Endemic vs Non-Endemic Brands for In-Store Media

When you start to build an in-store retail media business, the first brands that come to mind are usually the ones already on your shelves. That makes sense. Those endemic brands know your store, your categories and your shoppers very well.

The next question many retailers ask is whether they should also open their in-store screens to non-endemic advertisers such as financial services, telcos, entertainment or local services. Together, we can think through where the line should be for your business. If you would like a hand, you can book a retailer consultation to map it out.

What We Mean by Endemic and Non-Endemic

To make the conversation simple:

• Endemic brands are the products and categories you already sell in your stores.
• Non-endemic brands are advertisers that do not have products on your shelf, but still see value in reaching your shoppers.

Endemic campaigns are the natural starting point. They support category performance and can be directly linked to sales. Non-endemic campaigns can unlock new demand and higher yields if they are handled carefully.

Where Endemic Campaigns Are Strongest

Endemic campaigns tend to work best in the zones where shoppers are already in a decision mindset:

• Category screens next to the relevant shelf
• End-caps and feature bays
• Shelf-level media and bay headers
• Self-checkout prompts related to what is in the basket

Together, we can use your range, category strategy and trade plans to shape endemic campaigns that feel like part of the shopping experience, not interruptions. This is often where we start, because the commercial link to your sales and category numbers is very clear.

Where Non-Endemic Can Make Sense

Non-endemic campaigns can be effective when they respect the context of your store and your brand. Common use cases include:

• Financial services offering everyday banking or payments that suit your shopper base
• Telco and entertainment brands that align with family or lifestyle missions
• Local services such as gyms, healthcare or community events that matter to your catchment
• Travel, insurance or utilities that fit with your brand and shopper demographics

These are usually better suited to:

• Entrance or exit zones
• Main walkways
• Dwell areas such as waiting points or food courts in larger centres

We can work with you to identify which sectors feel aligned with your brand and which should be excluded.

Balancing Shopper Experience and Commercial Value

Opening your network to both endemic and non-endemic campaigns is not just a commercial decision. It is also a question of shopper experience and partner relationships. Together, we can design guardrails such as:

• A maximum share of voice for non-endemic campaigns overall
• A rule that endemic has priority in category zones, with non-endemic limited to common areas
• Clear exclusions for categories that do not match your brand values
• Simple rules about competitor proximity and sensitive topics

These rules make it easier for your teams to say yes and no consistently, and to explain the logic to suppliers.

What Endemic Advertisers Are Looking For

Endemic advertisers usually care about:

• Category and brand growth, not just impressions
• Support for launches, new ranges and seasonal priorities
• Evidence that in-store activity connects to your sales and category metrics
• A clean, on-brand environment that helps their product look better at the shelf

We can help you structure your offers and reporting so endemic partners see your network as a core part of their annual planning, not just an occasional add-on.

What Non-Endemic Advertisers Expect

Non-endemic brands tend to focus more on:

• Who your shoppers are, and how they align to their own audiences
• The quality and safety of the environment
• Opportunities to reach shoppers at scale in a trusted context
• Clear rules and long-term availability, rather than ad-hoc one-offs

This is where your brand and store experience become a real asset. With the right governance, you can offer non-endemic brands a premium environment that justifies strong pricing.

Designing the Right Mix for Your Business

There is no single perfect split between endemic and non-endemic. The right mix depends on:

• Your brand positioning
• Your shopper base
• Your existing supplier relationships
• Your appetite for new revenue versus change in the store environment

Our role is to help you:

• Map where endemic and non-endemic campaigns each make sense
• Build a set of simple rules your team can apply consistently
• Test demand on both sides without putting pressure on the shopper experience

If you would like to explore what this mix might look like across your network, you can book a retailer consultation and we will walk through your current store formats and categories and build a simple scenario together.