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WHSmith Launches Programmatic Airport Retail Media in the U.S. — What It Means for DOOH Buyers

Airports have always been premium. The difference now is the buying model: unified inventory, programmatic access, and retail-media logic inside terminals.

January 13, 2026 5 min read Atlas OOH Editorial
WHSmith Launches Programmatic Airport Retail Media in the U.S. — What It Means for DOOH Buyers
Categories: Airport DOOH • Retail Media • Programmatic
Quick answer: WHSmith North America Media Network is partnering with In-Store Marketplace (ISM) to activate a programmatic airport retail media network across 350+ U.S. airport stores, combining roughly 700 in-store screens and in-store audio into one buyable ecosystem. (Sources: PR Newswire, Retail Customer Experience, MediaPost)

Airports were always premium—now they’re getting “DSP-native”

Airport media has never struggled with audience quality. It’s always been high-value reach in high-value places. What’s changing is the transaction layer: retail environments inside terminals are being packaged and sold more like a modern media network—standardized inventory, unified formats, and programmatic pipes that plug into how buyers already work.

What’s actually launching

Coverage and announcements describe a rollout spanning 350+ airport stores, bringing together an estimated ~700 digital screens plus in-store audio into a single programmatic offering. ISM is positioned as the platform powering the inventory and activation workflow.

Why that matters: This is airport media moving from “place-based screens” to a retail media network model—buyable, repeatable, and easier to scale.

Why airport retail media is suddenly a bigger planning conversation

The airport advantage isn’t only “affluent travelers.” It’s the combination of:

  • High dwell — longer time windows than most street OOH
  • High intent — shoppers in gifting, convenience, essentials, and last-minute mode
  • Repeat exposure — frequent flyers and terminal routines create dependable frequency

Put that inside a unified network, and you get what planners love: frequency with context, not just reach.

Screens + audio changes the playbook

Most DOOH plans are visual-first. Adding audio introduces a second layer that can do real work:

  • Reinforce recall even when shoppers aren’t staring at a screen
  • Create continuity across different parts of the store footprint
  • Enable sequencing — a reminder message after a visual prompt, or vice versa

In practice, that’s closer to “mini-channel programming” than a simple loop of ads.

Creative guidance for airport retail DOOH

If you’re building for travelers, optimize for speed and utility:

  • Fast decoding: 3–5 words that land instantly
  • Utility + emotion: “ready-to-go,” “upgrade your trip,” “you forgot this”
  • Category relevance: snacks, tech accessories, wellness, beauty, travel essentials
  • Dayparting: morning rush and evening departures are different moods

What to watch next

  • Packaging: will buyers treat it as airport DOOH, retail media, or both?
  • Measurement: how lift and incrementality are framed as networks standardize
  • Premium pricing logic: density + terminal traffic + dwell will likely define rate floors
Bottom line: Airports aren’t just premium locations anymore—they’re becoming structured media channels with programmatic access, multi-format inventory, and retail context that digital can’t replicate.

Sources

FAQs

A programmatic airport retail media network across 350+ U.S. airport stores, combining approximately 700 in-store digital screens with in-store audio into one buyable ecosystem.
In-Store Marketplace (ISM), positioned as the technology and inventory platform enabling programmatic activation.
It moves airport media from isolated place-based placements toward a unified, programmatic retail media model—easier to plan, activate, and report like other digital channels.
Airports combine long dwell time, high-intent shopping moments, and repeat exposure in specific terminals—especially for frequent flyers.
Audio can reinforce recall without requiring screen attention, extend coverage across the store footprint, and support message sequencing within the purchase journey.

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