Skip to main content
ad tech

Walmart Media Group Rebrands to Walmart Connect in Bid to become a Top 10 US Ad Biz

As the cookie crumbles, Walmart is salivating at the opportunity to leverage its first party shopper data.
article cover

Francis Scialabba

less than 3 min read

Get marketing news you'll actually want to read

Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.

As the cookie crumbles, Walmart is salivating at the opportunity to leverage its first party shopper data.

  • Yesterday, the discount store announced it’s rebranding the Walmart Media Group internal media network to Walmart Connect.
  • The rebrand is in service of Walmart’s big plan to become a top 10 US ad business in the next five years, per Ad Age.

Big picture: Essentially, Walmart Connect will…

  • Leverage owned properties like “Walmart.com, Walmart+, and the Walmart app to create holistic campaigns for advertisers,” per Marketing Dive. Amazon rode a similar approach to the top of the ad market.
  • Build out “in-store experiences through assets like TV walls and self-checkout screens.”
  • And partner with The Trade Desk to develop a shiny new programmatic buying platform that uses Walmart’s first party data to place ads outside Walmart properties.

Big trend: Walmart isn’t the only retailer focusing on an internal media network before major ad tech changes rock the industry—Walgreens did the same with its Walgreens Advertising Group network in December, following similar moves from CVS and Home Depot.

Get marketing news you'll actually want to read

Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.