Westfield merges physical and digital marketing functions

Retailers and retail center owners alike have been expanding their omnichannel efforts since COVID-19 altered the way they do business. Now it’s caused Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield to re-calibrate its advertising and marketing programs under one umbrella.

URW has placed three departments—marketing, media & experiential, and digital & data—under the same leadership in an effort to provide a consistent marketing platform for tenants and brands that advertise in its shopping centers, digital media, and public events. Ghadi Hobeika has been named to oversee all functions.

“Modern shopping centers exist as marketplaces where people are looking to spend both online and in physical stores. Our intent is to create an ecosystem of marketing, advertising, and experiences that leverages data to drive purchase intent and brings omnichannel retail to life,” Hobeika said.

In 2017, URW launched digital out-of-home networks that use real-time analytics to optimize advertising content for customers in proximity to a screens at its malls. More than 400 brands in leading consumer retail, luxury, entertainment, and telecom have advertised on the network to date. 

At Westfield Century City in Los Angeles and Westfield World Trade Center in New York, the company offers advertisers events and brand activation programs—an offering it will soon extend to six other centers.