Coles 360 has replaced its Unpacked by Flybuys offering with Coles 360 Empower, a revamped tool and business approach designed to provide brands and agency partners with insights to inform their media buying decisions.

Coles 360 Empower targets audiences based on insights from over 9 million active Flybuys members transacting at Coles, Liquorland and First Choice Liquor stores. The tool's launch is accompanied by the introduction of a new Agency team, which will enable Coles supplier agencies to invest in media across the Coles 360 network. The new Coles 360 Agency Team will be led by Chris Scudder, the former Unpacked by Flybuys Head of Sales.

“We are thrilled to empower brands and agencies with the insights and audiences they need to connect with the right customers. The more insight-led we can all be, the better the outcomes will be for brands, and the better the experience will be for our customers," said Paul Brooks, General Manager of Coles 360.

Brooks also highlighted the changing landscape of media investments. “As more brands start to combine brand and trade budgets, and approach their media investments in more holistic ways, we need to build the structure to accommodate the new ways of working. We are already seeing brands moving in this direction, so for us, it’s about anticipating and preparing for the future state of marketing team needs.”

Scudder echoed Brooks' sentiments, adding, “My team and I have been working closely with agencies for years, providing them with insights and audiences they need to create better strategies and media plans. It’s exciting to now be able to offer them the opportunity to extend their media plans into key retail media touchpoints and get their brand messages closer to the point of purchase.”

Kristiaan Kroon, Chief Investment Officer at OMG Australia, also commented on the potential benefits of the tool, stating, “The smartest brands and retailers will also use this as an opportunity to apply retail insights to higher funnel reach goals, further enhancing incremental ROAS performance using insights and measurement available through sophisticated partners like Coles 360.”

Coles 360 is also building a bespoke insights and planning tool through a recently announced partnership with Nielsen. This move is expected to further enhance the capabilities of Coles 360 Empower, providing brands with more efficient and effective media strategies.

“If we can help create the connections and the framework for how we can all work together on integrated media strategies, that address both trade and brand objectives, that would be a better outcome for everyone,” Brooks added.

As covered in-depth by Mi3, the supermarket’s bustling media unit announced it's set to move on the agency sector next year with a “lift and shift” 20-strong team pulled out of loyalty program Flybuys ready to start. As well as the move of Flybuys Unpacked across to become Coles360Empower, the former Flybuys Unpacked sales team is rebadged as the Coles360 Agency Team, led by Chris Scudder.