Setting objectives for an in-store media campaign

What should this campaign change? That's the question good campaign objectives answer. An objective for in-store media names one specific change you want to see, in a defined group of stores or shoppers, over a set period, and how you'll know whether it happened. Everything else in the plan, from store selection to creative to reporting, follows from it.

Weak objectives produce campaigns that can't be judged. Strong ones make the post-campaign conversation short and useful.

What makes an objective usable?

Specificity. "Build the brand" is a direction, not an objective. "Increase trial of our new flavor in the stores that carry it during its first eight weeks on shelf" is an objective. It names the product, the stores, the period and the kind of change.

A measure. Every objective needs a number that will judge it, agreed before the campaign starts. For a trial objective, that might be unit sales of the new item in advertised stores compared with similar stores that weren't advertised. For an awareness objective, it might be a survey measure.

A realistic scope. In-store media reaches shoppers at the point of purchase. That makes it well suited to objectives tied to what happens in the store. It can also contribute to broader goals, but an objective that depends on things the campaign can't touch will be hard to meet and harder to measure.

Why pick one primary objective?

Because different objectives pull the plan in different directions. A campaign aimed at brand awareness favors broad coverage and memorable creative. A campaign aimed at sales of a specific SKU favors stores that carry it and creative with a clear product and offer. Trying to do both at full strength usually means doing neither well.

Secondary objectives are fine. They just need to be labeled as secondary, so that when trade-offs come up, and they will, the team knows which goal wins.

It also simplifies reporting. A wrap report built around one primary measure is easier to read and act on than one that tries to score five goals equally.

How do objectives match in-store media?

Think about where the screen sits. On a point-of-sale system, the screen is at the counter, where shoppers are paying. That position is close to the purchase decision for items near the register and for last-minute additions to the trip. It's also a place where regulars see messages repeatedly over the course of weeks.

That suggests a few natural fits. Launch support for a new item in stores that carry it. Reminders for an existing product during a key season. Local awareness in a market where a brand has just gained distribution. Messages for brands the store doesn't sell, where the aim is recognition.

NRS Digital Media campaigns can be activated by audience index, retail channel, SKU level, or geography down to the zip code. Matching those options to your objective is part of planning. Ask the NRS Digital Media team how a given objective translates into targeting choices.

How do objectives differ from KPIs?

An objective is the change you want. A KPI, or key performance indicator, is the measure you'll track to see whether it's happening. The objective might be to increase trial of a new item. The KPI might be weekly units per store in advertised stores compared with controls.

Keep the two connected but distinct. Objectives rarely change mid-campaign. KPIs might be adjusted if a measure turns out to be unavailable or unreliable, as long as the change is agreed and documented.

Write both into the brief. Planners, creative teams and analysts all benefit from seeing the same objective and the same measure from the start. General background on how an advertising campaign is structured can help teams new to the process.