Ace Hardware is extending its retail media offer from campaign activation into deeper measurement, creator marketing and on-demand commerce.

Redvest Media announced the additions at its inaugural 2027 Upfront on 27 August 2026. The network will provide off-site incrementality measurement, new-to-brand reporting and custom audience cohorts alongside new social, influencer and DoorDash advertising options.

Most capabilities are available now, although some require minimum investment or commitment levels. Redvest plans to keep developing its audience library through 2027.

Measurement moves beyond attributed sales

The expanded measurement suite is intended to show whether off-site campaigns generated sales that would not otherwise have occurred. RedVest will use control groups to estimate incrementality, adding a counterfactual to exposure and attributed conversion data.

New-to-brand reporting will identify customers who have not purchased from an advertised brand. Advertisers can examine conversions against purchase histories extending back up to two years, Molly Hjelm, corporate vice president and head of RedVest Media, told Modern Retail.

“Everybody’s very interested in understanding the true incrementality that would not have happened absent the media,” Hjelm said.

Redvest is also developing an audience library covering customer groups such as DIYers and homeowners focused on property maintenance. The cohorts draw on Ace’s first-party data and can be matched with specific campaign objectives.

Ace says the network reaches more than 80 million Ace Rewards members and over 5,300 US stores. The global store network counts 8,950 locally owned stores.

Doordash adds high-intent commerce inventory

Ace vendors will be able to buy Sponsored Ads and Sponsored Brands inside the Ace Hardware storefront on Doordash. The formats target shoppers while they are assembling an order, including customers seeking products for urgent household needs.

Hjelm said 91% of people shopping Ace through Doordash had never visited an Ace store. RedVest therefore sees the service as a route to new customers as well as another point of purchase for existing shoppers.

The commerce expansion follows a July integration with Pacvue. Through Pacvue, advertisers can manage Ace campaigns within the same workflow as their Amazon, Walmart and other retail media investments, with unified reporting, automated optimization and budget pacing.

Social and weather activation broaden reach

Redvest has launched social amplification that applies its audience data and closed-loop measurement to brand creative. Ace’s own social channels can amplify vendor content.

A partnership with Publicis-owned Influential gives advertisers access to Ace-vetted creators for campaigns across Meta, Tiktok and Pinterest. The network is positioning creators around project inspiration and product consideration, reflecting vendor feedback that national marketing budgets are moving toward social channels.

Weather-triggered programmatic campaigns will alter their messaging based on local conditions such as the EV index, air clarity, snowfall and rainfall. Potential applications include promoting snow equipment before severe weather or grass seed after heavy rain.

Redvest also introduced RetailerReach, which gives eligible vendors access to Ace and Emery Jensen retailers through banners, email and educational material. Category Driver Campaigns will pool investment from multiple brands around seasonal demand and merchandising priorities, giving participants access to broader reach than individual campaigns may provide.

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The Swiss out-of-home industry is witnessing an unusual public confrontation between one of the country’s largest state-owned enterprises and private sector media operators. At the center of the dispute is Swiss Post’s 2021 acquisition of DooH media owner Livesystems, a transaction that has been challenged for years by competitors and industry representatives.

In a statement issued today, industry association AWS Aussenwerbung Schweiz welcomed a recent Federal Supreme Court decision that obliges Switzerland’s postal regulator, PostCom, to examine whether Swiss Post’s acquisition of Livesystems falls within the company’s legally permitted corporate purpose under Article 3 of the Swiss Postal Organization Act (POG).

The ruling does not determine whether the acquisition itself was lawful. Instead, it confirms that PostCom has the authority and obligation to review the matter and that directly affected competitors are entitled to participate in the proceedings.

Long-running legal battle

The case dates back to 2021, when Swiss Post acquired Livesystems, a DooH specialist for transit stops, inside public transport bus, trams and trains as well as at gas stations and in public spaces.

