Co-op Media Network has launched a new first-party data solution, Co-op Compass, which enables brands to navigate and target curated sets of convenience shoppers across digital channels at scale and speed.
Leveraging Co-op’s expertise in retail, geographical reach, transaction volume and its understanding of the needs of convenience shoppers, Co-op Compass offers advertisers a simple, quick and effective way to manage their offsite digital advertising through curated, ready-to-use audiences enabling seamless activation across several touch points.
The launch of Co-op Compass marks the next step in the brand’s mission to build a new suite of proprietary media products, by utilising Co-op’s in-depth, high-frequency customer data from more than 850m transactions annually with over six million members, and making it accessible across a broad range of digital channels.
Kenyatte Nelson, chief membership & customer officer at Co-op, said: “First-party data, like that harnessed by Co-op Compass, provides unparalleled insights into shopper behaviour and preferences, enabling brands to create highly targeted and effective campaigns at speed that resonate with their audiences.
“These campaigns will utilise Co-op’s strengths as a leader in convenience to create tailored and unique experiences driven by who shoppers are, how they live and how they shop. This launch is an evolution of our already strong offering and we’re looking forward to further showcasing the power of retail media to brands in the convenience shopper space.”
Katie Streeter Hurle, chief strategy officer at sCo-op’s retail media partner SMG, added: “When co-creating Co-op Compass, we wanted to find a way to improve the return on paid media investment for brands by running campaigns that would truly resonate with Co-op members and shoppers.
“Leaning into Co-op’s market-leading positioning in convenience, we’re prioritising shopper moments and customer missions over more simple audience targeting. With convenience retail thriving on impulsive purchases and a set of core missions, we believed that an offsite proposition should be built with this at the heart to make it work for advertisers.
“Traditionally, advertising in convenience retail relied on in-store triggers and activation to drive purchases. However, Co-op Compass will help brands move decision-making upstream, driving intent before the shopper enters the store.”
From launch, Co-op Compass will offer a managed service activating audiences via social and digital display channels. Additional advertising routes are planned to launch throughout 2025, with a further roll out of a self-service option.
Co-op Compass will be delivered in partnership with LiveRamp – the leading data collaboration platform – who will enable the Co-op Media Network to activate convenience mission audiences across the new first party data solution. LiveRamp’s data collaboration partner network will complement existing first-party data from Co-op.
Co-op first announced its partnership with LiveRamp in October 2023, which has now been extended for a further two years, to turbocharge relevancy for members and brands in its first-party marketing and retail media offering.
The Co-op Media Network launched in January 2024 in partnership with SMG, the UK’s leading independent retail media operator, and the Co-op Compass is the group’s latest retail media offering following the recent announcement of the rollout of 300 new front of store digital media screens in October. This will result in 9,300 screens across Co-op’s 2,400 stores by the end of January 2025.
