Sainsbury’s has unveiled Nectar 360 Pollen, a new retail media initiative which will harness generative AI to grow brand and consumer connections.

The platform is set to go live later this year and was co-created with international brands, including Unilever and Omnicom.

The supermarket chain believes that by using generative AI, Pollen will be able to help small brands and marketing agencies “optimise their campaign creative in the moment”.

Charlotte Murphy, head of digital retail media at Unilever UK said: “Being part of the early test group for Nectar360 Pollen has been incredibly valuable. What sets this platform apart is how genuinely user-first it is.

“It seamlessly brings together all Nectar360’s media capabilities in one place and gives marketers the tools they’ve been asking for: simplicity, speed and smarter decision-making. It’s a real step change for how we plan and activate retail media,” she added.

The initiative will form the next phase in Nectar360’s retail media business, combining audience insights, media planning and measurement into a single space.

It aims to take on some of the industry’s biggest challenges, including what Sainsbury’s has called “siloed systems, clunky planning and unclear attribution”.

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Nectar 360 managing director Amir Rasekh said: “Nectar 360’s ambition is to be a world-class leader in the retail media industry, which is why we’re launching Nectar 360 Pollen, the most advanced platform of its kind in the UK.

“Retail media’s exciting pace of growth is outstripping traditional advertising, but with this rapid development comes growing pains.

“While retail media has transformed how brands engage customers, it can be complicated and difficult to navigate. Taking on feedback from our clients and the market, we’ve created Nectar360 Pollen to help solve this. It will allow brands and agencies to easily navigate the potential of retail media, create omnichannel experiences, and deliver enhanced measurement.”