Shortly after the acquisition, competitor Goldbach Neo OOH AG (a TX Group subsidiary formed out of Goldbach, Neo Advertising and Clear Channel Switzerland) today filed a supervisory complaint with PostCom, arguing that Swiss Post’s expansion into commercial advertising activities should be assessed against the statutory remit of the state-owned postal operator.

However, PostCom declined to consider the complaint in 2022. Goldbach Neo subsequently appealed the decision.

In 2024, the Swiss Federal Administrative Court overturned PostCom’s decision and referred the case back to the regulator for reassessment. Swiss Post then appealed that decision to the Federal Supreme Court.

According to AWS, the Supreme Court rejected Swiss Post’s appeal in May 2026 and confirmed both PostCom’s supervisory responsibility and the procedural standing of affected competitors. The written reasoning of the judgment was formally delivered to the parties on 28 August 2026.

Timeline

2021: Swiss Post acquires Livesystems AG.

2021/22: Goldbach Neo OOH files a supervisory complaint with PostCom.

2022: PostCom declines to consider the complaint.

2024: Federal Administrative Court refers the case back to PostCom.

2025: Swiss Post appeals to the Federal Supreme Court.

26 May 2026: Supreme Court rejects the appeal and confirms PostCom’s competence.

28 August 2026: Written judgment is delivered to the parties.

AWS criticizes Swiss Post’s handling of the case

While the Supreme Court ruling addresses procedural questions rather than the substance of the acquisition itself, AWS used the occasion to sharply criticize Swiss Post’s approach throughout the process.

The association argues that Swiss Post spent years exhausting legal avenues to avoid a regulatory review and described the latest ruling as a long-overdue clarification of what it sees as a regulatory gap.

The association is also calling on PostCom to move quickly and conduct a substantive assessment of the acquisition without waiting for ongoing legislative reforms.

Broader implications beyond OOH

The dispute arrives at a politically sensitive moment. In June 2026, the Swiss Federal Council opened a consultation process on amendments to the Postal Act and the Postal Organization Act, with submissions running until 15 October 2026.

AWS argues that the rights and responsibilities confirmed by the Supreme Court, particularly PostCom’s oversight role and the procedural rights of affected competitors, should be explicitly incorporated into the revised legislation.

The issue also overlaps with broader political discussions about the scope of activities that state-owned enterprises should be allowed to pursue in commercial markets. Critics argue that publicly owned entities may benefit from structural advantages unavailable to private competitors, while supporters contend that diversification is necessary to offset declining revenues in traditional postal services.

What happens next?

The immediate consequence of the ruling is that PostCom must now examine whether Swiss Post’s purchase of Livesystems is compatible with the corporate purpose defined by Swiss postal legislation.

For now, the Federal Supreme Court has not ruled on whether the acquisition itself breached those rules. That question remains open and will form the next stage of the regulatory process.

• Retail Media: Ace Expands RMN With Doordash
• Livesystems: Swiss Post’s OoH Strategy Under Review
• Retail Media in Korea: KT Connects 3,000 CU Stores
• LED: The Comedy Store Adds A New Landmark To Sunset Strip
• Retail Tech: Alcampo Plans 560,000 Hanshow ESL Rollout Across 84 Spanish Stores

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Following in the footsteps of Deutsche Telekom, Verizon and other telecom operators entering the retail media space, Korea’s KT is strengthening its position in the rapidly growing RMN market through a new partnership with BGF Networks, operator of the CU convenience store chain. The agreement will see KT manage digital signage advertising across approximately 3,000 CU locations nationwide, significantly expanding the reach of its retail media business.

At the center of the initiative is Baro Advertising, KT’s proprietary advertising platform. The system offers advertisers an end-to-end solution covering campaign discovery, booking, execution and performance analysis. By connecting CU’s in-store digital signage network to Baro Advertising, KT aims to create a more streamlined and measurable advertising environment for brands seeking to reach consumers at the point of purchase.

According to KT, advertisers will be able to access the CU network alongside other retail media opportunities through a single platform, making campaign planning, campaign execution and reporting significantly more efficient. The company expects the integration to improve advertiser convenience while optimizing media operations and campaign delivery.

