Media Networks in Fuel Retail: Unlocking New Revenue Streams and Customer Engagement

As the global energy landscape shifts and electric vehicle (EV) adoption accelerates, fuel retailers face a defining moment. Traditional fuel sales, once the bedrock of profitability, are projected to decline, challenging the core business model of fuel stations. Yet, within this disruption lies a powerful opportunity: leveraging customer data, loyalty programs, and in-store digital signage to build and monetize high-margin media networks. These networks are not just a new revenue stream—they are a catalyst for modernization, customer engagement, and long-term growth.

The Business Case: Why Media Networks Matter Now

Fuel retailers have long relied on fuel sales as their primary revenue driver. However, the rise of EVs and clean energy alternatives is steadily eroding this foundation. To future-proof their business, fuel retailers must diversify revenue streams and reimagine the customer experience. Media networks—retailer-owned advertising platforms powered by first-party data—offer a compelling solution:

Diversified, High-Margin Revenue: Media networks can generate hundreds of millions, even up to $1 billion, in new, high-margin revenue for large operators, offsetting the volatility and decline of traditional fuel sales.
Personalized Customer Engagement: By integrating loyalty data and digital touchpoints, fuel retailers can deliver hyper-targeted advertising and offers, driving impulse purchases and increasing store traffic.
Modernization and Store Investment: Incremental revenue from media networks can fund store upgrades, digital services, and new customer experiences, positioning fuel retailers as leaders in convenience and innovation.

How Media Networks Work in Fuel Retail

Fuel retailers are uniquely positioned to capitalize on media network monetization due to their frequent, high-volume customer interactions and robust loyalty ecosystems. Here’s how the model works:

Loyalty Programs as Data Engines: Loyalty programs capture rich, consent-based customer data—purchase history, preferences, visit frequency—that can be used to segment audiences and deliver relevant offers.
Digital Signage and At-the-Pump Screens: In-store and forecourt digital displays become dynamic advertising platforms, serving contextually relevant ads based on time of day, location, and customer profile. For example, a customer recognized at the pump can receive a personalized offer for a favorite snack or beverage, prompting an in-store visit.
Mobile Apps and Omnichannel Reach: Mobile platforms extend the network’s reach, enabling push notifications, personalized promotions, and seamless integration with digital wallets and e-commerce features.
Closed-Loop Measurement: Advertisers benefit from transparent, real-time reporting that links ad impressions to actual sales, providing clear ROI and enabling continuous optimization.

Operational, Technological, and Organizational Steps to Success

Launching a successful media network in fuel retail requires a holistic approach:

Strategic Roadmapping: Define the business case, articulate the value proposition, and develop a comprehensive roadmap for media network deployment. Identify the potential benefits—new revenue streams, cost savings, and improved customer engagement.
Data Modernization: Invest in robust, cloud-based data platforms that unify customer, transaction, and engagement data across all touchpoints. This enables real-time segmentation and targeting, and ensures compliance with privacy regulations.
Technology Integration: Deploy composable, API-driven systems that seamlessly connect loyalty, POS, digital signage, and ad tech platforms. Modern, interoperable technology stacks are critical to overcoming legacy system fragmentation.
Operational Enablement: Build dedicated teams for data analytics, marketing, and ad sales. Where needed, partner with experienced operators to bridge capability gaps and accelerate time to market.
Sales Leadership and Governance: Media networks require new skills in ad sales, campaign management, and data governance. Invest in talent, training, and clear protocols for data ownership and media network governance—especially important in franchise or fragmented ownership models.
Closed-Loop Measurement and Optimization: Implement advanced analytics and reporting frameworks that provide advertisers with transparent, actionable insights—driving continuous improvement and maximizing ROI.

Overcoming Fuel Retail’s Unique Challenges

While the opportunity is significant, fuel retailers face sector-specific hurdles in building and scaling media networks:

Fragmented Ownership Models: Franchise structures and separate ownership of forecourt and store operations can complicate data integration and media network governance. Clear protocols and collaborative operating models are essential.
Legacy Systems and Technology Fragmentation: Disparate digital architectures and outdated POS or signage systems can hinder data unification and real-time targeting. Modern, composable technology stacks and cloud-based data platforms are critical enablers.
Capability Gaps: Media networks require new skills in ad sales, campaign management, and data governance. Fuel retailers must invest in talent, training, and, where needed, partner with experienced operators to bridge capability gaps.

Real-World Impact: Revenue, Experience, and Modernization

Fuel retailers embracing media networks are already seeing tangible results:

Incremental Revenue: Media networks can deliver hundreds of millions in annual revenue for large operators, with high margins that far exceed those of traditional fuel sales.
Enhanced Customer Experience: Personalized, relevant offers increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and basket size—turning routine fuel stops into engaging retail experiences.
Actionable Insights: The integration of data across loyalty, POS, and digital channels provides deep customer insights, informing smarter merchandising and marketing decisions.
Modernization Funding: The new revenue stream supports investments in store modernization, digital ordering, and other innovations that reduce cost to serve and drive long-term growth.

Practical Guidance for Fuel Retailers

To unlock the full potential of media networks, fuel retailers should:

Assess and unify data assets: Map all customer data sources and invest in platforms that can integrate and activate data across channels.
Invest in analytics and AI: Build capabilities to turn raw data into actionable insights, enabling real-time personalization and operational optimization.
Design for the customer journey: Use data to understand key moments and pain points, and design digital experiences that address them—whether through mobile apps, loyalty programs, or new service offerings.
Prioritize privacy and trust: Establish clear data governance policies and communicate transparently with customers about data use.
Adopt an agile, test-and-learn approach: Continuously measure, iterate, and refine personalization strategies based on customer feedback and performance data.

The Road Ahead: Transforming Fuel Retail for 2025 and Beyond

As the energy transition accelerates, fuel retailers who act now to build and scale media networks will be best positioned to capture new revenue, deepen customer relationships, and fund the modernization required to thrive in a changing landscape. The path forward is clear: invest in data, modernize technology, and embrace the power of media networks to transform both the business model and the customer experience.

Ready to unlock the full potential of your fuel retail business? Connect with Publicis Sapient to explore how we can help you build, scale, and operate a high-impact media network—turning disruption into opportunity and data into growth.