Digital signage transforms retail media landscape across Southeast Asia

This post is sponsored by Broadsign.

Southeast Asia stands at the precipice of a retail media revolution. While the region has watched North America and Australia lead the charge in monetising customer data and store environments, SEA retailers are now uniquely positioned to leapfrog traditional approaches and build the next generation of retail media networks.

The untapped in-store opportunity

Despite 80% of purchase decisions being made in-store (source: Marketing Dive) and over 80% of CPG purchases happening in physical locations globally (source PwC), the in-store channel captures less than 1% of all retail media spend. This disconnect represents a massive opportunity for brick-and-mortar retailers to transform their physical spaces into revenue-generating media networks.

Omni-channel shoppers demonstrate 30% higher lifetime value when retailers successfully integrate on-site, off-site, and in-store touch-points, according to McKinsey research. Additionally, 63% of consumers are more likely to purchase when exposed to timely ads, (source: Nielsen), making in-store digital media a powerful tool for brands seeking to connect with shoppers at the moment of decision.

The retailers’ defining moment

What makes Southeast Asia particularly compelling is not just the market opportunity, but the region's distinctive retail landscape. With the majority of purchases still happening in physical locations and mobile-native infrastructure already embedded in consumer behaviour through super apps, QR codes, and digital wallets, SEA retailers have the foundational elements needed for sophisticated retail media networks.

“Retail media is what’s next in advertising for Southeast Asia. In China, over 50% of every digital ad dollar now goes to retail media. In ANZ, nearly every large omni-channel retailer has already launched a network, and Zitcha powers 85% of them,” explains Josh Forsyth, APAC sales lead at Zitcha.

“The proof is in the results. SEA is on the cusp of the same transformation. This won’t be a nice-to-have – it’ll be a necessity. The retailers who move now will lead. Those who don’t will be playing catch-up.”

The opportunity is significant, but still emerging. Advertising spend on retail media networks in Southeast Asia is projected to hit US$4.7 billion by 2030, underscoring the increasing significance of this channel for advertising, according to a report by GrabAds and Kantar (source warc.com). However, the momentum is building rapidly, with 99% of marketers in Southeast Asia planning to increase their investment in retail media, signalling strong demand and readiness to scale.

Monetising in-store screens

Traditional digital screens in retail environments have often been underutilised, serving as simple promotional displays rather than sophisticated advertising platforms. However, innovative companies are changing this paradigm by transforming in-store screens into high-impact digital experiences that drive both sales and advertising revenue.

According to Veronica Ong, sales director at Broadsign, the retail media landscape in Southeast Asia is coming of age.

“There’s been a significant acceleration in digital screen adoption within retail environments throughout the region, particularly in Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore,” she explained.

“What we’re witnessing now is strategic implementation rather than random deployment. Retailers are leveraging these digital touch-points to enhance customer engagement, boost revenue streams, and optimise operational efficiency. It’s not just hype; the investment and momentum in this space are very real and growing fast.

“In-store screens hold tremendous potential, but only when retailers truly understand how to use them. Broadsign offers innovative ways these screens can maximise retail media returns while creating richer in-store experiences.

“While over 80% of CPG purchases happen in-store globally, the in-store channel captures less than 1% of all retail media spend. There is a tremendous opportunity for brick-and-mortar retailers to monetise in-store screens and grow their revenue.

“Australian retailers are changing this equation with in-store screens quietly becoming the backbone of several leading retail media networks across the country. We expect to see the same trajectory across APAC with Southeast Asia in particular, taking the reins in the coming years."

Modern in-store advertising platforms can deliver dynamic, data-driven campaigns that ensure the right message reaches shoppers at the right time. By seamlessly integrating with retail POS systems, loyalty programmes, and omni-channel media platforms, retailers can streamline operations while creating engaging and measurable experiences that boost both engagement and cart value.

The audio advantage: an untapped channel

While visual displays capture attention, audio represents perhaps the most underutilised channel in retail media. Unlike screens that compete for visual attention, audio reaches every shopper in-store regardless of where they're looking, influencing mood, perception, and spending behaviour in real-time.

Research from WPP’s Sonic Boom: How Sound Connects Audiences to Brands (2024) reveals that audio-aligned brand messaging increases recall by eight times and purchase intent by five times. This makes audio not just a complementary channel, but potentially one of the most effective tools in the retail media arsenal.

“Post-NRF, it’s clear that Southeast Asia is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the growing global momentum of retail media,” explains Brad Montgomery, commercial lead APAC at QSIC.

“Many Southeast Asian retailers operate in high-frequency, high-traffic environments where there’s a growing need for media that can scale across different formats and store profiles.

“What we’re seeing is a real appetite for omni-channel solutions that include audio as a core layer, working alongside screens and other touch-points to deliver cohesive, in-the-moment brand engagement.

“At QSIC, we know this region is primed to embrace audio-first strategies as both a standalone solution and a powerful complement to visual media.”

By combining human-led music curation with AI-driven ad scheduling, production, and measurement, retailers can transform every store speaker into a precision marketing and monetisation engine. The technology leverages point-of-sale data to provide concrete insights into sales and unit uplift, making it easier for retailers to commercialise their in-store environments with the same intelligence they apply online.

Bringing it all together, to deliver the future today

“The key to success in Southeast Asia’s retail media landscape isn’t simply replicating networks from other markets, SEA is a diverse market where global norms need to adapt,” states Retail MediaWorks’ co-founder Jon Harding.

“Retail media needs to embrace differences and understand where to invest today to effectively build bespoke omni-channel networks that harness the power of their unique consumer base.

“The region’s diversity of retail formats, scale of in-store shopping, and mobile-native consumer behaviours require solutions that are flexible, scalable, and tailored to SEA’s specific commercial and operational models.

“SEA is entering a defining phase in retail media. With digital economies booming and retailers exploring new revenue streams, the region is primed for thoughtful, high-impact retail media growth. No retailer has yet taken a region-defining leadership position in retail media.

“Opportunity exists to attract retail media revenue from both existing relationships and agency advertising budgets, as can be seen from global trends in Australia, the US and UK, but to do so right now, there needs to be a bullish, less-conservative investment to build retail media today. Having delivered multiple successful retail media networks across the past six years, the main objective should be to just get started."

While adoption is still emerging, the core ingredients for success are already in place – rich first-party data, engaged shoppers, strong supplier relationships, and omni-channel infrastructure. What makes SEA distinct isn’t a lag in maturity – it’s the diversity of retail formats, the scale of in-store shopping (with 90% of purchases still happening in physical locations), and the everyday use of mobile-native tools such as super apps, QR codes, and digital wallets,” observes Zitcha’s team.

The future of retail media in Southeast Asia lies in unified platforms that can activate across all channels – from in-store audio and screens to loyalty apps and full-funnel campaigns across on-site and off-site touch-points. Retailers who embrace this omni-channel approach now will be positioned to lead the market transformation, while those who delay risk being left behind in an increasingly competitive landscape.

As the retail media revolution gains momentum across Southeast Asia, the opportunity window for early movers is significant, but finite. The retailers who act decisively to build comprehensive, technology-enabled media networks, will not only capture new revenue streams, but also create more engaging, personalised experiences that drive customer loyalty and long-term growth.

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