Convenience Stores: A Natural Retail Media Environment

Convenience stores are particularly attractive retail media environments due to their high footfall, frequent customer visits and close proximity to purchasing decisions. Unlike supermarkets, where shopping missions are often planned in advance, convenience stores are ideally suited for impulse purchases and product discovery. Consumers are also more willing to try new products in smaller quantities, making C-stores an effective channel for brand activation and product launches.

For digital signage operators, convenience stores offer an additional advantage: a highly distributed network of locations with consistent customer traffic throughout the day, creating scalable opportunities for advertisers seeking national reach.

Why Telecom Operators Are Moving Into Retail Media

Telecom operators such as KT are increasingly well positioned to capitalize on the retail media boom. They bring extensive experience in managing large-scale digital networks, established advertiser relationships and sophisticated data analytics capabilities. Combined with expertise in operating digital platforms, these strengths enable telecoms to transform in-store screens into measurable, data-driven advertising assets.

KT plans to leverage audience insights, campaign measurement tools and its broader advertising ecosystem to deliver more targeted and accountable retail media solutions. The company’s strategy mirrors a growing global trend in which telecom operators seek to diversify revenue streams by combining connectivity, data and advertising services.

• Retail Media: Ace Expands RMN With Doordash
• Livesystems: Swiss Post’s OoH Strategy Under Review
• Retail Media in Korea: KT Connects 3,000 CU Stores
• LED: The Comedy Store Adds A New Landmark To Sunset Strip
• Retail Tech: Alcampo Plans 560,000 Hanshow ESL Rollout Across 84 Spanish Stores

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The Comedy Store has added a new digital landmark outside its famous West Hollywood home on the Sunset Strip.

Developed by out-of-home media company Orange Barrel Media (OBM), the double-sided LED pylon was created with design firm Rios, sign manufacturer Yesco and LED provider SNA Displays. 

Founded in 1972, The Comedy Store has played a major role in the careers of dozens of famous performers including Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jim Carrey.

Nearly 1,000 square feet of LED

SNA Displays supplied two Empire Exterior LED screens, each measuring 30 feet tall by 16 feet, 3 inches (9.1 by 5 meters) wide . Together, they provide approximately 974 square feet of digital canvas and more than 1.4 million pixels.

Both screens have an 8 mm pixel pitch and a resolution of 1,140 by 620 pixels. SNA Displays also provided on-site installation management and technical support.

The structure incorporates illuminated channel lettering, perforated metal cladding and embossed metal detailing. Decorative “scroll” elements frame the displays, giving the new pylon a visual connection to the classic marquees associated with the Sunset Strip.

“The Comedy Store has long been a part of the visual and cultural fabric of the Sunset Strip, so we felt a true sense of responsibility to create something that felt both authentic and visually captivating,” said Clay Collett, vice president of West Coast development at Orange Barrel Media. 

OBM led the project and coordinated with the City of West Hollywood, Yesco and SNA Displays. The company also worked closely with the Shore family, which founded and continues to operate The Comedy Store.

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Alcampo’s store-modernisation programme covers the deployment of more than 560,000 Hanshow ESLs across 84 supermarkets in Spain.

Installation is scheduled for 2026 and represents an investment of €3.8m, International Supermarket News reported. The retailer expects the system to improve pricing accuracy and reduce the labour required for shelf-edge changes.

Hanshow estimates that replacing paper labels will remove about 1,843 kilometres of price strips from annual use and avoid approximately 8.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.

Centralised pricing across store departments

The ESL platform will allow Alcampo to manage prices and product information centrally, reducing the need for employees to print, distribute and manually replace paper labels. The retailer expects the technology to free more than 42,750 hours of staff time annually, with employees able to focus on other store activities, including customer service.

The installation will cover standard grocery aisles as well as fresh and frozen sections. Larger label formats will be used at traditional service counters, while models designed for low-temperature environments will operate alongside frozen products.

