In-store retail media is growing rapidly — both globally and in Finland. This form of advertising takes place inside stores, targeting customers at the moment they are about to make a purchase. The shift is transforming physical shops into digital media platforms, enabling retailers to leverage foot traffic in entirely new ways.
In Finland, one of the most prominent players in this space is Craneworks Oy. Together with its sister company Doohlabs, Craneworks provides retailers with digital display technology and builds the technical infrastructure for in-store media networks. Doohlabs markets its global in-store retail media platform to support those efforts.
Chief Growth Officer, Teemu Kurri, wrote an exceptional article about implementation strategies of In-Store Retail Media. You can read it here: In-Store Retail Media – In-House or Outsourced?
A New Revenue Stream for Retail
In-store media is increasingly viewed as the most important new source of revenue in retail. Stores can sell ad visibility to both suppliers and other advertisers. At the same time, relevant, well-timed messaging can enhance the customer experience and boost the sales of promotional products.
The appeal is clear: customers are reached inside the store precisely when they are about to decide on a purchase. Digital displays allow real-time communication, dynamic updates, and precisely targeted content.
According to Doohlabs’ Chief Growth Officer, Teemu Kurri, this development marks a turning point. What once was seen as an experiment is now a strategic investment with the potential to transform an entire retail chain’s business model. Instead of asking, “Who installs the screens?”, the critical question today is, “Who owns the audience, the customer data, and the relationships with advertisers?” In doing so, retailers can build their own media operations — much like large e-commerce players have done before.
In-House, Outsourced or Hybrid — The Key Decision
Doohlabs outlines three implementation strategies for in-store media: build everything internally, fully outsource, or take a hybrid approach. The hybrid model has emerged as the most popular, because it combines the retailer’s control over its own data with a partner’s operational expertise.
Kurri argues that the hybrid model is the most realistic option for most retail chains. “Few retailers want to build everything themselves. And equally few are willing to give up control over their data.” The hybrid path allows retailers to retain ownership and strategic direction — while getting the technical and operational support they need.
Craneworks Delivers Full-Lifecycle Infrastructure for Retail Media
With extensive experience in the Finnish digital signage sector, Craneworks provides 24/7 screens, LED walls, video walls, window displays, and interactive touch solutions — all designed to operate reliably year-round in busy store environments.
“A display network is no longer simply a hardware project; it is the infrastructure that enables data-driven media operations. Once the technical foundation is in place, the business potential grows significantly.”
Craneworks handles installation, maintenance, and lifecycle management. Doohlabs powers the software platform that retailers use to manage content, run campaigns, and monetize their ad network. The two together form a comprehensive solution for building a retailer-owned media network.
As Kurri puts it: “A display network is no longer simply a hardware project; it is the infrastructure that enables data-driven media operations. Once the technical foundation is in place, the business potential grows significantly.”
Displays — A Seamless Part of the Shopping Experience
In-store retail media is more than just advertising. Display solutions are increasingly becoming part of a store’s overall design and customer journey. They help guide customers, reinforce brand identity, highlight product selections, and improve the overall shopping experience.
The goal of Craneworks’ solutions is to make the content on the displays consistent with the retailer’s brand identity, relevant to customers, and supportive of broader commercial goals throughout the chain.
A Rapidly Growing Market
International studies and domestic pilot projects alike show a rapid increase in demand for in-store retail media. Advertisers are looking for effective channels where messages reach consumers in the right context. Retailers, operating under tight margins, are exploring new ways to increase revenue. Retail media typically offers healthy margins; although building an in-store media network demands investment, the returns from advertising often repay those investments quickly.
Kurri predicts that the chains that move early to build in-store media networks will be the fastest-growing players in the sector. He notes that “Finland is at a turning point.” Those who invest in their media operations now will be strongly positioned when competition intensifies.
Towards a Professional, Data-Driven Retail Media Business
In Finland, in-store retail media is evolving from pilot experiments into a mature, data-driven business. The combination of Craneworks’ display infrastructure and Doohlabs’ content platform makes it possible for retailers to build their own ad networks.
As Kurri summarizes: “Retailers should view in-store media as a new business unit. Technology lays the foundation — but real value is created through data and content. Now is the right time to develop capabilities around these competencies.”
