Dollar General’s DG Media Network Expands Data Collaboration and Personalization Efforts

Описание: LAS VEGAS – Retailers across the board face growing challenges around how to share and activate data responsibly, and Dollar General’s DG Media Network (DGMN) is no exception. Speaking at the Groceryshop convention, Austin Leonard, vice president and general manager of DGMN, said the company is focused on fostering trust, transparency and privacy across its data partnerships.

“Technical limitations, privacy regulations and partner trust are all critical,” Leonard said in this interview with Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan. “As data owners, protecting our customers’ information comes first. But we also have to remain fluid and compliant so that collaboration can continue to drive innovation.”

He added that effective collaboration requires investment in both technology and relationships: “You need partners you can trust to handle your data responsibly, with clear expectations and guardrails.”

Data collaboration that serves the customer

Dollar General’s approach to data collaboration, Leonard said, starts with the shopper. The goal is to use insights to improve customer experiences, from personalized offers to discovering new products and savings opportunities.

“It has to serve the customer first, helping them save money, personalize their experience or discover something new,” he said.

Through DG Media Network, the retailer builds audience segments and runs customized campaigns for advertising partners that reach its vast shopper base.

“Our media network helps grow both the supplier’s and Dollar General’s business by connecting directly with customers in a relevant way,” Leonard said.

Retail media networks driving omnichannel growth

Retail media has become the connective tissue between data and omnichannel marketing, Leonard said. By unlocking first-party data in a privacy-safe way, networks like DGMN enable advertisers to link in-store and online behaviors for more effective campaigns.

“What makes retail media unique is our ability to bridge online and offline transactions,” Leonard said. “We see the customer in-store, we know their digital footprint, and that creates a connection that doesn’t exist anywhere else in media.”

These insights, he said, fuel full-funnel media strategies from programmatic activation to in-store engagement, helping brands and merchants move faster and deliver better consumer experiences.

Turning shared insights into personalization

Personalization remains a key priority for retailers. Leonard said the greatest opportunities lie in leveraging behavioral and purchase-based data, which he called “some of the strongest signals out there.”

By combining location-based targeting and shared insights from brand partners, DGMN can deliver more localized and automated ad experiences across its nearly 21,000 stores.

“We can make ads more localized, more relevant, and more automated,” Leonard said. “That collaboration – sharing insights both ways – drives better tactics, better experiences and ultimately a much better ROI.”

Ai, experiential marketing, and the “last mile of e-commerce”

Looking ahead, Leonard highlighted several innovations transforming Dollar General’s approach to data partnerships.

AI-driven personalization: Artificial intelligence, he said, is improving campaign optimization, media planning and the speed of delivering personalized offers.
Experiential marketing: Dollar General has partnered with Recess to distribute personalized product samples in communities, “surprising and delighting” customers at moments like school pickups or local celebrations, and linking those experiences back to sales through data collaboration.
In-store innovation: With 75% of the U.S. population living within five miles of a Dollar General store, the retailer is exploring new ways to digitize in-store experiences through signage, audio and retail media measurement.
E-commerce expansion: Leonard cited partnerships with DoorDash and the company’s own DG Delivery service as proof of how data collaboration drives omnichannel growth.

“I like to think of it as helping build the last mile of e-commerce for the last mile of America,” Leonard said. “Many of our communities have been underserved by digital retail. We’re changing that, bringing brands closer to shoppers while helping them save time and money.”