The project combines Hanshow’s electronic pricing technology with HL Display’s Slimline shelf-display infrastructure. Central control is intended to keep shelf information current and reduce discrepancies between displayed prices and those held in Alcampo’s systems.

Alcampo extends store modernisation

The ESL rollout forms part of wider investment in Alcampo’s Spanish estate. The retailer planned to spend more than €52m during 2026 on modernising 26 stores across nine autonomous communities, including five hypermarkets and 21 supermarkets.

That programme also includes refrigeration upgrades, enclosed refrigerated cabinets, air-conditioning improvements and high-efficiency LED lighting. Alcampo estimated that the energy-efficiency work could cut energy use by more than 20% at the affected locations.

The Alcampo contract expands Hanshow’s position in Spanish grocery retail. In August, Supermercados El Jamón selected the company for a separate programme covering nearly three million ESLs for more than 370 supermarkets over three years.

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Live production specialist EVS and Matrox Video are combining technologies to help broadcasters move away from fixed, hardware-dependent production environments.

The collaboration brings together the Matrox Origin software-defined media framework and EVS’s orchestration and workflow management platforms. The goal is to let broadcasters deploy, configure and scale processing resources for individual productions instead of permanently assigning hardware to specific tasks.

In practical terms, a broadcaster could draw on the processing capacity required for one production, then reassign those resources when the show ends. That promises better use of infrastructure, greater flexibility and potentially lower operating costs.

Supporting the DMF model

The companies are aligning their work with the European Broadcasting Union’s Dynamic Media Facility initiative. DMF sets out an architecture in which media functions run as software and resources are allocated according to operational needs.

Matrox Origin provides the underlying media transport and processing framework. It runs broadcast workloads on standard IT infrastructure, either on-premises or in the cloud, and supports open approaches including the EBU’s Media eXchange Layer and IPMX.

EVS will build on that foundation with its production control and orchestration technology. Its Production Resource Manager can deploy and reconfigure processing resources for individual productions, while Tactiq provides operators with a workflow-based interface that hides much of the technical complexity underneath.

Cerebrum, meanwhile, gives engineering and operations teams a common control layer spanning SDI and IP systems as well as on-premises and cloud infrastructure.

“Broadcasters are increasingly looking for ways to make their production infrastructure more flexible and responsive to changing operational requirements,” said Dieter Backx, vice president of control and orchestration at EVS.

The companies said they will continue developing technologies intended to make live production infrastructure more dynamic, scalable and software-driven.

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Display manufacturers are increasingly investing in upgrades to existing factories rather than building new ones, according to research from Omdia.

Incremental investments — including equipment replacements, production improvements and additional capacity at operating plants — are expected to represent nearly 40 percent of total flat-panel display equipment spending in 2027. That would be a record share and more than triple the 12 percent recorded in 2024.

New factory construction historically accounted for much of the equipment market, which peaked at approximately US$21 billion in 2017. Following the COVID-era surge in display demand, however, manufacturing capacity became sufficient, fewer factories were built and annual equipment spending fell to about US$8 billion.

At the same time, the installed base of LCD and OLED manufacturing equipment has grown older, creating demand for replacement machinery and process upgrades.

Manufacturers target existing capacity

Demand for larger TVs is increasing the amount of LCD panel area required, while Taiwanese manufacturers are rapidly closing older factories. Leading Chinese LCD producers are buying equipment to expand capacity at existing plants, avoiding the higher cost of building factories and restrictions on new LCD investment, according to Omdia.

Korean panel manufacturers, meanwhile, are investing in existing Gen 6 production lines as competition in the high-end OLED market grows. The upgrades support advanced privacy features, under-display sensors, expanded foldable OLED production and improved thin-film transistor performance.

Chinese display manufacturers are also building Gen 8.6 OLED production capacity for IT displays in 2026 and 2027.

Omdia Chief Analyst Charles Annis said incremental investments can be more difficult for equipment suppliers to manage because they involve shorter lead times, limited visibility into future demand and selective purchases. Nevertheless, the spending has become an important source of revenue as construction of new display factories declines.

