United Kingdom
149
digital displays backed by Retail Media
102
displays supported by Retail Media
+13%
sales uplift in screened stores
29
sites delivered
Overview
The estate was there. The infrastructure wasn’t.
Cotswolds Outdoor had the estate. They had the footfall. What they needed was the infrastructure to turn their store network into a coherent, high-performing retail media channel, without creating operational complexity or surrendering content control.
IUF Retail Media was brought in to activate, expand, and stabilise the retail media estate across the UK, delivering the hardware, licensing, playback systems, and technical architecture needed to make the network perform reliably at scale.
This wasn’t a screen-count exercise. It was a commercial transformation, building the foundation for a media network that generates revenue, strengthens brand experience, and grows with the business.
That foundation is now performing. Retail media is generating measurable revenue uplift across the estate, with a +13% sales increase reported in screened stores.
Journey & Experience
The right message, in the right place.
The format ecosystem is built for the floor:
- 15.6” touchscreen tablets: self-serve product discovery at fixture level
- 37” stretch displays: embedded into shelving for contextual messaging
- 43” double-sided totems: along store flow paths for dwell-time visibility
- 65” and 75” large-format screens: brand storytelling and campaign content
- Front of store LEDs: capturing attention at the point of entry
At Bluewater Shopping Centre, a 5,000 × 3,000mm LED installation anchors the retail media estate with a premium, unmissable centrepiece above the food court, positioned to capture attention during some of the longest dwell times in the centre, in one of the UK’s busiest shopping environments, and elevate campaign creative to billboard scale, inside the store.
Technology Architecture
The Cotswolds Outdoor estate eliminates complexity through clear system design and defined ownership.
Hardware & Infrastructure
- Broadsign CMS – content scheduling and distribution across the full network
- IUF Retail Media players – consistent playback across every display
- Centralised licence provisioning managed entirely by IUF
- Retail media inventory activated across the network, enabling brand partners to reach high-dwell audiences in store using Zitcha.
Support Model
- Cotswolds Outdoor retains full control of content creation and scheduling
- IUF owns the infrastructure — hardware, players, licensing, and network reliability
- No grey area, no duplication of effort, no confusion about ownership
Implementation
Every site was structured to prevent disruption to trading operations.
Phase 1 – Estate Integration
- Onboarding of 13 existing UK locations
- Legacy infrastructure aligned with Broadsign CMS
- IUF players and licences activated at each site
Phase 2 – Network Expansion
- 17 net-new UK sites delivered
- Additional formats introduced including large-format LED
- Full estate scaled to 149 displays across all three brands
Phase 3 – Ongoing Growth
- Retail media network generating active revenue for brand partners
- +30% share of category uplift recorded for partner campaigns
- Broadsign infrastructure supporting sustained revenue growth
Outcomes
Unified retail estate
149 digital displays spanning Cotswolds Outdoor, Snow & Rock, and Runners Need, consistent, reliable playback across the UK.
Revenue opportunity
Expanded advertising inventory creating measurable commercial return from space that previously worked for nothing.
Operational clarity
A clear two-party ownership model reducing complexity and supporting ongoing retail media monetisation.
