RaceTrac Starts an Ad Business to Leverage Loyalty Base

RaceTrac, a chain of gas stations and convenience stores largely located in the Southeast, has launched a retail media network. Jamie Miller, vp of marketing for convenience at RaceTrac, told ADWEEK that its Trac Media Group will leverage its loyalty program of 6 million members. Miller said the company has invested in its loyalty program over the past two years, making now the time to invest in advertising. “We had a little bit of work to do to get up to speed on that in order to lay the foundation for us to be able to move forward with a retail media network," Miller said. RaceTrac adjusted the loyalty program's tier and points systems, updated its app, and adopted a CRM system that could deliver personalized offers based on loyalty data. Additionally, RaceTrac implemented new technology in stores allowing guests to sign up at the point of sale. RaceTrac's move follows other gas station and C-store chains including 7-Eleven, Wawa, Love's, and Circle K that have embraced retail media over the last few years. Retailers that run gas stations like Sam's Club also sell ads. RaceTrac has been looking into starting a media business for over a year, Miller said, adding that the company has been working with consultancy NexChapter as an extension of its team. “For me, it was looking out at the technology and how we've grown our loyalty base, and just feeling like we were ready to move to the next level from a personalization standpoint and build those relationships with our vendors,” Miller said. “Our merchandising team has been very active in building out the network and positioning us for success as well." New opportunities for brands The advertising business is initially focused largely on brands on RaceTrac's shelves. “We will be a good mechanism to reach that guest in the moment of decision,” Miller said. “It just gives us new avenues to be able to work with our vendor partners to enable us to provide the most meaningful offers to them as part of their routine.” The media network will touch all RaceTrac-branded locations, which will total just under 640 by the end of this year after some upcoming store openings. It does not yet extend to parent company RaceTrac Inc.'s RaceWay, Gulf, and Potbelly locations, though the company said it sees that as a long-term goal. Some of the chain’s biggest markets include Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Florida, Louisiana, and Nashville. The chain is also expanding into other states such as Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. "It provides some great opportunities to our brand partners to drive relevance with our very engaged guests, who shop with us on a very frequent basis," Miller said. Miller said the chain plans to launch the first campaigns in the first quarter of 2027. The campaigns will touch digital as well as digital screens inside the stores and physical signage outside the stores. She said the company will add offsite media later next year. All RaceTrac stores have at least three digital screens, but the company expects to add additional screens in 2027. The company is also exploring technology that would allow for video to play on fuel screen pumps, Miller said. There are also ads printed on outdoor signage. These placements are coveted and valued by brands, Miller said. “That is very selective, and we will continue to be very selective," she said. “A lot of the brands that we work with would love for the customers that are fueling with us to see an offer and convert and come inside." RaceTrac has previously worked on ad campaigns with brands through merchandising agreements. The new ad business is positioned to do bigger campaigns using more formats. “We're working on some exciting, bigger campaigns that I think will be brought to life in a little bit of a different way than we would have with a shopper marketing campaign,” Miller said.

Retail Media Networks

RaceTrac Starts an Ad Business to Leverage Loyalty Base

7-Eleven, Wawa, and other chains have also launched media networks in recent years

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