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Water purification equipment manufacturer Waco has integrated digital signage into its redesigned Atlas public water refill station with two of its units installed at supermarkets in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district in November 2025 as part of a proof-of-concept trial. Customers used the stations in a commercial setting and provided feedback through interviews and surveys.

Alongside dispensing ambient and chilled purified water, Atlas offers washing and sterilization functions for reusable bottles and tumblers. UV LED technology supports hygiene management.

The built-in screen can display information for users, while an IoT-based system allows operators to monitor the equipment and manage maintenance remotely. The combination is an example of how digital signage can add a communication layer to infrastructure products whose primary purpose has traditionally been purely functional.

Positive response in Tokyo trial

Waco said users gave the redesigned station high ratings for its appearance, water taste and temperature, and purification performance. The company did not disclose the number of participants or detailed results.

Although Waco currently describes the screen as an information display, installations in supermarkets and other public venues could potentially support advertising and DooH applications.

The South Korea company plans to expand Atlas in the Japan market while continuing to pursue other international opportunities.

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A new entertainment venue has opened in the former Casino St. Moritz, right next to the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski. The centerpiece of the stage portal is a 35-square-meter Aoto LED wall with holographic projection.

Billionaire St. Moritz has opened a new dinner show and clubbing venue in the former Casino St. Moritz — directly connected to the historic Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski.

The centerpiece of the new venue is a stage portal featuring an integrated 35-square-meter LED wall from Aoto. It boasts a resolution of more than 4K. The stage technology is complemented by holographic projection effects generated by stacked Epson projectors.

Bild+Ton Integrated Systems

The on-site system integrator was Bild+Ton, which implemented the display and projection technology in collaboration with the acoustics and AV consulting firm WSDG. The system is designed for changing show programs and can be flexibly expanded to accommodate new formats.

All of the technology is controlled via a central Crestron system and touch panels. In addition to video and projection, this system also controls 34 JB Lighting spotlights and the Sennheiser wireless microphones.

Arion von Meiss involved as architect

In addition to WSDG and Bild+Ton, Divercity Architects from London and local architect Arion von Meiss were involved in the project.

To ensure that club operations do not disrupt the hotel’s day-to-day business, WSDG opted for a “room-in-room” design featuring 25-centimeter-thick insulation layers on the walls and ceiling, as well as 22-millimeter-thick interior glass panes installed in front of the existing windows. According to WSDG, this allows the venue to host events year-round, day and night.

“The new reinforced concrete shell provided significantly better insulation than the original masonry walls,” says Gabriel Hauser, Senior Partner and Director of Acoustics at WSDG.

Knauf’s Cocoon system provides the load-bearing steel structure for the insulation shell. The venue is operated by St. Moritz Bäder AG.

LED and luxury

New York recently demonstrated that clubs and dinner-show venues are increasingly turning to large LED installations instead of traditional light shows: there, an iconic club was equipped with a kinetic 30,000-pixel LED installation.

With this, the Billionaire St. Moritz shows that the concept has now reached the luxury segment as well.

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In both the US and Canada, Out-of-Home is outperforming nearly every other advertising sector. While much of the media industry is grappling with slowing growth, OoH stands out as one of the market’s rare success stories – a trend mirrored across much of the world. While traditional static inventory continues to prove resilient, Digital-out-of-Home is drawing growing attention from advertisers and investors.

The power of DooH lies in its ability to deliver contextual, highly relevant messaging without relying on personal data. Now, with AI and programmatic capabilities beginning to mature, the industry is moving closer to a long-promised breakthrough: the ability to personalize creative in real time, at scale.

The knowledge base for the industry

This article is part of the invidis Yearbook 2026 Americas Edition, which takes a deeper look at the American digital signage and DooH markets. Download a PDF copy of the edition in our download section.

Yet even before this vision is fully realized, the sector is already reaching new heights. In 2025, OoH revenues hit all-time highs in both the US and Canada. The US market reached US$9.46 billion, while the total revenue in Canada climbed to US$609 million (C$842 million). While Canada’s market remains only around 6.4 percent the size of the US, its pace of digital transformation is even more pronounced: In Canada, DooH already represents 58 percent of total OoH revenue. In the US, it accounts for 36.3 percent.

