Simon Media & Experiences Teams Up with Adentro to Connect Retail Brands with Simon® Mall Shoppers

Rhea-AI Summary

Simon Media & Experiences has partnered with Adentro, a guest marketing solution provider, to enhance retail brands' connection with Simon mall shoppers. The collaboration leverages Adentro's technology to utilize first-party anonymized data from on-site Wi-Fi engagement across Simon properties.

The partnership aims to create a unified shopping experience by integrating digital and physical channels, with US connected commerce spending projected to exceed $112 billion in 2025. Adentro's platform will enable retail brands to curate and optimize high-intent shopping audiences for targeted display, social media, and CTV campaigns.

The technology utilizes secure OpenRoaming™ profiles on consumers' mobile devices, provided by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). This collaboration expands Adentro's network of industry partnerships, which includes Experian, LiveRamp, Adobe, and Cisco.

Positive

• Partnership enables data-driven targeting and personalization capabilities
• Access to valuable first-party shopper data through Wi-Fi engagement
• Enhanced ability to measure and optimize retail marketing campaigns
• Integration with major industry partners strengthens market position

Negative

• None.

Insights

Retail Technology Analyst

Simon's partnership with Adentro represents a strategic move into the rapidly expanding retail media network space, positioning the mall operator to capitalize on the projected $112 billion US connected commerce market by 2025. By leveraging anonymized first-party data collected through on-site Wi-Fi, Simon is effectively transforming its physical properties into valuable data acquisition channels.

This initiative allows Simon to provide its retail tenants with enhanced capabilities to target high-intent shoppers across display, social media, and CTV campaigns, creating a cohesive customer journey that bridges in-mall and online experiences. The OpenRoaming™ technology implementation is particularly noteworthy as it enables frictionless data collection while adhering to privacy standards.

For Simon, this partnership addresses two critical business challenges simultaneously: creating new revenue streams beyond traditional rent models and strengthening tenant relationships by delivering value-added services that potentially improve their sales performance. This represents an important evolution in Simon's business model from pure real estate operator to retail media platform provider.

The collaboration also positions Simon alongside major retailers who have built successful retail media networks, potentially allowing the mall operator to capture advertising dollars that might otherwise flow to digital-only platforms. While financial specifics are absent, this strategic direction aligns with the broader industry shift toward monetizing first-party data assets in an increasingly privacy-focused digital landscape.

Commercial Real Estate Strategist

This partnership highlights Simon's ongoing transformation from traditional mall landlord to an omnichannel retail facilitator. By developing a sophisticated retail media offering, Simon is creating a differentiated value proposition in the competitive commercial real estate market, potentially justifying premium rents and improving tenant retention rates.

The strategic importance of this move becomes evident when viewed against the continued pressure on physical retail from e-commerce competitors. By helping tenants better connect their physical and digital presence, Simon is directly addressing the existential challenge facing mall operators: proving the enduring value of physical retail space in an increasingly digital world.

From an asset utilization perspective, the partnership enables Simon to extract additional value from existing infrastructure without significant capital investment. The Wi-Fi networks already deployed across Simon properties are being transformed from basic amenities into strategic data-gathering assets that generate incremental revenue opportunities.

While this single partnership likely won't materially impact Simon's $52.8 billion market cap in the near term, it represents an important strategic direction that could help insulate the REIT from the fundamental challenges facing retail real estate. As tenant success increasingly depends on omnichannel capabilities, Simon's ability to support these efforts could become a critical competitive advantage in attracting and retaining premium retailers, ultimately supporting property values and rental rates across its portfolio.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Adentro, the leading guest marketing solution for the restaurant, food and beverage, hospitality, and retail industries, announced a collaboration with Simon®, a real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment, and mixed-use destinations. Adentro will empower a segment of Simon Media & Experiences' retail media arm to curate and target audiences using exclusive first-party Simon anonymized data generated from on-site Wi-Fi engagement. This alliance enables brands and retailers to create a unified shopping experience for consumers across physical and digital touchpoints, fostering personalized experiences and consistent engagement, thus enhancing customer conversion and loyalty.

