Albertsons Cos., Pinterest Piloting New Media Solution

Program aims to provide data security for brand partners

1/9/2023

Albertsons Co. Makes Another Major Digital Move With Social Media Giant

Albersons is expanding its previous partnership with Pinterest to offer clean rooms to its media collective partners.

Pinterest is on a mission to help marketers, including the Albertsons Media Collective, connect the dots between their first-party data as the industry migrates away from collecting third-party cookies. As such, the social media platform is working with data connectivity company LiveRamp on a pilot program that will provide secure data solutions.

Albertsons Media Collective will be Pinterest’s first advertiser to use the clean rooms pilot, which will provide a secure third-party space where the brand can join its first-party data and Pinterest platform data. According to Pinterest, the neutral clean room environment keeps data private and provides aggregated insight into ad performance, and also offers advanced privacy controls.

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"Data privacy is a priority for Albertsons Media Collective and we’re excited to pilot this new clean room initiative with a trusted partner,” said Kristi Argyilan, SVP of retail media for Albertsons Media Collective. “We believe using clean rooms can provide our clients with the data they expect to make informed decisions about their advertising in a privacy-preserving manner.”

Continued Argyilan: “While our initial test pilot focuses on enabling closed-loop measurement, this partnership will ultimately provide our team a more holistic view of our customers’ digital footprint to unlock more advanced measurement capabilities, like incrementality and Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA), down the road."

Albertsons’ partnership with Pinterest will be ongoing and aims to deliver closed-loop reporting for brands that participate in the grocer’s media collective. According to Pinterest, its clean rooms build on its stated approach to ad privacy, and will help balance the need to protect Pinner privacy while helping to ensure advertiser effectiveness.

"It's an exciting opportunity to meet both the strict privacy requirements of media owners like Pinterest and the advanced analytics needs of retailers like Albertsons,” said Kimberly Bloomston, SVP of product at San Francisco-based LiveRamp. “LiveRamp’s interoperable data collaboration technology allows us to do just that by maximizing data utility without compromise. We look forward to continued innovation with thought leaders such as Pinterest and Albertsons to support the future of privacy-safe data collaboration and measurement."

Albertsons first partnered with Pinterest in late 2021 to use artificial intelligence (AI) and application programming interface (API) technology to help grocery shoppers plan fresh, inspired meals.

Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operates more than 2,200 retail stores with 1,700-plus pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. It operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 24 well-known banners, among them Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lovers Market. Albertsons is No. 9 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.