Nova Entertainment, Scentre Group, and BrandSpace Launch Retail Media Network Partnership – Thursday, March 12, 2026

Nova Entertainment has announced a strategic partnership with Scentre Group and BrandSpace to launch a new retail media network. This initiative, revealed at Nova's 'Infronts' event, aims to significantly enhance advertising opportunities within retail environments.

Who should care: VPs of retail, store operations leaders, eCommerce directors, customer experience teams, and retail technology decision-makers.

What happened?

Nova Entertainment is entering the retail media network (RMN) arena through a strategic collaboration with Scentre Group and BrandSpace. Announced at Nova's 'Infronts' event, this partnership leverages Scentre Group’s extensive portfolio of Westfield shopping centers across Australia and New Zealand, providing a prime platform for targeted retail advertising. BrandSpace, recognized for its expertise in developing advertising solutions within retail environments, brings critical capabilities to maximize the reach and impact of this new media network. Together, the three companies aim to offer brands innovative, data-driven ways to engage consumers directly at the point of purchase, enhancing both sales conversion and brand visibility. Early feedback from media buyers has been positive, emphasizing Nova’s strong cultural alignment, advanced planning tools, and the promising potential of this retail media offering to deliver measurable results. This initiative positions Nova not just as a broadcaster but as a key player in the evolving retail advertising ecosystem, bridging traditional media and physical retail spaces to create a more integrated consumer engagement strategy.

Why now?

The timing of this launch reflects a broader industry shift toward more precise and contextually relevant advertising within retail environments. Over the past 18 months, traditional media companies have increasingly entered the RMN sector, responding to growing demand for targeted consumer engagement strategies that go beyond digital and traditional channels. This trend aligns with retailers’ efforts to integrate media solutions that enhance the in-store experience and drive incremental sales. By partnering with Scentre Group and BrandSpace, Nova is well-positioned to capitalize on this momentum, offering advertisers access to high-footfall retail venues at a time when brands are seeking more effective ways to connect with shoppers in physical spaces. This move also reflects the rising importance of omnichannel marketing strategies that blend online and offline touchpoints to influence purchasing decisions.

So what?

This partnership carries significant implications for both the retail and advertising sectors. Strategically, it highlights the growing necessity of embedding media solutions directly within retail environments to deepen consumer engagement and influence buying behavior. Operationally, it provides a blueprint for how traditional media companies can diversify their offerings by collaborating with retail operators, unlocking new revenue streams and enhancing advertiser value. This development is likely to accelerate similar partnerships across the industry, prompting retailers and media companies alike to rethink their approaches to consumer engagement and advertising. For businesses, this means adapting to a landscape where retail media networks become a core component of marketing strategies, driving more personalized and contextually relevant interactions with consumers.

What this means for you:

• For VPs of retail: Explore how integrating retail media networks can enhance consumer engagement and increase sales within your stores.
• For eCommerce directors: Assess opportunities to incorporate physical retail media into your cross-channel advertising strategies for a more cohesive brand presence.
• For customer experience teams: Investigate how retail media can be leveraged to enrich in-store experiences and foster stronger customer connections.

Quick Hits

• Impact / Risk: This partnership could reshape the retail advertising landscape by embedding targeted media solutions within high-traffic retail environments.
• Operational Implication: Retailers will need to adapt strategies to integrate media networks as a core element of consumer engagement and sales growth.
• Action This Week: Review current advertising partnerships for opportunities to incorporate retail media networks; brief executive teams on strategic implications; consider pilot programs to evaluate retail media effectiveness in your locations.