Retail is dramatically evolving from pure brick-and-mortar stores to the more integrated, omnichannel approach that defines today’s connected commerce market. Brands are increasingly investing in connected commerce, with US spending expected to exceed $112 billion in 2025, fueled by retail media network (RMN) spending growth. By integrating digital and physical channels, connected commerce delivers on consumer expectations for seamless, personalized journeys while unlocking new opportunities for marketers to engage, convert, and retain customers.

"We are excited to support the Simon Media & Experiences team to help retail brands optimize their omnichannel campaigns to drive measurable commerce outcomes," said Ben Matlin, CEO at Adentro. "Our technology will equip omnichannel retail brands and agencies to maximize their investments across Simon’s properties and identify opportunities for growth in the ever-evolving retail landscape."

Simon Media & Experiences is leveraging Adentro’s omnichannel retail marketing platform and network to provide location-based intelligence for retail brands across Simon properties. This will allow retail brands and their agencies to curate and optimize high-intent shopping audiences for targeted display, social media, and CTV campaigns. Retail brands and agencies can also plan, activate, and report on their ad campaigns in real-time and with closed-loop reporting via Adentro’s retail marketing platform for a seamless experience that drives performance across the Simon shopper journey.

"Simon Media & Experiences is thrilled to be working with Adentro, an industry leader with extensive experience building in-store retail media networks, to help connect retail advertisers with our engaged and loyal shopper base," said Chip Harding, executive vice president of Simon Media & Experiences. "Through this collaboration, our retailers and brands will be able to reach and engage with Simon shoppers both in the mall and online to create a cohesive and personalized shopping journey, increasing visibility and driving them to their physical stores and websites.”

The Adentro technology utilizes secure OpenRoaming™ profiles on consumers’ mobile devices, provided by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), a global organization connecting people with the latest Wi-Fi initiatives. Its mission is to enable collaboration among service providers, technology companies, cities, regulators, and organizations to achieve this vision. “By enabling advanced location-based intelligence, Adentro’s support for OpenRoaming enhances the curated first-party data from Simon, driving sales and supporting business growth for retail brands. This innovative approach highlights how Adentro’s technology can foster retail innovation, refine communication strategies, and elevate the shopping experience, setting a new industry benchmark,” said Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance.

Adentro’s alliance with Simon Media & Experiences signifies an expansion of its growing network of industry collaborations, which includes leaders such as Experian, LiveRamp, Adobe, and Cisco. Through these relationships, Adentro continues to enhance its Wi-Fi-powered omnichannel retail marketing platform and network, which is integrated into Simon’s Guest Wi-Fi experiences for its customers’ brick-and-mortar businesses.

About Adentro

Adentro is the leading people-based marketing solution for the omnichannel retail, restaurant, and hospitality industry. At the core of Adentro’s platform is its proprietary, first-party consumer identity graph of over 100 million enriched profiles informed by its extensive network of Wi-Fi beacons and POS software integrations in 6,000+ customer locations across North America. Adentro’s software powers the Guest Wi-Fi experience of its customers’ brick-and-mortar locations, enabling the collection of first-party, opt-in consumer data and tracking their in-store visits and online behaviors to acquire customers, retain them, and scale brand loyalty and growth.

About Simon

Simon® is a real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, and entertainment mixed-use destinations and an S&P 100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE: SPG). Our properties across North America, Europe and Asia provide community gathering places for millions of people every day and generate billions in annual sales. For more information, visit simon.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250401689945/en/

For More Information, Contact:

Kimberly Rose

krose@shapetechmarketing.com

650-759-6385

Source: Adentro

FAQ

What is the projected connected commerce spending in the US by 2025?

US connected commerce spending is expected to exceed $112 billion by 2025, driven by retail media network growth.

How will Adentro's technology benefit Simon mall retailers?

Retailers can curate and target audiences using Wi-Fi engagement data, optimize omnichannel campaigns, and access real-time reporting for better performance across the Simon shopper journey.

What technology does Adentro use to track Simon mall shoppers?

Adentro uses secure OpenRoaming™ profiles on consumers' mobile devices through the mall's Guest Wi-Fi experience.

Who are Adentro's other major industry partners besides Simon?

Adentro's network includes partnerships with Experian, LiveRamp, Adobe, and Cisco.