WP Retail Media: A New Approach to Retail Media Advertising in Poland
Wirtualna Polska Expands Its Advertising Portfolio
Wirtualna Polska is expanding its advertising portfolio with WP Retail Media, an innovative solution that combines transactional, geolocation, and intent data to create a single, comprehensive view of the consumer.
The product responds to the growing demand for audience targeting based on actual purchasing behavior rather than declarations, interests, or demographic profiles.
Retail Media Is Growing Rapidly
Retail media is currently one of the fastest-growing categories in digital advertising in Poland, recording annual growth rates exceeding 30% year over year according to IAB data.
Traditionally, retail media has been associated with advertising within retailers' own ecosystems, including:
- E-commerce websites
- Shopping applications
- Product search result pages
- Digital in-store channels
However, this approach only captures a portion of the customer journey.
Looking Beyond Retailers' Own Ecosystems
WP Retail Media takes a different approach by operating off-site, outside retailers' owned channels.
The solution fills a significant gap in the Polish market by combining multiple independent data sources that reflect real-world consumer behavior.
While most advertising platforms focus solely on online activity, data from Statistics Poland (GUS) and the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG) indicate that:
91% of retail sales in Poland still occur offline in physical stores, petrol stations, cafés, restaurants, and automotive dealerships.
Why This Matters
Everyday consumer actions generate valuable signals, including:
- Refueling a vehicle
- Grocery purchases
- Repeat shopping habits
- Travel patterns and mobility
- Holiday bookings
- Category-specific spending behavior
These signals provide a far more accurate picture of consumers than demographic assumptions alone.
"Marketers today have access to vast amounts of data, but most of it tells them what consumers do online. That is only one part of their actual purchasing lives. Every everyday behavior, such as refuelling, purchases made at the checkout, or recurring travel routes, leaves a signal. Within the WP Retail Media offering, we activate users through segments built on the analysis of transactional and geolocation data. By using this data, you can reach your customers more effectively."
Kacper Krzak, Head of Self-Service, Wirtualna Polska
A Data Ecosystem Built Around Real Consumer Behavior
The foundation of WP Retail Media is a data ecosystem developed through partnerships with organizations that maintain direct relationships with consumers, both online and offline.
During the pilot phase, audience activation is based on three key categories of data:
| Data Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Transactional Data | Real purchasing behavior and purchase frequency |
| Geolocation Data | Location, mobility, and movement patterns |
| Intent & Behavioral Data | Signals generated across websites within the WP Group ecosystem |
All data is collected:
- With user consent
- In compliance with GDPR regulations
- Using privacy-compliant activation mechanisms
One Complete Customer View Instead of Fragmented Insights
The core advantage of WP Retail Media is its ability to deliver a holistic consumer profile.
Rather than targeting audiences based on:
- Age
- Gender
- Income bracket
- Declared interests
advertisers gain access to audiences built around real behaviors, including:
✅ What people buy
✅ How often they buy
✅ Where they spend their time
✅ What products they are considering
✅ What content they consume online
"Only when you bring these data streams together do you really begin to understand the consumer, not just who they are, but what they may need in the near future. We are not targeting someone who fits the demographic profile of a coffee buyer. We are targeting someone who actually buys coffee, regularly and within specific product categories."
Kamil Brożek, Data Partnership Manager, Wirtualna Polska
How WP Retail Media Works
The solution operates through a three-step process:
1. Aggregate Data
Offline and online consumer signals are gathered and combined into a unified data framework.
2. Build Purchasing Segments
Wirtualna Polska's technology analyzes these signals and creates highly accurate audience segments.
3. Activate Audiences
Campaigns are delivered when consumers are closest to a purchasing decision.
Available Advertising Channels
WP Retail Media audiences can be activated across various premium formats within the WP ecosystem:
Video Advertising
- In-stream video
- Premium video placements
Email Marketing
- WP Mail inbox campaigns
- o2 inbox campaigns
Display Advertising
- Standard display formats
- Commercial Break
- Screening
- Gigaboard
- Other premium inventory placements
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"We bring data, technology and distribution together in one place. The precision of our segments is combined with real reach. Through WP and the WPartner network, we reach 95% of Polish internet users."
Kacper Krzak
High Cookie-Matching Rates Increase Campaign Efficiency
An additional technical advantage of WP Retail Media is its exceptionally high cookie-matching rate.
This enables Wirtualna Polska to:
- Identify a larger share of selected audiences
- Improve targeting accuracy
- Reduce wasted impressions
- Maximize campaign budget efficiency
As a result, advertising spend is directed toward users who genuinely belong to the intended audience rather than being diluted across loosely matched impressions.
Proven Results
The effectiveness of WP Retail Media has already been demonstrated in real-world campaigns.
Case Study: Travel Accessories Manufacturer
A campaign for a travel accessories brand leveraged transactional data from holiday bookings to identify consumers who had recently purchased trips scheduled for July and August.
Audience Segmentation
Users were divided into five segments based on travel type:
- City break travelers
- Family holiday travelers
- Travelers with young children
- Leisure vacation planners
- Other travel-intent audiences
Each group received dedicated creative messaging tailored to its specific needs.
Results
| Metric | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Engagement Rate | 8.35× higher |
| Targeting Basis | Actual travel bookings |
| Creative Strategy | Personalized by travel segment |
"This is not a coincidence or a matter of luck. It is the result of reaching the right people at the right moment. Someone who has just booked a holiday is in the purchase window for a suitcase. If you reach that person at that moment, rather than someone who once browsed an article about travel, the results are bound to be different."
Kamil Brożek
Who Is WP Retail Media For?
WP Retail Media is designed for:
Brands
Companies looking to reach consumers when they demonstrate real purchase intent within a product category.
Media Agencies
Agencies seeking more precise targeting capabilities and measurable business outcomes.
Performance Marketers
Teams focused on maximizing efficiency and campaign ROI through data-driven audience activation.
Flexible Implementation Models
WP Retail Media can be deployed in two ways:
Standalone Retail Media Campaign
A campaign built entirely around purchasing and behavioral segments.
Enhancement of Existing Campaigns
Transactional and location-based data can be integrated into already planned media activities without changing the advertising formats currently in use.
The specific scope of cooperation, data sources, target categories, and activation methods is tailored individually according to campaign objectives.
"Retail media is not about buying a new advertising format. It is about making sure your budget works on people who can realistically become customers because they already behave like customers. Tell us what your objective is, and we will take care of the rest."
Kacper Krzak
Contact
For more information about WP Retail Media, please contact:
WPartner Team
AdTech
WPartner’s team of advertising technology experts.
