Research: Store Locator Boosts DooH Performance

Vistar Media surveyed 7,200 consumers aged 18 to 59 to test how store locators in programmatic digital out-of-home (DooH) creatives affect intent. Participants saw ads with no store locator or one placed at the top, middle or bottom; the research covered retail, quick-service restaurants (QSR) and consumer packaged goods (CPG). According to the study, adding store information increased consumer intent across categories, but placement mattered, with top and bottom positions consistently outperforming the middle, where location details competed with headlines and imagery.

The strongest category-specific results came with bottom placement: retail campaigns showed a 35% increase in visit intent, QSR campaigns a 24% uplift, and impulse-driven CPG products such as confectionery a 116% rise in purchase intent with bottom placement and 110% with top placement.

Beyond placement, two design elements stood out. According to the study, the location pin generated a 16% uplift in visit intent, while high-contrast designs increased visit and purchase intent by about 10%. The study also suggests store locators are especially effective when consumers can act immediately, making them relevant for retail media, convenience retail, foodservice and omnichannel campaigns.

The research notes a trade-off: when store locators prominently featured third-party retailer or dealership branding, recognition of the advertised brand occasionally declined, suggesting marketers need to balance activation goals with brand-building objectives.

Vistar Media says small creative adjustments can yield measurable campaign improvements without additional media investment. The research adds valuable evidence that creative optimisation can directly influence consumer behaviour. As retail media networks increasingly rely on digital signage as a physical touchpoint, seemingly minor details such as store-information placement could have a significant impact on campaign ROI.