January 30, 2026
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Will In-Store Media Fly For WHSmith?
WHSmith has partnered with retail adtech firm In-Store Marketplace (ISM) to power digital and audio ads across more than 700 digital screens inside its more than 350 U.S. airport stores. The partnership promises to give advertisers access to “high-value travelers with long dwell times and strong spending power.”
Advertisers will be able to manage, sell, and schedule digital inventory across screens and audio channels inside stores through a single system, streamlining campaign activation for advertising partners. The network further reportedly offers the ability to deliver more contextually relevant and timely messaging to consumers while they shop, helping align content with traveler needs and moments.
Early adopters, including Frito-Lay and Bose, are activating campaigns, with additional brands expected to follow.
“We’re able to open our entire airport footprint to advertisers in a way that’s seamless, scalable, and built for today’s travel audience,” said Alison O’Keefe, partnership director of WHSmith North America Media Network. “The result is the most sophisticated travel retail media network, moving from isolated placements to a true media ecosystem that delivers measurable impact.”
In-store media — including QR-enabled screens, digital endcaps, smart displays, and in-store audio — is gaining more traction as retailers embrace formats that integrate naturally into the shopping experience. However, it is expected to remain a small part of the overall retail media due to challenges competing against the ability of digitally linked purchases to ads.
“Do I want to get in front of the shopper in store? Yes. Is there an infrastructure to support that properly yet? No,” Benoit Vatere, CMO of water brand Liquid Death, said on a panel at last year’s Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Connected Commerce Summit, according to Marketing Dive.
Vatere cited Amazon among the few able to adequately leverage demand-side platforms to track the path to purchase of consumers inside Whole Foods.
In-Store Media Still Faces Challenges in 2026 and Beyond, But Progress Is Being Made
EMarketer predicts U.S. in-store media spend will reach $1 billion by 2029, representing less than 1% of overall retail media spend, a challenging hurdle.
In a recent column for TotalRetail, Toni Restrepo — VP of retail media networks at ISM — said a challenge for in-store media has been the “disconnect” between marketing and media, particularly in making messaging adjustments to overstocks or understocks.
However, artificial intelligence-powered systems are introducing the ability to inform in-store media using inventory levels, demand patterns, and merchandising priorities. Restropo wrote, “Rather than relying on rigid schedules, retailers can adjust content strategies with greater flexibility, deciding when to reinforce brand messaging, shift creative emphasis, or spotlight available products.”
Adam Skinner, managing director of unified retail media at Epsilon, added in-store media will also benefit as AI advances personalization and recommendations efforts at the shelf level.
He said, “Retailers are doubling down on first-party identity and real-time audience solutions to deliver person-based, cross-channel engagement and dynamic ad decisioning tied to margin and inventory.”
The adoption of AI agents in the online shopping journey is also expected by many to be highly disruptive to digital media, potentially making in-store media more attractive. Tyler Murray, chief enterprise solutions officer for VML in North America, told Marketing Brew, “The best strategic moat retailers can do to combat AI is to shift dollars towards in-store retail media, because there’s no AI that’s impacting shoppers as they’re in Walmart going down aisle seven.”
BrainTrust
Lisa Goller
B2B Content Strategist
Georganne Bender
Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking
Mohamed Amer, PhD
CEO & Strategic Board Advisor, Strategy Doctor
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
What do you think of the WHSmith’s opportunity to help advertisers reach travelers with in-store digital and audio ads?
What are the main hurdles holding back increased adoption of in-store media? Do you see artificial-intelligence or other technologies offering solutions?
Poll
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Given that WHSmith’s North American operation is mostly in airports, I think this will work as it gives brands access to a location that is not overly crowded with other retailers vying for media spend. However, the execution needs to be sensitive as airports are, for many, high-stress and time-sensitive. WHS should not add to the noise and clutter with a welter of screens.
It would seem to be a semi-captive audience, so if the ads are relevant for the traveler, I think this can fly (pun acknowledged). Of course the reverse is true as well: advertise something irrelevant in an airport context, and the message may be quickly forgotten.
