Australian Venue advances retail network with new partners

Australian Venue Co. (AVC) has announced partnerships with Zitcha, Mercato, and Perion to enhance the operations of its Retail Media Network, AVC experience+.

AVC operates 238 venues across Australia, attracting around 15 million visitors annually. AVC experience+ enables brands to harness data for targeted campaigns aimed at users on-site and through digital channels. Integrating these technology partnerships seeks to streamline operations and improve the impact of advertising campaigns.

Zitcha has been engaged to help AVC unify its off-site inventory management, planning, and campaign operations. This partnership aims to implement a self-service model for advertisers, allowing them to utilise first-party data for better precise targeting.

Uno de Waal, Head of Retail Media at AVC, said, "The addition of these partners marks a pivotal step forward for AVC experience+, transforming it into a fully digitised, self-service retail media network that guarantees a great experience for both our advertising partners and patrons. Our advertisers can now plan and execute campaigns more effectively, tapping into our in-venue customers and online audiences with unmatched precision."

As the exclusive provider for AVC's in-venue bar screens, Mercato is carrying out a national rollout of these screens, which is expected to conclude soon. Vanessa Rob, CEO of Mercato, commented on their significance: "AVC are true pioneers as the first hospitality group to invest in small on-bar screen format to capture attention at the point of sale. This investment will mean that advertisers get the most bang for their buck." The deployment includes over 450 screens, providing an on-premise targeting opportunity for advertisers seeking engagement with a vast audience.

Perion, known for its programmatic capabilities, will integrate AVC's in-venue screens with wider digital ecosystems. This connection allows advertisers to engage audiences in a social and localised setting while providing them with tools to follow customer journeys from start to finish.

The strategic partnerships aim to ensure the operational efficiency of AVC experience+ and transition it into a new realm of self-service. This development should help advertisers of various sizes purchase inventory more easily and quickly, thus broadening access.