RaceTrac Launches Trac Media Group, Bringing Retail Advertising to More Than 600 Locations
The Atlanta-based convenience retailer is connecting digital advertising, loyalty data and in-store shopping through a new retail media network.
RaceTrac is turning its convenience stores into a broader advertising platform with the launch of Trac Media Group, a retail media network designed to help brands reach customers across digital channels and at the places they shop and fuel up.
Announced October 27, the network begins with more than 600 RaceTrac-branded locations. The company says advertisers can plan, purchase and measure campaigns through a single offering that reaches customers from the fuel pump to the checkout counter.
For brands, the appeal is the frequency of convenience-store visits. For RaceTrac, the network creates another way to connect its physical locations, digital presence and customer relationships.
Connecting Advertising to Everyday Visits
Retail media networks allow brands to advertise through a retailer’s own channels and use available shopping data to understand how campaigns perform. In RaceTrac’s case, those channels include digital advertising and opportunities at the pump and inside stores.
The company says its RaceTrac Rewards program connects customer visits with purchase behavior, giving advertisers a way to measure campaigns against sales. The announcement did not detail campaign pricing or the specific measurement methods that will be available to advertisers.
Jamie Miller, vice president of marketing for RaceTrac Convenience Retail, said the network is built around the role RaceTrac plays in customers’ daily routines, from a morning coffee stop to an evening fuel purchase.
A Broader Trend in Convenience Retail
RaceTrac joins a growing group of convenience retailers developing their own media networks. According to C-Store Dive, 7-Eleven, Circle K and Casey’s have established networks, while regional operators and travel-stop companies have also entered the space.
For consumer brands, a convenience store offers a chance to reach shoppers close to a purchase decision. A beverage company, for example, might be interested in reaching a customer before or during a store visit. Whether a particular campaign produces additional sales will depend on its placement, audience and measurement.
For retailers, advertising can become an additional source of revenue alongside fuel, food and merchandise sales. The approach also illustrates how physical retail locations are increasingly connected to digital marketing strategies.
What It Means for Retail Real Estate
Convenience stores have long been valued for their location, visibility and access to daily traffic. Retail media adds another dimension: the ability to connect those physical visits with brand campaigns and customer engagement.
That does not change the fundamentals of a strong site. Access, traffic patterns, surrounding development and the customer experience still matter. But as retailers find new ways to connect those visits to advertising, a well-positioned store may support more than the transactions taking place at the register.
For property owners, developers and brokers, the launch is another example of how retailers are looking beyond the four walls of a store when considering the value of their locations.
Potential Expansion Across Other Brands
Trac Media Group is initially available at RaceTrac locations. The company says its long-term vision includes expanding the network to other brands in its portfolio, including RaceWay, Gulf and Potbelly. It has not announced a timeline for that expansion.
RaceTrac, Inc. is family-owned and headquartered in Atlanta. The company says its brands include more than 850 RaceTrac and RaceWay retail locations, approximately 1,200 Gulf-branded locations and more than 445 Potbelly sandwich shops nationwide. Those broader company figures should not be confused with the network’s initial footprint of more than 600 RaceTrac-branded locations.
Brands interested in learning more can visit Trac Media Group.