The push toward automation

A major driver of DooH growth is programmatic buying. DooH screens have a much higher yield because they are typically sold in 10–15 second slots, so their revenue growth far outpaces the rate of digitalization – and programmatic helps optimize screen occupancy even further. In the US, programmatic accounted for 24 percent of DooH spend in 2024, up sharply from 15 percent the previous year, and is projected to reach 65 percent by 2029.

Yet despite the acceleration, the market is not moving entirely away from traditional buying relationships. “The market remains a hybrid, with many buyers continuing to leverage direct relationships alongside programmatic channels,” says Anna Bager, president of the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA).

The transition is happening at equal speed in Canada, where programmatic represented 14.4 percent of DooH spending in 2025. For Lindsey Talbot, president of OAAA’s Canadian counterpart COMMB, the appeal is closely tied to today’s volatile market conditions. “In current economic times, budgets are a lot more volatile than we’ve seen in past years. Flexibility and speed to market is one of the key factors for client spending right now and they find it in DooH, especially in programmatic,” she says.

The importance of measurement

For both industry associations, measurement is a key priority. Both OAAA and COMMB are working toward a unified audience currency that can better integrate OoH into omnichannel planning and buying systems. While OoH has historically relied on standardized impressions and audience estimates, programmatic trading requires more interoperable measurement frameworks that align with digital media standards.

In the US, OAAA and measurement provider Geopath are working with Ipsos on an updated audience measurement system that combines mobility data with advanced modeling techniques. In Canada, COMMB launched “Roadmap” in 2025, a platform aggregating inventory from all COMMB member operators for cross-provider campaign booking.

Lindsey Talbot sees interoperability as critical for the medium’s future. Upcoming iterations of Roadmap are expected to include API integrations with AI-powered planning and buying tools used by agencies. “OoH must be included at the channel planning stage,” Talbot says, warning that otherwise the medium risks being excluded entirely from media plans. At the same time, she argues that the industry must address the rising costs of measurement and attribution. In some cases, she notes, the cost of a marketing mix modeling study now exceeds the value of the media campaign itself – an imbalance the industry will need to solve if advanced measurement is to scale sustainably.

Building the next generation of OoH

Structurally, both markets are highly consolidated, while still leaving room for emerging players. The US industry continues to be dominated by Lamar Advertising and Outfront Media, although major metropolitan areas also create space for newer entrants experimenting with premium digital formats such as Wow Media, as well as smart city screens that combine DooH with Wifi and city maps, such as OBM’s Ike Smart City Kiosks, or even LED boats floating around US coasts. Canada is led primarily by Pattison Outdoor Advertising and Astral, while still maintaining a significant ecosystem of independent operators. Notably, roughly 95 percent of the domestic OoH market remains Canadian-owned.

Another area attracting growing attention is retail media. Talbot believes in-store and place-based retail screens should increasingly be viewed as part of the broader OoH ecosystem because they are fundamentally place-based DooH environments. The debate around the categorization of in-store screens, she argues, stems from the fact that there are two parts to a retail media business. Apart from selling ad space in their stores, retailers also monetize anonymized shopper data. This customer data business usually operates outside the scope of OoH. Nevertheless, more retail media companies are joining COMMB, reflecting the common interests of OoH media owners and retail media network operators.

Looking ahead, both markets see the future of OoH becoming more dynamic, data-responsive, and integrated with other media channels. In the US, Bager sees deeper integration between OoH, mobile, and social channels, alongside continued programmatic growth.

In Canada, Talbot expects OoH to remain one of the few advertising sectors with meaningful growth potential in the current economic environment. As campaign flexibility, automation, and dynamic creative capabilities continue to improve, she believes both DooH and programmatic adoption will accelerate further – reinforcing the medium’s transformation from a traditional broadcast channel into a responsive, data-enabled component of modern media planning.

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