PUBLISHED DATE: 2026-09-20 23:56:05

How a Major Grocer Monetized Data to Grow Exponentially | Publicis Sapient

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Leading U.S. Grocer Grows Revenue 15x with Retail Media Network

How first-party customer data became a new source of revenue.

Summary

A new retail media network turned shopper insights into measurable value for the grocer.

15 x revenue growth
360 degree customer insights
15 + tools and platforms integrated

A new retail media network turned shopper insights into measurable value for the grocer.

Client Leading U.S. Grocery Chain

Industry Retail

Topic Data

In this customer story

Intro
The Problem
The Solution
The Impact

Intro

One of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States was sitting on a valuable asset: first-party data from shoppers. That data created a new way to connect brands with shoppers closer to the point of purchase. Publicis Sapient identified a $1 billion opportunity to turn that advantage into a new revenue stream. The work drew on capabilities across Publicis Groupe to build and grow the retailer’s media business. The goal was bigger than selling ad space. It was to give brands a clearer link between media spend and sales while creating a new, higher-margin business for the retailer.

The Problem

As cookies crumble and privacy concerns grow, first-party data from this grocer’s many banners has become more valuable than ever. And with digital ad spending on the rise, we knew it was imperative for our partner to move into the retail media platform space before it becomes oversaturated. Moreover, a new non-linear revenue stream would offer consistently higher profits, even as overhead costs ebb and flow.

The Solution

We designed and built a custom omnichannel Retail Media Network that maps each customer’s individual journey. To capture growing media revenue from CPGs, we closed the loop on reporting with a direct path to sales that other ad and content platforms simply cannot provide. The system is optimized to provide actionable insights in real time with unprecedented transparency. Our sister agency Publicis Media unlocked unique perspectives on advertisers’ needs, while our deep relationships with Google Display Network and CitrusAd enabled our client to get up and running quickly with proven tools and processes.

The Impact

Although this bespoke solution is new to the grocer, it’s already making a noticeable impact through:

A connected network of partners and technologies
Nuanced insights that tech vendors alone cannot provide
A solid foundation for future data monetization efforts that scales as regulations and preferences change
A fundamental shift to the revenue model

Meet our authors

Darshit Rao

Senior Principal, Delivery, Strategy

Punita Tyagi

Client Partner, NA Retail