- United Airlines is bringing retail media to the skies with the launch of Kinective Media, which will use the airplane-based video network to deliver advertising to traveling consumers.
- The platform, dubbed Kinective Media, will use United’s first-party data to create anonymized audience segments reachable through the airline’s mobile app, inflight entertainment screens and other touchpoints.
- Kinective will officially launch at the Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity later this month. Brands and agencies such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy’s, Chase United Co-Brand Credit Cards, TelevisaUnivision, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Dentus have already been working with United on the network.
Retail media has become one of hottest channels for marketing over the past few years, as companies such as Target, Amazon, Instacart and Ebay use their captive checkout audiences and extensive first-party data to lure customers right at the point-of-purchase. With an average of 3.5 hours of captive screen time per flight and nearly 100 million app sessions per month – as well as insights into travelers – United sees an opportunity to get in on the action.
“Unlike some commerce media platforms, United gives brands across a wide range of industries the ability to reach engaged customers throughout the entire marketing funnel – from brand consideration to conversion – in a way that’s highly personalized and relevant, and we’re already seeing impressive results,” said Richard Nunn, CEO of MileagePlus, in a statement. “There has been a huge strategic shift within this high growth sector in the past five years where advertisers and brands have come together to determine how best to connect with consumers in a way that’s valuable, effective and personalized.”
United sees particular appeal for companies in the retail, luxury goods, financial services, media and travel categories. United said it will anonymize the data collected to feed Kinective Media and that consumers can opt out of having their data used for the system at any time.
In its recent “Future of Digital Commerce” report, WARC projected global marketing investments in retail media would grow 13.7% to reach $153.3 billion this year, based on the channels increased sophistication in leveraging data for offsite campaigns. The research firm projected a slowdown next year, however, as advertisers reach the limits of their budgets.
