John Lewis is helping brands connect with its online customers by supercharging its retail media offer with a suite of new capabilities across the johnlewis.com website.

The retailer’s latest proposition will enable brands to create and manage their own campaigns on the retailer’s website, including the option for banner ads and sponsored product listings.

Developed in partnership with marketing tech firm Epsilon, the flexible option will help brands maintain always-on campaigns that can be swiftly adapted to changing seasonal trends and fixed annual peaks, such as Back to School and Black Friday.

“While retailers have long been advertising on their own websites, we want to improve the experience, and make it even easier for customers to connect with the brands and products that meet their needs,” said John Lewis business lead retail media and supplier insights, Jemma Haley.

“As part of this, we’re providing brands with more targeted and relevant ways to connect with customers. Our shoppers are unique in terms of the ways they research, browse and buy, and we need to be ready to meet them in the moments they are ready to purchase or engage with a brand.”

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A clear dashboard will allow brands to measure exactly how their campaigns are performing, how customers are engaging with them and what sales they are generating. Real-time data provides highly accurate campaign insights, helping brands measure the impact of their campaigns at a granular level, right down to individual products and search terms.

The new retail media platform will also help customers connect with highly relevant brands that correspond to their search and browse activity, with all ads reviewed by John Lewis’ in-house team to ensure they are suitable.

Epsilon’s regional CEO Europe, Alban Villani, added: “John Lewis offers a unique and scaled audience across its online and in-store environments.

“People visit John Lewis in search of inspiration, to validate their research and to make purchases that often initiate a longer-term brand relationship.

“It’s a real opportunity for brands to evolve their strategies beyond performance goals to think about how they engage customers in ways that build awareness and loyalty. We look forward to supporting John Lewis further as it continues to test and learn across categories and build an even more impactful omni-channel media proposition for brands.”