Alessandro Manfredi

Retail media is growing up, but the roots matter. I had a brilliant conversation with Tom Limongello and Todd Sawicki on The Middlemen Podcast. We covered a lot, but a few things stuck: 🔄In the UK, retail media started in-store. Tesco. Loyalty cards. Coupons at checkout. That foundation still shapes how we think at SMG: holistic campaigns that enhance the shopper experience, not channel-by-channel plans. 🎯The best campaigns don’t start with "We want *insert media channel*." They start with KPIs, "We need to drive penetration," or "This SKU isn’t getting picked up enough." And then we use every tool in the kit: media, promo, price, etc. to make it work. 🧠Merchandising and media must move together. If they’re misaligned, one of two things happens: either nothing moves, or the wrong metric does. ✈️ And travel retail? Hugely underutilized (for now). SMG North America is proud to power WHSmith North America Media Network to unlock the value of high-intent, high-spend airport shoppers. No e-commerce. No endless scroll. Just real-world attention for brands. It’s always refreshing to step outside the echo chamber and have an honest chat about what’s working (and what’s not). Link to the podcast episode in the comments below! Would love to hear what you think. Cheers to Tom and Todd for the invite. #retailmedia #themiddlemen #thoughtleadership

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"𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂" Pete Markey, former CMO of TSB Bank & Boots UK, shared this insight during his conversation with Amina Folarin at The AI Advantage: Tech & Talent Aligned for Growth event, and perfectly captured the real challenge facing marketers today. With 51% of CMOs struggling with demand management, the pressure to adopt AI is real. But this transformation isn't just about the tech, it's about choosing the right partner to navigate it with you. Our new blog series extends this conversation, starting with a practical framework for evaluating AI transformation partners. 📖 Understand the framework in our first blog: https://hubs.li/Q03Jv-mL0 #AITransformation #InHouseMarketing #GenAI

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As the UK prepares for changes in restrictions around advertising less healthy food or drink (LHF), the industry is asking: will this stifle creativity or spark a new era of innovation?   Our CEO, Richard Arscott, shares his perspective in this piece for Creative Salon Worldwide:   "Ultimately, these restrictions have the potential to shape a more positive and beneficial communications landscape - helping build brands the world wants more of that drive commercial performance while also serving people and the planet."   Read the full article in the comments below. #Advertising #Creativity #LHF #HFSS

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Second-hand fashion marketplace Vinted is launching a new TV series on Prime Video called ‘RE/Style’, hosted by presenter and former model Emma Willis. It’s a six-part competition, spotlighting rising designers from across Europe who create “runway ready looks” using only second-hand clothes. The series will feature eight emerging fashion designers, from the UK, Italy, Spain and France, who will compete to create capsule collections. The series’ finale will see the two finalists unveil bespoke collections inspired by their standout looks from the show. The items will then be sold exclusively on Vinted, with all profits donated to Oxfam, “underscoring the show’s commitment to #circularfashion and social impact”. From 13 October 2025, fashion enthusiasts can also shop on Vinted for the very items used by the wardrobe designers to create the show’s looks. The items will be sold exclusively on Oxfam’s Vinted page. #preloved #circularity #fashion #design #upcycling

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In the ever-evolving landscape of UK high streets, Costa Coffee’s story is a compelling case study in what happens when a brand misses the opportunity to build true local connection. Since The Coca-Cola Company acquired the chain for £3.9 billion in 2019, Costa has faced mounting challenges. And while reports now suggest Coca-Cola is considering a sale at a significantly reduced price, the reasons go far beyond a lack of local resonance. From soaring coffee bean prices and rising energy bills to post-pandemic shifts in working habits and intensified competition from both independents and premium chains, Costa has been up against it. Their revenue remains below pre-acquisition levels, with recent financials showing a pre-tax loss of £9.6 million. Running a business at scale in this climate is no small task. But here’s the real question: could stronger localisation and community connection have helped Costa weather these storms? I’d argue yes. My own experience came in a seaside town I know very well, where Costa opened a store in 2013, despite vocal community resistance, including a petition from over 600 residents. Despite overcoming those odds from the outset, the store only operated for six years and never truly embedded itself in the community. In chatting to local staff, they told me they weren’t empowered to adjust the offer or atmosphere to better suit local habits. They were full of brilliant ideas they just weren’t allowed to put into action. The brand presence remained uniform, centralised, and, crucially, a little out of touch with its surroundings. Now contrast that with the success story that is GAIL's. Gail’s doesn’t just serve coffee and pastries - it connects. Its teams are encouraged to form local partnerships, reduce waste through community donations, and shape their spaces to reflect neighbourhood needs. "We’re a bakery that is very ‘neighbour-hoody" said Tom Molnar, Chief Executive in Business Leader "You have to care about the community." Their approach isn't about sacrificing brand consistency; it's about humanising it. Gail’s has become the kind of brand that people want in their community, not one that arrives uninvited. Of course, localisation isn't a magic fix for structural challenges like supply chain complexity or inflationary pressures. But it does help brands build resilience. When people feel seen, valued and listened to, they return, even when their spending tightens. When local teams are empowered, they can respond creatively and meaningfully. When a brand becomes part of the community fabric, it earns loyalty that no national campaign can buy. Costa had the scale, the infrastructure, the footprint but perhaps what it missed was the local heartbeat. And in today’s market, that heartbeat makes all the difference. I hope the next suitor, whether Apollo Global Management, Inc. (The Restaurant Group), TDR Capital (popeyes & Stonegate Group) or someone else, keeps #local in mind. #highstreetpositives

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