfolio include Dan Murphy’s, BWS Jimmy Brings and Shorty’s Liquor.
“We have partnered with a number of suppliers in the ideation phase to ensure we are delivering advertising solutions that deliver value across the spectrum of our supplier community, agnostic of the supplier size,” Brahe continued.
“Naturally, the addition of advertising inventory on our websites and in stores lends itself to amplification of our own marketing messages for Dan’s and BWS. That being said, MixIn has launched to give our suppliers more opportunities to reach and engage relevant audiences in the ideal environment.”
Brahe also said MixIn is working with a combination of brands directly and also with media agencies that represent its suppliers.
“The self-service nature of our digital platform makes it easy for suppliers, big and small, to manage as much of their media investments with us as they want,” he added.
Endeavour Group joins a growing list of retail brands building out dedicated next-gen retail media offerings, including Coles, Woolworths (Cartology), digiDirect and Priceline Pharmacy.
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