WHSmith’s airport context makes it a tactical setting: captive audiences with disposable income and long dwell times are ideal for media monetization. But let’s be clear about what “in-store media as a strategic moat against AI agents” actually means: retailers admitting they’ve lost the discovery battle. When executives celebrate that AI can’t reach shoppers browsing physical aisles, they’re describing a temporary attention monopoly, not a sustainable advantage. Airport retail works precisely because consumer agency is constrained by limited time, limited alternatives, and forced exposure. This is exactly the model agentic commerce disrupts.
The real signal is that in-store media accounts for less than 1% of retail media spend today, and eMarketer projects it will remain below 1% by 2029. Even as absolute dollars double from $500 million to $1 billion, in-store media isn’t gaining share; it’s treading water while digital retail media scales massively. Treating forced exposure as a strategic moat isn’t a strategy; it’s monetizing the moments before agents optimize the entire purchase journey.
Wins all around. WHSmith and brands reach upscale shoppers and can earn their trust by solving the boredom of long layovers or long flights.
WHSmith could also attract non-endemic brand advertisers like international banks and telcom companies that design targeted campaigns for travellers.
Customers may enjoy the product discovery and find the ads align beautifully with their active lifestyle or business travel routine.
I can’t say I’ve ever been compelled to make a purchase at an airport store based solely on digital media. Most of the time it’s just noise.
While a captive audience is certainly an advantage, the effectiveness of this program will ultimately hinge on the quality and relevance of the advertising. When I’m moving through an airport, being marketed to isn’t on my agenda.
WHSmith’s push to help advertisers reach travelers with in-store digital and audio ads taps into a compelling, context-rich moment in the consumer journey: people who are already out of routine, receptive to discovery, and physically present in a retail environment where attention is less cluttered than on devices or in transit. Travel retail has long been prized by brands for its captive audience, leisure mindset, and high purchase intent —whether for last-minute purchases, gifts, indulgences, or practical needs. By layering relevant digital signage, audio cues, and targeted messaging into that physical space, WHSmith is creating a media channel that bridges the engagement power of digital with the immediacy of bricks-and-mortar. For advertisers, that’s a chance to deliver contextual influence at a point of purchase that’s far more impactful than generic broadcast buys.
At the same time, there are real hurdles holding back broader adoption of in-store media across the industry. A big one is measurement and attribution: until retailers and advertisers can reliably demonstrate that in-store media drives sales, changes behavior, and delivers measurable ROI, many marketing dollars will remain anchored in digital channels with well-established analytics. Integration challenges — from syncing in-store screens with e-commerce and loyalty systems to ensuring messaging relevance in real time — also slow deployment. There’s a reliance on quality content workflows, audience segmentation data, and responsive creative, which many physical retailers have historically underinvested in. Without unified measurement standards or programmatic scalability, in-store media can feel bespoke and expensive compared to plug-and-play digital buys.
This is an area where artificial intelligence and other technologies could make a meaningful difference. AI can help automate content personalization based on time of day, foot traffic patterns, weather, inventory levels, and even known shopper preferences. Machine learning can optimize which creative is shown where and when, and real-time analytics can tie impressions to basket lift — closing the loop between attention and conversion. Visual recognition, location data, and sensor integration can also help retailers infer shopper intent and tailor messaging in ways that feel relevant rather than intrusive. The technical building blocks to elevate in-store media into a true, measurable channel are emerging; the challenge is bringing them together into a seamless, scalable ecosystem.
In sum, WHSmith’s in-store media opportunity is strategically smart — it leverages the unique strengths of travel retail and a receptive audience — but realizing the full potential of in-store advertising will require better analytics, creative automation, and tighter integration with retail systems. AI and adjacent technologies can help unlock that value, but adoption will accelerate only when the industry collectively moves from experimentation to proven impact.
Airports are high-dwell but high-stress environments.Travelers want speed, clarity, and minimal friction. Digital and audio ads work best when they’re context-aware: time-to-gate, trip purpose, inventory availability, and even queue length should shape what’s shown and when.
