Credit: oOh!media/Retail First
oOh!media is exiting its reo retail media business, with about 20 of the 23 staff expected to leave, AdNews can reveal.
The move by new CEO James Taylor is a refocus on the ASX-listed company’s core out-of-home offering.
In an internal email seen by AdNews, Taylor told staff the company would no longer pursue new partnerships under the reo brand, citing slower-than-expected retailer acquisition and a market shift to in-house retail media solutions.
"Retailer acquisition in Australia has progressed more slowly than anticipated, with retailers showing a clear preference for in-house retail media solutions," Taylor said in the memo.
The decision marks the end of oOh!media's retail media ambitions after what Taylor described as a genuine and sustained effort, with the wind-down to be completed by June 30.
reo was launched as oOh!media’s retail media arm, aiming to help retailers monetise in-store screens and other channels, as the sector was forecast to grow to $2.6 billion by 2026.
The Petbarn PetAds business, one of reo's key partnerships, will not disappear entirely, transitioning instead to be operated in-house by Petbarn.
Taylor framed it as a vote of confidence in what reo had built, saying the long-term opportunity was "best realised within their retailer-owned ecosystems”.
oOh!media's existing in-store screen network partnerships will continue to operate during the transition.
Andrew Every, who led the reo business, will return to his role as chief strategy and transformation officer following the June handover.
Taylor was careful to separate the market decision from the team's performance.
“This is a response to market realities and we have made a choice to refocus our investment back into the growing OOH market,” Taylor said.
Taylor also praised the work of the reo team saying they had represented the opportunity with energy, professionalism and passion.
AdNews understands a small number of reo staff may also be redeployed within the broader oOh!media business, depending on company requirements.
The decision follows earlier investor commentary during oOh!media’s full year results, where the company signalled a sharper focus on capital discipline and prioritising higher-return areas of the business.
It also reflects a broader shift in Australian retail media toward retailer-owned ecosystems, with players such as Woolworths, Coles and Endeavour Group investing heavily in in-house media networks built on first-party data.
oOh!media reported 2025 full year revenue up 8.8% to $691.36 million, driven by a 35% ANZ market share grab and increased demand in road and transport sectors.
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