It turns out distributed ad networks operated by travel and tourism companies have some things that traditional grocery and retail media ecosystems don’t – like the ability to break into the luxury vertical and connect with audiences across a long customer journey. Branded messages are coming to some airplane seatback screens, thanks to new retail media networks / Toa Heftiba In June, United debuted Kinective Media, its proprietary media network, and the first in the airline industry. The network will allow advertisers to buy ads on seatback screens, across United’s website and mobile app and in out-of-home airport placements.
The company has also partnered with sell-side firm Magnite to bring ads to customers’ own devices when they use United’s in-flight personal device entertainment system. Early brand partners include Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy’s and TelevisaUnivision. Increasingly, travel, tourism and transport companies – including United, Marriott, Expedia, Uber, Lyft and more – are launching their own ad networks, spin-offs of retail media’s boom of the last few years.
At Cannes Lions in June, the ad industry’s most prestigious annual celebration, United promoted Kinective Media alongside more traditional grocery and retail media network owners like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons and Instacart. In fact, many ad industry insiders are urging brands to stop thinking about these kinds of custom, distributed networks – which are also popp.