The biggest hurdle for in-store media remains attribution and operational alignment. If marketing, inventory, and merchandising systems aren’t tightly connected, ads risk promoting out-of-stock products or irrelevant offers, which erodes trust fast. This is where AI actually matters. Real-time inventory signals, demand forecasting, and rules-based decisioning can ensure ads reinforce what’s available now, not what was planned weeks ago.
A lot of times winners are not the loudest screens, but the quietest systems, ones that reduce decision fatigue, accelerate purchase, and respect the traveler’s limited attention.
This can work well for WHSmith given a timely and smart execution.
The real genius of WHSmith’s new network isn’t just the 700 screens—it’s the potential for Contextual Timing. In an airport, ‘Timing is everything.’ A traveler at 8 AM in the Departure lounge has a completely different ‘Buying Brain’ than a traveler on a 3-hour layover.
Departures: Need speed and ‘forgotten’ essentials.
Transits: Have the ‘dwell time’ to engage with interactive touch screens and premium Arrivals: Are already thinking about their destination needs.
By using AI to sync ads with real-time flight data, WHSmith can move from ‘Noise’ to ‘Service.’ That’s how you win the bottom of the funnel.
Studies dating back decades show that in-store media works. Everything from hand-written signs to screens. It prompts and entertains. But, please, no audio. The cacophony at the airport is already annoying and distracting (in a bad way).
WHSmith’s initiative to build an in-store media network across its airport footprint is an interesting play, especially given the captive audience and longer dwell times you find in travel retail hubs.
Airports naturally offer a context-rich environment where brands can connect with travelers who are already in a buying mindset — and WHSmith’s scale of 700+ screens and audio channels gives advertisers a unified media option they didn’t have before.
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Given that WHSmith’s North American operation is mostly in airports, I think this will work as it gives brands access to a location that is not overly crowded with other retailers vying for media spend. However, the execution needs to be sensitive as airports are, for many, high-stress and time-sensitive. WHS should not add to the noise and clutter with a welter of screens.
It would seem to be a semi-captive audience, so if the ads are relevant for the traveler, I think this can fly (pun acknowledged). Of course the reverse is true as well: advertise something irrelevant in an airport context, and the message may be quickly forgotten.
WHSmith’s airport context makes it a tactical setting: captive audiences with disposable income and long dwell times are ideal for media monetization. But let’s be clear about what “in-store media as a strategic moat against AI agents” actually means: retailers admitting they’ve lost the discovery battle. When executives celebrate that AI can’t reach shoppers browsing physical aisles, they’re describing a temporary attention monopoly, not a sustainable advantage. Airport retail works precisely because consumer agency is constrained by limited time, limited alternatives, and forced exposure. This is exactly the model agentic commerce disrupts.
The real signal is that in-store media accounts for less than 1% of retail media spend today, and eMarketer projects it will remain below 1% by 2029. Even as absolute dollars double from $500 million to $1 billion, in-store media isn’t gaining share; it’s treading water while digital retail media scales massively. Treating forced exposure as a strategic moat isn’t a strategy; it’s monetizing the moments before agents optimize the entire purchase journey.
Wins all around. WHSmith and brands reach upscale shoppers and can earn their trust by solving the boredom of long layovers or long flights.
WHSmith could also attract non-endemic brand advertisers like international banks and telcom companies that design targeted campaigns for travellers.
Customers may enjoy the product discovery and find the ads align beautifully with their active lifestyle or business travel routine.
I can’t say I’ve ever been compelled to make a purchase at an airport store based solely on digital media. Most of the time it’s just noise.
While a captive audience is certainly an advantage, the effectiveness of this program will ultimately hinge on the quality and relevance of the advertising. When I’m moving through an airport, being marketed to isn’t on my agenda.
