Surfside is a data-driven marketing platform dedicated to helping cannabis businesses grow and connect with their target audience. At the forefront of the company’s innovative offerings is its Commerce Media solution, a breakthrough in retail media that makes it easy for any retailer or marketplace to incorporate sponsored product listings, ads, and recommendation engines into their online and in-store environments for brand-activated content.
Commerce Media enables retailers to monetize their websites and customer-facing in-store screens by creating ad spaces within their ecommerce sites, in-store menus, kiosks, and more. Similar to the sponsored placements for which Amazon is well known, the solution allows retailers to offer ad space to brand partners, turning their websites into dynamic advertising platforms tailored to the buying preferences of their customers. This level of personalization allows retailers to customize the placement and location of sponsored ads while providing brands a unique ability to increase their visibility at the point of sale.
“Retail media is the fastest-growing channel for [consumer-packaged-goods] advertisers, and we are excited to bring a unique approach with how we built the technology into the Surfside platform,” said Chief Revenue Officer Eric Meth. “What sets our Commerce Media solution apart is its ability to extend this advertising reach beyond the retailer’s site, seamlessly delivering ads to consumers offsite on mainstream apps, websites, and connected TVs as well.”
One of the solution’s standout features is its platform-agnostic technology. Whether a retailer uses Dutchie, Jane, BLAZE, Treez, or any other headless or iframe e-commerce platform, Surfside can transform their digital presence into a robust publisher network. This not only increases the supply of ad space on dispensary websites but also enhances demand by making it easier for brands to promote their products across a wider footprint that incorporates traditional online platforms previously thought out of reach.
“Our technology allows us to connect and advertise across any endemic or mainstream website, app, social platform, or search engine,” Meth said. “This holistic approach enables brands to engage with consumers before, during, and after purchase, whether they’re reading an article on Buzzfeed or actively browsing products on a dispensary’s website.”
Personalization is another cornerstone of Surfside’s Commerce Media approach. By leveraging first-party data directly from the e-commerce platform, website, point-of-sale system, and customer-relationship-management database, Surfside renders product listings and ads that are more likely to drive sales based on a customer’s purchase history and preferences. The data-driven strategy enables precise targeting and dynamic optimization, resulting in more meaningful connections between brands, retailers, and consumers in addition to more profitable business outcomes.
“First-party data is the foundation of Surfside’s approach to targeting,” Meth said. “Our proprietary platform onboards customer data directly from any platform or software, enabling unique segmentation capabilities based on valuable consumer insights like SKU-level purchase preferences and purchase frequency, all tied back to conversion and sales data from these same integrations.”
Commerce Media offers a game-changing opportunity. By transforming unused website space into advertising real estate, retailers can expand revenue generation. Meth said the personalized approach leads to increased average transaction values and stronger brand relationships.
For brands, the ability to influence online buying decisions is crucial. With Commerce Media, brands can replicate in-store merchandising strategies online, increasing product visibility and driving sales. The programmatic component further enhances the opportunity by creating a continuous loop of engagement from initial ad exposure to final purchase.
“Surfside’s platform is like a one-stop shop for cannabis partners,” Meth said. “Our proprietary solutions empower operators to plan, activate, and measure personalized media experiences. We attribute every touchpoint back to sales, providing a clear understanding of what drives success. This comprehensive, data-driven approach ensures our clients can achieve their unique marketing objectives.”
In a market where advertising historically has been fragmented and challenging, Surfside’s Commerce Media solution stands out as an innovative way to help both dispensaries and brands thrive in a highly competitive environment.
