What is retail media and why does it matter?

Retail media is advertising that appears inside a store - on digital screens, shelf talkers and other shopper touchpoints. It reaches people at the moment they decide what to buy, not days before on social. Shelf Shock uses digital in-store screens to help challenger brands increase visibility and connect with shoppers in high-intent moments.

How is Shelf Shock different from other retail media networks?

Most retail media networks focus on big brands and short, generic ads. Shelf Shock is built for challenger brands that need more than a 10-second pack shot. We use longer-form video and optional audio to help brands share their story, show personality and create memorable, human connections in-store.

What types of brands do you work with?

We work with challenger, emerging and local legend FMCG brands - the ones with heart, personality and a story to tell. If you want to grow visibility, encourage trial and stand out on-shelf, Shelf Shock is designed for you.

What kind of content works best on your screens?

Short, story-led videos (20-30 seconds) work best. Think 'Insta Reels for retail': how it’s made, who’s behind it, what makes it different and why shoppers should care. Content that feels human and expressive consistently outperforms pack shots.

How does Shelf Shock work?

Brands book campaign cycles. Their video content appears on digital screens throughout the day, giving repeated exposure at high-intent moments. Campaigns run in fixed cycles, and brands can book one cycle or multiple depending on goals and seasonality.

Where are your screens located?

Shelf Shock screens are positioned inside high-footfall retail environments. Locations are chosen to reach shoppers in high-dwell areas when they are browsing, queuing or deciding between products.

Can Shelf Shock help create my video?

Absolutely. We can support concepting, scripting, filming and editing - especially for founder-led or story-rich brands. If you’ve never created video before, we’ll guide the process and make sure the final creative is optimised for in-store screens.

What do I need to supply to get started?

Most brands supply a short-form video that meets our technical specs. If you don’t have creative, we can help produce it. We’ll also guide you on messaging, storytelling and what content performs best.

How do I book a campaign?

Easy peasy - fill out the form here or email us at hello@shelf-shock.com. Tell us a little about your brand and goals, and we’ll help build a campaign plan that fits your objectives, budget and timeline.

Retail media for challenger brands

Retail media has become one of the fastest-growing channels in FMCG - but for challenger brands, it can often feel built for everyone except them.

Shelf Shock exists to change that. We’re a digital in-store retail media network designed specifically around the needs, realities and ambitions of challenger FMCG brands.

This page explains what retail media is, how it works, and why challenger brands need a version of it that’s built differently.

Retail media refers to advertising that appears inside a retail environment - on digital screens, shelf-edge point of sale, branding around the store, or other retail-based digital assets. It reaches shoppers at the exact moment they’re deciding what to buy. Unlike social or paid media, it doesn’t hope for attention; it captures it naturally through proximity, relevance and timing.

For challenger brands, this ‘moment-of-decision’ visibility often matters more than broad awareness. Retail media helps products stand out on the shelf, drive trial, and communicate their story in a space where shoppers are primed to act.

What retail media actually means

Why challenger brands need a different kind of retail media

Traditional retail media networks are typically built around the budgets and processes of large FMCG players. They expect short-form, pack-shot ads, high spend levels, and creative formats that don’t always suit founder-led brands with personality.

Challenger brands need a version of retail media that:

Supports story-first content, not faceless 10-second clips
Is accessible without six-figure budgets
Fits the realities of early-stage growth
Helps shoppers understand who you are and why you’re different
Appears in places where local shoppers actually make decisions

Shelf Shock delivers this through a digital screen network rooted in East London convenience stores - high-footfall, high-intent environments ideal for newer brands trying to spark discovery and trial.

Convenience stores create some of the most valuable shopper moments for challenger brands. These stores are rooted in neighbourhood behaviour: quick trips, impulse purchases, and openness to something new.

Our screens run throughout the day, placing your brand story into:

High-dwell zones
Queue areas
Main shopper flow routes
Zones where category decisions happen fastest

This gives challenger FMCG brands repeated visibility and the chance to connect with shoppers at the shelf, not after the fact.

How retail media works in convenience retail

Shelf Shock Home

https://www.shelf-shock.com/

About Shelf Shock

https://www.shelf-shock.com/about-us

Shelf Shock FAQs

https://www.shelf-shock.com/faqs

Latest Campaigns

https://www.shelf-shock.com/latest-campaigns

Retail Media for Challenger Brands

https://www.shelf-shock.com/retail-media-for-challenger-brands

In-store Digital Screen Advertising

https://www.shelf-shock.com/in-store-digital-screen-advertising

FMCG Shopper Marketing Basics

https://www.shelf-shock.com/fmcg-shopper-marketing-basics

Why retail media drives growth for challenger brands

Retail media supports challenger brands by:

Increasing shopper visibility at the exact point of purchase
Reinforcing brand story and personality in context
Supporting new product launches and awareness drives
Aiding distribution conversations by proving in-store presence
Helping brands stand out against larger FMCG competitors

Where social media builds interest, retail media turns that interest into conversion, right where shoppers decide.

What is retail media?

Retail media refers to brand messaging displayed inside physical retail environments, designed to influence shopper decisions at the moment of purchase.

Who is retail media most effective for?

Retail media is especially effective for challenger FMCG brands that need visibility against larger competitors.

Where does Shelf Shock operate?

Shelf Shock supports challenger brands in high-footfall convenience and neighbourhood retail environments across East London and the UK.

This page covers retail media, challenger brand visibility, in-store screen advertising, shopper behaviour, convenience retail, and UK retail media strategy.

About Shelf Shock

Shelf Shock is the UK’s only retail media network built exclusively for challenger and emerging FMCG brands. We combine story-led content with digital in-store screens across East London convenience retail to help brands grow visibility in high-intent shopper environments.

Our mission is simple: give smaller brands the presence and punch normally reserved for the giants.

👉 Learn more about in-store digital screen advertising and shopper marketing for challenger brands.