Dollar General Media Network (DGMN) has partnered with experiential retail media platform Recess on a sampling program that reaches consumers outside of the store, in their communities.

• Recess partners with community members to distribute samples at high-traffic locations like gyms, schools, malls, concerts, or festivals.
• Retail media networks (RMNs) can use their first-party data to extend the campaign with social and email campaigns.
• “Each activation is specifically targeted around the right audience and location data to be able to ensure they’re reaching the right people who are most likely to convert,” said Charlene Charles, head of DGMN operations.

DGMN provides access to rural communities that may be unreachable with other retail media efforts.

• Approximately 80% of Dollar General stores serve communities of 20,000 or fewer, said the retailer.
• By recruiting community members to hand out samples, Recess can court consumers hesitant to try new brands or products.
• “Peer-to-peer engagement or distribution just creates more of an authentic introduction to the product,” said Charles.

DGMN sees the program as a brand-building and performance play, so the network is ensuring brands can measure success.

“Recess already has built-in consumer insight studies that measure brand awareness, purchase intent lift, and other metrics that make sense for experiential sampling,” said Charles. “But we’re taking it a step further to try and gauge the sales lift impact at the store level.”

This was originally featured in the Retail Media Weekly newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.