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Dive Brief:
Ace Hardware has launched its own retail media network — RedVest Media — to give participating brand partners a more targeted approach to advertising, according to a press release.
Through a partnership with Epsilon Retail Media, the RedVest Media platform is built to offer full-funnel advertising across online channels and is compatible with existing platforms such as Pacvue, Flywheel and Skai.
Brands can choose from a menu of network services, including onsite premium ads, email and push messaging, in-store signage and offsite programmatic through display, video, connected TV (CTV) and mobile, per the release.
Dive Insight:
With over 5,100 locations across the country and almost 73 million Ace Rewards members, the retailer’s brand partners have access to a wide audience to advertise to through RedVest Media.
“Ace has always been about helping our neighbors,” Molly Hjelm, corporate vice president of retail media, said in a statement. “With RedVest Media, we’re now extending that helpfulness to our brand partners, giving them the tools and data to drive meaningful engagement and measurable results at both the national and local level.”
RedVest Media intends to give brands greater access to Ace’s customers and offer them real-time measurements and insights.
”We have the site traffic, reachable scale, and geographical footprint that exceeds the leading networks, but this isn’t about competing with other retailers or creating something that is fundamentally novel, it’s about being helpful to our vendors in a new way,” Hjelm said in an email.
Ace has been working to improve the customer experience in its own stores. Last year, it launched Elevate Ace, an experiential store model that highlights specific brands through in-store showrooms, an outdoor space with live goods displays and improved customer service.
In July, the retailer opened a 1.5 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Kansas City, Missouri, to quickly deliver products to the company’s network of stores.
The launch of RedVest Media comes as other retailers are introducing retail media networks of their own. Home Depot rebranded its Orange Apron Media last year as it sought ways to differentiate itself in the retail media market. Saks last year launched a retail media network, which it said at the time was the first in the luxury space.