WHSmith’s push to help advertisers reach travelers with in-store digital and audio ads taps into a compelling, context-rich moment in the consumer journey: people who are already out of routine, receptive to discovery, and physically present in a retail environment where attention is less cluttered than on devices or in transit. Travel retail has long been prized by brands for its captive audience, leisure mindset, and high purchase intent —whether for last-minute purchases, gifts, indulgences, or practical needs. By layering relevant digital signage, audio cues, and targeted messaging into that physical space, WHSmith is creating a media channel that bridges the engagement power of digital with the immediacy of bricks-and-mortar. For advertisers, that’s a chance to deliver contextual influence at a point of purchase that’s far more impactful than generic broadcast buys.
At the same time, there are real hurdles holding back broader adoption of in-store media across the industry. A big one is measurement and attribution: until retailers and advertisers can reliably demonstrate that in-store media drives sales, changes behavior, and delivers measurable ROI, many marketing dollars will remain anchored in digital channels with well-established analytics. Integration challenges — from syncing in-store screens with e-commerce and loyalty systems to ensuring messaging relevance in real time — also slow deployment. There’s a reliance on quality content workflows, audience segmentation data, and responsive creative, which many physical retailers have historically underinvested in. Without unified measurement standards or programmatic scalability, in-store media can feel bespoke and expensive compared to plug-and-play digital buys.
This is an area where artificial intelligence and other technologies could make a meaningful difference. AI can help automate content personalization based on time of day, foot traffic patterns, weather, inventory levels, and even known shopper preferences. Machine learning can optimize which creative is shown where and when, and real-time analytics can tie impressions to basket lift — closing the loop between attention and conversion. Visual recognition, location data, and sensor integration can also help retailers infer shopper intent and tailor messaging in ways that feel relevant rather than intrusive. The technical building blocks to elevate in-store media into a true, measurable channel are emerging; the challenge is bringing them together into a seamless, scalable ecosystem.
In sum, WHSmith’s in-store media opportunity is strategically smart — it leverages the unique strengths of travel retail and a receptive audience — but realizing the full potential of in-store advertising will require better analytics, creative automation, and tighter integration with retail systems. AI and adjacent technologies can help unlock that value, but adoption will accelerate only when the industry collectively moves from experimentation to proven impact.
Airports are high-dwell but high-stress environments.Travelers want speed, clarity, and minimal friction. Digital and audio ads work best when they’re context-aware: time-to-gate, trip purpose, inventory availability, and even queue length should shape what’s shown and when.
The biggest hurdle for in-store media remains attribution and operational alignment. If marketing, inventory, and merchandising systems aren’t tightly connected, ads risk promoting out-of-stock products or irrelevant offers, which erodes trust fast. This is where AI actually matters. Real-time inventory signals, demand forecasting, and rules-based decisioning can ensure ads reinforce what’s available now, not what was planned weeks ago.
A lot of times winners are not the loudest screens, but the quietest systems, ones that reduce decision fatigue, accelerate purchase, and respect the traveler’s limited attention.
This can work well for WHSmith given a timely and smart execution.
The real genius of WHSmith’s new network isn’t just the 700 screens—it’s the potential for Contextual Timing. In an airport, ‘Timing is everything.’ A traveler at 8 AM in the Departure lounge has a completely different ‘Buying Brain’ than a traveler on a 3-hour layover.
Departures: Need speed and ‘forgotten’ essentials.
Transits: Have the ‘dwell time’ to engage with interactive touch screens and premium Arrivals: Are already thinking about their destination needs.
By using AI to sync ads with real-time flight data, WHSmith can move from ‘Noise’ to ‘Service.’ That’s how you win the bottom of the funnel.
Studies dating back decades show that in-store media works. Everything from hand-written signs to screens. It prompts and entertains. But, please, no audio. The cacophony at the airport is already annoying and distracting (in a bad way).
WHSmith’s initiative to build an in-store media network across its airport footprint is an interesting play, especially given the captive audience and longer dwell times you find in travel retail hubs.
Airports naturally offer a context-rich environment where brands can connect with travelers who are already in a buying mindset — and WHSmith’s scale of 700+ screens and audio channels gives advertisers a unified media option they didn’t have before.