Ads are coming to the back of airline seats.
In June, United launched an advertising arm called Kinnective Media that uses the airline’s data about travelers to serve personalized ads on the screens built into airline seats. Advertisers include Macy’s, Norwegian Cruise Line, and JPMorgan Chase, and the ads feature content and offers. In addition to the in-airplane screens, the ads will also appear in United’s app.
United says that the data used for advertising will be aggregated and anonymous, restricting advertisers from accessing personal information.
Richard Nunn, CEO of United’s frequent flier program MileagePlus leads Kinnective Media. Before joining United in 2023, Nunn worked at adtech firms including Comcast and Nexxen (formerly Tremor International).
Walgreens
Executive: Abi Subramanian, group vp of customer marketing and media monetization
Walgreens Advertising Group, the retail media arm of the Walgreens Boots Alliance, was formed in 2020 in an attempt to monetize data from its loyalty program of more than 100 million members.
This year has been challenging for the pharmacy chain—and for its entire category—leaving WAG as one of the only potential bright spots in the company. It plans to shutter up to a quarter of its 8,700 stores as more people order prescriptions online and don’t visit stores.
WAG has continued to invest in the ad business, though. Throughout 2024, it’s focused on building more customer insights, planning, and measurement tools into its self-serve platform, adding partnerships with Meta and Snapchat. It also launched a six-month in-store signage pilot, added a Circana-based customer insights tool, and partnered with LiveRamp to improve data portability speeds.
Abi Subramanian, group vice president of customer marketing and media monetization, has been leading the RMN since he joined from Lowe’s in November. Before his nearly two-year stint at the home improvement retailer, he spent more than six years with Sam’s Club as head of the company’s media group.
Wayfair
Executive: Arun Batra, global head of retail media
Brands that sell through Wayfair can advertise within keyword searches on the online retailer. For example, a brand can target people searching for a blue chair.
Wayfair’s ad business has been around for a few years, and the retailer manages it in-house. In addition to the standard search ads, Wayfair also sells a banner ad product called Sponsored Shops. Brands can pay to promote products that appear in cobranded ads on TV, Wayfair’s catalog, and influencer marketing. The retailer’s first-party data about what people buy underpins the ad offerings. Wayfair claims that its ad network reaches 22 million people across North America and Europe.