As the global retail media landscape continues to expand, the Moroccan startup FMK Media is making significant strides by deploying a network of digital screens in local retail shops. This innovative model aims to achieve profitability for shopkeepers, transparency for brands, and localized efficiency, thereby transforming the advertising approach in the region.
Retail media, which refers to advertising displayed at points of sale, whether physical or digital, is witnessing unprecedented growth on an international scale. According to industry data gathered by Medias24 from **Othmane Senhaji**, co-founder of the Moroccan company **FMK Media**, which specializes in Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) indoor advertising, the global market is projected to reach approximately **$184 billion by 2025** and could exceed **$312 billion by 2030**. This segment is expected to represent nearly double the global advertising expenditure allocated to television.
This surge can be attributed to advertisers' desire for measurable spending that is directly linked to actual sales. However, a paradox persists globally: while 80% of consumer spending occurs in physical stores, nearly 90% of retail media investments are captured by e-commerce. FMK Media aims to capitalize on this gap in the physical retail market, which is particularly dominant in Morocco.
The Untapped Media Asset of Traditional Moroccan Retail
In Morocco, traditional retail serves as the backbone of food distribution. Proximity retail accounts for nearly 80% of the food retail market, with small neighborhood shops, or hanouts, contributing about 69% of these sales. According to Senhaji, this channel is not a relic of the past; rather, it represents a daily gathering place for households, characterized by frequent, low-value purchases often made multiple times a day.
Despite the presence of numerous stores, this network of tens of thousands of retail outlets has long remained an underutilized asset. Although brands distribute their products through these channels, they previously lacked a structured tool for communication. Proximity commerce offers a level of visit frequency and local engagement that shopping malls cannot match.
Furthermore, in the customer journey, the term **“last meter”** refers to the physical distance between the consumer and the product on the shelf. Industry data indicates that over **70%** of purchasing decisions are made inside the store, with **68%** of consumers attributing an unplanned purchase to the impact of point-of-sale advertising (PLV). A dynamic screen positioned at eye level captures attention and can generate up to **400% more views** compared to static displays.
Senhaji emphasizes that unlike traditional media (television and social networks) which create purchase intent to be fulfilled later, DOOH in-store minimizes the gap between the advertising message and the purchase act, as the promoted product is just a meter away from the consumer.
The integration of screens in sometimes cramped retail spaces is based on a **“membership model”** structured around three key benefits for shopkeepers:
- Fixed monthly fee: The equipment is provided, installed, and maintained at no cost to the shopkeeper. The fee charged covers the electricity cost of the screen, which operates only during store hours, estimated at just a few dozen dirhams per month.
- Increased revenue: Highlighting promotions or products on dynamic screens above the shelves stimulates direct sales in the store.
- On-site promotions: The retail outlet benefits from operations deployed by brands, such as giveaways and commercial activations.
To address concerns related to power outages or technical failures, FMK Media's model includes a clear delineation of responsibilities through a real-time CMS supervision platform:
- Power outages and technical failures: These are the operator's responsibility. In the event of a neighborhood power outage, the screen automatically restarts when power returns, synchronously with the grid. Hardware failures generate precise error codes on the platform.
- Voluntary disconnections: These are objectively identified through prolonged data connection interruptions.
- On-site maintenance: The platform allows for the resolution of most incidents remotely. If physical intervention is required, the network operator will respond on-site within 24 hours. The deployment strategy proceeds city by city to ensure the necessary density for rapid interventions, before expanding region by region.
Audience Measurement and Campaign Transparency
To meet advertisers' demands for transparency, FMK Media provides detailed broadcast reports (active screens, timings, number of views) supported by regular screenshots. Regarding audience measurement, the agency currently takes a cautious declarative approach. By the end of this year, it plans to deploy **anonymous thermal flow sensors** to accurately measure entry and exit flows. This data will allow for audience qualification by geographic areas and consumer profiles, offering brands a level of targeting granularity comparable to digital marketing standards.
The network has initially attracted players in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, such as **Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Mutandis**, for whom in-store presence is strategic. However, the profile of advertisers is diversifying with the entry of players from the automotive sector (such as **Volkswagen**), telecommunications, banking, and microcredit, all attracted by the network's penetration within neighborhoods.
Currently, FMK Media operates **180 active points of sale**, with plans to integrate **200 additional points** by September, aiming for a target of **1,000 points of sale by the end of 2026**, and ultimately **5,000 points of sale** in the proximity segment alone. The agency also plans to extend its model to other daily passage spaces, such as **gas stations** and **gyms**.
As reported by medias24.com.
